‘The Office’ still delivers workplace hijinks, timeless lessons, at least that’s what she said

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year and turned the world upside down, I found myself searching for solace and a much-needed laugh in the form of my favorite TV show of all time, The Office. Apparently, I wasn’t alone. According to Nielsen, Americans streamed more than 57 billion minutes of the program on Netflix in 2020, far more than any other show!

Was I surprised to learn The Office absolutely dominated the streaming game some eight years after ending its run? Absolutely not. Based on the beloved British mockumentary sitcom by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the American version of the show still has it all—an incredible cast, fantastic writing, and some of the craziest workplace stunts I’ve seen on the small screen or in my practice.

Between Michael hitting Meredith with his car and forcing his subordinates to walk through a smoldering fire pit, the show provided infinite food for thought to this employment lawyer. Indeed, my colleagues and I spent years dissecting the litigation value of the characters’ bad behavior in each new episode in our “That’s What She Said” (TWSS) blog, named in honor of Michael’s favorite punchline. The show gave us the opportunity to discuss everything from love contracts to office holiday parties to diversity training initiatives.