Something to note about "The Office" (the American version): while the characters are obviously aware of the cameras (by virtue of the talking head scenes and the glances toward the camera in the earlier seasons, when they were a bit more committed to the faux-documentary format), and presumably aware that the footage is part of a TV show, the characters apparently do not watch the TV show or the TV show does not exist in their universe (which is to say, they are not living in our universe). We know this because there are a number of instances where a character lacks information that is revealed on the show, for instance:
-Roy not knowing about Jim and Pam (the kiss, dating, the punch, etc)
-Pam knowing about Dwight/Angela long before Jim and them not telling each other
-Andy/Angela/Dwight triangle
-Andy/Erin relationship taking months to develop
The Real World, and many other actual life, "non-fiction" reality/documentary-ish shows solve this problem by not airing the show until after it is done filming.
Of course, if you don't do it that way, the show - the editing and airing of the show - would become a part of the show.
-Episode 1: introductions
-Episode 2: they watch episode 1, and everyone bitches about everyone to the camera.
-Episode 3: they watch episode 2, and so on.
On some reality shows that use a week to week, just-in-time editing, this is essentially the entire show.
