The IT Crowd

No one in The IT Crowd is based in the reality we know. There aren't any straight men characters or honest, grounded moments (even when it appears there might be -- like when Roy acts cavalier to Jen in series 1... then slams the cab door on her face). In this way, the show is similar to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia rather than other workplaces sitcoms like The Office (either version -- character development, clearly reality-based, just with outlandish characters in Brent/Scott and Gareth/Dwight) or Better Off Ted (Veronica, Phil, and Lem cartoons, but Ted's not). Even It's Always Sunny has had a couple moments, that I can recall, that were sincere: in Mac's Banging the Waitress, when Charlie sheds a tear as the Waitress screams at him (cut to credits, and it's still hilarious, so I'm not sure it counts 100%) and in The Nightman Cometh, when Frank says to Charlie at the end of the play, "You did a great job. She ain't worth it."

What am I getting at. I'm not going to say I don't like comedies that aren't emotional, because that's not true. I will admit I prefer them with heart, though. The friendship of the Community study gang keeps me coming back, even if the jokes aren't there that week. Likewise for Parks and Rec and Modern Family. (It used to be the case for The Office, too, but now all the characters are so unlikeable* AND it's unfunny, it's often hard to watch.)

The IT Crowd episodes are a harmless 20 minutes each and they're easy to watch. They're more often funny than not. Moss, Roy, and Jen aren't the Sunny gang, and I'd argue they're weaker characters in general. Jen is a simple stereotype (I've heard the show been called sexist, and I can see why), Roy is awkward because he's a nerd in IT, and Moss is the same albeit stranger and even more socially maladjusted. It's funny to a point, but I feel that after a couple of seasons, there's only so much you can do with stereotyped, bland chess pieces to move about the board. (Likening The IT Crowd to chess is generous.)

* With the exception of Erin. Pam and Jim used to be the relatable ones. Now, it's Erin, whose room used to be her hair...