NBC’s The Office is highly regarded as one of the best sitcoms of all time, and was the blueprint for decades of mockumentary-style workplace sitcoms, such as Parks and Recreation, Abbott Elementary, and St. Denis Medical. However, real Office fans know that another version of the show paved the way for its success. The UK Office premiered on the BBC in 2001 to delayed critical and audience accolades, prompting its adaptation by Greg Daniels for US audiences in 2005. Surprisingly, Steve Carell didn’t watch the British version of The Office before auditioning for his legacy character, Michael Scott, but I totally understand his reason behind this decision.
Before Michael Scott even handed out a single Dundie or even set foot into Dunder Mifflin, Ricky Gervais originated the role on the UK Office. The British comedian created the series for the BBC and starred as David Brent, the boss at Wernham Hogg Paper Merchants. It would seem logical for Carell, who at the time was on the cusp of launching his acting career (his breakthrough role The 40-Year-Old Virgin came out the same year as The Office), to prepare for his Office audition by watching the original. Yet he revealed to Ladbible the reason why he didn’t, and it totally makes sense:
-copy-29e15046.jpeg?w=600)
