Workplace comedies have been a popular genre for decades. From office life to medical shows to the restaurant and bar scene, dozens of occupations have been portrayed on television. Many of these shows put comedy and satire before any elements of realism. Their goal is to make audiences laugh, not to be relatable.
However other workplace comedies aim to give a mostly accurate portrayal of the occupation. Sure they add wacky antics and characters that are pretty over-the-top, but overall the series is relatable and has the ability to make viewers say, "this is totally me at work."
10 Accurate: Scrubs
In an interview with Insider Magazine, doctors and nurses rated ten popular medical shows based on accuracy and entertainment value. Surprisingly the medical comedy/drama Scrubs was one of the highest-rated on the list. Dr. Ross Kopelman stated in his interview that "though it's a comedy, for the most part, it accurately depicts the life of a resident doctor."
Other medical shows on the list like Grey's Anatomy and Nip/Tuck did not fare so well in terms of accuracy. Dr. Cherlyn Cecchini told Insider, "Scrubs is one of the few medical shows that I can watch and not cringe because something is wildly overdone or inaccurate. In fact, Scrubs is the most relatable series that I have watched from a medical perspective."
9 Inaccurate: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Although some elements of Brooklyn Nine-Nine have been noted as relatable, it seems the series is altogether not an accurate depiction of the NYPD. One NYPD detective noted on Reddit that the series is "nearly 100% inaccurate. From rank and file structure to procedures, administratively, basically everything. Even down to the way the precinct functions."
This is not altogether surprising. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is better enjoyed as a goofy comedy than a factual "cop show" anyway.
8 Accurate: 30 Rock
Unless you're one of the lucky writers for Saturday Night Live, it's hard to say whether or not 30 Rock is accurate. However considering the show was written by Tina Fey and based on her own experiences as head writer for SNL, the series is likely a pretty realistic take.
30 Rock certainly ramps up the wacky antics, like any satirical sitcom, but it's easy to imagine there's some truth behind the show. SNL seems like it would be an awesome place to work.
7 Inaccurate: Workaholics
Even if you've never set foot in a telemarketing company, it's apparent there's no way Workaholics could be accurate. The antics that Blake, Adam, and Anders get up to pretty much every day would have gotten them fired a hundred times over.
They do drugs in the office, are completely inappropriate with co-workers, and never seem to really get any work done. At least Workaholics makes for hilarious television.
6 Accurate: Parks And Recreation
Parks and Rec views government work through rose-colored lenses, and of course, no place of employment is a "treat yo self day" all the time. However, the series completely nails its handling of many city government issues.
Writer Rachel Dovey wrote in Next City that Parks and Rec accurately portrays city government issues like park access, water privatization, and zoning and incorporation. Other issues, like government shutdowns and the sometimes ridiculous complaints of Pawnee's citizens, ring true for government employees as well.
5 Inaccurate: Bob's Burgers
Bob's Burgers' biggest flaw in its portrayal of food service life is the number of people it takes to run a restaurant. More specifically the fact that Bob, Linda, and their kids are the only employees. Even on slow days, anyone who works in a restaurant knows that it takes more than two employees (and three children) to keep things running.
Tina, Gene, and Louise are all under the age of 14, so the amount they can actually help at work has to be limited. The fact that the kids work in the restaurant at all also raises some questions about child labor laws. While Bob's Burgers is an entertaining show, there's no way a real restaurant could function without more employees.
4 Accurate: Superstore
Like any sitcom, some parts of Superstore are exaggerated to make the show more funny and entertaining. However, a lot of the series is pretty relatable to people working in big-box stores. Superstore nails dealing with issues like the unbelievable behavior of customers, workplace drama, and occasional bickering between staff members.
In season 6, Superstore's writers even made the decision to address and include the COVID-19 pandemic in the show. Fans were able to see the Cloud 9 employees dealing with face masks, toilet paper shortages, and being essential workers in a very realistic way.
3 Inaccurate: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia centers around "The Gang" (Mac, Dennis, Charlie, Dee, and Frank) who run a bar named Paddy's Pub in South Philadelphia. Given the little work that the five of them get done and the frequent failed moneymaking schemes they run, there is absolutely no way Paddy's would manage to stay open in real life.
In the episode "The Gang Sells Out," a businessman even visits the bar and notes that no one is working and customers are serving themselves drinks. Incidents of stabbings are also a frequent part of Paddy's. The bar wouldn't last long in the real world.
2 Accurate: The Office
The Office is one of the most beloved and well-known workplace comedies of all time. Of course, like most sitcoms, there are things that happen in the series that would never fly in a real work environment. Michael frequently makes inappropriate jokes and never seems to get any real work done. The goofy antics that the employees get up to probably make an office job seem more fun than it really is.
However, The Office also addresses the real-life issues of an office workplace. It shows the mundanity of the job, the boring pointless meetings, and even discusses downsizing and the fear that the paper industry is becoming obsolete. Although the series is satirical, many corporate Americans have found it to be relatable.
1 Inaccurate: Better Off Ted
To be fair, Better Off Ted is mostly based on satirical humor, so the goal isn't really an accurate depiction of a workplace setting. The series follows Ted Crisp, the head of research and development at Veridian Dynamics, a huge stereotypically evil megacorporation.
The show's humor stems from its satirical take on an evil corporation that weaponized pumpkins, experiments on its employees, and sways presidential elections. Better Off Ted is a little too over the top to be called an accurate workplace depiction, but its take on megacorporations sometimes rings a note of truth.
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