Whether you’re sitting in front of a computer at work or working your hands outside, there’s probably a TV show you can relate to. The officefor example, was ridiculous in depicting life at a desk, but many people can relate to having a crazy, unorthodox, or even incompetent boss. On the other hand, shows like ER showed the realism of working in a hospital and the painful trauma that healthcare workers see and experience every day.
There has been an abundance of them in recent years TVdramas which are incredibly accurate to show viewers the realness of the workplace. Many of these shows have won Emmy Awards for their efforts and have become modern classics. Succession is a series that shows the hierarchy of a wealthy family at the top of a media empire and the tension that comes with wealth Gray’s Anatomy is a medical drama that intertwines the characters’ personal lives with work and the struggles that come from mixing the two. These are the best workplacedramas that are almost too realistic to bear.
10 Succession
Succession is currently one of the most popular programs on TV. Currently in its fourth season, the show revolves around the Roy family, a wealthy family at the head of a massive media empire called Waystar RoyCo. Brian Cox stars as Logan Roy, the head of the family and company, who knows his time in the industry is almost over, but refuses to name one of his children as his successor.
Succession is filled with intense moments. The back and forth between Logan and his kids is nerve wracking. Sometimes he loves and protects them; in other cases he makes them suffer the consequences of their unthinkable actions. With an amazing supporting cast including Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook, Succession is a work drama that captures all the tension that can take place in a stressful environment.
9 House
In House, Hugh Laurie played Dr. Gregory House, a physician who specialized in helping people with rare diseases. The attitude of Dr. House was often unfriendly or indifferent when he looked down on his colleagues. His partner, dr. James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), was a more sympathetic doctor, offering his solutions and giving House a sounding board when no one would listen. Laurie is a great actor, but his latest show Avenue 5 was recently canceled on HBO.
House ran for eight seasons from 2004 to 2012 on Fox. Dr. House was a very level-headed doctor who was often blunt with his patients and told them hard truths, even when they caused emotional pain. Laurie’s portrayal of the character was spot on, giving him a dry sense of humor but a realistic take on what life in a hospital is really like.
8 To take
To take is centered around Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a high school dropout who works at a law firm despite failing the bar exam. Mike lies about his credentials and persuades Harvey Spencer (Gabriel Macht), the firm’s top attorney, to give him a job. Although Harvey knows about the deception, he trusts Mike because he is incredibly smart and has a photographic memory.
You may know To take as the show Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex was before she married Prince Harry. It is a powerful drama about the justice system and the tenacity lawyers have to fight for their clients. The show does an excellent job of depicting the real tension that plays out in the courtroom.
7 The bear
The bear is hands down one of the best TV shows streaming on Hulu right now. It stars Jeremy Allen White as Carmen (“Carmey”) Berzatto, an accomplished chef who moved back to Chicago to run his family’s deli after his brother died. Carmey is completely stressed out, working in the kitchen while trying to balance the restaurant’s books and keep his employees happy. Fans will be excited to hear that Bob Odenkirk is joining The Bear for Season 2.
Those who have worked in the hospitality industry know the story behind it The bear is too real. Working in a kitchen can be stressful, tiring and sometimes even dangerous. Carmey’s situation is familiar to food stall owners, as they often operate on tight margins and struggle to keep their staff in a competitive job market.
6 Law & Order: special unit for victims
Law & Order: special unit for victims (or SVU, for short) is one of the longest-running TV shows. Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) heads a police department that investigates particularly brutal and sensitive crimes, such as sexual assault and crimes against children. With the help of her team, including Det. Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni), Sergeant Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) and Sergeant John Munch (late Richard Belzer), Captain Benson work hard to bring the criminals to justice for their heinous crimes.
Since 1999, SVU has enticed viewers with its realistic storylines, great acting and strong editing. Unfortunately, many of the episodes are based on real life events, which makes it feel unnerving to be too real. Since its inception, more than 500 episodes have aired. The show has been going on for so long that fans sometimes forget about the many guest stars that have appeared over the years.
5 Gray’s Anatomy
Another long-running show with a strong and devoted fan base is Gray’s Anatomy. The show follows Dr. Meredith Gray (Ellen Pompeo) as she first starts out as an intern at a Seattle hospital, and later works her way up to become Chief of General Surgery. Dr. Gray’s personal life is constantly intertwined with her work and she is forced to balance her personal time with shift work at the medical center.
Healthcare professionals know it’s a difficult field to work in, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance is never easy. In the beginning Dr. Gray has a hectic schedule and has yet to find time to complete the work required to complete her residency. Viewers can empathize with this medical drama as many of them also had to work to pay their school fees while completing their schooling.
4 Crazy men
In Crazy men, Jon Hamm plays Don Draper, a wealthy advertising executive who carries himself with swagger and poise. The problem is that he’s not quite who he thinks he is. Don is actually a man named Dick who stole Don Draper’s identity from a fellow soldier years earlier. As Don, he’s able to be the man he’s always dreamed of, complete with a beautiful wife named Betty (January Jones) and an eager secretary (Elizabeth Moss).
Crazy men shows the fast paced lifestyle people lived in the 60’s. It was a time of great change when more women entered the workforce and men struggled to maintain power over each other. The stressful environment of working in an advertising agency is too real as advertising managers are always trying to satisfy their clients while getting more and more money out of it. Crazy men features one of Jon Hamm’s best performances.
3 Scandal
Scandal stars Kerry Washington as Olivia “Liv” Pope, a crisis management specialist who runs her own company and works with the President of the United States. She is known as a “fixer” in the White House, often rushing to cover up scandals and put a positive spin on negative events. In Season 1, the viewer is introduced to Liv’s relationship with POTUS (Tony Goldwyn) as she tries to find out if he had an intimate relationship with a woman named Amanda Tanner (Liza Weil) or not.
Politics can be an intense field to work in Scandal is a bit exaggerated in its depiction of relationships between colleagues in the White House, it is still an accurate representation of the field of crisis management. Scandal is a serious drama created by Shonda Rhimes, who is all too familiar with realism through her other shows like Gray’s Anatomy, How to get away with murderAnd Private practice.
2 Industry
There are plenty of good reasons to watch Industry, the main one being that it’s a great show for young people who are struggling to get a job. Created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, the British TV series follows a group of college graduates competing for positions at a London investment company. The graduates are given six months to prove they can keep up with the trading industry or they will be fired.
Marisa Abela is fantastic as Yasmin, an ambitious woman who comes from a wealthy family and speaks several languages fluently. Some of Yasmin’s colleagues lie about their credentials to keep up, while others deal with their fast-paced lifestyle by drinking and taking drugs to take the edge off. Industry is a relatable show for anyone who has ever been pressured to perform or face the chopping block.
1 The dropout
The dropout feels real because it was real. It is based on the story of Elizabeth Holmes, a Stanford dropout who founded a company called Theranos that claimed to have discovered groundbreaking medical technology. In the dropout, Holmes is played by Amanda Seyfried, who does a masterful job with the character. The show follows Holmes from her school days to the founding of her company to her eventual demise.
In real life, Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of defrauding investors and the government. The dropout is too real for anyone who dreams of being homemade. There is a fine line between being ambitious and being willing to twist the truth to achieve success. Holmes crossed that line and The dropout does a good job of pulling the viewer into Holmes’ real-world experiences.