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Syzygy
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Joined: December 16 2004
Location: United Kingdom
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Points: 7003
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Topic: The Office Posted: May 19 2007 at 17:12 |
NaturalScience wrote:
Is the Territorial Army an actual organization? If so, what is its purpose? |
It is a real organisation - it's effectively a privatre army, nearly all of whose troops are part time soldiers, although the Territorials can (and do) get to serve alongside the British army from time to time - I think all the members are reservists, meaning that they can be called into action at any time.
The territiorials have also been used by the British government in more underhand ways; during the Vietnam war Harold Wilson's government dispatched members of the Territorial SAS to act as 'advisers' on jungle warfare. As they were members of the Territorials, they weren't officially representing the UK which meant that the government of the time could distance itself from the Vietnam war and simultaneously give some low key support to the Americans - Harold Wilson frequently played both sides against the middle.
And Gareth may not be completely typical of the TA, but I used to know a guy in the Territorials who was uncannily like him.
Edited by Syzygy - May 19 2007 at 17:14
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'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'
Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom
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Padraic
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Joined: February 16 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
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Points: 31169
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Posted: May 19 2007 at 16:59 |
Is the Territorial Army an actual organization? If so, what is its purpose?
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Atavachron
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Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
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Points: 65513
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Posted: May 18 2007 at 22:28 |
British, though Carell is excellent
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King of Loss
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 21 2005
Location: Boston, MA
Status: Offline
Points: 16789
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Posted: May 18 2007 at 22:26 |
British, by farrrrrrrrrrrr
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Arsillus
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 26 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 7374
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Posted: May 18 2007 at 08:55 |
I like both, but I usually just watch the American version. Dwight is classic.
Edited by Arsillus - May 18 2007 at 08:56
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Atomic_Rooster
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Joined: December 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1210
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Posted: May 18 2007 at 01:07 |
I find the US version better because the characters are more differentiated (have more individual character) and Steve Carell is less of a one-trick-pony that is Gervais's only shtick. And in reality, Gervais's character would have been fired long ago, while Carell's would have just barely have hung on like in the show.
and of course theirs Dwight...
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I am but a servant of the mighty Fripp, the sound of whose loins shall forever be upon the tongues of his followers.
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oracus
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 12 2005
Location: Greece
Status: Offline
Points: 497
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 21:36 |
My best tv series. I laughed so many times. British ofcourse
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Blacksword
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 16130
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Posted: April 28 2007 at 10:26 |
Tony R wrote:
Classic David Brent (UK)
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I love this bit..
I dont agree with that in the workplace!!
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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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Blacksword
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 16130
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Posted: April 28 2007 at 10:14 |
Tony R wrote:
Blacksword wrote:
For some reason British people love comedy that makes them cringe, and I'm no exception. I sat through that Borat movie watching through the gaps in my fingers thinking 'Oh God no, he can't say that surely! He's going to get shot if he keeps this up!' But I loved it. |
The master of this kind of humour is Steve Coogan. I sit through most episodes of I'm Alan Partridge looking like I've just consumed a very bitter lemon..
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Alan Partridge is such a brilliantly observed character. I must have watched those chat shows, and the follow up series a thousand times.
I love it when he shoots 'Forbes McAllister' at the end of the last chat show, with one of Lord Byrons duelling pistols!
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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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Tony R
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Joined: July 16 2004
Location: UK
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Posted: April 28 2007 at 08:22 |
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Tony R
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Joined: July 16 2004
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Posted: April 28 2007 at 08:20 |
Blacksword wrote:
For some reason British people love comedy that makes them cringe, and I'm no exception. I sat through that Borat movie watching through the gaps in my fingers thinking 'Oh God no, he can't say that surely! He's going to get shot if he keeps this up!' But I loved it. |
The master of this kind of humour is Steve Coogan. I sit through most episodes of I'm Alan Partridge looking like I've just consumed a very bitter lemon..
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Blacksword
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 16130
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Posted: April 28 2007 at 07:52 |
Pezmerga wrote:
I think the US version is funnier, but the UK Version is so much more uncomfortable with the stuff Gervais says. So I like em both the same really, but for different reasons. |
This is the principle difference between the two versions, and hi-lights the basic difference between what makes a US audience laugh, and what makes a UK audience laugh. I know the UK version was a big hit in the US, but to reach the biggest audience possible, the focus of the humour had to be 'tweaked'
For some reason British people love comedy that makes them cringe, and I'm no exception. I sat through that Borat movie watching through the gaps in my fingers thinking 'Oh God no, he can't say that surely! He's going to get shot if he keeps this up!' But I loved it.
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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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Pezmerga
Forum Groupie
Joined: April 26 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 64
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Posted: April 27 2007 at 22:56 |
I think the US version is funnier, but the UK Version is so much more uncomfortable with the stuff Gervais says. So I like em both the same really, but for different reasons.
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BroSpence
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 05 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 2614
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Posted: April 26 2007 at 23:51 |
I've seen enough to know that UK > US
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Drew
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Joined: June 20 2005
Location: California
Status: Offline
Points: 12600
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Posted: April 26 2007 at 01:14 |
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BroSpence
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 05 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 2614
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Posted: April 25 2007 at 21:24 |
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Blacksword
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 16130
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Posted: April 25 2007 at 14:57 |
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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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Padraic
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Joined: February 16 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: April 25 2007 at 10:11 |
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Padraic
Special Collaborator
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Joined: February 16 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Status: Offline
Points: 31169
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Posted: April 25 2007 at 10:09 |
Blacksword wrote:
n the UK version David Brent introduces receptionist, Dawn by saying 'I'm sure at some point every bloke in the office has woken up at the 'crack of Dawn''
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That was hysterical.
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Blacksword
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 16130
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Posted: April 25 2007 at 08:05 |
I know the British versions inside out, but I've only seen a few episodes of the US version. I need to see the whole thing and get a feel for the characters. It looked ok, but not as good.
One thing really stood out in the first episode of each. When the boss in the US office introduced his receptionist he said something like 'I'm sure everyone in the office will agree she's a bit of a 'hotty'' In the UK version David Brent introduces receptionist, Dawn by saying 'I'm sure at some point every bloke in the office has woken up at the 'crack of Dawn''
Thats the difference. On UK TV we can be as vulgar as we like after 9:00pm, and we find vulgarity hilarious. Well I do anyway!
Edited by Blacksword - April 25 2007 at 08:06
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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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