Here are our top 3 favorite sitcom series that were featured in Part 4 of CNN’s eight-part docuseries History of the Sitcom.
History of the Sitcom’s fourth Episode titled “Working for Laughs” focuses on the workplace comedies that shaped sitcoms since the beginning of television. Below are our rankings for our three favorite workplace sitcoms featured in “Working for Laughs”.
The Office
Perhaps the most popular sitcom amongst Millennials and Gen-Zers alike, The Office ran for nine seasons and was the biggest sitcom on NBC. Based on the original U.K. version of the show with the same name, the dry, cynical sense of humor provided a new kind of comedy to American television. The producers of the show were impressed to know that The Office was a big hit even amongst high schoolers and college students. They realized that students could relate to the show because the plot conveyed the same type of scenarios that kids in school would experience: you’re seated at a desk next to another student that you may or may not like, and there’s always something embarrassing or dramatically funny to be dealt with. The Office remains a forever favorite in our hearts – how about you?
M*A*S*H
The 11-season show about the group that worked for the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War was equally funny and dramatic. As explained in History of the Sitcom, M*A*S*H was the first real dramedy on TV. Setting the workplace to be in the midst of a war was what made the show so uniquely chaotic. The hilarious group consisting of captains, majors, and corporals kept viewers excited for so long that M*A*S*H still remains the highest rated TV show today.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Similar to the 1975 sitcom Barney Miller, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a cop sitcom about daily happenings at the 99th Precinct in Brooklyn, New York. A common misconception people have about police is that they are constantly chasing the bad guys while at work. In reality, most of the day involves sitting at the office and killing time, which Brooklyn Nine-Nine conveys in a flawlessly hilarious way. Although the sitcom is usually very silly, the writers of the show should also be applauded for tackling social issues throughout the series such as racial profiling, coming out, and the danger and fear of working in the police field. We’re excited to watch the final season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which begins airing on August 12th on NBC!
We hope you enjoyed watching “Working for Laughs” as much as we did! We’d love to hear your thoughts on your personal favorite workplace sitcoms, too.
