One should have guessed that it was bound to happen that a new comedy based on a group of people that work at home but stay in touch online through a virtual workplace was bound to come eventually and as Jeremy Dick of TVWeb writes about we’ll be getting this new show from the producers of The Office. Nope, it’s not a reboot of The Office or even a revival, it’s an entirely different show and also hasn’t been titled yet. But the premise of working from home is definitely something that a lot of folks should be able to understand since it’s a reality that’s kind of been forced on a lot of people at this time unless they have a job that’s considered essential and is keeping them on at the moment. Those people whose jobs aren’t deemed essential are having a hard time of it now and it’s a wonder if this show, which will be intriguing to watch given that it will be entirely online probably, will manage to show people just how nice it is to actually work from home. Obviously there are jobs that just don’t allow this and at this time a lot of those jobs are deemed as essential since they service communities and help to keep the economy going in a big way and are in some ways unavoidable when it comes to helping a large number of people. But working from home, when it’s a sustainable type of work, is actually kind of a joy at times even though it can become something of a pain the butt as well.
Looking at this idea from the perspective of someone that’s lived through the 80s, 90s, and onward it’s enough to think that when we were kids, working from home meant you were a babysitter or were just one of the lucky few that had a job that you could actually do from the comfort of your own home. Lydia Dishman of Fast Company has more on the history of working from home. It wasn’t common, it wasn’t thought of as a real job by some people, and it definitely didn’t get as much respect as it does now. With the number of people working at home on a regular basis this could actually be an enticing show that might be able to gain the kind of attention that it might need to take off in a serious way. Of course the idea still needs to be refined a bit and given a title to work with, but the concept sounds like something that a lot of people might be able to appreciate. We’ve seen plenty of shows that showcase the whole office/cubicle and tightly-knit little community that a lot of jobs have, but given that such an environment just can’t work at this time since if a job isn’t essential then it’s likely been shut down, and even if a job is essential the distance between the people working together is still being stressed at around six feet and this would make for a very awkward time on any set. So a virtual workspace is one of those things that you can’t help but think is kind of revolutionary in its own way still, but is also a lifesaver since it could help to launch a new show that might end up being every bit as funny as The Office since the same producers are going to be involved.
It still remains to be seen just who’s going to round out the cast, when it’s going to be on, where it will be showing up, and how the format is going to work since working from so many different terminals would almost have to be a giant headache even if it’s entirely possible. Given the increased mobility of various devices and the long battery life though it could be that the show will take full advantage of the fact that laptops and phones and tablets don’t have to remain stationary so long as they can perform the functions that are needed, which most of them can at this time. It’s kind of exciting to hear about a show like this since it not only brings forth a new way to air a sitcom but will definitely showcase what it’s like to work from home and what those of us that do this on a regular basis go through pretty much all day, every day. There are likely plenty of people out there that get asked a variety of questions about what it’s like to work from home, how a person can stand it, and how they manage to get everything done. It’s true, working from home is filled with a great number of distractions, but from a comedic standpoint that’s bound to be money in the bank for a sitcom. Dawn Papandrea from Monster has a few things to say about the matter. Hopefully things will go well, as this could be a new and very well-received idea if it’s done right.
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