Rarely has there been a better example of the difference between the UK and US approach to making sitcoms than The Office – and almost definitely none so successful.
To recap briefly: the UK original comprises two six-episode seasons and two hour-long Christmas specials.
The US adaptation began with one six-episode season… then eight more seasons, for a total of 201 episodes, several of which were an hour long.
And stunningly, the US Office was actually good, justifying most of that nine-year run and ending on an odd but emotionally satisfying note.
That finale is part of why John Krasinski, who played lovelorn everyguy turned ambitious family man and reaction GIF Hall of Famer Jim Halpert, is not really on board with the heavily rumoured reboot.
“I don’t know how it exciting it would be to do a run of the show, ’cause you don’t want to retread old things and have people not be as excited about it as they are now,” he told IndieWire.
There’s one for every possible situation!
But he also implied that he’s suggested to the old team, more than once, that they produce some UK-style Christmas specials if they want to revisit the world of Dunder Mifflin.
“I think the UK thing that I always have pitched and wanted to do is that Christmas special thing, where we do a Christmas special this year and then two years from now, or three years from now, we do another one,” Krasinski said.
“I love that idea coming back finding out where everybody is. I would totally be down for that.”
Several major cast members are now very busy with high profile projects, and it would be tough to lock a lot of the original stars down for a series.
But a Christmas special could be an easier proposition when it comes to working around, say, Mindy Kaling’s Ocean’s 8 promotional schedule, and Krasinski’s commitments around the Jack Ryan series he’s starring in for Amazon.
Speaking of how Jim from The Office is a big action star now: much as Parks & Recreation had to nod to the fact that Chris Pratt’s character got Marvel swole between seasons, any Christmas special would also have to explain why Jim looks like this now.
