10 TV Shows Like the Office You Should Watch Next.
The Office inherited some of the best workplace comedy tropes (mostly involving a group of oddballs overly obsessed with their jobs) and also spawned numerous mockumentary series. Running for nine seasons, it was one of the most popular shows of its era—and remains so on streaming platforms, despite one of its stars declaring it “impossible to make today ” ( sighs wearily, pointing to the ongoing spinoff ). Here are some more great workplace comedies worth checking out if you’ve already binged The Office’s catalog.
Abbott Elementary School (2021 – )
Quickly establishing itself as one of the best mockumentaries about work, Quinta Brunson’s Abbott Elementary follows (mostly) well-meaning characters as they navigate an American education system that doesn’t always reward good intentions. Sheryl Lee Ralph’s 2022 Emmy win went viral, if only because it was well-deserved for the actress, part of an incredibly talented and brilliantly funny cast. Watch Abbott Elementary on Hulu , Disney+ , and HBO Max.
Parks and Recreation (2009–2015)
Amy Poehler stars as Leslie Knope, a spirited and driven resident of the sleepy town of Pawnee, Indiana. Irresistibly cheerful, she’s the deputy director of the local parks and recreation department, with ambitions that reach all the way to the White House. Her ambitions are simultaneously inspiring and seemingly insane, but it’s hard not to root for her—at least a little. In the best workplace comedy tradition, her office is full of charming oddballs: stern libertarian Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman); cynical loser Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari); and feisty Donna Meagle (Retta), whose mysterious but decidedly turbulent personal life is only hinted at. Watch Parks and Recreation on Peacock .
St. Denis Medical Center (2024 – )
Justin Spitzer, one of the creators of “St. Denis Medical Center” (along with Eric Lejeune), previously worked as a writer and producer on “The Office,” so any similarities aren’t entirely unexpected. The hit series takes place at St. Denis Regional Medical Center, where the medical staff grapples with demanding patients and an even more complex medical system. Allison Tolman leads an impressive cast that includes Wendi McLendon-Covey and David Alan Grier. The series combines hilarious comedic elements reminiscent of a mockumentary with relevant themes about the frustrations of being a doctor or patient in the American medical system. Watch “St. Denis Medical Center” on Peacock.
What We Do in the Shadows (2019–2024)
At first glance, this vampire sitcom might not seem to have much in common with The Office , other than the format, but the tonal similarities run much deeper than just the imitation of film crews. The vampire polygamy of Staten Island is made up entirely of oddballs, completely out of touch with modernity, and for whom every encounter with modernity is hilarious. Colin Robinson, Mark Proksch’s “energy vampire,” the only one who works in a normal office, would fit right in at Dunder Mifflin. In later seasons, Harvey Guillen’s Guillermo de la Cruz ventures into the world of office workers himself, further strengthening the parallels with The Office . Watch What We Do in the Shadows on Disney+ and Hulu .
Vice President (2012–2019)
Veep is a more cynical show than The Office , seemingly with higher stakes, but the atmosphere of awkward desperation weighs heavily on the characters in both shows. Veep asks: What if the worst people imaginable controlled every lever of power in America? What would it be like? Julia Louis-Dreyfus gives a brilliant performance as Vice President Selina Meyer: part icon, part worst-case scenario for the feminist dream. The supporting characters are almost entirely composed of smug rich people clawing at each other for meager scraps of power while trying to appear like folk heroes to the simple-minded (us, the voters). Watch Veep on HBO Max.
Archer (2009–2023)
Archer is an animated workplace comedy disguised as a spy parody. It stars a charming loser from Bob’s Burgers as the polar opposite of Bob Belcher: a handsome spy who’s also a deeply narcissistic womanizer with a boundless thirst for alcohol—and far from the most ridiculous character in the New York independent intelligence agency headed by the hard-drinking Malory Archer, played by Jessica Walter. Some of the team’s missions aren’t much sillier than the plots of more serious spy movies and TV shows, but at least as many stories explore everyday office life. The gripping and irreverent series boasts one of the best casts in animated television history, including Aisha Tyler, Amber Nash (as the thoroughly inappropriate head of HR Pam Poovey), and Judy Greer as the sociopathic secretary Cheryl Tunt. Watch Archer on Hulu and Disney+ .
Supermarket (2015–2020)
Workplace comedies typically revolve around an office environment ( e.g., The Mary Tyler Moore Show , 30 Rock , Parks and Recreation , etc.). Superstore , by contrast, follows the employees of Cloud 9, a large retail store. The show’s large and diverse cast is appropriately focused on jokes, but much of the humor is built on the familiarity of work, which requires both dedication and a positive, smiley attitude in the face of both arrogant customers and annoying bosses. Watch Superstore on Disney+ , Hulu , and Peacock .
Clinic (2001–2009)
This restless sitcom was revived at least once during its original run; it was eventually declared dead after an impressive nine seasons, and then revived again just recently. Starring Zach Braff as J.D. Dorian, who begins the series as an intern at the fictional Sacred Heart University Hospital, the cast also includes Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, and John C. McGinley. Despite its use of slapstick and dream sequences, the series received high marks from medical professionals, who apparently found it fairly accurate in its depiction of the details of hospital life compared to many prestige medical dramas. Watch Scrubs on Disney+ and Hulu (both the original and the revival versions, although they are listed separately).
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–1977)
It wasn’t the first workplace sitcom, but it made workplace sitcoms like The Office popular . It brought together a talented crew of awkward oddballs in a newsroom—an environment that simultaneously creates high pressure and, somehow, provides plenty of free time. It’s not that the plots write themselves, but when you gather enough oddballs together, the possibilities become endless. Buy The Mary Tyler Moore Show on Prime Video .
Corporate sector (2018–2020)
Many of these shows have a lightheartedness that counterbalances the darker sides of American capitalism. The same can’t be said for “Incorporated,” which is far darker than almost any other workplace comedy. Set in the offices of Hampton DeVille, a fictional and rather sinister megacorporation that produces everything from pharmaceuticals to weapons, Jake and Matt (Jake Weisman and Matt Ingebretson, also the show’s creators) are middle managers who hate themselves and their jobs, particularly because they feel corrupted. “Incorporated” is available to stream on Paramount+ .