Wow.

Yeah, that’s right. I said that.

Just watched the first two episodes of LIFE ON MARS, got series one at a charity shop.

Acting is a bit awkward in places, but it really does pull you in, quite well done historically. The early 70's as depicted are a bit of an eye-opener.

Now we’re talking. Acting may appear awkward as it is a bit of a mixture of a programme - it is ostensibly a drama, but is also a pastiche of all the classic 70s cop shows, and incorporates more than a little dry humour as well. From my perspective, the acting is just about as spot on as it could be. But then I verged on obsession when this was first out and would still watch every episode of this and Ashes to Ashes in one sitting if I could.

I forgot to mention the soundtrack. Excellent mix of 70's stuff, nice to hear some Deep Purple. I love that era of Rock.
The 70's as a music decade I think is very underrated. Some choice stuff once you toss aside the garbage.
On the 70's music topic, my favourite voice of all time is Karen Carpenter, how I wish she were alive to do some less cringeworthy songs, her performances were faultless.

Animavore wrote:

NamelessFaceless wrote:

Animavore wrote:The Office might be the unfunniest comedy I've ever seen.

Do you mean the British version? I found that one to be rather depressing.

Yes. I would've said The American Office for the American one.

Unless... Is The American Office called The American Office in America?

Dude. You're talking to an American. Everything is American in America.

zulumoose wrote:
The 70's as a music decade I think is very underrated.

Really? Maybe it's just the time I grew up, but 70's has been the most worshipped era of music I've seen. 90's in particular was all about 70's worship. I mean, Led Zeppelin is one of the biggest album sellers of all time.

NamelessFaceless wrote:

Animavore wrote:

NamelessFaceless wrote:

Animavore wrote:The Office might be the unfunniest comedy I've ever seen.

Do you mean the British version? I found that one to be rather depressing.

Yes. I would've said The American Office for the American one.

Unless... Is The American Office called The American Office in America?

Dude. You're talking to an American. Everything is American in America.

But, I mean, over here the title of the show is actually The American Office, but that might not be the case in America.

Anyway. What prompted me to watch The Office is that one of the lads was watching The American Office in work and I watched it with him and found it funny. I went home and put on the original with the presumption it the original should be the best, and it wasn't. It sucked - badly. The American one is way better.

Oooooh! Now I've done it! Come at me!

It's ok that you didn't get it. If toothless American humor like Big Bang Theory is your thing, stick with what you know

SafeAsMilk wrote:

zulumoose wrote:
The 70's as a music decade I think is very underrated.

Really? Maybe it's just the time I grew up, but 70's has been the most worshipped era of music I've seen. 90's in particular was all about 70's worship. I mean, Led Zeppelin is one of the biggest album sellers of all time.

How often are 70's songs played on non-rock radio stations though? Maybe I'm just underexposed in South Africa but it is pretty rare to hear anything from the 70's at all in any context, except for a handful of iconic numbers like "it's raining men" or " I will survive". 80s songs are still pretty well supported though.

zulumoose wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:

zulumoose wrote:
The 70's as a music decade I think is very underrated.

Really? Maybe it's just the time I grew up, but 70's has been the most worshipped era of music I've seen. 90's in particular was all about 70's worship. I mean, Led Zeppelin is one of the biggest album sellers of all time.

How often are 70's songs played on non-rock radio stations though? Maybe I'm just underexposed in South Africa but it is pretty rare to hear anything from the 70's at all in any context, except for a handful of iconic numbers like "it's raining men" or " I will survive". 80s songs are still pretty well supported though.

Don't know about now since I don't listen to the radio much, but it used to be standard to hear 70's music on the radio pretty much 24/7 over here.

Animavore wrote:

NamelessFaceless wrote:

Animavore wrote:

NamelessFaceless wrote:

Do you mean the British version? I found that one to be rather depressing.

Yes. I would've said The American Office for the American one.

Unless... Is The American Office called The American Office in America?

Dude. You're talking to an American. Everything is American in America.

But, I mean, over here the title of the show is actually The American Office, but that might not be the case in America.

Anyway. What prompted me to watch The Office is that one of the lads was watching The American Office in work and I watched it with him and found it funny. I went home and put on the original with the presumption it the original should be the best, and it wasn't. It sucked - badly. The American one is way better.

Oooooh! Now I've done it! Come at me!

Huh. Didn't know that.

Over here it's just The Office. I think most people over here don't even realize there was a British version.

I thought the American version was hilarious too and, like you, assumed the original would be even funnier. But, with the exception of Ricky Gervais, I just found it depressing.

Yeah, most folks over here don't know about the original. Which is probably for the best, not enough zany punchlines for American audiences, and definitely depressing.

I thought The Office was massive in the States. It's the BBC's largest export ever.

Animavore wrote:

NamelessFaceless wrote:

Animavore wrote:

NamelessFaceless wrote:

Do you mean the British version? I found that one to be rather depressing.

Yes. I would've said The American Office for the American one.

Unless... Is The American Office called The American Office in America?

Dude. You're talking to an American. Everything is American in America.

But, I mean, over here the title of the show is actually The American Office, but that might not be the case in America.

Anyway. What prompted me to watch The Office is that one of the lads was watching The American Office in work and I watched it with him and found it funny. I went home and put on the original with the presumption it the original should be the best, and it wasn't. It sucked - badly. The American one is way better.

Oooooh! Now I've done it! Come at me!

The American version is fine, but it's just a generic sitcom with silly scenarios and gags with setups and punchlines. The original was never meant to be Haha funny in that way. It's a product of it's time. In 2001 it was groundbreaking, finding humour in social awkwardness and things that went unspoken. We'd had a decade of watching daily repeats of episodes of Friends and it was a breath of fresh air. Nowadays in gloomier times it does seem a bit depressing. It's the same as it would be difficult to do a new series of The Thick Of It, it would no longer seem groundbreaking or funny but just a depressing reflection of reality.

Animavore wrote:I thought The Office was massive in the States. It's the BBC's largest export ever.

The USA Office is massive over here. Pretty much anyone I talk to who watches it has either never heard of or never seen the original.

minininja wrote:The original was never meant to be Haha funny in that way. It's a product of it's time. In 2001 it was groundbreaking, finding humour in social awkwardness and things that went unspoken.

Indeed, awkward/cringe humor is pretty much standard now but I can't think of anything else like the UK Office at the time. Even things like Curb Your Enthusiasm are still relatively light-hearted (or in the case of Always Sunny, pure stupidity), and doesn't have the bleakness of the UK Office.

SafeAsMilk wrote:

Animavore wrote:I thought The Office was massive in the States. It's the BBC's largest export ever.

The USA Office is massive over here. Pretty much anyone I talk to who watches it has either never heard of or never seen the original.

From what I remember, the British one was wildly popular. Most of my friends saw it long before the US one came out.

I remember the DVDs being a very popular holiday/birthday gift. I still have mine.

I also remember it being fashionable to prefer the British one over the US one.

I never saw more than a few episodes of the US one.

I don't know if I'd call the UK Office "groundbreaking". It kind of reminded me of the Larry Sanders show. I think Ricky Gervais also said that it was heavily influenced by Spinal Tap.

zulumoose wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:

zulumoose wrote:
The 70's as a music decade I think is very underrated.

Really? Maybe it's just the time I grew up, but 70's has been the most worshipped era of music I've seen. 90's in particular was all about 70's worship. I mean, Led Zeppelin is one of the biggest album sellers of all time.

How often are 70's songs played on non-rock radio stations though? Maybe I'm just underexposed in South Africa but it is pretty rare to hear anything from the 70's at all in any context, except for a handful of iconic numbers like "it's raining men" or " I will survive". 80s songs are still pretty well supported though.

As there's more to the 70s than rock, quite often.