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I’m sure most, if not all of us, like to unwind with our favorite TV shows after work, or catch a good movie over the weekend. Sometimes they help us escape reality, see ourselves in the characters, or see different aspects of our lives from varying points of view. Besides, who among us hasn’t wished their life was like a movie in one way or another?
In this article, we’ll cover TV shows and movies that bear resemblance to our work lives. We all have different types of work lives ranging from those who work remotely, in the corporate world, startups, SMEs, or in the public or private sector. Seeing your workplace or your work-life depicted on screen can give you an idea of what happens behind the closed boardroom doors. They’ll also have you saying, “I can relate to that,” when you see a workplace interaction that has happened to you before.
Let’s look at a few great workplace screen gems to compare your work life to that you can catch up in your free time.
1. The Office
At the top of the list is one of my all-time favorites, The Office - specifically the American version. This is a mockumentary-style comedy series depicting the daily lives of employees at Dunder Mifflin, a fictional paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It offers a humorous look at the shenanigans of the 9-5 world while prompting you to become attached to each of the likable characters like Dwight, Michael, Jim, and Pam. The show grew to become a cultural phenomenon and earned multiple television honors, surpassing its British predecessor.
Source: IMDb
2. Parks and Recreation
This is another comedy series following Leslie Knope, a mid-level public servant working in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, and her team as they work tirelessly to make her fictional town better. It’s hard to root against Leslie because clearly, she is just trying to use her powers for good. The show gives us a feel of what it is like to work in public service and the challenges involved in completing government projects. Parks and Recreation was also brought to us by the same people who created The Office; so if you are a fan of the former, you might enjoy this one.
3. Scrubs
We shift away from office environments and into the medical world with this comedy-drama series. Scrubs revolves around the lives of the employees at Sacred Heart, a fictional hospital in California. The main character, John Dorian, fondly referred to as J.D. frequently daydreams as he tries to navigate his career in medicine with his friends and colleagues while constantly seeking the approval and mentorship of the brilliant but arrogant Dr. Perry.
Source: IMDb
4. Silicon Valley
This is a comedy TV series following the struggles of Silicon Valley engineer, Richard Hendricks as he tries to establish his tech company called Pied Piper. Never have I been as stressed for a fictional character as I was for this guy and his team, lol. You will learn quite a bit about starting and running a startup from this show. Silicon Valley is a hilarious and relevant take on what goes on behind the scenes in the creation of present-day technology and the people who do it. The show actually borrows from the real-life experiences of co-creator, Mike Judge, who was a Silicon Valley engineer back in the 1980s.
5. Abbott Elementary
This show is about a group of passionate and dedicated teachers working in a Philadelphia public school trying to do the best for their students to help them achieve success, despite everything working against them. It is a reflection of the education system with a sprinkle of workplace commentary, all of which make Abbott Elementary so special.
6. Suits
Lovers of the law may like this show, which is about Harvey Specter, a top Manhattan corporate lawyer who recruits the brilliant Mike Ross to work at his law firm after being impressed by his out-of-the-box talents. The catch? Mike is a college dropout who has never been to law school and is on the run after being involved in a drug deal that turned sour. This exceptional duo proves itself valuable to the firm but has to keep Mike’s secret from the rest of the team. If you love a good dose of workplace rivalry and drama, Suits may be just up your alley. Not to mention, you’ll catch a glimpse of Meghan Markle doing what she used to do best before becoming the Duchess of Sussex.
Source: IMDb
7. Brooklyn nine-nine
This police workplace comedy series follows Jake Peralta, a skilled but immature NYPD detective in Brooklyn’s fictional 99th precinct (hence the name). Jake is constantly butting heads with his stern new commanding officer, Captain Raymond Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and always finding creative ways to bond with his colleagues. The dynamic team gets into all sorts of trouble in and out of the precinct while solving crimes all over the city, making for a good time for anyone watching. By the time, you’re done with this one, you’ll be screaming “Nine-Nine!” from the rooftops.
8. Veep
Selina Meyer is the Vice President of the United States and she finds that the job is nothing like she expected. In Veep, we follow Selina and her staff as they go about the day-to-day political affairs that a vice president handles while trying to establish a legacy they can be proud of. This political satire offers a unique brand of humor further emphasized by the fact that the show’s POTUS never even makes an appearance.
9. Grey’s anatomy
This medical drama created by Shonda Rhimes focuses on the personal and professional lives of surgical attending physicians, residents, and interns as they blossom into experienced doctors while balancing their work relationships. With a whopping 18 seasons and counting, Grey’s Anatomy has enough medical knowledge and drama to stress you out for two lifetimes.
10. The Pursuit of Happyness
I guarantee you will shed a tear or two while watching this movie and with good reason. Will Smith puts on the performance of a lifetime as a struggling salesman just trying to make things work for him and his son as they are forced to live off the streets. It’s a story about how it is never too late for your fortunes to change for the better regardless of how bad your story is right now. After all, aren’t we all in the pursuit of happiness in this life?
Source: IMDb
11. The Intern
This modern classic take on office life highlights how it is never too late to get back in the game even if you’ve had a taste of retirement. The Intern focuses on Robert De Niro, who is a 73-year-old getting back into the working world as a senior intern at an online fashion retail company headed by millennial CEO, Anne Hathaway. Their working dynamic is not what you would expect but it is what makes this heartwarming tale worth watching.
12. The Devil Wears Prada
Have you ever had to change yourself and compromise your values to increase your chances of succeeding at work? This movie is perfect for you. The Devil Wears Prada revolves around a determined journalism grad Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) who lands a job under a cut-throat magazine editor, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). She ends up changing herself to suit the job and cozying up to her new unpleasant boss at the risk of her personal life and relationships. This movie tells us how our choices in our personal and professional lives can influence each other.
13. The Social Network
This biographical drama is the story of Mark Zuckerberg and how he birthed one of the biggest social networks of our generation, Facebook (now known as Meta). In this movie, you get to know about all the personal and legal complications he faced on his journey while working tirelessly to build something he believed in.
14. Late Night
Ever heard of the term “Diversity Hire?” Well, this movie will give you a good idea of what that means. It’s about a late-night talk show host, Katherine Newbury, who hires Molly Patel onto her team of show writers as damage control for her show’s decline in popularity. Molly has a hard time getting started in the show but it’s her dream and she works hard to make things happen. Late night, written and co-produced by one of my favorite multi-talented TV executives, Mindy Kaling, shows just how hard it can be climbing your way to the top when there isn’t even a seat at the table for you (literally and figuratively).
There you have it, these workplace TV shows and movies will be sure to get you laughing, crying, and inspired when comparing them to your own work-life. The workplace is not just where you earn your next paycheck- it is a significant part of your life and seeing your work life on screen is a sure way to make the most of it.
Share some of your best workplace comedies and movies in the comments below.