Though the critically acclaimed Abbott Elementary may purposefully be setting itself apart from classic workplace sitcoms like The Office, it carries on a tradition of hilarious shows that manage to do so much with the most normal of working environments. With season 2 on the way later this year, it will be adding even more to a subgenre full of incredible shows.
Those shows include not just The Office but other fan favorites like Scrubs, Parks and Recreation, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. With so many widely loved shows in the mix, it was up to the TV fans of Ranker to vote up their favorites, and this was the outcome.
Cheers (1982)
It takes a special sitcom to still be relevant and funny even 40 years after it first premiered but Cheers is indeed a special show. The legendary comedy is set in the titular real-life bar in Boston, meaning the workplace it portrays is as real as it gets, and the central character is the bartender and notorious womanizer Sam Malone, played by Ted Danson.
Running for 11 seasons and becoming one of America's all-time favorite shows, it's possible the sitcom landscape in general, let alone the workplace sitcoms that followed it would be very different if not for the success of Cheers. Even so, the fact it's still a decently popular choice among fans so long after its run goes to show just how well it captured the environment of a Boston bar.
Better Off Ted (2009)
Whilst there are plenty of workplace comedies that have its characters working for soulless corporations, Better Off Ted goes even further and satirizes life working in the R&D department of an evil megacorporation with an open disregard even for the lives of its employees. From the sharp suits to the way everyone talks like they're in a commercial, all of the satire is absolutely on point.
The central character Ted Crisp, portrayed by Jay Harrington, constantly breaks the fourth wall but rather than being a device to add a realistic "mockumentary" element to the show, it only serves to highlight the unnerving nature of everything the company does. Though Better Off Ted was canceled during its 2nd season, streaming services have kept the show popular beyond its lifetime.
The IT Crowd (2006)
A beloved British sitcom about the 3-person IT department of a large company, The It Crowd blends the mundanity of office life with some absurd, often farcical plotlines that mean the viewer never quite knows what to expect next. Despite being less well-known in the US, the show is often considered one of the best sitcoms of all time.
Its core group of two socially inept computer geeks and their technophobic manager makes for a great dynamic in itself but lots of entertaining side characters also help make the show, including Matt Berry's narcissistic CEO character and Noel Fielding of Great British Baking Show fame as a surprisingly affable goth. While it doesn't have the name recognition of other sitcoms, it has a ton of loyal fans.
Scrubs (2001)
Scrubs was an important sitcom in a lot of ways but the way it focused on the various employees of The Sacred Heart Hospital and their sometimes complicated dynamics definitely influenced the shows that came after. Not only is it influential though, but it's also one of the funniest and, at times, most touching sitcoms ever made.
Additionally, taking on a workplace with such unique issues and tensions may have seemed like a brave choice but Scrubs manages to use it to great effect, whilst the fast-paced jokes and J.D's iconic daydreams add a levity that means it's always a fun setting to inhabit. Though its finale was almost a decade ago, the show's heart still resonates with a lot of fans today.
Mythic Quest (2020)
Created by It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia co-writers/producers Charlie Day, Megan Ganz, and Rob McElhenney, Mythic Quest is about the inner workings of a fictional video game studio producing the titular MMORPG. While the show has some similarities to their other sitcom, Mythic Quest's uplifting tone and characters that the audience can actually sympathize with set it apart.
Whilst it's perhaps not the kind of workplace that a lot of people could find relatable, some things, like weird coworkers and egotistical bosses, help make the show grounded. Of course, that doesn't mean the show doesn't explore plenty of the weirdness that can come with such a unique environment and there is plenty to laugh about for video game fans too, giving the Apple TV+ series a loyal fanbase.
Abbot Elementary (2021)
One of the most exciting new sitcoms of recent years after its first season was released to critical acclaim, Abbot Elementary utilizes a mockumentary style to explore the lives of staff and students at the titular elementary school. Underfunded but full of distinctive characters, the fictional school managed to make a huge impression in just 13 episodes.
It centers on charmingly optimistic second-grade teacher Janine Teagues, played by series creator Quinta Brunson, whose idealism ends up putting her into conflict with the school's principal from the first episode. Rather than taking the cynical route, the sitcom focuses on its core group of teachers that genuinely care about teaching and it's that heart that makes it a hard show not to love.
Parks And Recreation (2009)
Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, Parks and Recreation could easily have been a retread of their other show, The Office, which the small government-centered sitcom was compared unfavorably to in its first season. However, it surprised everyone by growing into a beloved show in its own right.
The Indiana parks department that it's based around makes for the perfect environment for a dysfunctional yet lovable cast of characters but also for some biting satire. With its optimistic central character Leslie Knope often running into a wall of bureaucracy but never giving up, there's a sincerity to Parks and Rec that has made it well-liked by critics and audiences alike.
The Office (2005)
It may not be the outright best workplace sitcom but The Office is certainly the most iconic. A show synonymous with the subgenre, The Office centers on the Scranton branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company where its ensemble main cast star as the weird and wonderful employees there.
Adapted from a British show of the same name and using the same mockumentary style that gives everything an atmosphere of complete mundanity, there hasn't been a satire of the office environment since that has resonated with so many fans. It's no surprise that The Office is still one of the most talked-about workplace comedies.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013)
A Brooklyn police precinct turns out to be the perfect setting for hilarity in this award-winning sitcom. Using a police procedural style, the show takes on all the tropes that come with this sort of show and somehow manages to find the comedy in all of them. Although it has its fair share of action, the best scenes come from the ordinary workings of the precinct's office environment.
Its strong point is its characters, with Andy Samberg's brilliant but lazy detective main character providing the perfect contrast to the precinct's no-nonsense captain just one example of the memorable dynamics that come out of the show. Considering the efforts of its fans saved the show from the brink of cancelation, there's no shortage of loyal fans of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Superstore (2015)
Although Superstore came to an end last year after 6 seasons, the sitcom that stars America Ferrera and Ben Feldman as employees at a fictional chain store called Cloud 9 managed to get a ton of hilarity out of its simple premise during its run. Although the critical response to its first season was mixed, it managed to find its stride as its characters developed over time.
In addition to the main cast that includes some central figures at the store, there are also a ton of recurring side characters in the form of the store's more temporary employees and its middle managers who bring out some of the most hilarious moments. Although many wouldn't expect it to be so popular, it's a show that's hard to dislike, and that contributed a lot to its popularity on Ranker.