Television series

Superstore

Name: Superstore
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2015
Cast: Ben Feldman, Colton Dunn, Lauren Ash, Mark McKinney, Nico Santos

A big-box store ensemble comedy that starts as broad workplace slapstick and quietly grows a spine: underpaid, overqualified people forming a found family while dodging corporate nonsense, immigration raids, and a union drive. Funny, fast, oddly tender, and more clued-in about actual work than almost any sitcom on the dial. Great for anyone who's ever worn a name tag they didn't choose.

TVMaze rating

7.2

If you liked this

Parks and Recreation2009

The same warm, ensemble-driven workplace-as-family formula, but civic instead of retail — bureaucratic absurdity played with total sincerity and a killer supporting cast.

But Takes a rocky first season to find its footing; the tone you love arrives around season two.

The Office2005

The mockumentary blueprint for exactly this kind of low-stakes workplace comedy with real heart underneath — cringe, romance, and a cast of oddballs who become family.

But Nine seasons is a lot, and the back half sags noticeably after Michael Scott exits.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine2013

Same joke density and found-family warmth, transplanted to a police precinct — quick, silly, generous to every character, never mean-spirited.

But Cop-comedy premise sits differently now than when it aired; some viewers can't get past that.

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Clerks1994

Same species of retail-dead-end comedy decades earlier and stripped to the studs — proof the premise has always had teeth, before network TV smoothed the edges off.

Kevin Smith's scrappy black-and-white debut, shot in the actual store he worked at, is the retail-purgatory comedy in its rawest, most profane form.

But No plot to speak of, deliberately ugly visuals, and a rambling, talky style that won't suit everyone.

Abbott Elementary2021

A newer mockumentary with Superstore's exact trick: underpaid, underappreciated staff making an underfunded institution work through sheer stubborn love.

But Gentler and more earnest overall — less workplace chaos, more quiet advocacy.

Cheers1982

The granddaddy of the workplace-as-living-room sitcom — barflies and bartenders bickering and falling in love for eleven seasons of impeccable multi-cam craft.

But Studio-audience multi-cam rhythm and 80s pacing take some adjusting to if you're used to single-camera comedy.

Kim's Convenience2016

Smaller scale, same generosity — a family-run corner store instead of a superstore, with sharp generational comedy and genuine sweetness.

But Much gentler and lower-stakes; don't expect Superstore's sprawling ensemble or bigger swings.

Workaholics2011no page yet

Rougher, dumber, cousin energy — telemarketers goofing off between actual work, for when you want the slacker-coworker vibe with the leash off.

But Far cruder and less plotted; character depth and social commentary are not the point here.

Scrubs2001

Another workplace with a huge, lovable staff bouncing between broad comedy and genuine gut-punches — the tonal whiplash Superstore does so well.

But The fantasy-sequence style is very 2000s and can feel dated or overused by later seasons.

Corner Gas2004no page yet

A tiny prairie gas station standing in for the whole world — low-key, character-first comedy about people stuck together and making the best of it.

But Deliberately quiet and small-town; if you want plot momentum or edge, this isn't it.

American Factory2019

Superstore's union storyline is played for warmth and comedy; this shows what that fight actually costs people in real life, no laugh track cushioning it.

A Netflix documentary following real American workers at a Chinese-owned factory grappling with automation, culture clash, and a union vote gone sideways.

But No jokes, no fictional comfort — this is the real, often bleak version of the labor stakes Superstore plays for laughs.

Sorry to Bother You2018

Same DNA — underpaid workers, exploitative bosses, the absurdity of corporate life — cranked up into surrealist satire instead of sitcom warmth.

A telemarketer discovers a 'white voice' that gets him promoted into a surreal, increasingly horrifying corporate underworld — sharp satire that escalates into full sci-fi nightmare.

But Genuinely bizarre and unsettling by the end; if you wanted grounded workplace comedy, this detonates that expectation entirely.