The first time I watched “Workaholics,” I didn’t think it was funny.
I came into the middle of an episode that featured some kind of drug trip in an office space. I had no idea what was going on, who the characters were or why they were consuming hallucinogenic mushrooms at work.
Then out of nowhere, I hear, “Catherine Zeta Jones, she dips beneath the lasers” in a singsong baritone. I thought, “Oh, from that ‘Entrapment’ movie, that’s pretty funny.” It wasn’t long until I began to relate to the series in a way that went beyond the show’s initial slapstick appeal.
“Workaholics” is an original comedy series on Comedy Central that stars telemarketers Blake, Anders and Adam as college graduates forced to accept the realities of post-graduate life.
Utilizing a blend of YOLO-esque situations and endless pop culture references, the group generates a brand of comedy that is both original and strange compared to other shows on other networks. The quick plays on words and reoccurring phrases are themes that keep viewers laughing and attentive. These are phrases such as “Let’s get weird” or, “Oh, lookin’ straight grizzly!”
The show also integrates its reoccurring phrases as Twitter hashtags that are specific to a given episode.
There’s even a Twitter page dedicated to the show’s more memorable quotes, like “You better get Walken, Christopher” or “You’re like Rick Ross with more sauce.” But if the show’s penis jokes and pranks just aren’t your thing, “Workaholics” still has a lot to offer.
Each one of us can relate to something that takes place in the “Workaholics” house: feeling nervous around the hot new co-worker, worrying about one of your best friends moving out or trying to make yourself appear more successful because you’re concerned about what your parents think. These are just a few conflicts that the show touches on.
Although the conflicts may be portrayed in a humorous light, viewers internalize them in rather serious ways, contributing to the show’s mass appeal.
This particular program resonates with us primarily because it puts a humorous spin on something many of us are trying to avoid: the real world. While these characters are fictional, their roles as college graduates working dead-end jobs to pay off student loans are very real to us.
Many students, especially those of us in the liberal arts discipline, will have difficulty finding work specific to our degrees and will need to compromise to pay the bills.
The guys are doing the same thing, only with a brighter outlook on working-class life, which is something that’s going to come in handy.
“Workaholics” gives us an opportunity to have a positive look on what may be a stressful post-graduate life. While appealing to a youthful sense of humor and putting a humorous spin on many would-be serious situations, the series gives us a sense of security as we move toward becoming adults.
So, without further ado, let us do as Adam DeVine would do.
Let’s get weird.
Contact the columnist at schergos@asu.edu or follow the columnist at @ShawnChergorsky
