The Office [American]
This remake ditched the melancholy of the BBC original (q.v.) in favor of a cheekier rebellliousness: a little less Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, a little more Office Space. It also has a deeper, diverse bench of characters, including schoolmarmish Angela, chatty Kelly, cold-hearted Ryan, creepy Creed, angry Andy and screw-you-guys clock-puncher Stanley. The carryover stories have been complicated as well, especially the Pam and Jim romance, which has allowed Pam more of an inner life and self-discovery. Still, I'd pay to see an alternate-universe scenario where Dwight Schrute meets Gareth. (And just so you don't think I wimped out by including both on the list: I like it better than the BBC version. Let the fighting begin!)
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