8 Hilarious Workplace Comedies That Rival The Office

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Many people now consider The Office to be one of the greatest TV comedies ever made, but there are other hilarious sitcoms that are just as good, if not better. The show, a mockumentary created by Greg Daniels and inspired by a British series of the same name, first introduced audiences to Michael Scott and his coworkers back in 2005.

As a critic, I’ve seen a lot of sitcoms, but The Office really stands out. It’s set in the wonderfully mundane world of a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and centers around the antics of the employees and their often-absurd manager, Michael. Over nine seasons, it became a genuine phenomenon, earning a place among the all-time greats. Critics loved it, audiences adored it, and the awards just kept coming – and deservedly so.

The Office is now a well-known part of pop culture and has inspired many other comedies about workplaces. While it remains hilarious and undeniably influential, several other workplace comedies are just as funny – and some of them actually predate The Office!

Scrubs

NBC via MovieStillsDB

Created by Bill Lawrence, Scrubs is a hilarious and often overlooked sitcom from the 2000s. The show is set in the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital and follows the daily lives of the young doctors training there. It primarily focuses on the friendship between John “J.D.” Dorian, played by Zach Braff, and his close friend, Christopher Turk, played by Donald Faison.

Unlike typical hospital dramas, Scrubs is primarily a comedy with occasional serious moments, offering a fresh take on the genre. The show skillfully blends realistic depictions of hospital life with humor, but isn’t afraid to tackle heavier topics when the story calls for it.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a funny police show created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur, who also worked on The Office. It’s set in a police precinct in Brooklyn and follows a team of detectives led by the strict new Captain Raymond Holt, played by Andre Braugher.

Captain Holt and his new team take some time to get used to working together, especially since his serious demeanor often clashes with the playful, immature style of Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg). They manage to solve cases despite – and often because of – the team’s eccentric personalities, bringing a lot of humor to the police precinct.

Unlike many sitcoms, Brooklyn Nine-Nine focuses on developing its characters and showing them form strong, healthy relationships. It avoids the common comedy trope of creating drama through broken relationships just for entertainment.

30 Rock

30 Rock is a funny and satirical TV show created by Tina Fey, drawing on her time as head writer at Saturday Night Live. The show centers around Liz Lemon (played by Fey), a talented but somewhat clumsy writer who’s in charge of a comedy show called TGS with Tracy Jordan, which airs on NBC.

The show 30 Rock centers on Liz Lemon as she manages the eccentric cast and crew of a comedy show, often finding herself at odds with her boss, network executive Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin). Today, 30 Rock is considered one of the best TV shows of the past decade, largely due to its clever writing, unique style, and strong performances.

Among workplace comedies, 30 Rock is notable for its distinctive setting, relatable characters, and humor that feels grounded in reality.

Veep

Veep is a funny and satirical show about politics, created by Armando Iannucci. It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, the Vice President of the United States. The show follows Meyer as she navigates the challenges of her position, including her own desire to become President, and works with her staff to achieve her goals and create a lasting impact.

Often hailed as one of the best comedies of the 2010s, Veep won numerous awards and is considered a top-tier show. It’s known for its quick wit and sharp satire, poking fun at the world of politics and its players, and features a standout performance from Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Superstore

Okay, let me tell you about a show I really think more people should watch: Superstore. It’s a sitcom from the 2010s created by Justin Spitzer, and it’s hilarious. It’s set in a big-box store called Cloud 9 in St. Louis, and it follows the everyday lives of the employees there. The show centers around Amy Sosa, played by America Ferrera, who starts as a floor supervisor and eventually becomes the store manager. It’s a really relatable and funny look at retail life.

Superstore is a comedy that shows what it’s like to work at a big box store, focusing on the everyday lives of the Cloud 9 employees. While it seems straightforward, the show actually looks at bigger ideas like friendships, work goals, and what it’s like to work in retail, all while showing the close relationships between the characters.

Abbott Elementary

Image via Gilles Mingasson / ©ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

I’m a huge fan of Abbott Elementary – it’s seriously one of the best shows on TV right now! It’s a funny, realistic look at what it’s like to work at a public school in Philadelphia, specifically Willard R. Abbott Elementary, which is a school with a lot of Black students. The show is filmed like a documentary, which makes it feel even more real and relatable.

The documentary follows teachers working in struggling schools, where conditions are often so difficult that most leave after just two years. At Abbott Elementary, Janine Teagues (played by Brunson) is one of the few who stay, determined to help her students despite the challenges.

Similar to The Office in its use of a documentary-style format and optimistic characters, Abbott Elementary is unique because of where it takes place, the people in it, and the everyday struggles they encounter at work.

Cheers

Cheers is widely considered one of the greatest sitcoms ever made, and it played a huge role in shaping the popular genre of workplace comedies. Created by James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles, the show is set in a Boston bar and focuses on the funny and relatable lives of the staff and the customers who frequent it.

I absolutely loved Cheers! It wasn’t just funny, it really got into the lives of the people who worked at the bar and the customers who came in every day – all their relationships, good times, and bad. Honestly, I think Cheers paved the way for so many of the sitcoms we enjoy today; I don’t think they would exist, or would be nearly as good, without it.

The actors in Cheers have a genuine connection with each other, which is a major reason why the characters are so believable and why viewers become invested in their stories. This kind of natural rapport isn’t common in all sitcoms.

Parks & Recreation

It’s no surprise that Parks & Recreation makes this list. From the creators of The Office – Greg Daniels and Michael Schur – the show is set in the made-up town of Pawnee, Indiana. It centers around Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, a relentlessly positive government worker in the Parks Department.

I just love watching Leslie Knope! She really throws herself into everything – trying to be the best employee at the Parks Department, a fantastic citizen of Pawnee, and a truly supportive friend. The show is hilarious, constantly putting Leslie and her coworkers in these crazy, funny situations. But what I really appreciate is that Parks & Recreation isn’t afraid to get real and pull at your heartstrings when it needs to. It’s a perfect balance!

I remember when Parks & Recreation first came out – it was initially planned as a spin-off of The Office, which was so exciting! It had a bit of a shaky start, but it quickly blossomed into something truly special. Honestly, each season just kept getting funnier and funnier, and before long, I think it became just as hilarious – or even more hilarious – than The Office itself. It really found its own unique and wonderful voice.

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2025-10-22 05:43