This Comedy Series Perfectly Captures the Absurd Reality of Customer Service Work

Superstore: The Ultimate Customer Service Satire

At this point, the classic workplace sitcom has taken audiences everywhere, from a paper office in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to a police precinct in Brooklyn's 99th district. So it may come as a shock to learn that it wasn't until 2015 that NBC decided to greenlight a series satirizing the workplace conditions of superstores like Walmart - the largest employers of Americans in the modern economic landscape.

The series in question, aptly titled Superstore, provides a hilarious and cringe-inducing look into the world of customer service at a big box store, and is currently streaming on Hulu.

Superstore Takes On Big Box Stores In A Hilarious Way

For those who have never seen Superstore, the series centers around employees working at a fictional chain called Cloud 9. The chain seems innocuous enough from a consumer perspective, offering a wide array of groceries and everyday products alongside liquor, firearms, ammo, and just about anything else you might find in a real-life Costco.

Beneath the surface, however, Cloud 9 corporate is shown to be quite draconian, in a skewering satire of modern capitalism that will leave you with as much laughter as it does frustration.

The Cloud 9 superstore does not offer any of its employees health insurance, paid maternity leave, or even overtime, regardless of the grueling hours demanded by the employee handbook. Employee bathroom breaks are also strictly monitored and charted, in a clear jab at real headlines regarding the treatment of Amazon workers who may have been forced to urinate and defecate in bottles and bags while actively working.

While Superstore showcases a number of hilarious and relatable workplace struggles, it also delivers some fascinating character adventures with its high-quality cast.

Despite being hooked on the show today, many viewers discovered the series through hilarious YouTube compilations that showcased the blink-and-you'll-miss-it interstitial moments, which often highlight random customers doing something completely unhinged when they believe nobody is looking.

One Of The Best Sitcoms Of The Past Decade

Audiences and critics alike seem to agree that Superstore was one of the best shows on TV when it was airing, making it a real shame that some viewers weren't on board sooner. Today, the series touts a near-perfect 93 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a flurry of excellent reviews.

Like many comedy series, Superstore takes a little while to really hit its stride, though its first season is still very good when compared to other classic sitcoms that had rocky starts, such as The Office or Parks and Recreation.

Every Episode On Hulu

Whether you're interested in checking out Superstore for the very first time or you're a long-time fan simply looking for an excuse to begin a rewatch, the entire 113-episode run of the series is currently streaming on Hulu. Just be sure to get all your shopping done before settling in for a long binge-viewing session, as the show's well-stocked shelves just might make your stomach growl.