The first trailer for Prime Video’s Australian adaptation of The Office has dropped online, and it’s been widely judged “cringe” – only not in the way the show’s creators might have hoped.

The mockumentary franchise, which was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and first screened in the UK in 2001, has always been defined by its awkward humour. But many fans on social media have called this first look at the local version “embarrassing”.

“[It’s] the Raygun of The Office cinematic universe,” one Facebook comment reads.

This is the 13th version of the show (it has also been remade in France, India and Saudi Arabia, among other countries). The most successful remake is undoubtedly the US version, starring Steve Carell, which ran for nine seasons.

The Australian version is the first to feature a woman in the lead role, with Felicity Ward starring as Hannah Howard, the “charming yet pretty inept, and definitely not self-aware” managing director of a Sydney packaging company.

Intent on keeping her “work family” together after a directive from head office to make everyone work from home, Ward’s character draws heavily on Carell’s Michael Scott, a more kind-hearted (and eventually beloved) boss than Ricky Gervais’ David Brent.

The Gareth/Dwight character is also played by a woman, Kiwi actor Edith Poor (The Power of the Dog, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power). The cast also includes Shari Sebbens (The Sapphires), as well as comedians Steen Raskopoulos, Josh Thomson and Jonny Brugh.

The show tackles modern workplace issues including the right to work from home, and Australian cultural phenomena such as the Melbourne Cup.