Many of us spend eight hours a day sitting at a desk, attending meetings in a conference room, or taking a breather in the break room. So, of course, the thing we do to unwind at home is watch something set in an office.
Here are some memorable movies and TV shows in which the office is so prominent that it’s practically a character in its own right. And before you ask, yes, this list is subjective. There are too many films and TV shows set in workplaces to mention. I’d love to write about them all, but I also love to get some sleep.
Dunder Mifflin – “The Office”
If we didn’t have this slice of Scranton, Pennsylvania, on the list, we probably couldn’t sell office furniture.
From Michael Scott’s executive desk and Pam’s reception desk to The Annex, where Toby Flenderson calls home, Dunder Mifflin’s office layout could be drawn from memory by the most devoted fans. And how can we forget the brotherhood (yes, they love each other, albeit begrudgingly) between Dwight and Jim? I still believe the highest form of flattery is stapler Jell-O.
The Severed Floor – “Severance”
The idea of a literal separation of work and home at Lumon Industries sounds great at first. You don’t have to bring the stress of work to the dinner table, while leaving personal woes somewhere between floors in the elevator. But for those of us who watch the show, it works as well as a chocolate house in the desert.
Having said that, the “innies” do have one hell of a workplace. Vibrant green carpet, spartan walls, old-school computers, and a retro-futuristic benching system with wood-top desks create an image that disorients yet remains comfortable.
Would I want to work in that setting? Maybe, but definitely not at Lumon. I will say that for the company, it’s the place where I first heard “devour feculence” and can’t unhear it.
Sterling Cooper – “Mad Men”
The agency had a few names (five, if I remember correctly), but let’s stick with the one we first see when we meet Don Draper.
Sterling Cooper’s office decor is unmistakable. Those Eames Executive Chairs were thrones, and the men we watched sink into them held all the power. Bar carts helped define the typical workday of an exec on Madison Avenue, because I guess you must expect them to drink if they’re selling to the Lucky Strike folks.
If you’re looking for an episode that shows how much the furniture meant to the characters, check out “The Monolith.” The copywriters and art directors losing their beloved lounge furniture to an IBM mainframe the size of a small SUV shows how much a simple couch can mean to your team.
Initech – “Office Space”
It’s wild to think about how current this movie still feels in some workplaces. The cubicles where Peter, Michael Bolton, and Samir work at Initech certainly give a bleak picture of how late-90s offices felt to employees. The conference room with The Bobs and a brief glimpse of Lumbergh’s executive office don’t do much to glam it up. It makes you wonder whether Peter’s removal of the panel from his cubicle led to the see-through panels of today.
But for every trio of folks who dislike their spot in the office, there is a Milton. You tend to appreciate the cubicle when they move you into the basement. He’s the reason I have a red Swingline stapler and dislike huge grains of salt on a margarita.
Virtually Every Scene – “The Big Short”
Yes, the subject matter of this movie isn’t a pick-me-up, feel-good story. But if you’re looking for a variety of office layouts, it’s about as good a movie to single out.
You want to see a cubicle farm in a hedge fund office? You got it. Feel like setting up an office in your garage for your startup investment firm? We’ve got that, too. Maybe you want the open workspace look of Steve Carell’s character’s firm. They’re all there. This movie is like a two-hour office design experience.
The Washington Post Newsroom – “The Post”
We could easily add “All the President’s Men” (a must-watch if you haven’t seen it) to the list since it shares the same setting, which is geek-out fuel for a former news guy like me. But we’re going with “The Post” because it’s more recent.
This is precisely what a newsroom looked like in the early 1970s. A room packed with the same metal desks, the same piles of paper on stories and source notes, and an orchestra of typewriters click-clacking away, filling inches on the page before the deadline. It captures the time perfectly. Ben Bradlee’s (Tom Hanks) office shows how you can have an executive desk with all the trimmings and still kick your feet up and listen to your team’s input about one of the most important moments in American history.
Finding Your Memorable Workspace
None of these office settings would be as memorable without the people or the desks and chairs they occupy. With over two decades of experience, Capital Choice Office Furniture is your source for high-quality office furniture in Columbus, Ohio. Whether new or pre-owned pieces, Capital Choice designs, delivers, and installs the layout you want for your brand.