The Office: Seasons 1 & 2 (US/NBC Version)

Remaking movies is bad enough, but remaking TV shows is even worse -- when that happens, there's ninety-nine atrocious shows for one good one.

But "The Office" is that one in a hundred that's good. Scratch that -- it's that one in a million that is AS GOOD as the Ricky Gervais series it sprang from, while still having its own unique flavour. "The Office: Seasons One & Two" brings together the first half-season and the full second season, which are full of outrageous corporate disasters filmed in a mockumentary style. It's absolutely sidesplitting.

The action takes place at the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin (a paper corporation), presided over by Michael Scott (Steve Carell), a wannabe comic who claims to be a pal to all the people under him, despite driving them all up the wall. There's also the "fascist nerd" Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), bored everyman Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), and the beautiful secretary Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer), whom Jim hopelessly longs for.

In the first season, Michael is ordered to do some downsizing, which he spends the whole season trying to avoid. In the meantime, Jim and Pam spend a great deal of time mocking the rigid Dwight, even starting an "alliance" with him, Survivor-style. And the Scranton employees are faced with a disastrous basketball game, Michael's version of a diversity seminar, a sexy purse salesgirl, and (most horribly) a Dwight-planned health care package.

The downsizing problem continues well into the second season, where the Scranton employees are faced with more "typical" corporate problems -- workplace awards (the "Dundies"), sexual harassment, a workplace fire, email spying, Secret Santa, drug testing ("Do you want to give Michael your urine?"), a house party Michael isn't invited to, sales conventions, and "Take Your Daughter To Work" Day that ends in a disaster.

Of course, all these are given a more bizarre twist by Michael's constant attempts to make the office a "fun" place (stealing Christmas gifts!!), and Dwight's equally peculiar antics (a public speech using lines from Hitler and Mussolini... courtesy of Jim). In the meantime, Jim's feelings for Pam get more cumbersome as her engagement slowly creeps toward marriage with the loutish Roy, and Michael enters a sort-of-relationship with his exasperated boss Jan.

Don't expect a typical sitcom in "The Office." No laughtracks. No punch lines. No gag humor... well, okay there's some. And no episode has a clear-cut ending. Instead, we have the format seen in "This is Spinal Tap" and the Christopher Guest mockumentaries -- hidden cameras watching the madness. And what those cameras see is enough to make the world's cubicle-dwellers cry, because it's all so familiar... yet so twisted.

The first season (which is rather short at only six episodes) is also heavily flavoured with the British series' humour, right down to the stapler-in-Jell-O joke. But most of the humor belongs to this show alone -- loads of pranks from Jim and Pam ("That's spontaneous dental hydroplosion"), horrendously awkward problems (Dwight trying to find drugs in the office) and intertwined storylines about office romance and conflict.

But the best part is the dialogue -- deadpan, unspeakably funny dialogue, on any topic ("I need a username, and... I have a great one. 'Little Kid Lover.' That way people will know exactly where my priorities are at").

Steve Carell has some big shoes to fill, but his earnestly manic, unconsciously offensive Michael Scott makes a brilliant boss that you would sell a kidney to avoid working under. Wilson is equally brilliant as the totally bizarre dork Dwight ("Last year I came to work with my spud-gun in a duffle bag"), while Krasinski and Fischer are quite likable as the mischievous everyman and his soul-mate (who is unhappily engaged to another man).

More subtle and yet goofier than just about any other American sitcom, "The Office" translates British humour into a great post-mockumentary comedy. Funny, witty, and horrifyingly true to life, the first two seasons are a treasure.

Whoever gave this 1 star has issues. This show is awesome, once you've seen a few episodes you'll know why it has won so many awards, including the coveted Emmy. Hilarious show, a laugh for every line, perfection. This is a great deal for the price too, the first season has like 6 episodes but the second has many, so it makes up for it. Buy it!

I enjoyed all these episodes the first time around, and am loving re-watching them with my husband. It's become a nightly event, choosing to watch these dvds even over new shows airing this fall. You can't beat the comedy that runs rampant at Dunder Mifflin.

The characters are so well thought out and the actors make them as true and authentic as can be. The writing and improv is top notch and I am pleased to laugh outloud at least a couple of times for every episode. This is by far one of the best comedy series ever.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 59 reviews  4.7 out of 5 stars