It’s maybe weird to celebrate the anniversary of a show still so present in popular culture, but nevertheless: 15 years ago, NBC debuted the American remake of The Office. It was an inauspicious start. The pilot episode—which introduced viewers to Michael Scott (Steve Carell), Pam Beasley (Jenna Fisher), Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), and Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson)—was a near shot-for-shot remake of the critically acclaimed BBC source material created by Ricky Gervais. The entire first season, which spanned just six episodes before signing off for the spring, often cowered in the shadow of Gervais’ original. Some critics weren’t totally convinced that the new version was a good idea—or that it deserved to stick around for a longer second season.The Office Season 1-9 Download.
The Office’s fans love their show with a fierce conviction, and I doubt most of them will take kindly to the idea of simply transplanting the alienated crew of Wernham Hogg paper company to new digs in Scranton, Pa.,” critic Dana Stevens wrote for Slate at the time. “For those still in mourning for the BBC series (which wrapped up earlier this year with a two-hour special), seeing the roles already recast with American actors is like waking up to find your beloved has been abducted, Invasion of the Body Snatchers-style, and replaced by a random stranger.
But the rest is history: Season 2 launched just after Carell had become a box office star, thanks to The 40-Year-Old Virgin’s big debut that summer, and the show soon found steady ratings and broader critical support. The industry took note as well: Numerous later series sought to copy the mockumentary style of The Office, including the similarly beloved Parks and Recreation and hit ABC series Modern Family. In the years since its series finale in 2013.