i haven't watched very much of the office, but it's not cringeworthy like the office- you know the "i'm too embarrassed to watch" kind of thing? not like that- just ridiculously funny. i'm not sure about "too painfully close" to real life though... i think it's probably just about ok. takes real life, and goes half a step further so that things are obviously ridiculous- like most good satire.
can't really say any more or it'll spoil the plot. i don't like the office either (but as i said, i haven't watched much of it), and i liked it, so...
:)