Fans Are Disappointed With New "The Office" Show, They Demand Cancellation

A fresh remake of the iconic mockumentary The Office has stirred up controversy on social media with its seemingly gender-swapped cast. While the original British version featured Ricky Gervais as the infamous David Brent and the American adaptation had Steve Carell as Michael Scott, The Office Australia introduces Felicity Ward as Hannah Howard, the new lead character.

On Tuesday, September 17, Prime Video AU & NZ dropped the trailer for the latest version of The Office, teasing: "New Office. New Aussie Boss." The trailer, which has since attracted significant attention, introduces Hannah Howard as the weird new boss of Sydney’s fictional Flinley Craddick packaging company.

It features Hannah sharing the "good news" with her employees, announcing, “As of today, we are back in the office full-time,” hinting at a return to normalcy following the post-COVID lockdowns. Her announcement, however, is met with disinterest and grumpy responses from her team.

The storyline also delves into gender biases in the workplace, with Hannah proudly stating, “Promoting women into positions of power - that’s my mantra. My back hurts from carrying all my sisters all the time.”

The Australian adaptation of The Office also introduces a new character, Lizzie, played by Edith Poor, standing in for the roles once held by Mackenzie Crook’s Gareth Keenan in the UK series and Rainn Wilson’s Dwight Schrute in the US version. Despite the cultural and narrative shifts, the TV show has faced significant criticism, with longtime fans of The Office flooding the comments section to voice their disappointment.