‘The Chair Company’ season review: Tim Robinson brings his cringe comedy to prestige television

If you’ve ever gone on the search for the perfect meme to send someone, odds are you’ve seen a lot of Tim Robinson’s work. Whether it’s his brief run on Saturday Night Live, or the now cult-classic Netflix series I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson has worked his way into the hearts and memes of fans around the world. His latest project is the HBO Max series The Chair Company, which he co-created and stars in. The show takes his signature brand of cringe humor and gives it a plot that, while it may look serious and dark, is full of the moments that fans have come to expect from him. Alongside his I Think You Should Leave co-creator Zach Kanin, Tim weaves a tale that surprises in the silliest of ways.

Paranoia Agent

The series follows Robinson’s character Ron who is living the typical suburban family life with his wife Barb (Lake Bell) and two kids. While at his office job one day, and about to do a presentation that will surely give him the project lead position he wants, Ron experiences a traumatic incident involving an office chair that breaks as he sits on it in front of his coworkers. This causes Ron to obsess over the chair and the chair’s manufacturer Tecca. What most would say was an accident or a bad day becomes the source of Ron’s paranoia and fixation that causes him to stray from his role as a dad and become a private investigator that will never stop until he uncovers the truth.

This show is weird, silly, and sometimes indescribable. But, very much like Tim Robinson, some people will immediately love it and quote it and others will never find it enjoyable. I knew of Tim Robinson because I’m a religious SNL watcher, but I was recommended I Think You Should Leave after realizing my group chat with my friends was full of references and memes I wasn’t getting. It took a bit, but I would call myself a fan of his work even if I don’t always understand it. That feeling exists in this new series, but it’s a bit subdued by the plot that tries to present itself as a true crime series.

The Chair Company is constantly juggling the cringe humor of I Think You Should Leave and the gritty and suspenseful vibe of an NBC primetime drama. There were so many instances throughout the season that had me believing this was a serious drama until the most ridiculous situation reveals itself and I remembered what I’m dealing with. For example, when Ron falls out of the office chair, he accidentally sees up his female coworker’s skirt when he falls to the ground. What seemed like a throwaway gag turns into a recurring topic throughout the season that has way bigger of an impact on the plot than I expected.

As weird as it gets

The group of actors chosen to make up Ron’s coworkers are perfect. All these characters felt like they were straight out of I Think You Should Leave and provided some of the most Tim Robinson moments of the season. While Ron is frantically trying to solve the mystery of the office chair, he is continuously bombarded with socially awkward and hilariously forward coworkers who just walk into a scene and begin talking about their personal issues.

There is another random character that shows up in a one-off side-story about a shirt that was by far the funniest bit of the series and had almost nothing to do with the plot. And later in the season we get to meet Ron’s boss Jeff (played by Lou Diamond Phillips) who adds to Ron’s issues in the back half of the season. These characters are accompanied by a slew of brilliantly manic and outrageous walk on characters that always seem to enter the episode whenever things are feeling a little too serious.

A little unbalanced between humor and tone

I don’t think that every single aspect of this series worked. It felt like a mashup of I Think You Should Leave and the movie Friendship, the weird and cringe humor mixed with a slightly dark and ominous undertone. This vibe worked for Friendship, but in a more drawn-out format like a weekly show, there were gaps of time that felt a big aimless and slow. Much like any comedic bit, it doesn’t always work in long format. The “big mystery” of the season was also a bit of a let down, because I can’t say I even understand it. With all the twists and turns Ron experiences throughout the season, it was a strange way to end it even knowing there’s a second season on the way.

In the world of television today, it’s rare to find a comedy series that is original and brave enough to be different. The Chair Company gives Tim Robinson the platform to show off more of his unique brand of comedy in a slightly more serious manner. The Chair Company has a memorable cast, an intriguing story (even if it may not make complete sense), and all the meme-worthy moments you could ask for. This show was a refreshing and wild ride, and I’m looking forward to the second season.

The Chair Company is available now on HBO Max.

Cover image courtesy of HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery

Tyler Carlsen

From a young age, Tyler has been amazed by filmmaking and writing. When he’s not watching movies in theaters, he also enjoys playing video games and binging one of the numerous shows he’s watching at any given moment. Working with The Young Folks was a highlight of his writing career and he is looking forward to this new adventure with In Between Drafts!