10 Best Workplace Comedy TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked

There are many subgenres in the world of sitcoms, and one of the most successful is the workplace comedy. Shows that follow people at their jobs tend to be deeply relatable, whether they are set in a mundane office or on an exciting television set. 

Workplace comedies began airing in the 1960s, but the first truly successful series to fit the mold was "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," which debuted in 1970. Before that, sitcoms like "The Dick Van Dyke Show" featured characters splitting their time between work and home, but workplace comedies typically keep the action in a place of business.

When choosing the best workplace comedies, there are a lot of factors to consider. Is the show funny? Does the ensemble gel? How does it hold up over time? Considering how many workplace comedies there are, some fan-favorites had to be cut from our list, like "Scrubs" and "Superstore."  

A handful of workplace shows are currently thriving on television, including "Abbott Elementary" and "St. Denis Medical." However, we decided to focus on series that have already ended, since it is hard to categorize the best when you do not have all the facts. 

After careful consideration, here are our picks for the best workplace comedies of all time... 

"Party Down" is a unique entry to our list, partly because it did not last very long, but also because its setting changed every episode. The show debuted on Starz in 2009 and followed the workers of a Los Angeles-based catering company named Party Down. The employees were mostly made up of people trying (and failing) to make it in Hollywood. Since caterers do not work in one location, each episode takes place at whichever event they are catering that day. From basic parties like reunions and weddings to bizarre gatherings such as celebrity birthdays and hook-up parties, there was no shortage of places Party Down could go. 

Created by John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, and Paul Rudd, "Party Down" was witty, sharp, and laugh-out-loud funny. It starred Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Lizzy Caplan, Ryan Hansen, and Martin Starr. "Glee" and "Best in Show" star Jane Lynch also had a starring role in the first season. When she left, Megan Mullally joined the cast for season two. Sadly, the show was cancelled after two seasons due to poor ratings. However, the series gained such a cult following that a third season revival was released in 2023. Most of the cast returned, and it was a hit with critics and audiences alike. 

Despite its short life, "Party Down" managed to capture the tedium of a work environment better than most shows. No one wanted to be there, which led to some memorable shenanigans. 

As previously mentioned, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was the first workplace comedy to become a major success. The series starred Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards, a single woman who moves to Minneapolis and becomes the associate producer of WJM-TV's "Six O'Clock News."

Not only did the show pave the way for comedies set in the workplace, but it also marked an important milestone for women on television. By focusing on a single gal in the workforce, the show cleverly challenged gender roles and showcased the fact that women could be more than housewives. Mary was a trailblazer, paving the way for many of the other women-led shows on this list. 

Created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" ran for seven seasons. It also starred Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight, Cloris Leachman, Valerie Harper, Georgia Engel, and Betty White. During its run, it was nominated for 67 Emmys, winning 29. It took home the prize for Outstanding Comedy Series three years in a row, and Moore won Outstanding Lead Actress three times. 

"Newsradio" is a lesser-known gem that is a must-see for sitcom fans. Created by Paul Simms, the comedy debuted in 1995 on NBC and followed the employees of WNYX, an AM broadcasting all-news radio station in New York City. The show was known for its witty humor and colorful cast of characters.

The "Newsradio" cast was quite unique, and many of their lives and careers took surprising or tragic turns. The line-up included Dave Foley, Stephen Root, Andy Dick, Maura Tierney, Vicki Lewis, Joe Rogan, Khandi Alexander, and Phil Hartman. Sadly, Hartman was murdered by his wife ahead of the show's fifth season. The series opted to kill off Hartman's character, Bill McNeal, in the season premiere, and Jon Lovitz joined the cast in the aftermath. Meanwhile, Rogan now hosts one of the most polarizing podcasts in existence, while Dick has dealt with a consistently public addiction struggle. 

The series was praised by critics, but its ratings never soared. In fact, its time slot changed a whopping 11 times during its five seasons. The show only received three Emmy nominations during its run, winning one for Outstanding Costuming in 1998. Hartman was nominated posthumously for his fourth season performance, but he lost to David Hyde Pierce in "Frasier." 

After James L. Brooks proved the workplace comedy could be successful with "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," he co-created "Taxi" in 1978. The series showed just how unique a place of business could be. Audiences had seen folks working in an office, but what about the drivers and dispatchers of a New York City cab company?

 In "Taxi," the working class was presented in a way that had not been seen on television. The eccentric staff was undeniably hysterical, but there was an underlying sadness that resonated with the average viewer. It helped that the cast was incredibly stacked. The show helped jumpstart many iconic careers. It starred Danny DeVito, Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conaway, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, Christopher Lloyd, Andy Kaufman, and Carol Kane. 

The characters were outlandish, but so were some of the actors. Kaufman was known for his bizarre behavior, and his alter ego almost took down the show. Despite some wild behind-the-scenes tales, the show was a massive hit. It was nominated for 34 Emmys during its five seasons and won 15, including three for Outstanding Comedy Series. 

It is common in Hollywood to produce shows about making shows, and "The Larry Sanders Show" is a prime example of doing it right. Created by Garry Shandling and Dennis Klein, the HBO comedy debuted in 1992 and starred Shandling as the titular late-night host. The series followed the behind-the-scenes chaos of his talk show, which was overrun by big personalities and even bigger egos.

"The Larry Sanders Show" ran for six seasons, making it the ultimate insight into 1990s pop culture. Nearly every episode of the show features celebrities playing themselves, and they often have some sort of dust-up with Larry, who is wholly self-obsessed. The show also starred Rip Torn as Arthur, the show's delighfully manipulative producer, and Jeffrey Tambor as Hank Kingsley, Larry's pathetic sidekick. Oddly, things were not only kooky in front of the camera on  "The Larry Sanders Show." Judd Apatow, who was a writer on the series, once revealed that a psychic on set told him he was going to direct one day.

Throughout its run, "The Larry Sanders Show" was nominated for 56 Emmys. It won three in total: one for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, one for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series win for Torn. 

"Veep" is the youngest series to make this list, but it has earned its place among the greats. Created by Armando Iannucci, this cringey satirical comedy starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Vice President Selina Meyer and her loyal team. The show debuted on HBO in 2012 and poked fun at the ineptitude and egotism that run deep in the American government.

The show was often praised for its cynical political commentary and was revered by both critics and audiences. During its seven-season run, "Veep" was nominated for 68 Emmys, winning 17. The show won Outstanding Comedy Series three times, and Louis-Dreyfus won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series a record-breaking six years in a row. The show also starred Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Matt Walsh, Sufe Bradshaw, and more.

At the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017, Iannucci talked about leaving "Veep" in 2015, claiming real-life President Donald Trump had ruined political satire for him (via GQ). 

"Parks and Recreation" is arguably the most heartfelt workplace comedy on our list. Following the Parks and Rec Department of Pawnee, Indiana, the series is a lovely showcase of positivity, perseverance, and hope. The show stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, the overzealous deputy director of the department whose passion for her town fuels and inspires her less enthusiastic co-workers. 

Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, "Parks and Rec" debuted on NBC in 2009. Initially, the show was accused of being too similar to "The Office" and debuted to mixed reviews. The series was frequently on the brink of cancellation, but was ultimately saved by a wishy-washy studio exec. At the end of the second season, Adam Scott and Rob Lowe were brought in to shake things up, which ultimately helped the series find its footing and become the adored show it is today.

"Parks and Rec" also starred Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, and more. Together, the charming cast created a world that offered a glorious escape from reality and showed how much hard work can pay off when you believe in something. During its run, "Parks and Rec" received 14 Emmy nominations, but it never won a trophy. 

Just like "The Larry Sanders Show," "30 Rock" is a television series that takes place on the set of a television series. In this case, it is a sketch comedy show (itself a riff on "Saturday Night Live") run by the nerdy workaholic, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey). The satirical sitcom was created by Fey and born from the ashes of a much different script. It debuted in 2006 on NBC, and poked fun at the entertainment industry in deeply heightened ways, making it the most absurdist comedy on this list. 

The characters in "30 Rock" often find themselves in over-the-top, ridiculous situations, which Liz has to solve with the help of her mentor, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric. The show also stars Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney and Tracy Jordan, the show's incredibly difficult and wacky co-stars.

During its seven seasons, "30 Rock" was nominated for 103 Emmys, winning 16. It scored the award for "Outstanding Comedy Series" three times. 

When it comes to workplace comedies, both the U.K. and U.S. versions of "The Office" are pivotal. The original version was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and first debuted in 2001 on BBC Two. The show starred Gervais as David Brent, the general manager of the Slough branch of Wernham Hogg paper merchants. 

The mockumentary series was known for perfecting cringe-style comedy as it followed Brent's consistently embarrassing behavior. Like many British shows, "The Office" was short-lived. It only lasted for two seasons before the story officially concluded with a two-part Christmas special in 2003. Two years later, "The Office" would return with a new cast for American audiences.

The U.K.'s "The Office" was such a sensation that fans could not believe the U.S. was making a new version. The show was set to star Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the regional manager of the Scranton, PA, branch of Dunder Mifflin, also a paper company. Carell revealed on an episode of "Good Hang with Amy Poehler" that people tried to talk him out of it, including Paul Rudd. No one thought the original version should be touched, but the remake proved it could stand on its own.

The U.S. version was developed by Greg Daniels, and by some miracle, ended up being a massive hit... after a while. It managed to survive a doomed first season to become one of the most beloved shows of all time. Throughout its nine seasons, it earned 42 Emmy nominations, winning five. It took home the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2006. 

/Film named "Cheers" the greatest network television show of all-time, and it is taking the top spot again in our workplace comedy ranking. Created by James Burrows and Glen & Les Charles, "Cheers" debuted in 1982 on NBC and became the gold standard of the genre. Set in a Botson bar, the show followed both the entertaining employees and idiosyncratic patrons of the establishment. 

The series starred Ted Danson as bar owner Sam Malone, a former Red Sox relief pitcher and recovering alcoholic. The first half of the series centers on his rollercoaster romance with the pretentious barmaid, Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). The show also starred Nicholas Colasanto, Rhea Perlman, George Wendt, John Ratzenberger, Kelsey Grammer, Woody Harrelson, Bebe Neuwirth, and Kirstie Alley.

"Cheers" is special for a number of reasons, but its setting helped secure its place in workplace comedy history. There is so much that can happen in a bar, and boy, does it. From weddings to wars with a neighboring tavern, something zany was always occurring at Cheers. While people were constantly drinking alcohol, particularly Wendt's Norm Peterson, the episodes were not filled with drunken mishaps, just silly hijinks that provided a lot of laughs for 11 years. In that time, the show earned 117 Emmy nominations, winning 28, including Outstanding Comedy Series four times.