BEST WORKPLACE SITCOMS
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (CBS, 1970-77) Moore wasn’t far removed from her role as housewife Laura Petrie on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” when she stepped into the character of independent singleton Mary Richards, who toiled as an associate producer in the newsroom at WJM-TV in Minneapolis. Among her co-workers were her cantankerous boss (Ed Asner), an optimistic though tart-tongued head newswriter (Gavin McLeon) and the buffoon anchorman (Ted Knight). The show’s 29 Emmys set a record that was broken by “Frasier” in 2002.
“M*A*S*H” (CBS, 1972-83) Sharp dialogue and humor, along with side dishes of pathos and antiwar sentiment, were the hallmarks of this comedy born in the Vietnam War era that followed the adventures of the crew of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. As hotshot surgeon Hawkeye Pierce, Alan Alda was the series’ star and moral center. The show overcame several major cast changes – including the controversial killing of McLean Stevenson’s Col. Henry Blake – to run 11 seasons, win 14 Emmys and sit atop of a lot of lists for all-time great sitcoms.
“The Bob Newhart Show” (CBS, 1972-78) Stand-up comic Newhart’s understated style worked well in his portrayal of Chicago psychiatrist Bob Hartley, whose steady stream of eccentric patients gave him plenty of opportunities to do his patented fidgety, stammering reactions. At home, wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette) and oddball neighbor Howard (Bill Daily) made life interesting as well. One of the all-time underrated sitcoms.
“Taxi” (ABC, 1978-82, NBC, 1982-83) Danny DeVito, Andy Kaufman, Marilu Henner, Christopher Lloyd and Tony Danza all launched their careers in this excellent comedy about the cast of characters that populated a New York cab company. At one time, the series appeared bound for HBO after being canceled by ABC in 1982. But NBC picked it up, ran it for a year and summarily dropped it after one last season of low ratings.
“Cheers” (NBC, 1982-93) The Boston watering hole “where everybody knows your name” served as the launching pad for a number of careers, including those of Shelley Long, Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. Like “M*A*S*H,” “Cheers” endured numerous cast changes and the death of cast member Nicholas “Coach” Colasanto to run 11 seasons and win 28 Emmys.
“The Office” (NBC, 2005-13) Steve Carell jumped from “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” to star as Michael Scott, the painfully clueless regional manager of a Pennsylvania paper company, in this sitcom based on a British series. Rainn Wilson played his paranoid and officious assistant, Dwight Shrute, who was perpetually tormented by salesman Jim Halpert’s (John Kraskinski) pranks. Carell’s latest project, “Space Force,” reunites him with “Office” mentor Greg Daniels and premieres this week.