TV’s The Office to open a Petach Tikva branch

April 13, 2009 - 4:20 PM by Harry · 2 Comments
Filed under: A New Reality, Business, History and Culture, Israeliness, Life, Movies, Pop Culture 

The OfficeExciting Israeli pop culture news has reached us with the recent announcement that the local satellite TV provider, Yes, will soon be running its own version of the landmark satirical half-hour comedy series The Office. A full 15 episodes have already been contracted, set to air in about a year from now, with the Israeli firm July August, which was behind the recent success of The Band’s Visit, handling production.

Co-creator Ricky Gervais was quoted in The Guardian’s piece announcing the project saying,

“I am thrilled and amazed that Israel are making The Office with local writers, directors and actors. I mean, who ever heard of Jewish entertainers?”

Ha’aretz reported shortly thereafter that screenwriting will be handled by B’tipul’s Uzi Weill and the director will be Eitan Tzur, who also had a hand in that Israeli television export’s success.

When Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant developed The Office as what would become a two-season sitcom for the BBC, they had no idea what levels of universal appeal their odd sense of humor had the potential of reaching. Sure, Gervais’ portrayal of oblivious, over-the-top, tasteless paper company branch boss David Brent was arguably grounded primarily in esoteric British dry humor stylings and in specifically British office culture-inspired mishaps. But the show also managed to tap into the universal phenomenon of “cubicle angst,” and its mockumentary-inspired packaging, complete with uncomfortable silences, helped rocket it into global cult favorite status.

Soon the BBC was licensing local versions of the show to markets outside England, with France, Russia, Chile, Canada and the United States (pictured) creating their own takes. While the US version got off to a rocky start (its short first season was more or less a remake of the original British one, just with some local flavor and accents added), it hit its stride towards the beginning of season two and is now enjoying its fifth successful season on NBC.

It can be argued that one of the reasons that the American Office has been as much of a creative success as it has been is that the writers have allowed for the characters to take on lives of their own in ways that are distinctively American. The action all takes place against the backdrops of corporate booze cruises, office outings to Chili’s (where family members’ drinks might or might not be comped), ridicule of those who count Legally Blonde as an all-time favorite movie, peeking at one another’s high school yearbooks – you know, American office culture type stuff.

Having watched both the British and American versions of The Office for several years, I have wondered many times how an Israeli version might manifest itself. Israeli office culture has its own cultural mores and archetypes.

Also according to The Guardian:

….Giyora Yahalom, head of production at the Israeli satellite broadcaster Yes, added: “We are sure that the universal experience of contemporary office life will speak to Israeli viewers. There is no doubt that our viewers will enjoy the same jokes as their contemporaries in the UK.”

And the Ha’aretz piece makes a good argument that the creators are taking the proper approach, reporting that the show

…will take place at the dreary workplace of “Super Office,” a fictional office-supply firm in Petah Tikva.

….The cast will include a variety of Israeli types – an Arab warehouse manager, an ultra-Orthodox saleswoman and a bitter Russian accountant. The Israeli answer to David Brent, the obnoxious boss of the U.K. program, will be named Avi Meshulam, though an actor has yet to be pegged for the role.

Exciting stuff. Hopefully the creative team will have enough self-depreciating perspective to do it right.

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A TV volleyball star in Israel

January 22, 2009 - 10:47 AM by David · 1 Comment
Filed under: Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, Life, Sports 

Queens of the volleyball court

Queens of the volleyball court

While we used to only have one TV station here, now media options are almost as diffused in Israel as they are in the US.

HOT, YES, satellite TV, we’ve got it all – and you can watch alot of the same crap that’s on American TV any time you want. Still, there was something a little precious about the whole country being tuned into one show, having that common bond, and knowing that the next day your co-worker almost certainly watched the same thing as you did last night.

So the fact that my 17-year-old daughter played yesterday in a high school league volleyball game broadcast live across the country on Israel TV doesn’t hold the same weight it might have once held. But it was still pretty darn thrilling nonetheless.

As captain of her Beit Hinuch Jerusalem team, she had read a little statement on mike with the other team’s captain and shake hands before the game. The best of five series was well played and action packed, with Sarit’s team only succumbing in the final tie-breaking match.
Hearing the commentators intone with perfect Hebrew inflection “Sarit Brinn” everytime she returned a ball or made a save, was a huge kick. And the one time they called her “a smart player” put me over the top.

I wish the whole country had been watching the broadcast, but even if it was just my wife, my older daughter and myself cheering and stomping on the floor, it provided one of the great moments of my aliyah. Zionism through volleyball.

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