Television series

Dilbert

Name: Dilbert
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1999
Cast: Chris Elliott, Daniel Stern, Gordon Hunt, Larry Miller, Gary Kroeger

Satire
Dip in and out

A satirical animated comedy about corporate absurdity, where an engineer navigates a soul-crushing cubicle farm ruled by an incompetent boss and staffed by gloriously dysfunctional colleagues. Sharp, cynical, and painfully relatable for anyone who's ever worked in an office. Built on Scott Adams' comic strip, it trades warmth for bite.

TVMaze rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like deadpan office satire built from the small cruelties of cubicle life, where the boss is confidently wrong and the jokes come from the everyday grind.

Skip it if you want fast, plot-driven storytelling, since each half-hour is a loose run of gags and the episodes rarely build toward anything bigger.

What it asks of you: Half an hour an episode, two seasons, and very little patience required: it's a sitcom rhythm of setup, sour exchange and quick reset, one bite-sized sketch at a time.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Office Space1999

The live-action spiritual twin: same year, same rage at the same absurd corporate machinery, but with the dark comedy cranked to eleven. Mike Judge nails the specific humiliation of pointless meetings and middle management.

But Bleak enough to feel depressing if you're in a fragile mood. The 'TPS reports' joke has aged into a relic of its era.

Becker1998

Ted Danson as a grouchy doctor surrounded by incompetents and misfits. Similar DNA: misanthropic lead, sharp one-liners, workplace dysfunction played for laughs. Gentler than Dilbert but the rhythm is there.

But Relies heavily on the charm of its lead. If Danson doesn't grab you, the supporting cast can feel thin.

NewsRadio1995

A workplace comedy with actual bite, where characters are genuinely funny rather than types. Matthew Brock's news station feels lived-in, and the ensemble keeps you invested between the gags.

But The tone shifts as the show goes on; later seasons lose some of the sharp edge. Andy Dick's presence is polarizing.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Dilbert

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Parks and Recreation2009

Both anatomize how organizations grind good intentions into compliance and paperwork, but where Dilbert despairs of the system, Parks & Rec tries to fix it from within. Different philosophies, same observation.

A mockumentary about a small-town government office where the boss (Amy Poehler) is genuinely well-meaning but hamstrung by bureaucracy. Same corporate absurdity as Dilbert, but told with warmth and real character growth. It cares about its people.

But The first season is thin and borrows heavily from The Office. Takes time to find its footing.

Murphy Brown1988

The OG workplace comedy with teeth. Candice Bergen's newsroom is witty, political, and genuinely character-driven. Proves the format could be smart without sacrificing heart.

But Feels very much of its time; some references have calcified. The pacing is slower than modern comedy.

Just Shoot Me!1997

Fashion magazine workplace mayhem with an ensemble cast that actually has chemistry. Lighter than Dilbert, but scratches the same itch for workplace satire mixed with character comedy.

But Leans harder on sitcom contrivance and romance subplots. Less interested in genuine corporate critique.

WKRP in Cincinnati1978

The granddaddy of workplace comedies. A radio station where nobody quite knows what they're doing, led by a befuddled manager. The template for every office show that followed.

But Very '70s in pacing and sensibility. If you need constant laughs, the slower rhythm will test your patience.

The Drew Carey Show1995

Drew Carey as an underpaid store manager surrounded by weirdos and chaos. Crude and silly, but committed to workplace dysfunction as comedy fuel. Great if you want dumb fun with your satire.

But The humor is broad to the point of lowest-common-denominator. Lacks Dilbert's satirical edge.

Herman's Head1991

A CBS sitcom that actually tries something visually different: we see inside the protagonist's head with four characters representing his emotional quadrants. Weird, creative, and the workplace setting genuinely matters.

But The gimmick is more interesting than the execution. Can feel uneven, and the show never fully commits to what it could be.

Taxi1978

A taxi dispatch garage as seen through a brilliant ensemble cast. Workplace comedy at its most character-rich, with real pathos underneath the gags. Influenced everything that came after.

But Slower by modern standards and the emotional beats can overshadow the comedy. Danny DeVito's Louie is brilliantly obnoxious but exhausting.

Severance2022

Same fundamental question: what does the corporation owe you, and what will you surrender for a paycheck? Dilbert laughs at the answer; Severance makes you sweat.

A sci-fi thriller about a company that surgically separates employees' work and personal memories. It's Dilbert's nightmare made literal and terrifying. Gorgeously shot, deeply unsettling, and operates as both corporate satire and existential horror.

But Bleak and slow-burn. Not a comfort watch. The philosophical dread can overwhelm the entertainment.

Brazil1985

Both see the cubicle farm as a kind of hell, but Gilliam strips away the sitcom cushioning and shows you the machinery grinding underneath. Dilbert is the comedy version; Brazil is what happens when the comedy stops working.

Terry Gilliam's dystopian masterpiece set in a Kafkaesque bureaucracy where paperwork and machines have consumed meaning itself. Pure visual chaos married to savage corporate satire. It's Dilbert remade by someone on another planet.

But Demanding, surreal, and genuinely unsettling. The editing is deliberately disorienting. Not for anyone wanting straightforward narrative or comfort.