More like a Julyist or an Augustian? Never mind: so as not to stay too far from your dear office, L’Express has concocted its list of the best work series released in recent years. A partial selection and inevitably – a little – biased, to peck at according to your mood. From the French Ten percent to the little-known Profit, via Severance, the latest gem from Apple TV, here is our advice on the ten soap operas on the desktop to catch up on this summer, to discuss over a cocktail. .. or the coffee machine.
1. Severance (Apple TV): if you need to complain about your work
Does everyone hate their job? In Severance, a science-fiction gem available on Apple TV, a surgical operation allows employees of Lumon Industry to separate their work “me” from that of their private life. Once at work, they forget their relationships, their passions and their torments to just be an employee. This choice, incomprehensible for some, is not so for others, delighted to escape their personal dramas. For a few hours, they find peace in oblivion. Masters of their decisions on the outside, they are however unaware of all that feels their “me” of the daily work.
Combining philosophy and science fiction, Severance leaves nothing to chance. It’s not for nothing that Dan Erickson, the creator of the series, and its director Ben Stiller – yes, the Ben Stiller of Zoolander -, chose Adam Scott to embody their main character. The charming, somewhat uptight accountant from the luminous Parks and Recreation here becomes a man marked by mourning and drink, in a hurry to get out of his life.
Pure product of a disenchanted America, this dystopia testifies to a change in mentality on the relationship to work. The short format of the office “sitcom” has reigned supreme on the small screen in recent years, from The Office (US) to Brooklyn 99. But the dripping mix of good feelings and schoolboy humor has had its day. Gone is the vision of a company where you could “realize” yourself, find friends, even a family. In Severance, it’s impossible to establish frank relationships over time, since who you are at work can be totally different from who you are outside. Impossible to realize yourself through work, because you derive no gratification from your day. Employees are reduced to mere puppets in the service of a faceless corporation, whose ultimate goal escapes everyone. Nobody knows what their day job consists of, or even what Lumon Industry sells – assuming the company sells anything.
The office is hostile, dangerous, but the employees return there. However, they encounter an existential, devouring void there, which the workshops and small parties invented by the company’s HR are increasingly struggling to hide. “The surest way to trap a prisoner is to let him believe that he is free”, explains one of the directors of Lumon, played by a very disturbing Patricia Arquette. Until when ?
2. The Office (US) (Netflix, Amazon Prime): if you want to put things into perspective
Can we really classify the series on the desktop without mentioning The Office, and especially its American version? Nine years after the broadcast of its last episode, this classic among the classics continues to be watched, as evidenced by the battle of the various streaming platforms to broadcast it. Despite a first season with acidity largely modeled on the original – The Office (UK) -, the sitcom carried by Steve Carell quickly became its own object… Even surpassing in fame, in the eyes of a large audience, its British version.
For nine seasons and as many years, a team of cameramen follows the lives of employees of an office of the Dunder Mifflin company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Every day, about fifteen characters are filmed selling paper. At first glance, nothing very exciting. Most of the characters are also aware of the insignificance of their daily lives, and share it directly with the camera of this “mockumentary”. Yet, over time, they seem to grow attached to it, and enjoy their quirky colleague’s quirks, their boss’s unfortunate jokes, or the incessant birthday celebrations at the office.
Faced with the departure of Steve Carell, the sitcom unfortunately ran out of steam in its last seasons. But if we had to measure the success of a series by its impact on our daily representations, The Office would undoubtedly be on the soap opera podium – with Friends, perhaps. Who, after having looked at it, has not sought to draw parallels with his daily life? Who hasn’t recognized themselves in a character, or hasn’t dreamed of a love story at the office “à la Jim and Pam”? This success, The Office owes it to talented screenwriters – B.J Novak and Mindy Kaling in particular, who play the tempestuous Ryan and Kelly in the series -, but above all to the great accuracy of its actors. By hiding behind sometimes burlesque gags and absurd moments, she managed to capture real moments of life. At its best, you would almost forget that it is a parody.
3. Mad Men (OCS): If you miss bar carts at the office
There was a time when martinis and scotch were flowing from 10 a.m. (Roger Sterling: “We drink because that’s what men do”). A time when executives inevitably wore a white shirt to accompany their gray suits with pocket squares or their double-breasted jackets. A time when individual offices were guarded by guards, and where you could be alone with your thoughts, or even treat yourself to a nap. A time also when women were relegated to typewriters, when they were not “desperate housewives” in wealthy suburbs. A time when homophobia was the rule (Ken Gosgrove: “”I knew queers existed. I just didn’t want to work with them”) Mad Men has often been hailed for its fetishistic recreation of the 1950s–1960s. In contemporary viewers, the series elicits both nostalgia for a bygone era, and a sense of moral superiority over a less progressive and hygienic era than our own.In one of the most memorable scenes, the Draper family , after a picnic, packs up the checkered tablecloth, but leaves all the waste on the lawn, provoking our environmental condemnation.
But while Mad Men could only have been a fashion phenomenon with a vintage aesthetic, the maniac Matthew Weiner succeeded in raising his soap opera to the rank of literary work, the cathodic equivalent of the novels and short stories of Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Richard Yates or John Cheever. Depicting the neuroses hiding behind the promises of post-war consumerist society, the series is also and above all a wonderful dive into the world of work, that of the pubards of Madison Avenue. The evolution of the Sterling Cooper agency is taking on epic proportions. After seven seasons, the gatsbyesque Don Draper, the ambitious Peggy Olson, the decadent Roger Sterling or the buxom Joan Holloway have become as close to us as our dearest colleagues.
4. The Office (UK) (MyCanal): if you can no longer stand your boss believing he is charismatic
We are “Office Uk” or “Office Us” as we were once Beatles or Stones (note that no one claims the French adaptation with François Berléand…). Launching in 2001 the fashion for sitcoms in the form of “mockumentary” – these false documentaries in the style of “Spinal Tap” -, Ricky Gervais and his accomplice Stephen Merchant pinpointed the trivialities, the despair, the discomforts and the absurdity of office life. Manager in a paper factory, David Brent/Ricky Gervais thinks he is the most charismatic boss in the world, without realizing that he is more unpopular than Prince Charles after the death of Lady Di.
Compared to its future American adaptation, The Office English version turns out to be much more raw and acidic, with no possibility of redemption for its characters. The psychopath Gareth Keenan, ex-military, would thus pass off his alter ego from Pennsylvania Dwight Schrute for Santa Claus. Another advantage: the original version is much more concise, two seasons of six episodes plus a Christmas special, and that’s it. But, in the end, it comes down to choosing between two comic geniuses: the prince of cynicism Ricky Gervais, English to the end of his teeth, or Steve Carell, the man who gave all their humanity back to idiots (“Presenter featured: the legend of Ron Burgundy”, “40 years old, still a virgin”…).
5. Parks and Recreation (Amazon Prime): If you need solace
Looking for the serial equivalent of strawberry milk, chocolate fudge, and extra fluffy duvet? You are in the right place. Created by Michael Schur and Greg Daniels, two former scriptwriters and producers of The Office (US), this mockumentary depicts the daily life of employees of the parks and recreation department in the State of Indiana. Say goodbye to dark humor and gratuitous meanness: all the usual cynicism of political satire has deserted the fictional town of Pawnee. If the employees have to face the budget cuts and the turpitudes of their fellow citizens, they do it with good grace, and with an enthusiasm which, in some, borders on neurosis.
The best example is given by its main character. Department head Leslie Knope – formidable Amy Poehler – a sort of Monica Geller from Friends on steroids, is driven by an all-consuming ambition for the public good and her own career.
In her quest, she is aided by an array of colorful companions. Tom Haverford, his greedy but sympathetic assistant. April Ludgate, her depressed but touching protege. Or Ben Wyatt – the Adam Scott of Severance! – work-obsessed accountant with whom she may have an affair. Here, everyone is nice. Even Ron Swanson, taciturn libertarian who hates the state that employs him. Everyone, too, ends up being swept up in Leslie’s enthusiasm for the public good – even the viewer.
This pure sugar series could make you graze the overdose of good feelings, but manages to maintain a subtle balance almost until its last season. Last good point: “Parks and Rec” is also served by tasty guest stars, like Kathryn Hahn, squeaky as a political adviser, or Paul Rudd, who portrays the most infuriating of daddy’s boys.
6. Profit: if you think the business is a permanent war
Only eight episodes, but an indelible trace in the history of American television. In 1996, on the Fox commercial channel, Profit announced the wild audacity of the following decade, the golden age of “Sopranos”, “Nip/Tuck” and other “Breaking Bad”. Inspired by Breat Easton Ellis’ “American Psycho” as by Shakespeare himself, creators David Greenwalt (future producer of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John McNamara (future screenwriter of Dalton Trumbo) stage the rise within a multinational of Jim Profit (Adrian Pasdar, future actor of Heroes). A junior executive who doesn’t hesitate to resort to blackmail, bribery or even worse to get rid of rivals.
Long before House of Cards, the series took advantage of the asides of Richard III consisting in revealing to the public the way in which the anti-hero will seize the throne. If the costumes and especially the computer are quite old, the description of the office as a Clausewitzian playground has retained all its acuity. Above all, Profit develops a much deeper relationship than it seems between his character and the company he wants to conquer. Celebrated by critics for its assumed amorality, the series was unfortunately canceled by Fox. Rupert Murdoch’s channel found itself inundated with calls from religious viewers calling Jim Profit “Satan in a suit”, while the business community moderately relished being portrayed in such a cruel fashion. America just wasn’t ready. Remains a cursed masterpiece.
7. Ten percent (Salto, Netflix): if you support made in France
A small miracle. In a country where the best series set in offices have long been Camera Café and Vivement Monday (yes), Fanny Herrero has managed a credible dramatic comedy about the professional world. At the initiative of the project, the star agent Dominique Besnehard, who drew on his crisp memories at Artmedia. The Guardian even compared the writing of the series to “the verve and musicality” of that of Aaron Sorkin in At the White House, that is to say.
Ten percent looks first and foremost behind the scenes of a fantasy universe, the cinema, and for the guest-stars who agree to play with their image (Cécile de France, Fabrice Luchini, Juliette Binoche, Jean Dujardin, etc.) . But the heart of the series are the partners and employees of the ASK agency. Proof that working relationships are never simple, Fanny Herrero gave up her place for season 4…
8. The Dropout (Disney Plus) – If you loved hating the first of the unbearable class
We Crashed, Super Pumped or The Dropout… Lately, it’s not good to be a tech entrepreneur in Hollywood. Based on a true story – adapted from a book and a podcast – The Dropout follows the story of Elizabeth Holmes. The very young founder of Theranos intended to revolutionize the world of health by providing a rapid diagnosis, carried out from a drop of blood. Bluffing, in every sense of the word: the product promoted by Holmes, managed to convince investors to give him millions of dollars, never worked. This gigantic scam ended recently in US courts.
With well-crafted flashbacks, The Dropout offers a fascinating insight into how Holmes deceived his world. This formidable communicator knew how to use her image as a young and ambitious woman to propel her company to the rank of one of the most promising unicorns of the 2000s – at its peak, Theranos ended up being worth more than 9 billion dollars.
In this tale of dashed hopes – millions of patients believed the company’s technology would change their lives – Amanda Seyfried demonstrates her acting skills. By tackling the portrait of Elizabeth Holmes, the actress could have made nothing but a cold monster, devoured by ambition and obsessed with her work. That’s part of what the character is. But not only: The Dropout reveals the frailties of the young woman, her inability to adapt to people of her age, her touching clumsiness, without ever falling into complacency. Disturbing critic of a not so distant period, The Dropout is also supported by a soundtrack where Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake and Sean Paul accompany the escapades of this teenager from the early 2000s. A real delight.
9. WeCrashed (Apple TV): If you’re allergic to shared spaces
The rise and fall of Adam Neumann, Icarus of coworking, had everything of a modern mythology. In 2019, this “serial entrepreneur” found himself ousted from his unicorn WeWork following revelations about his mismanagement, his excessive lifestyle and the toxic atmosphere within the company. WeCrashed centers on the megalomaniac couple formed by Neumann (played by an Israeli-accented Jared Leto) and his wife Rebekah (Anne Hathaway), a failed new-age actress. With a mixture of sass and speeches claiming to be “inspiring”, the duo managed to garner 10 billion dollars in investments, bewitching financial barons at JP Morgan Chase, Benchmark Capital or Soft Bank. Essential cash to fuel the rapid growth of a start-up that has grown in ten years from a coworking space in SoHo (New York) to a real estate empire present in a hundred cities, but with dizzying losses. The Neumann couple promise to change the world through offices (sic), but essentially transform their own increasingly luxurious way of life.
Beyond the performance of the actors, WeCrashed is worth especially for its acid description of a utopia at the time of the “gig economy” and its independent workers. With a slogan like “Thank God it’s Monday”, open spaces populated by Scandinavian furniture, table football and candy dispensers, shots of tequila taken in the middle of a meeting, the absence of any distinction between professional life and private life, Adam Neumann, of Israeli origin, sold the illusion of a “capitalist kibbutz”. After coming close to bankruptcy, WeWork has since succeeded in its IPO, but by abandoning any ambition to revolutionize consciences and by turning its model towards companies with more than 500 employees. According to the latest news, Neumann has embarked on the blockchain and carbon credits, a dream playground for this born huckster.
10. Abbott Elementary (Disney Plus) – If you want a little hope
How do you find hope when all seems lost? The last descendant of Parks and Recreation sitcoms, Abbott Elementary tells the story of a team of teachers at an elementary school in Philadelphia, United States. The William R. Abbott establishment leaves with all the possible disadvantages: understaffed, its teachers are overloaded with work, to the point that they rarely stay more than two years. In this area of ??the city with a predominantly African-American population, the lack of means left to the school means that education leaves something to be desired overall.
Narrated in the form of a mockumentary, the series follows the classic coral sitcom formula. We meet the main character, Jeanine Teagues, a very determined young teacher, and the battery of eccentric figures who evolve alongside her: the incompetent principal Ava Coleman, Melissa Schemmenti, a teacher close to local criminal circles, or even Jacob Hill, history teacher obsessed with looking as woke as possible.
Like The Office or even Parks and Recreation, the series gropes in the first episodes, seeking its tone and its rhythm. But she fortunately ends up finding herself, offering a worthy successor to the best mockumentaries. Far from being exempt from the syrupy side of Parks and Rec, Abbott Elementary is however more committed, and, indeed, more political. His remarks on the importance of the public school in a country where the latter is increasingly threatened is not drowned in jokes, but floats. A good surprise.
