The Office UK Vs US: Which Characters Are Best?

A sitcom running for nine seasons is always going to hit a slump, and one of the most obvious victims of this was the US Office’s Kevin Malone. A character who started out as a slow witted, but believable lummox turned into an entirely unrealistic cartoon character by the end, someone who simply couldn’t function in the real world.

The UK’s Big Keith is a similarly broad character, one of the show’s sillier creations, but in this version they had the good sense not to overuse him. Keith has only a handful of key scenes throughout the series, most of which comprise him doling out advice in a dreary monotone before taking an enormous bite of a Scotch egg.

Ewan MacIntosh played Keith with a knowing glint, the character coming off more detached and less intellectually challenged. This was the case with Kevin at one point - he had a life outside the office, and demonstrated self awareness - but his more obvious characteristics were brought ever further to the fore.

Keith remains just about recognisable as a human; Kevin, by the end of the run, is too clearly a sitcom character.