I remember watching the first season of Working on network television. The show was funny, satirical, well-written, and structured to become a success. What happened to it after the first season was a shame and an obvious disaster with cast members like Sarah Knowlton who was great as the Yale graduate working as a secretary. It brought much more truth to the working circumstances and environments that we live and work in. I still think the episode in which Fred Savage's character is believed to be gay after bringing an old college friend to his boss' picnic. When they sing at the piano, you just couldn't help but laugh. I liked the annoying perky secretary and dark, pesimistic colleague too. I missed the funny guy with no work in the second season. I thought the changes were too much. I loved Yvonne Freeman's character as loyal company servant. Too true, it should have stayed as it was. I guess the network wanted to cancel the show so they botched it with terrible decisions and changes. Much like the Working premise itself, they got scared when they saw themselves on television!
14 Reviews
Live-action Dilbert!
skinr5431 July 2009
Basically Scott Adams' "Dilbert" comic strip given live actors. Was somewhat funny, but too similar to the film Office Space.
Weird stuff regularly happens, and the people mostly take it in stride; this is basically the plot of the entire series, and a number of office stereotypes (the under-appreciated secretary, the idiotic boss, etc.) are present. Fred Savage stands out for some reason, possibly because he is the only one of the cast I can think of that was on something else.
If there is one flaw with this show, it's that it is repetitive beyond belief. 6/10
Weird stuff regularly happens, and the people mostly take it in stride; this is basically the plot of the entire series, and a number of office stereotypes (the under-appreciated secretary, the idiotic boss, etc.) are present. Fred Savage stands out for some reason, possibly because he is the only one of the cast I can think of that was on something else.
If there is one flaw with this show, it's that it is repetitive beyond belief. 6/10
If It Ain't Broke, Don't Change It
Thor200012 April 2001
Memories of this show prove to me that TV executives are idiots. Working was a fast furious and funny show with the speed and humor of the Mel Brooks and Airplane movies. So what happened ? Someone moved it from a great time slot to Monday nights. When the fans followed it, the execs found another way to kill it: they removed some of the best characters and replaced them with no talents. What happened: the series limped on with a bullet in its side and died. Execs win; viewing public of America ticked off. This show was a hit for Fred Savage and he deserved one after that "Wonder Years" fiasco refused to die after so long. This satire on corporate America had all the best actors with Maurice Godin as the swarmy boss Tim Deale, Seinfeld's Steve Hytner as the weasel John Delaney, stand-up genuis Dana Gould as childlike Jimmy Clarke and incredibly sexy Arden Myrin as prim and proper Abby Cosgrove. Rounded out with "She-Wolf" Kate Hodge and lovely Sarah Knowlton as Hal the working mother as the office sex symbols for Deale to drool over, the show was an instant hit, and we had less than a year of funny programming before the most evil and vile forces on earth took it away!
Great first season, and then, WTF?
cherold20 March 2023
Working was great for the first season. But when season 2 came, a couple of great characters were gone and inexplicably replaced. I remember one of the replacements was very attractive and while this may be unfair, because she wasn't a good actress and her part added nothing to the series I felt like maybe she was some executives daughter or girlfriend and they just insisted she given a part. Because it just made no sense.
Of course, it may just have been incompetence. It may be that the series wasn't doing as well as they thought it should and some cocaine-fueled executive got put in charge and was like, we need to sex it up more, we need changes, make it all different, get me more coke!
It was seriously one of the most inexplicable retoolings in the history of television. I wish I knew the story behind it.
Of course, it may just have been incompetence. It may be that the series wasn't doing as well as they thought it should and some cocaine-fueled executive got put in charge and was like, we need to sex it up more, we need changes, make it all different, get me more coke!
It was seriously one of the most inexplicable retoolings in the history of television. I wish I knew the story behind it.
Inspiration for Office Space?
safenoe8 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Hot off his success in The Wonder Years, Fred Savage takes on the lead role in Working. I think the series could have been a contender for sure, with smart writing and acting and some funny moments about the absurdities of working white collar life. I wonder, well I can only speculate, if Working was the inspiration for the 1999 movie Office Space, but maybe or maybe not.
Perhaps Working can be rebooted and who knows, maybe set on the factory floor where we get to appreciate the work of blue collar workers who work hard and harder in conjunction with the white collar folk and all perhaps init.
Perhaps Working can be rebooted and who knows, maybe set on the factory floor where we get to appreciate the work of blue collar workers who work hard and harder in conjunction with the white collar folk and all perhaps init.
A crying shame...
Starla-210 May 1999
that this series went downhill so fast. The first season was memorable. It was funny. The characters were there, the storylines were there, the humour was there. Then, cast changes. Evil bad cast changes. When they lost almost half of the regular cast, the series was doomed. I'll always look fondly on the first season of Working, as it was fresh and more entertaining than the usual TV fare, but alas, those days are gone. Why? Why did it have to end?
One of my favorite shows in years
heifer34 December 2000
I think Working was one of the freshest and most clever new shows of the past several years. I agree, the cast changes in season 2 weren't the best idea, but change isn't always bad. If you have seen the pilot, Delaney and Jimmy were played by different actors than in the first complete season. That was a good change.
But even with the season 2 changes, the show was still very, very clever and completely entertaining. If it only had to compete with itself, season 2 wasn't as good as season one. However, competing with all of the shows on TV at the time, season 2 was still one of the best shows going. I have all 39 episodes taped, and rewatch them on a regular basis.
Working, we miss you.
But even with the season 2 changes, the show was still very, very clever and completely entertaining. If it only had to compete with itself, season 2 wasn't as good as season one. However, competing with all of the shows on TV at the time, season 2 was still one of the best shows going. I have all 39 episodes taped, and rewatch them on a regular basis.
Working, we miss you.
I agree with everyone else.
Crowbot-211 April 2000
I have to agree it all went to heck come season two. I can remember laughing so hard at the antics of season one, that reminded me of this software place I used to freelance at. But, season two came, and it couldn't live up to the first, so once again a show was cancelled long before it's time. But, I look at it comically, practically everyone that was in Little Monsters, got their show cancelled at the same season, (Buddy Faro, The Howie Mandel Show, and Dilbert.) Kind of ironic.
An example of an under appreciated show.
cgmpower27 September 1999
This is a prime example of an under appreciated show that was tinkered with too quickly and canceled far too soon. Networks cancel shows without giving them a fair shake!
This show was great, it reminded me of the silliness that goes on in the job market. It also reminded me of the bureaucratic garbage that employees have to go through sometimes. I worked for an "Upton Weber" type company and totally related to these characters.
This show was great, it reminded me of the silliness that goes on in the job market. It also reminded me of the bureaucratic garbage that employees have to go through sometimes. I worked for an "Upton Weber" type company and totally related to these characters.
I still miss it
Paguma27 July 2000
The first season of this show was the best new TV show I had seen in a long time. Of course, like everybody said, all the changes they made for the 2nd season ruined the show. In what I guess was an attempt to revamp to attract new viewers, they managed to completely ruin the show. Along with Newsradio I think this is one of the best sitcoms of the past 10 years. Of course Newsradio was also under-appreciated and cancelled after cast changed ruined it.
Another example of a show killed before its time
Cyprus38622 February 2000
Wow. What a great show this was. Note how I say "was". People have since forgotten about this masterpiece since its tragic demise last year. This show had some classic moments. Who can forget Danica McKellar's guest appearance? it had me on the floor because I was laughing so hard. All of Matt Peyser's (Fred Savage) jokes were about the fact that the two were sweethearts on "The Wonder Years". So funny! Another good point was Arden "Abby Cosgrove" Myrin's performances. She was so funny!
Catch a rerun of this, and enjoy it as much as I do!
Catch a rerun of this, and enjoy it as much as I do!
Too politically correct
Zigg-35 August 1999
My wife introduced me to this show back in 1998. It had its comedic moments but the political correctness just stunk way too badly to make it into my regular TV-watching schedule.
Of course, the second season cast just stunk on its own merits without being polluted as such. If you must watch, watch the first season -- but take it with a grain of salt.
Of course, the second season cast just stunk on its own merits without being polluted as such. If you must watch, watch the first season -- but take it with a grain of salt.
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