# The Office

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/office/

13 people recommended The Office in Hacker News comments, 10 had mixed feelings and 11 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 7 of 12 months, in 9 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Workplace mockumentary sitcom people recommend for its comedy and character arcs; critics note the US version loses steam in later seasons and the UK version is bleak.

Summary written by Claude from 31 comments. It was written before the November 2026 recount, and 30 of those comments still count.

## Why people recommend it

- Honest, funny look at workplace (3 comments in the sample): "What makes the show work in the UK (and Ireland), is a greater cultural willingness to see the worst aspects of reality reflected in entertainment." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46722485)) "the joke is more subtly, brilliantly, and originally from The Office" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47054931)) "For the record, I do enjoy some Series: Friends, The Office, etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46174490))
- Both UK and US versions praised (3 comments in the sample): "the US office was just plain better executed in many ways" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46724967)) "the British show was much better than the US one" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47323584)) "The Office (US)" was a better show." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47055291))
- Strong character arcs over seasons (2 comments in the sample): "Michael does make a really good arc from season one to when he leaves" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47321301)) "it made his character arc more interesting" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47327845))
- Translated well to American audiences (2 comments in the sample): "it wouldn't have worked as well for American audiences" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46720439)) "It turned out to translate very well into American." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46720079))

## What people warn about

- US version falters in later seasons (1 comment in the sample): "The US version started that way but it just didn’t work at all." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46719673))

## Other sitcoms people recommend

- [Yes Minister](https://hackerapproved.com/p/yes-minister/): 8 recommend, 1 mixed, 0 criticize
- [Yes, Prime Minister](https://hackerapproved.com/p/yes-prime-minister/): 6 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize
- [Red Dwarf](https://hackerapproved.com/p/red-dwarf/): 5 recommend, 1 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The Office", https://hackerapproved.com/p/office/ (13 recommend, 10 mixed, 11 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.