It's the most awkward time of the year. Watch and cringe as Bridget Jones fails at romance, Mad Men's bash gets bloody, and Elaine achieves dance floor infamy on Seinfeld.
It Can't Get Any Worse
One part champagne, one part granny panties, and a good dose of hunky men makes for the quintessential Bridget Jones office party. Oh, and it can get worse: At a celebration for the release of the fictional book Kafka's Motorcycle, singleton Bridget attempts to catch the eye of love interest Mark Darcy by employing the courting advice of her friends. Instead, her rehearsed greetings go woefully wrong—and the attention she gets is anything but romantic.
Santa Arrives in Scranton
Booze, flashing, and gift swaps gone awry: The Office hilariously illustrates the hell of a 9 to 5, and the Christmas party is no exception. A "Secret Santa" gift exchange gets out of hand when boss Michael, played by Steve Carell, is disappointed with his gift and creates a "Yankee Swap," where everyone can steal each other's gifts.
The Elaine Dance
"A full body dry heave set to music": At an office party on Seinfeld, Elaine Benes proves that dancing in front of coworkers is a sure fire way to lose clout in the company. The office walls aren't enough to withstand her uncoordinated moves—in a vain attempt to prove she's not a bad dancer, Elaine videotapes herself, but when the video ends up on a bootleg movie Jerry sells, her dancing becomes infamous throughout New York City. Watch—and dance—at your own risk.
A Lawn Mower Gone Mad
The Sterling Cooper ad men and women always learn the ills of heavy drinking the hard way. During head secretary Joan Holloway's goodbye party on Mad Men, the office gang takes turns riding around on a lawn mower. It's all good fun until blood and guts hit the fan.
Merry Christmas…You're Fired
Arrested Development's office party functions on Murphy's Law—anything that can go wrong does. Between a prayer group, a niece and uncle's karaoke duet of "Afternoon Delight," and a mass firing, it is in fact the epitome of an awkward office party. Happy Holidays from the Bluth Company!
A Very Ugly Christmas
File this one under office party faux pas: Betty's burgeoning office romance is put to the test at MODE magazine's company Christmas party in Ugly Betty when she's appointed the party planner and Henry, an accountant and her love interest, is assigned to oversee the bash's budget. Betty's big moment to catch Henry's eye goes awry when she can't play it cool and accidentally offers him condoms from her purse when all he needs a bottle opener.
Chop Down the Tree!
Office parties are a time for togetherness, and, apparently, public vandalism. Well, at least for the cast of Tracy Jordan, Tracy Morgan's fictional TV show on 30 Rock. The cast briefly embraces the giving holiday spirit while watching a video of a mission in Guatemala before reverting back to their more usual selfishness and embarking on their own mission to chop down the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Let Most of Them Eat Cake
Sometimes in the office you can't catch a break—or a piece of cake. During a subdued birthday party in Office Space, the docile, sad character Milton unsuccessfully inches his way towards the front of the cake line. But it turns into his work nightmare: Like Milton says, the cake to person ratio is just too low.
Holiday Cheer, Ricky Gervais Style
The characters might be detestable, but they certainly make for an interesting party: In the original Office Christmas special, the Slough Trading Estate staff can't throw a bash without offending anyone. As manager David Brent, Ricky Gervais' character, ponders his departure from the company, staff members cavort and smoke during the office party, upsetting a pregnant Rachel.
"Party is Such Sweet Sorrow"
Bon Voyage, Mary Richards: When Mary leaves her TV station job for greener pastures on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, she drunkenly blubbers to her co-workers about how much she'll miss them. The classic show sets the stage for many boozy office party shows to come, complete with "truth serum" fruit punch, 1970s workplace attire, and sentimental speeches galore.