the first season (6 episodes i think) are very similar to the UK version... there are however good episodes in season 1, but at least give it until season 2...

personally, i really liked the pilot. yah, it was pretty much just like the british one, but, hey, they were playing it safe.
watch the mext one, diversity day. its easily one of the funniest ones. if you dont like that one, maybe you just dont get it.

steve carrell purposely doesnt watch the bristish show. he wants to be as real as possible. this is one of the best comedies on tv right now.

i saw the us version first, then when i saw the first episode of the uk's i was a little disappointed that the pilot was almost a carbon copy of the uk show. i say almost because pam tells michael "you're a jerk" and dawn tells david "you're a wanker" but then i realized they found their own identity in future shows. watch this show- you will not be disappointed.

The show DEFINITELY gets its own identity in later seasons; stick with it, it gets funnier.

Absolutely - stick with it and you'll be wishing it were an hour long just like the rest of us. The British version was great, no argument - but while the US version was originally based on it, it has developed its own identity and flavor. Keep watching!!

The UK show is just "darker" and I'd say a little more cruel, cold, but very funny, of course. The US show added many other aspects to the concept and turns out to be more envolving and, I don't regret saying, funnier.