The Best Workplace TV Shows of All Time

Whether we love our jobs or not, we spend much of our lives clocking in and out. At work, we can become ambitious, face different cunundrums, and form bonds with the people we spend 40 hours per week with. Hence why countless workplace TV shows have aired since the dawn of television.

The best TV series set in the workplace are relatable, examining the less-than-glamorous aspects of our jobs and dynamics between coworkers, or offer insight into jobs different from our own. And as comedies or dramas, they're always binge-able. Below, find the best workplace-set TV shows ever—some of which are even among the best series of all time.

'2 Broke Girls' (2011–2017)

2 Broke Girls was a very descriptive title. The six-season show starred Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs as servers working in a typical American diner, trying to make ends meet in hopes of starting own business. If you're not convinced yet, maybe the fact that Jennifer Coolidge is a heavily recurring character can help tip the scales for ya?

'30 Rock' (2006–2013)

Created by Tina Fey, who also stars in the show, 30 Rock sees the producers and cast of a mock Saturday Night Live-like live comedy show deal with hilarious hurdles. It also stars Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan, with star-studded cameos from Julianne Moore, Salma Hayek, Matt Damon, and David Schwimmer.

'Abbott Elementary' (2021– )

The brilliant Quinta Brunson created and stars in the charming sitcom Abbott Elementary. The show follows a cast of lovable and idiosyncratic teachers at a public elementary school in Philadelphia as they work to support their students—and one another—in whatever life throws at them.

'Ally McBeal' (1997–2002)

We're suckers for a good legal drama, and Ally McBeal went a long way towards defining the genre—incorporating enough elements of comedy to keep us hooked. The cult late '90s show starred the fabulous Calista Flockhart as the title character, as well as Greg Germann and 30 Rock's Jane Krakowski.

'The Bear' (2022– )

The Bear, starring fan favorites Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri, does an incredible job of transposing the stress of a restaurant kitchen onto our TV screens. It does this so well, in fact, that it has racked up dozens of Emmys, Critics Choice Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes...you name it.

'The Bold Type' (2017–2021)

You may have loved Meghann Fahy in The White Lotus, but her career was forged on The Bold Type. The drama was for anyone who dreamed about working at a women's magazine in the Big Apple. Instead of the vision presented by '00s rom-coms like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and 13 Going on 30, this series is reimagined for the late 2010s. It's a must-watch.

'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' (2013–2021)

Crime TV shows tend to be pretty serious, but Brooklyn Nine-Nine subverted the genre by turning the goings-on of an N.Y.C. police precinct into hilarious comedy. The show features hysterical, beloved performances by Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, and Terry Crews.

'Cheers' (1982–1993)

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name...Cheers was the comfort show before Friends hit the airwaves. Starring a young Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, and Woody Harrelson, the sitcom centered around a welcoming bar in Boston, around which a sweet community formed—and love stories ensued.

'Corporate' (2018–2020)

Though it only ran for three seasons, Corporate is a delightfully dark yet hilarious take on corporate America. It stars Matt Ingebretson, Jake Weisman, Adam Lustick, and Aparna Nancherla, and was widely praised for taking an unforgiving look at some of the most dystopian aspects of corporate life.

'The Dropout' (2022)

We've loved a good Amanda Seyfried TV role ever since we binge-watched Veronica Mars back in the day. In The Dropout, Seyfried brilliantly embodies real-life scammer Elizabeth Holmes as she launches the biotech company Theranos and eventually loses everything. The actress's performance was so good that she won an Emmy for it.

'Grey’s Anatomy' (2005– )

Shonda Rhimes's signature medical drama is so beloved that it has run for countless seasons. Though cast members have come and gone since the show's debut in 2005, it has served as a springboard for the careers of Katherine Heigl and Sandra Oh, for example. It follows the working lives of medical staff at a Seattle hospital—and has cycled through every disease and ailment known to man.

'Industry' (2020– )

Industry is a show about the high-flying, high-pressure world of finance, following a group of young bankers in London. The series was created by a pair of former investment bankers, so you can bet it features some pretty realistic—if heavily dramatized—elements.

'The IT Crowd' (2006–2013)

The IT Crowd is a very British sitcom starring Katherine Parkinson, Richard Ayoade, and Chris O'Dowd as the geeky IT department of a corporate company. Keep watching, and you'll find appearances from comedy legends like Matt Berry and Noel Fielding.

The 'Law & Order' Franchise

Law & Order (and its spinoffs, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Organized Crime) is one of the world's most successful procedurals, with each episode introducing and solving a case that'll keep you guessing. Some of the franchise's main stars include Mariska Hargitay, Angie Harmon, and Ice-T.

'Mad Men' (2007–2015)

Firstly, Mad Men featured a spotless cast, including Jon Hamm, January Jones, Christina Hendricks, and Elisabeth Moss. Secondly, the show was fiercely original, giving audiences a look into the dramatic world of N.Y.C. advertising in the 1960s. This series is a true modern classic.

'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' (1970–1977)

The Mary Tyler Moore Show, starring Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards, is completely iconic even decades after it first aired—and it was one of the earliest TV shows about the workplace. It tells the story of a career-driven woman navigating the intricacies of work and her personal life, and it's definitely of its time—but still very funny.

'The Morning Show' (2019_ )

The Morning Show marked Jennifer Aniston's triumphant return to television. Co-starring Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, and Greta Lee, this drama is about the cutthroat world of—you guessed it—morning TV shows. It perfectly depicts the lengths people will go to to get their way and the challenges women face in the public eye.

'Not Dead Yet' (2023–2024)

Not Dead Yet is a delightfully wacky sitcom starring Gina Rodriguez and Hannah Simone. Protagonist Nell Serrano (Rodriguez) gets a new job writing obituaries at a local paper and starts seeing the spirit of her subjects. They follow her around and give her ample unsolicited advice about her somewhat disastrous life to zany results.

'The Office' (U.K.) (2001–2003)

The Office's U.K. version ran between 2001 and 2003 before the American version premiered in 2005. It was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and starred Gervais and Martin Freeman (Black Panther, Love Actually). Full of dry humor and absurdity, this contemporary sitcom inspired many of its predecessors.

'The Office' (U.S.) (2005–2013)

When it was first pitched to studio execs, the American remake of The Office had more than its fair share of doubters, but boy, were they proven wrong. The show—starring Steve Carell and John Krasinski—is perhaps one of the most beloved of all time and has remained a comfort show that so many of us come back to again and again.

'Parks and Recreation' (2009–2015)

Parks and Recreation is one of the more wholesome sitcoms we have. The show, starring and produced by Amy Poehler, follows the daily trials and tribulations of a local government office in Indiana and stars a wildly funny ensemble including Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Rashida Jones, and Aziz Ansari.

'Partner Track' (2022)

Partner Track may have only made it to 10 episodes, but we enjoyed every minute of this guilty-pleasure Netflix show. It starred Arden Cho as Ingrid Yun, an ambitious young lawyer in N.Y.C. who is dead set on making partner at her firm—all while navigating office politics and romantic entanglements.

'Scrubs' (2001–2010)

Scrubs ran for nine seasons, which should tell you something about its legions of devoted fans. The show that launched actor Zach Braff's career was a hilarious medical sitcom that knew how to strike serious and emotional notes like no other.

'Severance' (2022– )

After its first season, Severance became one of the buzziest shows around. Starring Adam Scott and directed by Ben Stiller, the chilling thriller tells the story of a group of office workers who underwent a bizarre procedure so their working memories are separated from their personal life memories. Mysteries abound.

'Succession' (2018–2023)

Succession may have only run for four seasons, but it became many people's favorite show and won a whopping 19 Emmys in that short amount of time. We simply adored Brian Cox, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, and Jeremy Strong as the delightfully dysfunctional leaders of a huge media empire.

'Suits' (2011–2019)

Suits is famous for launching the career of one Meghan Markle—but it's also a highly successful TV drama in its own right. The show, which ran for nine seasons, centers around a fictional law firm in N.Y.C. named Pearson Hardman. Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, and Sarah Rafferty also star.

'Superstore' (2015–2021)

Superstore (as you may have gleaned from its title) takes place at a megastore called Cloud 9 in St. Louis, Missouri. It follows the adventures of the store's ragtag and lovable employees, played by Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, and America Ferrera.

'Ten Percent' (2022)

Ten Percent is the British remake of the French TV show Dix Pour Cent (known in English as Call My Agent!). It follows the Nightingale Hart talent agency in London after its founder dies unexpectedly, and the agents struggle to keep up with the fallout. Stay tuned for a cameo from superstar Helena Bonham Carter.

'Ugly Betty' (2006–2010)

Executive producer Salma Hayek had to work hard to get Ugly Betty—a remake of the popular Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea —off the ground. Still, we're pretty sure nobody involved with the hit show, set in the New York fashion world, ever regretted giving it a chance. Plus, we got to know one America Ferrera, thanks to the series. Call that a win.

'Veep' (2012–2019)

Veep tells the satirical tale of a morally reprehensible vice president, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus at her absolute best. As she rises and falls through the political machine, Selina Meyer is surrounded by a team of alternately incompetent and ruthless advisors.

'WeCrashed' (2022)

WeCrashed is a miniseries dramatization of the rise and fall of the global coworking giant WeWork. This incredibly star-studded show features Jared Leto as founder Adam Neumann and Anne Hathaway as his wife Rebekah Neumann (who, fun fact, is Gwyneth Paltrow's cousin).

'Younger' (2015–2021)

For nostalgic, Lizzie McGuire-loving millennials, any TV show with Hilary Duff is bound to be necessary viewing. In this series, Sutton Foster plays a single mom who lies about her age to help her get back into working life—and date a hunky younger man.