The premise
A London office, a first day, and three people who all want something different from it. Harriet, a new temp who is convinced she does not fit among her glossy colleagues, catches the attention of the boss on arrival. His personal assistant, who has been angling for his attention herself, notices immediately. Under the Boss is five episodes long and built as a triangle rather than a two-hander, which gives it more comic mileage than most Candy series.
The free first day
The first episode is an introduction by embarrassment. The assistant runs his diary and hints at a dinner; Harriet talks herself down in a nervous inner monologue; the boss brushes aside his whole morning schedule to show the newcomer around personally. The second episode splits the point of view: the assistant spirals as the tour takes a long detour into a supply room, while inside Harriet tries on company merchandise, worries about what white does on camera, swears at her boss by accident and then apologises for it.
The comedy is in the dialogue, and the British phrasing gives it a flavour that stands out on a shelf where most scripts sound alike. The talk is suggestive, but the camera never goes further than the dialogue does.
Episodes three to five
Episodes three to five take the office flirtation where the title implies. Candy lists the series under its Taboo tag, and like everything on the shelf it is explicit once past the free pair. We have not rated it for explicitness yet, so the poster carries no stars. The triangle is the reason to keep going: the assistant’s jealousy is set up as the obstacle the rest of the season has to deal with.
What it costs
Three locked episodes at 12 tokens each make 36 tokens, the standard price for a five-episode series. With Premium’s allowance of 100 tokens a month, it leaves room for another full series in the same month.
Who will enjoy it
Anyone who likes a workplace setting with a bit of humour, and anyone tired of scripts where the lead is a flawless model type: Harriet’s insecurity is the engine of the story. Viewers who want another workplace power game can try YES, DIRECTOR, or YES MA’AM for a much longer one.
How it compares
Office stories are common on the shelf, but most of them are two-person power games: a boss and an employee, a director and a junior. Under the Boss adds a third point of view and plays the set-up for comedy, closer in spirit to a sitcom than to the colder workplace titles. It also stands out for its lead. Harriet is written as someone who doubts she belongs, which is rare in a catalogue full of effortlessly confident characters.
Worth knowing first
If the assistant’s reactions in episode two make you laugh, the series is for you; she is the reason the story has somewhere to go. At 36 tokens the risk is small, and the whole run can be finished in one sitting. Harriet also has a chat profile on Candy for anyone who wants to continue with the character after the finale.
Verdict
A small, well-cast five-parter with a sense of humour. The free episodes do their job better than most, the price is the lowest tier on Candy, and the jealous assistant gives the paid part a reason to exist beyond the obvious.