The Office

The Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin sells paper and consumes an extraordinary amount of its employees' patience. The American Office builds a long-running comedy out of that unpromising workplace.

Steve Carell makes Michael Scott's need to be liked both disruptive and occasionally sympathetic. The surrounding staff provide different ways of enduring him, from open competition to a glance at the camera. As the ensemble develops, the minor office routines become useful ways of showing who knows whom and who has been paying attention.

It becomes a warmer, broader show than The Office UK, with more room for relationships to grow beyond the initial embarrassment. That does not eliminate the uncomfortable moments; it gives them a different balance. A good choice if you want a sitcom where familiarity with the supporting characters becomes part of the pleasure.