The Office

Creating an original hit comedy series is always difficult. Successfully adapting an existing hit to a different nationality may be harder still. Yet that has been achieved with this version of The Office. Based on the Peabody-winning BBC series of the same name, The Office has been masterfully retooled for American sensibilities, bringing a distinctly stateside feel to the hum of the fluorescent lights and drone of the copy machine at Dunder-Mifflin paper supply in Scranton, Penn. Skilled actors, some of whom double as writers, assist in this seamless transition. Even in scenes lifted directly from the BBC version, their impeccable comedic timing makes the show a whole new experience. Able to tackle even more ground than its predecessor, The Office explores the monotony and inanity of the daily grind while highlighting the simple pleasures that make the working world bearable. All the while, sharp observations about American society slip through in the guise of comedy. For its deadpan humor, its successful expansion of a British show for American television, and its uncanny ability to make viewers want to spend yet another half-hour at work, The Office receives a Peabody Award.