Following the success of Tim Robinson's latest projects I Think You Should Leave on Netflix and A24's Friendship starring Paul Rudd, we all thought Robinson's new HBO show was going to be a hit. But, I don't think anyone expected it to be this big of a hit.
The Chair Company, which was created by and also stars Robinson, just premiered on Sunday, Oct. 12, and it's already on its way to become a massive ratings success on HBO and HBO Max.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, The Chair Company is HBO's highest-rated comedy since Avenue 5 in 2020. Almost 1.5 million viewers tuned in for the premiere in the show's first three days on HBO and HBO Max. That's a huge opening for a niche comedy like this.
The premise for this series is hilarious, and it's even funnier when you see how it actually plays out in the first episode. Ron Trosper's life unravels after he begins to uncover a larger conspiracy involving his workplace. Of course, Robinson stars as Ron, the main character. It's just another perfect role.
The Chair Company, which was co-created by Zach Kanin, also stars Lake Bell, Sophia Lillis, Jim Downey, Lou Diamond Phillips, Joseph Tudisco, and Will Price.
After one episode, and potentially more for critics with screeners of the series, The Chair Company boasts a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. For fans, the popcornmeter is at 88%, which to me is actually really high for a show like this. It's really hard to score that high with a comedy series. People just don't think the same things are that funny in my experience, so that's really, really good.
I do think it's proof that Robinson, who starred on Saturday Night Live for a time, is becoming an increasingly popular figure in the comedy space following the success of I Think You Should Leave, Friendship, and his other projects.
If you missed the season premiere, you can watch it on HBO Max. New episodes of the series will be released Sunday nights on HBO and HBO Max starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. There are eight episodes in the first season, so the season finale will air on Sunday, Nov. 30.
If you need a new comedy to watch on Sunday nights this fall, The Chair Company is absolutely the show for you! Stay tuned for more news about The Chair Company.