Is The Workplace Australia definitely worth the time or ought to folks resign from their Prime Video subscriptions in protest?
When the primary trailer for The Workplace Australia dropped, yikes! It did nothing to instill confidence in folks to offer this sitcom an opportunity. The footage seemed lazy, recycled, and as if somebody ran the scripts from the US model by means of ChatGPT with the immediate: Change it just a bit bit and set it in an Australian bundle firm known as Flinley Craddick.
So, think about the shock when the Prime Video collection turned out to be, nicely, respectable. This isn’t the second coming of Curb Your Enthusiasm or Schitt’s Creek by any means, nevertheless it doesn’t embarrass the legacy of the opposite variations that got here earlier than it. Gentle spoilers for The Workplace Australia observe.
The Workplace Australia gives a pointy, satirical take a look at modern-day office points
Proper from the primary episode, The Workplace Australia goes for the jugular, discussing the new subject on LinkedIn: The return to workplace after the glory days of distant working. It’s a story thread that weaves its method all through the season, exploring and revealing the true causes bosses need butts in seats: To justify the rental prices of buildings and so managers really feel like they’ve a goal. Nevertheless, the story seems at it from different angles too, such because the impact it has on the IT man, Lloyd (Jonny Brugh), who moved distant from the workplace and now wants to determine learn how to make it work. It additionally views the difficulty by means of the eyes of somebody like Lizzie (Edith Poor), who needs to be again within the workplace as a result of she’s presumably lonely at residence.
Aside from this predominant story beat, The Workplace Australia additionally places different work-related points below the microscope. One episode tackles the subject of Range, Fairness, and Inclusion within the office and the way organizations typically deal with DEI as an occasion for posterity’s sake and hashtags slightly than as an ingrained tradition that must be part of on a regular basis operations. Certain, this can be a storyline that different variations of The Workplace coated up to now, however there’s an argument to be made about how the Australian model does it higher and with sharper sensibilities.
The sitcom options a couple of repackaged characters
It’s straightforward to have a look at the characters of Australia’s The Workplace and attempt to determine their American counterparts. On this model, Nick (Steen Raskopoulos) and Greta (Shari Sebbens) are the Jim and Pam of the present, however there’s extra maturity and nuance between their characters’ interactions; they don’t simply behave like a bunch of lovesick adults in an workplace romance. Additionally, Greta’s total character arc isn’t outlined solely by her emotions for Nick.
Equally, Lizzie takes up the mantle of the eccentric curmudgeon from Dwight Schrute. That mentioned, she’s not fairly a carbon copy of Dwight. Lizzie’s conduct doesn’t endear her to her colleagues and she or he attracts drama like a Kardashian, however there are moments when folks can relate to her reactions – particularly when somebody steals her workstation. Oh, and she or he owns a pet crow named Russell – let that joke sink in for a second.
The standout character, although, is Martin (Josh Thomson), the HR consultant. Not like Toby Flenderson who bumbled his method by means of work and tried to be incognito, the no-nonsense Martin will get caught in and fires again at shenanigans when needed. At instances, he seems defeated by the system and hierarchy, however he works for the advantage of the corporate’s workers and isn’t afraid to place down his foot when he believes one thing is afoot. All hail Martin, the modern-day hero!
Felicity Ward’s Hannah Howard is an terrible and poisonous boss
Felicity Ward portrays Hannah Howard, the managing director of Flinley Craddick. The best way Ward performs the character is sort of a riff of Steve Carell’s Michael Scott – whacky and disruptive to the employees members. Not like Michael, who proved to be an incredible chief when it mattered, Hannah is a dreadful human being who doesn’t should be in any administration place. She possesses zero redeemable qualities as she acts selfishly and toxically – typically affecting her personal employees financially and personally. Whereas Michael may very well be responsible of doing foolish issues, he tried to repair conditions when he knew he tousled. Hannah, then again, doesn’t.
In fact, the American model of The Workplace additionally tinkered with Michael’s character for the second season, since he was seen to be too unlikable at first. The identical ought to occur to Hannah. In an age the place practically everybody hates their job, the sort of poisonous chief infuriates greater than entertains as Hannah embodies all that’s unsuitable with the fashionable working world. The character may need been written that method intentionally, nevertheless it’s off placing after the second episode.
Is it value watching?
All in all, The Workplace Australia lacks the magic of the US or UK variations of the present, nevertheless it’s removed from the catastrophe the trailer recommended it to be. The truth is, it has its laugh-out-loud moments. Right here’s hoping Prime Video doesn’t give it discover within the close to future, as a result of there’s severe potential for development right here.