A Note to Bitter Brits and Confused Americans …

Some of you are unhappy, and others are confused. The bitter Brits are clenching this book tightly, wondering why there are so many chapters on the American version of The Office, when the British version was what started it all. These Anglophiles are grinding their teeth and shaking their fists. “The British version,” they are thinking, “is the superior version of the show, not some cheap knock-off. The book should have been only on the British version of the show!” And then there are the confused Americans, puzzling over some of the chapter titles, wondering “Who is this David Brent, and what’s he got to do with The Office?” You see, they didn’t even know there was a British version of the show.

Bitter Brits, meet Confused Americans. Confused Americans, meet Bitter Brits.

There will be no placating some of the Brits, and no clarifying things to some of the confused Americans. It’s true, The Office did originate in Britain, and the British version is excellent in every respect. But it’s also true that the American version now has a life of its own—it isn’t a cheap knock-off. And, for you Anglophiles out there, I want to remind you that Ricky Gervais (co-creator of the show, with Stephen Merchant, for any confused Americans not familiar with the name) has done some writing for the American Office, and is routinely credited as a producer. So pooey on your elitist cynicism! If Ricky Gervais approves of the show, so can you! This book is dedicated to doing philosophy on both sides of the Atlantic, in Slough and in Scranton.

And besides, we love both versions of the show enough to spend a good deal of time investigating them carefully and critically. The same can’t be said for every version of The Office. We make no mention (other than the one coming up) of the French knock-off (Le Bureau), the German knock-off (Stromberg), or the French-Canadian one (La Job). If you Brits think you’re angry, you should see the rest of the world!