Rainn Wilson Says The British Office Is Better Than You Remember

While fans still treat the U.S. series like scripture, Wilson took to Reddit's r/IAmA to remind everyone that Ricky Gervais' 2001 BBC Two original isn't just a footnote in Dunder Mifflin history. When asked what he thought of the British Office, Wilson didn't mince words:

"I f***ing love the english office. Some of the greatest TV OF ALL TIME."

And no, this isn't hindsight bias. Wilson was already a fan before he became a part of the franchise. In fact, it nearly cost him the job.

When he first auditioned for The Office, Wilson read for Michael Scott — and according to him, it was a full-blown Ricky Gervais impersonation. He later described it on the Office Ladies podcast as flat-out "embarrassing."

He's not the only one who struggled to shake the shadow of the U.K. version:

• John Krasinski said he made a sarcastic comment about the American version "ruining the original" to a stranger — who turned out to be Greg Daniels, the guy in charge of the remake.
• Steve Carell avoided the problem entirely. He famously refused to watch any of the British series during his entire seven-season run as Michael Scott. Probably a wise move.

The British Office only ran for two seasons and two Christmas specials, but its influence is still baked into the DNA of the U.S. version. Characters like Jim, Pam, and Dwight all have direct counterparts: Tim Canterbury, Dawn Tinsley, and Gareth Keenan — played by Martin Freeman, Lucy Davis, and Mackenzie Crook, respectively.

And while the American series eventually turned into comfort food for a generation (and, as of 2020, was the most-streamed show of the year according to Nielsen), the U.K. version remains leaner, meaner, and more uncomfortably honest.

So if you've never seen Gervais' version and think The Office began and ended in Scranton, Rainn Wilson would like to have a word with you — in all caps.