Work, reflected on the small screen

The always-awesome PunkRockHR has a post today about the NBC sitcom “30 Rock” and the lead characters Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) and Liz Lemon (Emmy-winning Tina Fey).

“30 Rock” and its NBC Thursday night companion “The Office” are both great shows (and well loved by many of us who discuss workplace issues on a regular basis).

They’re both great at showing this remarkably uncomfortable situations you have to cope with when you have an odd boss or scary co-worker.

It seems like there’s been an upswing in shows that are based in the workplace. Whether it’s a new setting, or a reflection of the economy, more and more shows center around work and feature part-time and full time workers with “work spouses” and “work families”.

Here’s a quick look at some of the industries that we’re seeing on TV:

Criminal justice. Far and away, the most popular job to have on TV. CBS loves these shows, particularly the subject matter of forensics: All three “CSI” shows, “Criminal Minds”, “Cold Case” and “NCIS” deal with forensics in some way. “Numbers” is similar but uses math theory to solve crimes. The new show “Mentalist” is a crime drama where the investigator has a keen sense of observation (and is possibly psychic).

Medicine. There may be a shortage of medical professionals in real life, but on television there are several shows based in a hospital or medical setting. The oldest, “ER”, is in its 15th and final season. The most popular, “Grey’s Anatomy,” deals less with medicine and more with the romantic lives of its staff members, as does its spinoff, “Private Practice.” I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hospital hold a prom (as “Grey’s Anatomy” did)!

The Fox show  ”House” is essentially a forensics-type show with a very cranky central character in Dr. Gregory House. Instead of a crime to solve, those doctors solve the mystery of the medical case they’re working on, all under the watchful, grumpy supervision of Dr. House.

If this all sounds too serious, there’s always the comedy “Scrubs” or the soapy, melodramatic “Nip/Tuck.”

Hospitality. Another popular and in-demand real-life industry, hospitality is represented on the small screen by ABC’s “Pushing Daisies,” set partly in a pie shop, and the new show “Do Not Disturb,” a comedy set in a hip, swanky hotel.

Law. The legal world has long been a fascination of TV, from “Perry Mason” to “L.A. Law”. The current crop of lawyers on TV include the folks at “Boston Legal” and the law firm on “Eli Stone”. Eli may be a bit busy to take on new cases, seeing as he may be a prophet and tends to hallucinate that George Michael is singing to him! There’s also FX’s “Damages” with Glenn Close as a cutthroat lawyer.

Publishing and advertising. Despite challenges in the industry and some falling sales figures, publishing still has a presence on TV. “Ugly Betty” centers around the publication of fashion magazine Mode, while “Lipstick Jungle” also features a character who’s a magazine publisher.

And of course, there’s ”Mad Men,” the historical drama that looks at an advertising agency in the early 1960s.

What other workplace-based shows, past or present, do you enjoy? Do you find that the shows get the small moments of those careers right, or is it complete fantasy?