Forget The Office, HBO’s 11-Part Political Satire Is The Original TV Mockumentary Masterpiece

Nairavoice | Oct 30, 2026 1h ago 18 0 4 min read

Forget The Office, HBO’s 11-Part Political Satire Is The Original TV Mockumentary Masterpiece

Long before The Office mastered the TV mockumentary format, a very different series from HBO built the framework that made a show like that possible. In 2005, Steve Carell and the stellar cast of The Office debuted on NBC and joined the ranks of all-time great sitcoms thanks to the writing of creator Greg Daniels and the incredible performances throughout.

But of course, The Office didn’t begin with Daniels and Carell. Instead, the idea for the series came from a British sitcom by the same name created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, with both of these individuals taking on roles within the show.

The adaptation was notably different, with different characters and a different company at its core, but one thing that did remain was the heightened workplace mockumentary style, which was a major part of what made both shows work. However, if the mockumentary format is part of why these shows are so successful, then there are earlier predecessors worth pointing to.

Tanner ’88 Was TV’s First Mockumentary Masterpiece

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Tanner ’88 was a political satire built around a fictional politician, Jack Tanner, played by Michael Murphy, following his efforts to campaign for a Presidential nomination. The series premiered on HBO in 1988, which means it predates shows like the UK version of The Office by 13 years.

Similarly, influential shows in the mockumentary space, such as The Larry Sanders Show, came out in 1992, which means that by many accounts, the first meaningful effort to create and distribute a show in the workplace mockumentary space was in fact Tanner ’88, and upon closer examination, it’s fascinating to see how much this series got right from the jump that would go on to help shows like The Office to achieve more widespread acclaim.

And what makes Tanner ’88 unique is the fact that it didn’t begin life as a mockumentary, but instead was intended to provide insights into the reality of political campaigns and the drama of these types of situations. That’s why the show has numerous cameos from real politicians throughout, with the series inserting this fictional candidate into a wider true series of events and creating a fascinating link between the fictional narrative and real-life, found-footage style storytelling.

For Fans Of Veep And The Thick Of It, Tanner ’88 Is Essential Viewing

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While Tanner ’88 is obviously an important milestone series in the history of mockumentary-style sitcoms, the show only managed to eke out 11 episodes, and despite hopes to expand the story in future seasons, HBO did not renew the series beyond its debut season. However, Tanner ’88 was able to walk, so The Office and shows like it were able to run.

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Beyond The Office, shows like Veep and The Thick of It have gone on to apply this same style of narrative drama and storytelling in a way that continues to refine and expand on the format. But, to truly appreciate the potential of these types of shows, Tanner ’88 is more than just a starting line. The show delivered something that none of the others have attempted to replicate with the blending of reality and fiction.

It’s also an exceptionally inspiring and insightful series that educates the audience about aspects of politics that most people will never experience up close. It uses satirical humor and absurdities to build out a compelling central narrative, and then it makes a profound story out of it that will leave you thinking about the messages long after the series ends.

All things considered, we have some incredible entries in the mockumentary category these days, especially when it comes to fictional workplaces. But there is something that is utterly unique and deserving of deeper thought and exploration in Tanner ’88.