70 Years of TV Series Set in Workplaces

Last month, The Wall Street Journal published a list of 25 TV shows that aired between 1970 and 2022 that were set in places of work, and VideoAge‘s Water Cooler thought that it was worth repurposing it (even though we reduced their list to 20 by removing those series made exclusively for streaming platforms). We added the original linear TV network that aired each series and eliminated the preference ranking found in the Journal‘s article. In addition, we added three shows starting in 1953 that could be considered the genre’s frontrunners, as well as breakthroughs for women, as they showed them in a workplace setting (rather than at home), and an additional two that are considered classic. Our additions are indicated with an *.

So here it is below. It is interesting to note that there were few workplace shows in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, but they proliferated in the 2000s.

* Private Secretary (1953-1957) on CBS

*The Ann Sothern Show (1958-1961) on CBS

*That Girl (1966-1971) on ABC

The Mary Tyler More Show (1970-1977) on CBS

*The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978) on CBS

Yes Minister (1980-1988) on BBC2 (U.K.)

*Newhart (1982-1990) on CBS

Thirtysomething (1987-1991) on ABC

Yo soy Betty, la fea (1999-2001) RCN (Colombia), and Ugly Betty (2006-2010) on ABC

Damages (2007-2012) on FX

Mad Men (2007-2015) on AMC

Better Off Ted (2009-2010) on ABC