Favorite TV Workplaces

Everyone has a type of environment in which they work best. Some employees do well in fast-paced, deadline-driven workplaces, while others thrive in relaxed settings. Some people work best with a supervisor barking orders at them 24/7 and others prosper when each is his own boss. Then there are the select few who crave drama, gossip and office politics, while most workers would say they want nothing to do with that kind of behavior.

Think about the kind of atmosphere where you work best. Now think about your favorite TV show and its workplace environment. Are the two settings similar? For example, if your favorite show is "Friends" -- yes, still -- you probably like relaxed workplaces. After all, with its big, comfy couches and seemingly unlimited break time, the coffeehouse is about the most stress-free work environment out there.

We took a look at some of our favorite TV workplaces and what we love -- or love to hate -- about them.

TV workplace: "Mad Men," Sterling-Cooper advertising agency

What we love: The environment at Sterling-Cooper is creative and dynamic. Plus, you can smoke, drink and entertain ... in the office or on the company dime.

What we love to hate: It's the 1960s, which means women still have a hard time proving their skills beyond a typewriter and telephone. While many workers would love to sip a cocktail or light up at their desks, we have to think about the health hazards of smoking (or inhaling secondhand smoke) from a pack a day. Plus, something tells me that a fifth of whiskey would do nothing for productivity.

TV workplace: "The Office," Dunder-Mifflin paper sales

What we love: If you're the type who has a job only for the sake of paying the bills -- in other words, you don't care what you do -- Dunder-Mifflin is the workplace for you. No one in this office seems to care about accomplishing the task at hand, unless that assignment includes terrorizing Dwight, hitting on Pam or offending the nearest co-worker.

What we love to hate: Let's see: The office is sexist, racist, homophobic and run by a man who is, perhaps, the world's most ignorant/annoying/incompetent (though sometimes hilarious) boss.

TV workplace: "Ugly Betty," Mode fashion magazine

What we love: The fast-paced, ultra-competitive environment at Mode is perfect for workers who like a challenge. After all, it's not easy to keep up with the ever-changing world of fashion -- or with co-workers constantly trying to sabotage your career.

What we love to hate: More like whom we love to hate. Take your pick between backstabbing boss Wilhelmina Slater, scheming assistants Amanda and Marc, or Alexia Meade, scandalous sister to the editor-in-chief.

TV workplace: "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List"

What we love: No day is the same when you're working with Griffin. From going to Mexico to launch an Oprah-inspired leadership academy to hosting drag queens on an airplane, it's pretty much a given that you'll never be bored at work.

What we love to hate: Funny -- and sarcastic -- as she may be, Griffin's antics could wear down even the thickest of skins.

TV workplace: "Sunset Tan," Sunset Tan tanning salon

What we love: Love drama? Get a job at Sunset Tan. Whether it's the Ollie girls stirring up trouble, or Nick and Ania breaking up (again), when this staff gets together in one place, it's guaranteed to cause some excitement.

What we love to hate: There's so much drama in this salon it makes you want to reach through the TV screen and shake everyone. And does anyone else get sick of celebrities walking in wanting to get an airbrushed tan and the Ollie girls acting like they're best friends?

TV workplace: "Reno 911!," Nevada sheriff's department

What we love:  The freedom that comes with working in this unique sheriff's department has to be considered a perk. In no other office can so many gross acts of negligence, corruption and downright stupidity be tolerated without termination. Where else can the police cruisers be given the "Dukes of Hazzard" treatment on a daily basis? How else could you discharge a firearm without filling out any paperwork? And where else could you have the occasional chance to blow things up -- for instance, a whale, an ice cream truck or a microwave with grenade inside?

What we love to hate: Lieutenant Jim Dangle and his Daisy Dukes; a roller skating male prostitute and a particular female officer in a thong bathing suit. That pretty much sums it up.

TV workplace: "Project Runway," fashion designers

What we love: Aside from loving fashion, one requirement for surviving the workroom is knowing how to "make it work." With such an eclectic and creative group of "colleagues," how could you not love to work here? (Especially with Heidi Klum as your boss?)

What we love to hate: There's not much to hate about the runway ... unless of course you consider small budgets, catty chit-chat, impossible time-constraints and the possibility of getting kicked off a bad thing.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.