Fun at work

Youth Inc picks 5 TV shows that focus on the lighter side of professions

House of Lies 

This unapologetic comedy-drama on the life of management consultant Marty Kaan is based on the book House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time, written by real-life management consultant Martin Kihn. Kaan is the deceitful and immoral proprietor of Kaan & Associates. He claims to have a hand in every little decision you make. His business practices are rather questionable, but make for very entertaining television.

Outsourced

American Todd Dempsy is sent to India to manage a call centre after his company outsources its operations overnight. What follows is a clash of cultures. Dempsy must explain American culture to his employees while he picks up some typical Indian traits. There is humour in everything, from the way they communicate with each other to how they compete with their rival company, all the while adapting to the other’s essence. Sadly, the series was cancelled after just one season.

 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Set in the fictional 99^th precinct of the New York Police Department in Brooklyn, this show follows the adventures of a team of seemingly stupid but very efficient detectives and their newly appointed captain Raymond Holt. The hilarious capers of the police department are headed by detective Jake Peralta, played by the very talented Andy Samberg.

Nurse Jackie

Three-time Emmy Award winner Edie Falco stars as Jackie Peyton in this dark and satirical comedy set in the fictitious All Saints Hospital, New York. Nurse Jackie constantly tries to find a balance between her hectic job and a range of personal dramas. The show explores the thin line between being a saint and a sinner in the medical profession.

Bad Teacher

Gold-digger Meredith Davis takes up a job as a teacher in a middle school to find her next husband. With nothing left behind from her ex, Davis has to move in with her friend and her daughter Lily. Davis uses her feminine charm and fake résumé to get hired. Thereafter, it’s a fun ride, seeing her deal with a job that she has no experience or education in. Based on a Cameron Diaz film, this show has been cancelled, tragically, after the first season.