3. Relatable
Its funny because its true. Thats a standard philosophy of comedy, audiences want to relate on some level. They want to draw humor from a situation that they understand. Your average Joe isnt going to be rolling on the floor with laughter at jokes about Yachts, because most people cant relate to the plight of the common yacht owner. But most everyone can understand working a crappy job with weird people they really dont like all too well. The Office has managed to capture this feeling and NBC beams it into our homes via satellite, or magic (Im not really sure how TV happens) giving us a look at something very familiar. Were able to sit down, tune in and go Oh god I use to work with someone like him. Then reflect upon our own experiences in the work place finding our own personal humor buried somewhere in the scripted craziness. Now obviously no one has ever worked with anyone quite as strange as the staff of Dunder Mifflin but its the characters core archetypes we connect with. Jim, The Office Joker, Andy, the incompetent boss, Erin, the cute secretary. These basic character traits are what ring true with viewers letting us all in on the joke.