Mind-Numbing Office Work Turned Funny and Promotional in 'The Temp Life'

If you’ve ever worked as a temp, than you know. It’s the lowest of the lows of all jobs ever. Substitute teachers at least get to participate in fun games. Substitute office workers learn the superficial functions of phone systems and coffee makers while trying not to screw anything up.

But on the original scripted web series, The Temp Life, the main cast of characters provides a promotional spin to the temporary world, offering comedic flare on what many would call a dismal existence.

The Temp Life is created and produced by CJP Communications for Spherion, a leading U.S. recruiting and staffing company. Not only do the producers grease the funny bone, they also offer viewers a world of career possibilities for those who are willing to travel from job to job in search of full-time employment (not a bad idea in today’s economy).

The action takes places at the newly-formed company, Commodity Staffing, where the agency has earned quite the reputation of attracting the absolutely worst temp jobs possible.

Since it first debuted in November 2006, the series has enlisted an accommodating cast with one hilarious staple: Mr. Nick “Trouble” Chiapetta (Wilson Cleveland), who not only stars in the show but is a lead account exec for CJP. Cleveland steals each scene with his comedic talents and particular droll in the dream sequences with guardian angel, Tom Cruise, who usually offers couch-side, forthcoming advice in a very Mission Impossible kinda way.

At the beginning of the series, Nick is the proud owner of Pedtastic, peddling shoe lace aglets

but following a “multi-hundred dollar” acquisition of Commodity Staffing, Nick assures his “Chief Content Ninja,” Paul (Paul Konz) that the change is only “temporary.” As the web series progresses, the plot thickens within the cityscape and The Temp Life has developed from bestowing temps with tips to a budding prominent web-a-soap series. I.e. Season 2’s cliffhanger finale, where Caitlin (Caitlin Mitchell) and Paul turned up in Thailand by mistake, and Nick learns what “trouble” really is.

Among the cast, long-time lead, Laura (Laura Kowalcyk) continues to shine and do her best not to smack the bored souls who loiter around the office searching for office supplies. And like a good temp or a first-rate American Olympic gymnast, Laura sticks her grin, regardless of the situation.

Caitlin’s hyper, over-achieving and somewhat bi-sexual tendencies contribute to the flow of the show, while Mark (Mark Jude) and Paul bring up the tail end with tid-bits of trite despair.

The third season of The Temp Life just launched this month. The premiere sees Laura and Mark describing their new gigs, noting “on paper” that they’re consulting as a telecom specialist for a global chemical company (read: receptionist for an exterminator) and an Efficiency Manager (read: puts stickers on time clocks). At the stroke of five, the temps wrap up the day and turn in their time sheets, only to discover the oblivious CEO of Commodity Staffing, Mr. Nick “Trouble” Chiapetta catatonic on the job. Unbeknownst to the temps, Trouble and Tom Cruise are conjuring up a rehab plan.

Tune in for future episodes at TheTempLife.TV, when we get to watch Nick lap up advice from dreamy Tom Cruise who lectures Trouble about prescription drugs.