Amazon Prime Video axes Australian version of The Office
Amazon Prime Video has axed the Australian version of The Office.
The fate of the program had been in purgatory since it premiered a year ago, and The Nightly understands the decision has been made to not continue the series.
The Down Under iteration was commissioned in May 2023 and starred Felicity Ward as Hannah Howard, the manager of a packaging company’s Sydney branch.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The series featured the familiar workplace dynamics established by Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais’s original British comedy, with an overbearing and overeager boss, and an ensemble of disaffected staff.
The Australian series also starred Shari Sebbens, Josh Thomson, Steen Raskopoulos, Edith Poor and more, and was developed by Jackie van Beek and Julie De Fina.
It was the 14th adaptation of The Office, which has had versions in Germany, India, France, Saudi Arabia and, most notably, the US. The American series starred Steve Carell and ran for nine seasons and clocked more than 200 episodes. The British original had 14 episodes, including two Christmas specials.
The Australian version was plagued by social media reactions from the start with online commenters eviscerating the concept even before the show released any episodes. The first trailer was downvoted on YouTube, and many people voiced objections to gender-flipping the lead character to a woman.
Once it premiered, professional reviews ranged from negative to mixed, and The Office never seemed to get any clear air. The Nightly’s review said it was neither a disaster nor a revelation, but that “what it is, is fine”.
All eight episodes of the show have also since been licensed by the BBC to Channel 10.
The Office franchise has recently had successes elsewhere with the launch of American spin-off The Paper, which is set at an under-challenged regional newspaper in the US Midwest.
That series brought back Oscar Nunez from The Office US cast in the same role as Oscar the accountant, but built the story around new characters played by Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Ramona Young and Chelsea Frei.
Before its premiere in September, US streamer Peacock renewed it for a second season.
