I like "The Office," so don't go getting all offended about this post. What I don't like is when people that like "The Office" refuse to watch other shows that are similar because "nothing can live up to that show!!!"
People are finally realizing this. There are literally THOUSANDS of posts on Twitter saying that liking the show isn't a replacement for a personality and does not make you quirky (see below).
And I AGREE. As a result, I think that fans of "The Office" should branch out and try to watch a few other shows. To make it easier, I've outlined eight underrated shows to watch that are really similar (from most to least) to everyone's favorite classic.
1. "Borderline"
"Borderline" is EXACTLY LIKE "The Office." It's sickeningly similar, but I absolutely love it. It's a British comedy that follows border patrol agents working in an airport. The characters are even crazy similar. You can see that this show's "Jim and Pam" are Tariq and Andy, this show's "Michael Scott" is Chief Inspector Proctor, and Dwight is Clive. The best part about this show is how the dialogue is done. It's not a written-out script. The cast is given a scenario of how each scene needs to play out, and they all improvise the dialogue.
"Borderline" is currently still in production, so there's only one season on Netflix. You can watch it here, though.
2. "Rostered On"
"Rostered On" is an Australian comedy that follows an employee working at his dead-end retail job. This one is a lot more vulgar than the others on this list, so if you get offended by language, you probably shouldn't watch this one. Regardless, it's real funny. It has all the camera-work elements that you know and love about "The Office." Not only that, but it's set in a really boring place of work, which gives the characters the ability to take the forefront in this gem.
This one's Wikipedia page doesn't say that it's still in production, but the dates on IMDB for this show indicate that there will be more seasons forthcoming. Let's keep our fingers crossed for that.
Until then, you can watch the first season here on Netflix.
3. "Kim's Convenience"
In my search for shows similar to "The Office," I came across this show. I only watched one episode and I'm already hooked. I tried to look for shows with a similar single-camera style with cut-scene interview-type moments, but I could really only find a few (i.e. the first two shows on this list). This show doesn't have that, but the pros really outweigh the cons here. "Kim's Convenience" is a Canadian TV series that follows the Kims–a Korean family that runs a convenience store–as they navigate the ins and outs of life in Toronto.
This one is DEFINITELY still in production. It was picked up for a second season AND has already been renewed for two more seasons!
Until they're released, watch season one right here on Netflix.
4. "Community"
I've written a lot of lists that include "Community," but that's because it's a generally good show that not many people have seen. "Community" is set at a community college, which gives it a very office-like, mundane setting. It has very similar humor to "The Office" and the other titles on this list. And did I mention that Donald Glover is in this? Well, he is.
You can watch all six seasons here on Hulu.
5. "Workaholics"
Alright, I know. We love "Workaholics." But I had to include it because of the fact that it is LITERALLY SET IN AN OFFICE. Same comedy style, same setting, same one-camera style.
Watch all seven seasons of this beaut here on Hulu.
6. "Freaks And Geeks"
"Freaks And Geeks" is THE most underrated show ever. It's so good. It only aired from 1999 to 2000 and was taken from us far too soon. As they say, the good really do die young, as this show only aired for one season. It has a crazy good cast with stars like Linda Cardellini, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Busy Philipps. If you're not interested in this show, watch it just for the cast.
The show follows the Weir family as their daughter, Lindsey, finds herself in an edgier friend group than she'd been involved with when she was younger.
Watch the one and only season here on Netflix.
7. "People Of Earth"
Much like "Freaks And Geeks," "People Of Earth" is a show that was taken from us much too soon. It aired on TBS and ran for two seasons. Then, it was picked up for a third season, but TBS reversed their renewal and canceled the third season EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALREADY WRITTEN. The show had a very "Parks and Recreation" vibe to it and followed a support group for people who had been abducted by aliens. Unfortunately for everyone that didn't catch it when it aired, no streaming services have picked it up yet. But they really should.
If you happen to be scrolling through the TV guide and see a rerun of this on TBS, tune in. You'll thank me later.
8. "30 Rock"
"30 Rock" is the least underrated show on this list. "30 Rock" parodies what life is like for the writers of a live sketch-comedy show. This one has a crazy good cast, too. The star-studded cast includes Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracey Morgan, Jane Krakowski, and Jack McBrayer.
You can watch all seven seasons here on Hulu, since Netflix dropped it (no shade or anything).
