Female-Led Version of ‘The Office’ to Begin Production in Australia

[BluBonnet]

Female-Led Version of ‘The Office’ to Begin Production in Australia

“The Office” comedy franchise will see middle management led by a woman for the first time in an Australian version that will play on Amazon’s Prime Video.

Australian comedian and actor Felicity Ward (“Wakefield,” “The Inbetweeners 2”) will portray Hannah Howard, the MD of packaging company Flinley Craddick in “The Office Australia.” In a post-COVID plot twist, Howard gets news from head office that her branch will be shutting down and that staff will have to work from home. She goes into survival mode, making promises she can’t keep and launches outlandish plots in order to keep her “work family” together.

The Australian adaptation is the 13th iteration of the show that was originally created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Other international retreads have included those in France, Canada, Chile, Israel and the Middle East.

Filming of the eight-part series will commence in Sydney in June. Production is by Prime Video, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand and Bunya Entertainment. The show will be branded as an Amazon Original and launch on Prime Video worldwide, excluding the U.S., in 2024.

“The Office Australia” also stars Edith Poor (“The Power of the Dog”), Steen Raskopoulos (“The Duchess”), Shari Sebbens (“Thor: Love and Thunder”), Josh Thomson (“Young Rock”), Jonny Brugh (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Pallavi Sharda (“The Twelve”), Susan Ling Young (“Hungry Ghosts”), Raj Labade, Lucy Schmit, and Firass Dirani (“Underbelly”).

“I’m very excited about Australia remaking my little show from the turn of the century,” said Gervais, co-creator, co-writer and star of the original U.K. version. “Office politics have changed a bit in 20 years, so can’t wait to see how they navigate a modern-day David Brent.”

[Jay H.]

I'm intrigued.

[Naiera]

I guess I'm not against it. Just seems a bit contrived (maybe not the exact right word) to do another remake of The Orifice. I'm generally very positively inclined towards Aussie TV shows these days though.

[salz4life]

I'm interested in the fact the boss is now a woman. I'd give it a shot if for nothing else than that because it is different.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by salz4life

I'm interested in the fact the boss is now a woman. I'd give it a shot if for nothing else than that because it is different.

Sounds like a perfectly good reason to me, too!

[BluGalaxy]

Originally Posted by salz4life

I'm interested in the fact the boss is now a woman. I'd give it a shot if for nothing else than that because it is different.

Yeah but is she just going to act like a man in the other two versions? Because i'd be interested in a completely female office if it's somewhat like what real women will act like in that environment. Because some of the stories that female colleagues, girlfriends, and wives tell are absolutely jaw-dropping. The back-stabbing, one-upmanship, and drama would make a compelling series.

[BudBaxter]

Originally Posted by BluGalaxy

The back-stabbing, one-upmanship, and drama would make a compelling series.

You realise this is supposed to be a comedy, right?


Also, didn't the US version have at least one female boss after Michael Scott left?

[BluGalaxy]

Originally Posted by BudBaxter

You realise this is supposed to be a comedy, right?

Well i'd be laughing!

[BluBonnet]

Launches everywhere today except the US.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIEVoulYZM0

‘The Office’ Australia Star on Being Franchise’s First Female Boss and Online Backlash: “Of Course They’re Going to Come for Me”

[RevolverOcelScott]

"Of course they are going to come for me"

Because it's unfunny, it has nothing to do with being a female. There are plenty of funny characters in The Office US and The Office UK, no one is ragging on them. I have seen 2 extended previews from this new iteration, and it's dreadful.

I'm sure when it tanks and cancelled it will be because of "hatred" and not that fact that comedies are meant to be funny.

[drush9999]

oof I gave it a try but it tries too hard to be like the US office. The humour is too forced and not natural. Definitely not continuing.

[BudBaxter]

Originally Posted by drush9999

oof I gave it a try but it tries too hard to be like the US office. The humour is too forced and not natural.

Swap 'US' for 'UK' & you could say pretty much exactly the same thing about the early episodes of the American version. & that one turned out OK.

I've only watched the first episode of this & while I do agree it's trying too hard & not particularly original (the female Dwight character dressing exactly like Rainn Wilson did, the beat-for-beat copy of the Tim & Dawn/Jim & Pam storyline), it made me chuckle a few times. As it's only 8 episodes, I'll stick with it.

[RevolverOcelScott]

https://www.empireonline.com/tv/revi...ice-australia/

Yikes

[BluBonnet]

Is there some (legal) way to watch this in the US yet? I see this thread keeps getting bumped and I'm scared of missing out on the fun.

[RevolverOcelScott]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

Is there some (legal) way to watch this in the US yet? I see this thread keeps getting bumped and I'm scared of missing out on the fun.

VPN or non-legal at the moment.