Who amongst us has not fallen prey to the mighty god of Procrastination from time to time?! Those days when you don’t feel like getting up and dragging yourself to your books or laptop. You just feel like lying on the couch all day and mindlessly binge-watching seasons of delectable comedy series with the unhealthiest snacks in hand. Couch potato and proud!
That is where long series like The Office come in to warm our hearts. Set in Scranton (Pennsylvania), this American mockumentary-style sitcom follows the office employees of a paper company Dunder Mifflin and their everyday work-life shenanigans. It was inspired by the BBC series created by Ricky Gervais (who also acted in it) and Stephen Merchant (who had cameos in both UK and US versions of The Office).
The Office US had an ensemble cast of Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, BJ Novak, James Spader, Catherine Tate, and Ellie Kemper, and many more. One of the best parts of this series is they did not go for the laughing track, which has been criticized in many good series like The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother etc.
Why the Office Works?
The Office became popular because it was the first of its kind of mockumentary, which broke the fourth wall and did not force the sound of studio audience laughter down your throat. People can relate to it as its color palette is a little dull and grey. It’s not only full of rich, attractive people (not to say our Jimbo is NOT hot!). There are beautifully woven friendships like those of Jim and Dwight, Angela and Oscar, Pam and Michael, etc.
Speaking of Michael Scott, Steve Carell played the part of a well-meaning but misguided boss who flickered between annoying and adorable with utmost precision. He was a delight to watch. And so was Wilson as Dwight. The love story between Jim and Pam is still a couple’s goal.
But like all good things must come to an end, and so did this series, and if, like us, you want to take a break from binging it for the umpteenth time, here is a list of 15 more hilarious series you would absolutely love if you swear by The Office.
Other TV shows to Watch if you love The Office
15. Modern Family
- Director: Jason Winter, Michael spiller among
- Writer: Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan
- IMDB Rating: 8.5
- Where to watch: Hulu
Spanning over 11 seasons, this American family sitcom was created by Lloyd and Levitan. This is your go-to series if you want to watch some wholesome heartwarming family shenanigans with witty dialogues and funny storylines. The Office inspired its mockumentary-style storytelling device, but both are popular in their own right.
Modern Family depicts the lives of three interrelated families – one traditional, one same-sex parent, and one stepfamily. It has actors like Ty Burrell, Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sofia Vergara, and Eric Stonestreet at their absolute comedic best.
— no context Modern Family🌈 (fan) (@nocontextmofy) November 11, 2022
14. Arrested Development
- Director: Ron Howard
- Writer: Mitchell Hurwitz
- IMDB Rating: 8.7
- Where to watch: Hulu
It follows a formerly wealthy family, The dysfunctional Bluths, who suffer the consequences of the patriarch of the Family getting arrested. Created by Michael Hurwitz, it primarily aired on Fox for just three seasons and then was picked up by Netflix for two more seasons. Like The Office, it follows the versatility of comedy and focuses a lot on its characters. Arrested Development has Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth, who, unlike our other Michael, is the most normal and reacts to the incredulous incidents around him.
13. The Big Bang Theory
- Director: Mark Cendrowski
- Writer: Chuck Lorre
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
It is another pop culture stable like The Office, made by Chuck Lorre and co-creator Bill Prady, premiered on CBS. This 12-season series dealt with five characters living in Pasadena, California – four socially awkward introvert genius scientists working in Caltech (Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj), one gorgeous waitress, and an aspiring actress (Penny) and their hilarious interactions. Later two other members joined as girlfriends of Sheldon and Howard and became series regulars.
Tbbt got 46 Emmy nominations and went on to inspire a spinoff Young Sheldon (which is still running).
12. New Girl
- Director: Jason Winter
- Writer: Elizabeth Meriwether
- IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This one revolves around an eccentric group of friends who live together in a rented flat. Playwright Elizabeth Meriwether wrote it keeping in mind Zooey Deschanel as its titular character Jessica Day, a kooky middle school teacher. Jake Johnson stars as her on-and-off love interest Nick Miller, an angsty cynical bartender. It also has Max Greenfield, Lamorne Morris, and Hannah Simone. Deschanel, Simone, and Morris have recently started a podcast where they discuss each episode of New Girl and give juicy greenroom titbits.
11. Parks and Recreation
- Director: Dean Holland, Randall Einhorn, Troy Miller
- Writer: Michael Schur and Greg Daniels
- IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
- Where to watch: Peacock
Greg Daniels and Michael Schur of The Office US came together to form this American political satire in mockumentary format. Set in a fictional town of Indiana, its star power comprises Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones (Karen, remember?), Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Nick Offerman, Paul Schneider, and Adam Scott, among others. Even real political leaders Biden and Michelle Obama made cameos.
Day 4:
Parks and recreation
The most wholesome show i have seen and also has my favourite onscreen couple ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LmuG8aCA6i— kapish (@kapish999) November 10, 2022
This workplace sitcom stuttered a bit in its first season but soon found its groove and turned out to have some of the most hilarious jokes and character consistencies. Leslie Knope (played by Poehler) is the smart and strong female with impeccable comic timing that knocks this series out of the park, pun intended!
10. Community
- Director: Tristram Shapeero
- Writer: Dan Harmon
- IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
- Where to watch: Hulu
This six-season sitcom by Dan Harmon revolves around the antics of a heterogeneous study group at Greendale community college in Colorado. McHale plays Jeff Winger, who enrolls in this college after getting suspended by his law firm because he lied about having a degree. Gillian Jacobs portrays his love interest Britta Perry, an anarchist, and atheist.
It also stars Danny Pudi, Yvette Brown, Alison Brie, and Donald Glover as series regulars. This show has a lot of variety in its episode structures, like the Dungeons and Dragons episode, the Christmas episode, the GI Joe episode, etc. It boasts great guest stars like Betty White, Owen Wilson, Kumail Nanjiani, and David Cross.
9. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- Director: Fred Savage
- Writer: Rob Mscelhenney
- IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
- Where to watch: Hulu
It was created, executive produced, and written by Rob McElhenney, Glen Howerton, and Charlie Day, who all acted in it. The star cast also includes Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito. The show ran for 15 seasons, so its sardonic humor has made it a popular sitcom. It revolves around the unethical behavior of five misfit and codependent friends portrayed unabashedly as toxic and having selfish motives.
Today is DANNY DEVITO’S birthday…
…so why not enjoy one of his funniest moments in IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA…
…as he bursts out of a couch…
…naked.
— James Leighton (@JamesL1927) November 17, 2022
It was released in the same year (2005) as The Office US and HIMYM also. The series was not popular initially and took some time to get its footing, but it soared to become one of the best American sitcoms of today.
8. AP Bio
- Director: Trent O’donnell
- Writer: Michael O’brien
- IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
- Where to watch: Peacock
AP Bio aired for two seasons on NBC and then went on Peacock. It also stars Glen Howerton. He plays a former Harvard professor Jack Griffin. The latter reluctantly comes to teach advanced placement biology in Whitlock High School in Ohio after losing his dream job to his arch-rival Leonard, played by Tom Bennett. The series revolves around Jack’s interactions with his studious students and the school’s principal.
7. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Director: Michael Schur, Claire Scanlon
- Writer: Michael Schur and Dan goor
- IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
- Where to watch: Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix
Another lighthearted modern workplace comedy series, this eight seasons show is an American police procedural series by Michael Schur and Dan Goor. We see NYPD Detectives in the 99th police precinct go about their day solving cases and falling into hilarious situations with each other. This series has received high praise for its diverse characters (two black actors and two Latina actresses in the main cast) and its LGBTQ portrayal.
The romance is cute (Jake and Amy), the friendships are strong (Jake and Boyle, Hitchcock and Scully), and even the mentor-mentee relationship (Captain Holt and Amy) is shown beautifully in this show. Chelsea Peretti as Gina Linetti is a delight to watch.
6. Space Force
- Director: Greg Daniels
- Writer: Steve Carell, Greg Daniels, Brent Forrester
- IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This is a relatively new Netflix series released in 2020. Tune into it to catch our very own Steve Carell in another workplace comedy series made by Greg Daniels. It also stars Lisa Kudrow as Carell’s wife. It revolves around a fictional branch of the US Armed Force – the US Space Force. Imagine a world where Michael Scott interacts with Phoebe Buffay! It went on for two seasons, but the falling viewer ratio has been canceled.
First trailer for Season 2 of ‘Space Force’ starring Steve Carell has been released.
Hitting Netflix on February 18th. Thoughts?pic.twitter.com/k5nzkV3q4f
— MovieRankings.net (@LightsCameraPod) January 27, 2022
5. The IT Crowd
- Director: Graham Linehan
- Writer: Graham Lnehan
- IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This British sitcom by Graham Lineham revolves around a fictional British company Reynholm Industries. Its main characters are three employees (O’Dowd, Ayoade, and Parkinson) in the IT department who knows nothing about IT! This workplace comedy went on for four seasons and is a perfect match for you if you have a thing for British humor and love The Office UK.
The dysfunctional knowledge of the IT team, who are supposed to be experts in it, will bring you to splits. The bromance between the IT nerds and random twists and turns works in this British series.
4. Corporate
- Director: Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson
- Writer: Jake Weisman
- IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
- Where to watch: Paramount plus, Amazon Prime, Hoopla
To add to the list of our workplace comedies, this is another American comedy series following the lives of two miserable downtrodden employees in an MNC Hampton DeVille! This absurdist and bleak comedy, a spiritual successor to Office Space (a 1999 cult film), only went for two seasons. It works if you are a fan of nihilistic comedy.
3. Workaholics
- Director: Kyle newacheck
- Writer: Kyle newacheck
- IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
- Where to watch: Hulu
This 2011 sitcom went on for seven seasons and revolves around three adults who met as roommates in college and never really matured from their college life antics, even in adult life. It was written by Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, and Kyle Newacheck, who all starred in their own show. The good news for the fans of this series is that they will be returning for the last appearance in a film released by Paramount Pictures.
A Workaholics movie is in development
The made-for-streaming movie is based on the series starring Blake Anderson, Adam Devine and Anders Holm and Kyle Newacheck, who are all expected to return
(@THR) pic.twitter.com/9EbOOtOAbn
— Geek Vibes Nation (@GeekVibesNation) February 24, 2021
2. Difficult people
- Director: Julie Klausner
- Writer: Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner
- IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
- Where to watch: Hulu
This Hulu series does not have much similarity to The Office except for its exceptional dark humor. Created by Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner, they play their namesakes in the series as two New York city aspiring comedians in their thirties. It is produced by Poehler of Parks and Recreation fame. The characters don’t claim to be perfect; they just want to balance their plummeting career and relationships while navigating through the dense NY city. What works is the witty banter between the leads, the dose of reality, and the avoidance of cliches.
1. The Good Place
- Director: Michael Schur
- Writer: Michael Schur
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
Last but not least, this fantasy comedy series by Dwight’s cousin Mose (Michael Schur) deals with the afterlife in a hilarious yet thought-provoking manner. Kristen Bell as Eleanor Shellstrop and Ted Danson as Michael are at the top of their game. Harper and Carden hold their own, while Jameel Jamil is gorgeous to watch.
The show successfully bypasses religious views and has a very diverse concept. Added benefit? You get an intro to Philosophy 101 in a very interesting way!
Phew, that is a long list! We hope this will keep you well-stocked whenever life and people stress you enough, and you want to relax with some lighthearted and dark comedies with loveable characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Which shows are similar to The Office on Netflix?
Ans: Shows similar to The Office on Netflix are Suits, The Big Bang Theory, Friends, Gilmore Girls, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Superstore, Mindy Project and Fuller House.
Q2: Which shows like The Office are on Amazon Prime?
Ans: Shows like The Office on Amazon Prime are The Mindy Project, Parks and Recreation, Trial & Error, and Great News.
Q3: What is the New version of The Office TV show?
Ans: The Office is a mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first made in the United Kingdom, then Germany, and subsequently the United States. It has since been remade in nine other countries.
