The Consultant is a workplace dark comedy-thriller starring Christoph Waltz that sees Waltz’s character join a successful gaming company as a specialist who has to get the daily operations in shape. The series is streaming on Prime Video.
The workplace is a complicated setting that brings out different emotions within a person based on their own experiences with the “9 to 5” grind. That is what makes it an ideal location for creators to base their shows or movies on.
While most workplace shows are usually comedies filled with quirky characters and lovable romances, some creators go against the grain and add a certain edge to their shows, much like The Consultant.
Here are 10 shows like The Consultant that you can check out:
1. The IT Crowd (2006 – 2013)
Available on: Netflix
Cast: Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, Noel Fielding, Chris Morris, Matt Berry
The IT Crowd revolves around the minimalist IT department of Reynholm Industries which consists of 3 members, Roy, Moss, and their manager, Jen. Roy and Moss are tech nerds with deplorable social skills while Jen doesn’t know a thing about IT.
Together these misfits go through their everyday lives and encounter a host of social scenarios that run their personalities through the wringer. They also have to report to their over-the-top boss, Dennis Reynholm, and later interact with his successor, his eccentric son Douglas.
This immensely funny series has won a BAFTA and an International Emmy and has been nominated multiple times throughout its run. The hilarious cast is provided with a clever script filled with boundless humor and some ridiculous situations.
2. Mad Men (2007 – 2015)
Available on: AMC+ on Apple TV+, Lionsgate Play
Cast: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones, Christina Hendricks
Mad Men is a period drama set in the 1960s and 70s in the USA and revolves around the life of Don Draper, a suave and mysterious advertising executive who is also a creative genius.
Draper starts as the Creative Director at Sterling Cooper Ad agency before eventually becoming one of the founding members of his own company, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. He is credited with some of the biggest ad campaigns in history in this series.
As time goes by, Draper’s carefully curated image takes a hit and he must weather this rough patch as the people in and around his circle are also focused upon.
A critically acclaimed series, Mad Men very unapologetically portrays the uncomfortable workplace culture that was a norm during the period as the strongly written characters occupy the screen in all the glitz and glamor of that time.
3. Silicon Valley (2104 – 2019)
Available on: HBO Max
Cast: Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Josh Brener, Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, Christopher Evan Welch
Richard Hendricks works for a tech company called Hooli, but during his spare time, he ends up creating a revolutionary app which he later names Pied Piper. Richard enlists the help of a small group of coders to build his own company while fighting off competition from his jealous former employer.
He navigates the complicated landscape of technology and innovation as several investors line up to fund his venture, forcing him to learn the art of negotiation and nurture his social skills as he meets with multiple wealthy individuals.
This comedy thrusts a group of geeks onto center stage in a widely appreciated series that has been praised for its satirical take on the tech industry and the culture surrounding it.
4. 30 Rock (2006 – 2013)
Available on: Hulu, Peacock
Cast: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit, Judah Friedlander, Keith Powell
Liz Lemon is the head writer at an NBC sketch comedy show who is pushed to her limits when she is forced to hire unpredictable star Tracy Jordan by her network executive boss, Jack Donaghy.
Liz and Jack’s contrasting personalities constantly clash as Liz has to wrangle the spectrum of personalities on her show that includes Tracy, her best friend and actor Jenna Maroney, writers Frank, Toofer, Josh, and Lutz among others
Everyone has their own goals within the entertainment industry as Liz and Jack aim to keep the show interesting and fresh and please their corporate overlords respectively.
30 Rock received several awards and nominations throughout its 7 season run and has received admiration from audiences and critics alike for its parodied portrayal based on Tina Fey’s experience of working on Saturday Night Live.
5. Severance
Available on: Apple TV+
Cast: Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen, Tullock, John Turturro
Mark Scout finds himself as part of a huge conspiracy when he discovers that the company that he works for has subjected their employees to a medical procedure called “severance” that separates their consciousness between their lives at work and outside of it.
When Mark is approached by a former colleague of his outside of work, it forces him to dig deeper into what’s been affecting his memories and what the ultimate goal of his employers is.
The series has received numerous plaudits, especially for Ben Stiller’s direction, and was considered one of the best shows of the year by several publications and critics.
Filming for season 2 already began back in October of 2022 and is set to wrap by May of 2023.
6. Acapulco (2021 – Present)
Available on: Apple TV+
Cast: Eugenio Derbez, Enrique Arrizon, Fernando Carsa, Damián Alcázar, Camila Perez, Chord Overstreet, Jessica Collins
Acapulco follows the story of Maximo Gallardo Ramos, a successful business mogul who narrates the story of his humble beginnings working at a resort in the titular city to his nephew. Maximo talks about his life and the people around him that contributed to where he is today.
He has to make several difficult decisions while trying to balance his love for his family and friends, and his ambition to rise up the ranks and make a name for himself. There’s also the subject of his love life as Maximo constantly keeps his nephew guessing about who it is.
Acapulco is an entertaining series filled with vibrant visuals and energetic performances from its wonderful cast. Adding to the already impressive collection on Apple TV+, the series was renewed for a third season in January 2023.
7. Party Down (2009 – Present)
Available on: Starz Apple TV Channel, Hulu, Prime Video
Cast: Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Lizzy Caplan, Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, Jane Lynch, Megan Mullally
While Party Down doesn’t have a set office space, the show does focus on a fixed group of colleagues working on a variety of occasions at different venues as they get involved in silly shenanigans each time.
This group of aspiring artists in Hollywood have taken up the job to make ends meet and support their dream of making it big but the majority of their existence is misery and disappointment, occasionally interrupted by something good.
This series consisted of stellar writing and magnificent performances to back it up before it met an unfortunate early demise. However, the revival of a six-episode limited series signified the popularity of such a wonderful series that has developed a cult following.
Many of the original cast and creators returned for the revival 13 years after it was originally canceled.
8. The Office (2005 – 2013)
Available on: Peacock
Cast: Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Leslie David Baker, Angela Kinsey, Ed Helms
The Office focuses on the lives of the various employees working at the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and their eccentric boss, Michael Scott. Michael is a well-meaning yet problematic boss who always wants the best for his employees.
He’s surrounded by a myriad of colleagues with different responsibilities and entertaining personalities as the office goes through multiple changes and difficulties that everyone has to navigate through.
The Office notoriously started off weak as Steve Carell’s character was more obnoxious before becoming the more lovable version that won over audiences. The series does exhibit a slight drop-off following his departure but still manages to provide some memorable moments.
9. Mythic Quest (2020 – Present)
Available on: Apple TV+
Cast: Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Ashly Burch, Jessie Ennis, Danny Pudi, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby
Ian Grimm is the creative director and original creator of the game Mythic Quest and heads the video game studio alongside lead engineer Poppy Li. Part of the team is David the executive producer, Brad the head of monetization, and C.W. Longbottom the head writer, among others.
The series focuses on the studio and the gaming industry and Ian projects his brand of eccentricity, much to the annoyance and confusion of Poppy, who is his partner and best friend. There’s romance, humor, innovation, and so much more in this fabulous setting.
Mythic Quest contains some exquisitely written characters and spectacular narratives that have received praise from audiences all over the world. The special episodes are some of the best self-contained stories available to witness and the entire show is an emotional roller coaster waiting for viewers to take it for a spin.
The show was renewed for a third and fourth season together back in 2021 with season 3 concluding in January 2023.
10. Parks and Recreation
Available on: Peacock
Cast: Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari
Parks and Recreation is a mockumentary-style series that focuses on the titular local department led by Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson along with their team of quirky colleagues. Leslie is the bubbly, super-optimistic bureaucrat whose eventual goal is to one day be president of the country.
Along the way, she builds connections while trying to convince people that governments are effective and useful at all levels by always giving it 110% with the help of the people around her. She also finds love in the most adorable fashion as the series charts her journey.
The show has provided us with some of the most memorable characters on screen up to date with many of them moving on to become stars in their own right. The conclusion of the show is also considered one of the most satisfying finales for a series by a general consensus.
Also Read: The Consultant (2023) ending explained: Who is Regus Patoff?