The wildly popular sitcomThe Officehit NBC in March 2005, but back then no one could have imagined that it would achieve such an enormous success around the world. This production is inspired by the BBC series of the same name created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and made its way to American television thanks to Greg Daniels, with Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, and Jenna Fischer leading one of the mosthilarious ensemble castsever.
The Officeis a mockumentary series that follows the day-to-day lives of the employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, who must put up with the nonsense of their incompetent yet strangely charming boss, Michael Scott. While its first season didn’t get the best reviews, the show grew stronger as time went on and, towards the end of its ninth and final season, it was already regarded as a worldwide sensation.
Sure, it had its ups and downs, its cast endured the departure of a few irreplaceable characters and profited from the arrival of many others, and not all seasons were equally successful. Still,The Officeremains one of the audience’s favorite comedy TV series, and many fanskeep watching the episodesover and over again to this day. Here are 10 shows you may check out if you happen to missThe Office.
10Modern Family (2009-2020)
Modern Family
For 11 seasons, Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan’s showModern Familyfollows the hilarious journeys of three very different families brought together by Jay Pritchett, the clan’s patriarch. This show, which virtually any family can relate to, features an ensemble cast made up of stars such as Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Eric Stonestreet, and over the course of its run became one of the audience’s favorite sitcoms.
How It’s like The Office
Modern FamilyandThe Officehave many things in common, with both being mockumentary shows featuring clips in which characters speak directly to the camera in confessional-style interviews. They both focus on the day-to-day lives of a group of very different people who spend a lot of time together, which leads to a number of humorous situations. Furthermore, becauseModern Familyruns for so many seasons, it also lets the audience witness each character’s personal development.
Stream on Hulu
9What We Do in the Shadows (2019-Present)
What We Do in the Shadows
2014 marked the premiere ofWhat We Do in the Shadows, a film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi that earned rave reviews. In the wake of its popularity, Clement adapted it to television in 2019, featuring a group of vampires living together in a Staten Island house, where they constantly come into conflict with one another and the modern world that surrounds them.What We Do in the Shadowshas been airing for five seasons, with asixth one already confirmed.
What We Do in the Shadowsis likeThe Office, but gorier, and it features vampires. While it delivers a different kind of humor, it is also a mockumentary series following the day-to-day lives of its characters, with them sometimes speaking directly to the camera in confessional-style interviews. Most of the appeal of this show stems from just how different the characters are from one another, which makes their interactions absolutely hilarious to watch.
8The Good Place (2016-2020)
The Good Place
When Eleanor Shellstrop dies, she learns that her deeds in life guaranteed her a place in the Good Place, a paradise where good people can rest for eternity with all wishes fulfilled. But there’s a problem: Eleanor was a horrible person during her lifetime, so she must learn new ways to avoid being exposed. That’s the plot ofThe Good Place, the NBC fantasy show starring Kristen Bell that aired for four seasons until January 2020.
The Good Placewas created by Michael Schur, who served as producer, writer, and cast member onThe Office (playing Dwight’s weird cousin Mose). Therefore, even though both shows have very different styles, they have certain features that strongly resemble one another, such as their smart humor, sharp characters, and their ability to tackle deep issues as impeccably as they deliver comedy.
Rent on Apple TV+
7Scrubs (2001-2010)
Scrubsis a sitcom by Bill Lawrence, starring Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, and Neil Flynn, among other actors, that aired for nine seasons from 2001 to 2010. Throughout its run, the show followed the doctors and interns at Sacred Heart teaching hospital, focusing mostly on the point of view of Dr. John Michael “J.D.” Dorian, the show’s main character and narrator.
Despite not being set in an office,Scrubsalso follows a group of people who share their work environment, and much of the show’s comedy stems precisely from the interactions between them over the years and their everyday experiences. Moreover, Lawrence’s show introduces an interesting element such asthe voice-over narrationby Braff’s character throughout the episodes, which allows the audience to delve deeper into the character’s thoughts and feelings.
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6The IT Crowd (2006-2013)
The IT Crowd
Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, and Katherine Parkinson star inThe IT Crowd, a British sitcom by Graham Linehan that aired for four seasons up until September 2013. The show is set in London and follows the members of the IT department at Reynholm Industries, who go about their days secluded in a dark basement reluctantly solving the technical problems of the rest of the organization.
The IT Crowdunfolds in a workplace setting, and while it is not as varied as the one featured inThe Office, it also focuses its comedy on common workplace situations, as well as the interactions between the characters. Plus, like the NBC hit show, it depicts some of the most common stereotypes of the business world, such as the incompetent employee who hates his job and the boss who is significantly less qualified than everybody else.
Stream on Prime Video
530 Rock (2006-2013)
Drawing on her experiences as head writer on the sketch comedy seriesSaturday Night Live, Tina Fey created and starred in30 Rock. In it, she plays Liz Lemon, the head writer and showrunner of asketch comedy serieswho must deal on a daily basis with tempermental stars, immature co-workers, and all the behind-the-scenes nonsense that goes on while producing a TV show.
While30 RockandThe Officeare quite different, they share a few elements that turned them into two of the hottest productions on TV, such as the use of the workplace as the show’s central setting and the introduction of an ensemble cast that is as solid as it is hilarious.
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4Space Force (2020-2022)
Space Force
In 2020, Netflix premieredSpace Force, a comedy television series created by Greg Daniels and Steve Carell that aired for two seasons, with the latter leading the cast alongside stars such as John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Lisa Kudrow, and Diana Silvers. This production features a group of workers tasked with creating the United States Space Force, an assignment that proves to be even harder than it seems.
Space Forceis not only created by two of the most important figures ofThe Office, but it has Carrell in the lead role playing a character who, at times, is a bit like Michael Scott. In that sense, it’s as close toThe Officeas you can get. While this Netflix show didn’t get anywhere near the same reception as NBC’s hit show, it’s still a great option to binge-watch if you missThe Office, as the hilarious situations the characters go through in their workplace will certainly have you laughing out loud.
Stream on Netflix
3Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
Parks and Recreation
WhenThe Officewas already at its peak, Greg Daniels and Michael Schur teamed up again to treat audiences toParks and Recreation, another mockumentary sitcom that has earned a special spot among the most popular comedic productions of the past few decades. It features Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, the Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Pawnee, Indiana, who goes about her days trying to upgrade the city while hoping that it will further fuel her political career.
Parks and Recreationwas born out ofThe Office’s popularity, with two of its biggest players at the helm and a very solid ensemble cast that took over the screen in no time at all.Parks and Recis also a mockumentary that relies heavily on everyday workplace situations. Despite having a completely different identity, it shares a very similar core that prompted many fans of Daniels' original show to embrace it right off the bat.
2Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021)
Brooklyn nine-nine
Brooklyn Nine-Nineis an acclaimed police procedural comedy show that dodged a cancelation to become one of the most acclaimedworkplace comedy showson TV. It aired for eight seasons featuring the misadventures of the workers of the New York Police Department’s 99th Precinct in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Nine-Nineis yet another of Michael Schur’s creations, although this time, he was joined byParks and Recreation’s Dan Goor. Schur and Goor’s show also centers around a workplace setting, delighting audiences with the crazy events experienced by the main characters as they attempt to work. But, unquestionably, one of the biggest strengths that both series share is the tremendous growth that their characters undergo, and how they are able to both amuse and move the audience over the course of the seasons.
1The Office UK (2001-2003)
The Office (U.K.)
This entry is by far the most obvious one on this list, and yet it couldn’t be excluded. If you liked the American version ofThe Office, you’re bound to enjoy the British version of the show, also calledThe Office, which inspired Greg Daniels in the first place. This show unfolds at the Wernham Hogg paper company, where employees must deal with their foolish boss, David Brent.
Needless to say, these two shows bear many similarities to one another, such as their setting and the introduction of quirky characters working for a very incompetent boss. Still, the American version ofThe Officeis quite differentfrom the original production, which has a much more cynical and pessimistic vibe packed with cringe-worthy moments.The Office USaired for many more seasons than the original show, which enabled it to further develop the characters' personalities, increasingly endearing them to the audience.
