Why did critics originally complain about The Office (US series)? Are they incompetent or just plain lazy?

After viewing of both series in their entirety, it seems as if such quotes as "so diluted there's little left but muddy water" (New York Daily News) and "passable imitation of a miles-better...original" (USA Today) actually apply to the original BBC version instead. The BBC version completely lacked pacing, character, coherence, professional flair, and overall oomph which the US series' improvement maintained from the very start. The BBC version's seems more akin to a high school production's imitation except with more flagrant homophobia and cheesy sex jokes. At times it's difficult to even tell the original BBC version is even a "mockumentary", as when the characters aren't slurring and actually enunciate, much of the humor (if that's its intent) ends up falling flat.



Thankfully the improved series provides a well-rounded depth to the series where it becomes more than what appears to be a frustrated man's lashing out against his boss and coworkers. It's like when you compare a cartoonist's artwork in the first year of their career to seven years or so down the road in their heyday. Plus which, there's always the sheer volume of content in the favor of the latter series, which can reach into 20 episodes per season as opposed to being truncated to a mind-bogglingly limited 6 episodes (although the first season remained a 6-episode traipse, as if it felt it was only dipping into the shallow end of a pool). The latter US series has managed to bring the characters to life, to utilize its premise to a fuller extent, and to increase the humor's breadth vastly.



SO, the question is THIS: Are these critics just LAZY or INCOMPETENT? Or are they IGNORANT?



LAZY, INCOMPETENT, or IGNORANT. Which one do you vote for?Why did critics originally complain about The Office (US series)? Are they incompetent or just plain lazy?
Keep in mind lots of critics had only seen that first episode. It was almost completely a recreation of the British pilot. I do like the British version. But if all they'd done was stick with the UK scripts as closely as they did in that first one then those critics would've been right. Because the UK version is shorter you don't get as good a feel for the secondary characters (the Kevins and Creeds of the UK). But I think you get more than enough time to appreciate the main characters. And I really like the way the UK version ended. I like the way the US story has continued, but there's a simplicity to the UK version that is appealing.Why did critics originally complain about The Office (US series)? Are they incompetent or just plain lazy?
the original series was better than the american remake, but both were not brilliant.Why did critics originally complain about The Office (US series)? Are they incompetent or just plain lazy?
The first episode did blatantly rip off the Brit Office, but it went its own way from there and became one of the best shows ever.