Let me tell you, I am no stranger to sitcoms. Love them or hate them, I can always get a good chuckle watching a mind-numbing comedy series. One of the best comedy television shows widely loved by many, 'The Office', has recently received another global adaptation — and this time, it's set in my hometown of Sydney, Australia.
While workplace sitcoms aren't a rare commodity, it's not too often that comedic, laugh-out-loud shows are set in Australia (and filled to the brim with Aussie comedy). So when the opportunity arose to watch the first three episodes of the series before its premiere on Prime Video on October 18, I jumped at the chance.
When I got sick of watching reruns of my favourite shows a few years back, I became truly invested in 'The Office' US, — sorry UK fans — a show which was introduced to me by my husband (who is a US East Coast native). I was engrossed in Jim and Pam's will-they-won't-they romance, Dwight just being, well, Dwight, Angela's obsession with her cats that hit a little too close to home and, of course, I started rooting for Michael by the end of the series — even though we can all agree that he's a terrible boss.
That said, I was a bit sceptical about the newest iteration of the series. I was beyond thrilled about it being set in my city, but I wasn't convinced by the trailer that it was going to be any different from Michael Scott's Office. The trailer depicted Hannah Howard (played by Felicity Ward), The Office's first female boss, as a near duplicate of Michael, which wasn't exactly what I wanted. In which case, I had hoped for a completely new take on the franchise, not just the inclusion of Aussie slang, and the trailer felt far from that.
But after previewing the first few episodes, I can officially say, I was wrong.
Warning: Spoilers ahead
The series kicks off with an office dilemma — Hannah has to tell her staff that they will work from home permanently, with Head Office wanting to shut down the Sydney branch of Flinley Craddick, an Aussie-based packaging company. This doesn't fly well with Hannah, who dives straight into survival mode to keep her "work family" together by forcing them to come back to the office full-time.
The first episode introduces the cast, which is rounded out by Edith Poor (Lizzie), Steen Raskopoulos (Nick), Shari Sebbens (Greta), Jonny Brugh (Lloyd), Josh Thomson (Martin), Raj Labade (Sebastian), Lucy Schmidt (Deborah), Susan Ling Young (Tina) and Zoe Terakes (Stevie). While it doesn't get too in-depth with character backgrounds, talking heads do reveal that they aren't happy with Hannah's decision.
Admittedly, the first episode of the series is rather bleak and felt reminiscent of the first episode of 'The Office' US. If you've been a longtime fan of the franchise, there's no denying the first episode of the US and UK adaptations do have some growing pains, especially with viewers being introduced to an odd workplace setting. But where the show starts to really shine is in episode two, aptly titled 'The Wake'.
'The Wake' opens the door for the series, in which the Flinley Craddick crew mourn the death of one of their own, known simply as Brian from the warehouse (yes, they have a warehouse). Hannah decides to throw the best and most "fun" wake for Brian, while directing Lizzie who's been assigned as "Productivity Manager" of the office.
Hannah's quirks are much more developed in this episode compared to the first, as you really get to know her antics and ineptness. From gathering quotes from Martin Luther King for her eulogy to generously gifting the cleaners two AI-powered robovacs, Hannah's character is bold, funny and has the right amount of awkwardness, without being borderline cringeworthy.
Steen Raskopoulos' Nick and Shari Sebbens' Greta bring a certain freshness to their Jim/Pam archetypes, while Zoe Terakes' Stevie is a welcome addition as the warehouse manager. Stevie has a subtle Aussie sternness that is rarely depicted on TV, with every "mate" sounding more reassuring and alarming than the last when they're caught in a tizzy with Lizzie in episode three.
But for me, the standout character was in fact Lizzie, Hannah's second-in-charge, who proves time and time again that she will stop at nothing to get the job done, no matter how unhinged or unruly her strategies are. From selling office chairs for AU$3 on eBay to dressing up as a Melbourne Cup jockey for episode three's Cup Day, Lizzie is the heart of the show for me, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Where to watch 'The Office' Australia
While some initial reviews of the local reboot have it heading for the shredder, fans of 'The Office' should take any naysayers with a grain of salt. The series instead pokes fun at the 20-something-year-old franchise, breathing some serious life into familiar territory.
I really enjoyed the premise and post-2020 conundrum of returning to the office, which is something I feel most audiences can relate to. While the show would receive a Dundee (or a few), it's hard to say whether it'll be picked up for season two just yet.
No matter where you live in the world, you can watch the thirteenth adaptation of 'The Office' — a.k.a 'The Office Australia' — on Prime Video, with all eight episodes dropping on October 18. If you're not an Amazon Prime member, you can sign up here for a 30-day free trial, with great perks like expedited delivery, Prime Gaming, Amazon Music Unlimited and of course, access to Prime Video's wealth of content.
