“No! God! Please! No! No! No! Nooooooo!” Michael Scott, the main character in the American version of “The Office”, screamed in one of the most famous scenes in the series. The most loyal fans will surely remember doing this in the second minute of Episode 9 of Season 5. Then, when it turned out that Toby had returned from Costa Rica. Recently, Michael Scott yelled “Wow!” once again. And he did this several times with information that the Polish version of the series “The Office” would be released. Netizens put up GIFs with Scott so often that you can wonder if it makes sense to do this series in Poland. This isn’t their only reaction on the web.
When news broke that Channel + was preparing, in cooperation with the BBC, a Polish version of “The Office”, there were immediately a lot of critical comments. Benjamin: “It’s going to be a piece of crap I rub my hands together.” Paweł: “Please, no.” Marta: “I’m scared” – our readers wrote on Facebook. In turn, the information on the Wirtualnemedia.pl portal did not lack bitter opinions. “To say that an idea is tragic is not to say anything”, “Another series that viewers will not even watch, because it would be a disgrace”, “Stupid, frighteningly stupid. Will there also be a Polish version of ‘Mission Impossible’ and ‘Star Wars’? ” – These are just a few comments on our article.
20 years since “The Office” debuted
Where does this doubt come from? – Perhaps it is the lack of faith in Polish cinema? – asks ukasz Adamski, a film critic associated with TVP Kultura. – I am very happy that there will be a Polish version of this series. Although I also dread it, because the creators will face a production created by, among others, Ricky Gervais, one of the world’s leading comedians, who has broken all standards of political correctness and slipped out of the various boxes.
Adamski admits that it would be very difficult for Polish artists to go back to the original. Let us remind you: “The Office” was first filmed in Great Britain. The series directed by Ricky Jervis and Stephen Merchant appeared on the BBC exactly 20 years ago – in July 2001. Then viewers learned about the adventures of a group of office workers and their charming clumsy boss. However, the series was not successful. It was only shown on the BBC for two years. The American version of the format, in which Steve Carell played the main role, gained much more popularity. In the years 2005-2013 on demand NBC Nine seasons of “The Office” were filmed with 201 episodes. The series very quickly became one of the most popular sitcoms in television history. Many today say that this is a cult production.
Work in Siddles. “I’m very happy”
now polish The creators of the series – under the working title – “The Office PL” ensure that it is included in our reality. The procedure was planned in Sidels, at the headquarters of the company engaged in the production of mineral water “Kruplishanka”.
– I am very glad that the series was not set in Warsaw, Krakow or Wroclaw – says Łukasz Adamski, who lives in Olsztyn. – I know what the expectations of the residents of a city like mine are. I hope that the county’s creators will show sympathy, and will not treat its residents with condescension and stereotype – Adamski comments. It is reported that Jean Comasa succeeded in avoiding him in the “body of God”. – It is a film that does not touch the provinces and does not make fun of it, although the director is from Warsaw. If the authors of the Polish language “the desk“It will also be possible to honestly show a reality a little different from the one in which they live, so the series may be a success,” Adamski predicts.
Currently, Canal+, which will be showing the first episodes of “The Office PL” in the fall, knows that “The screenwriters were inspired by the current social mood, worldview struggles, and a controversial sense of humor that points to harmful stereotypes will test Poles’ distance from themselves.”
Fortunately, this production will not be limited to a public television format available to all. So it would be possible to break some standards of political correctness and taboos. Channel + It’s a private and encrypted terminal, so it can handle more – Adamski notes. The film critic notes that the expectations of viewers have changed in recent years. Today, Netflix produces comedy series, for example, it launched the wonderful series “The Ranch”. If our creators refer to Gervais or Seinfeld, the makers of every cinema fan’s hottest sitcoms that are more than just a regular sitcom, we’ll have a clever version of the series tailor-made for “Seinfeld Chronicles” – says Adamski.
Will these names guarantee success?
For the Polish version of “The Office”, created in collaboration with BBC StudiosDirector Maciej Bochniak and producers Dorota Kośmicka-Gacke and Jan Kępiński respond. Łukasz Sychowicz with Jakub Rużyłło and Mateusz Zimnowodzki will be responsible for the script, and Paweł Chorzępa for the pictures.
Will these names make the show a success? – I’m glad Dorota Kośmicka-Gacke is in charge of production, which has already had one success when it comes to moving the American format to Poland. It’s about the series “Nanny”. Apart from the “honey years” and “Rodzinki.pl“It’s one of the few successful foreign formats made in Polish. So anything is possible,” says Dawid Muszyński, editor-in-chief of naEkranie.pl. The news related to the Polish version of the series “The Office” is covered by a space. – The idea is great, but I don’t trust Maciej Bochniak, whose works simply don’t make me laugh. His latest series “Kingdom of Women” was a huge disappointment. However, behind the Polish version of “The Office” there are great screenwriters under the direction of Michał Oleszczyk, so I don’t omit this production at first – says Dawid Muszyński.
Łukasz Adamski also refers to the last name. Despite the many concerns about the Polish version of the series, I am assured that the literary custodian of the series will be Mishaw Olczyk, one of the best Polish film critics, who knows what humor is and what is the essence of an American and British sitcom, however the Polish version of the B production BBC. It is likely a direct reference to the British version of the series created by Gervais. Oleszczyk guarantees us that we can expect a high level of production, although I’m afraid, because the creators are faced with something that has become an absolute cult for a specific reason: this is simply an excellent series – says Adamski.
A completely unclear cast.
Film critics appreciate the makers Adam and Ronovich were assigned the main role in the series. – He is an actor who has shown he can play a psychopathic killer in Marcin Koszałka’s “Red Spider”, and Father Colby in “Two Crowns”. I’m putting these roles side by side to show that Woronowicz fits into every repertoire. He has a look that suits someone like Ricky Gervais or Steve Carell. These two actors and comedians didn’t look like movie stars, but they managed to draw audiences to the screens – says Łukasz Adamski.
Away Adam and Ronovich The cast of the Polish version of “The Office” will include Vanessa Alexander, Piotr Pollack, Cornelia Strzelica, Mikojaj Maccak and Melina Lisica.
– I’m glad that the cast is completely inconspicuous, because apart from Adam Woronovich and Vanessa Alexander, who have already achieved their first hits, there are no faces that we had time to wear. That is why I give the creators a huge advantage. This inconspicuous representation also contained the power of the American “office”, with the rest taking their first steps in acting, with the exception of Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson – as Nicodem Bankoviak, editor of Serialowa.pl tells us. The Office is the real king of sitcoms for him. Bankoviak reminded his readers that he loved the series so much. He ended the review like this: “Today we’re seeing a real fest of reruns of old songs, but The Office seems to be one of those titles we’d better not touch. Instead of new seasons, it’s better to rerun old seasons.”
“product of his time”
Now Pankowiak admits in an interview with Wirtualnemedia.pl that he is waiting for the Polish version of the series with interest, although he has no expectations. – I’m a big fan of the American movie The Office and I liked Steve Carell’s Michael Scott more than the British version. However, I realize that the humor from 2005 from the United States does not necessarily match the Polish reality of 2021. In any case, this series will not be created on American television today. Many jokes that show the main character’s ignorance of race or gender or tolerance of different sexual orientations will not pass now. This is not a complaint against TV. The “office” is a product of its time – says Bankoviak.
He admits that Poland lacks good sitcoms. – Even if the local version of “The Office” was successful, it is likely that a completely dead comedy series will not start in our country. Perhaps there will be more licensees. Then we will look for American sitcoms that are easy to transfer to Polish reality.
Dawid Muszyński states that Polish artists have already shown once that they are capable of performing such a format. – in 2004″camera cafe“, the Polish version of the popular French TV series of the same name and still defends it today,” says the editor-in-chief of naEkranie.pl.
The bar is set high
I ask my interlocutors what they would not like to see in the Polish version of “The Office”.
David Mucinsky: – The same jokes I know from the British or American version. I hope the writers have their ideas to implement there.
Łukasz Adamski: – Instead of cliched, embarrassing, vulgar jokes, I rely on what is best in Gervais in the American version, that is, clever, sharp, witty, sarcastic and sarcastic humor.
Nicodim Bankoviak: – I don’t want it to be too slapstick. In the United States, the series was based on great dialogue and a great performance by Steve Carell. The Polish team has high standards here and generally such comparisons pale in relation to the original, which doesn’t mean it can’t be a good series.
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