10 More Awkwardly Hilarious Comedies
Often overlooked in favour of its wildly popular US cousin, the UK version of The Office demonstrates just why British humour is so popular. There are plenty of reasons to enjoy the original, and there are some genuinely hilarious jokes throughout too.
If you’ve finished watching this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing.
To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have.
Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming the UK version of The Office!
Peep Show
Similarities – Awkward Comedy
Peep Show is a British sitcom that follows the lives of two friends, Mark and Jeremy, who share a flat in London. The show is filmed from the point of view of the characters themselves, with each scene shot from their perspective.
Both Mark and Jeremy have some hilarious insights into their lives, as they navigate personal and professional situations. The humour comes from the awkward and cringe-worthy situations they find themselves in. That similar format will see fans of The Office right at home with this one!
Extras
Similarities – Ricky Gervais, comedy
Extras is a British sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the same creators of The Office UK, so it makes the perfect choice for this list.
The show follows the life of an aspiring actor named Andy Millman who works as an extra in various film and television productions. The humor comes from the absurdity of the situations Andy finds himself in, with plenty of celebrities making cameo appearances.
Both shows are shot in a mockumentary-style format and some of those aforementioned cameos are genuinely hilarious.
The Thick of It
Similarities – Comedy, Workplace
The Thick of It is a British political satire that follows the lives of government ministers and their staff. Peter Capaldi spearheads this one, with a similar mockumentary format, combined with fast-paced dialogue and biting wit. The various political scandals and absurdities that the characters find themselves embroiled in is partly why this show works so well.
If you’re a fan of The Office, The Thick Of It’s use of dialogue and situational comedy makes it a must-watch.
Life’s Too Short
Similarities – Ricky Gervais, Comedic Style
Life’s Too Short feels like an Extra ode to, well, Extras. This British sitcom is another created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, this time following the life of Warwick Davis.
This fictionalized version of the actor, who is best known for his roles in the Star Wars and Harry Potter franchises, sees him try to jump-start his career while dealing with various personal and professional setbacks.
Much like Extras, there are various cameo appearances from celebrities, while the writing errs much closer to the blended realism in The Office.
Spaced
Similarities – Comedy, Lovable Characters
Spaced is a fantastic British sitcom that follows the lives of two friends, Tim and Daisy, who pose as a couple in order to rent a flat together. The show sees the two characters navigate their personal and professional lives, with a distinct focus on their love of pop culture and science fiction.
This focus on character development and witty dialogue, not to mention the various situations the characters find themselves in, bear a fair few similarities with The Office.
The IT Crowd
Similarities – Comedy, Workplace
The IT Crowd is a British sitcom centering on the lives of three staff members at the fictional Reynholm Industries IT department. The socially awkward Roy, the reclusive Moss, and their relationship manager, Jen, deal with workplace challenges and absurd situations.
Some of the jokes are genuinely hilarious too, leaning into what makes British humour so good, as our trio use that to highlight the mundane aspects of daily life.
The Inbetweeners
Similarities – Awkward Comedy
The Inbetweeners is another modern classic, a British sitcom that follows the lives of four friends as they navigate the ups and downs of adolescence. The show has become infamous for its crass humor and frank discussions of sex and relationships, as well as its portrayal of the awkwardness and angst of being a teenager.
The Inbetweeners shares a very similar writing style to The Office, with the witty dialogue and laugh out loud moments making it a must-watch comedy.
W1A
Similarities – C
W1A is a bright British comedy that follows the lives of the staff at the BBC. The show is a spin-off of the earlier show, Twenty Twelve, and follows the same characters as they try to navigate the various challenges of running the public broadcaster.
Both shows use humor to explore the inner workings of a workplace, making them both relatable and entertaining. Although a lot of the humour used here is well done, it’s the British irreverence and wit that helps this one stand out.
The Detectorists
Similarities – Characters, Comedy
The Detectorists is a British comedy-drama that follows the lives of two friends, Andy and Lance. The duo are metal detector enthusiasts, and the story takes place in the fictional town of Danebury. Whilst there, the characters head off in search if buried treasure while dealing with their personal lives and relationships.
The excellent use of comedy, not to mention the simplicity of the premise, is one of the key reasons why this show works as well as it does. This is another easy recommendation.
Toast of London
Similarities – Self-Absorbed Protagonist, Comedy Style
Toast of London is a British sitcom that follows the life of Steven Toast, an eccentric and self-absorbed actor. The show follows Toast as he navigates his personal and professional life, dealing with various obstacles and setbacks along the way.
Much like The Office, the egotistical protagonist at the helm bears a lot of similarities to Brent, while the awkward and cringe-worthy situations the characters find themselves mixed up in will provide plenty of laughs along the way.
So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished watching the UK version of The Office.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!