Working

1 9 9 7 – 1 9 9 9 (USA)
39 x 30 minute episodes

Matt (Fred Savage of The Wonder Years fame) was a young, eager office worker starting his first job in a huge, faceless corporation. His new employer was Upton/Weber, a massive international conglomerate – although exactly what the company did remained a mystery.

Its headquarters was a gleaming skyscraper, complete with circling vultures. Inside was a beehive of activity, although if you looked closely nobody was actually doing anything meaningful.

Matt’s boss was Tim Deale (Maurice Godin), a weasely corporate politician whose credo seemed to be “make no commitments, don’t work too hard, and never get caught”.

Others in his department were Hal (Sarah Knowlton), the sexy, Yale-educated, wildly overqualified secretary; Abby (Arden Myrin), the perky, eager-to-please social organizer; John (Steve Hytner), the sarcastic loner (who rebelled by wearing a loose tie); Jimmy (Dana Gould), the young worker who ratted on everyone; and Evelyn (Yvette Freeman), the brusque, demanding office manager (her scowling visage was seen on computer screen-savers in the background).

The second season saw the arrival of Liz (Debi Mazar), a saucy, ambitious worker, and Hal’s replacement by the nearly identical Val (Rebecca McFarland).

Stories revolved around office projects and politics, the nonsensical decisions of management, and excursions outside the office.

Elaborately produced mock commercials for Upton/Webber were seen between the acts, but they did little to clarify what the company did (“Upton/Webber. Making the products that make you buy more of our products, since 1892”).

Matt Peyser
Fred Savage
Tim Deale
Maurice Godin
Hal
Sarah Knowlton
Val
Rebecca McFarland
Abby Cosgrove
Arden Myrin
John Delaney
Steve Hytner
Jimmy Clarke
Dana Gould
Evelyn Smalley
Yvette Freeman
Liz Tricolli
Debi Mazar