Tim Robinson’s The Chair Company Is Like A Whole New TV Genre, And HBO Has Big Reasons To Celebrate

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Be careful! The following contains minor spoilers for the first two episodes of The Chair Company. If you haven’t watched them yet on HBO or HBO Max, you might want to do so before reading on.

Let me tell you, heading into the 2025 TV season, there’s one show poised to genuinely unsettle and hilariously discomfort viewers – and it’s not what you’d expect. Forget something predictable like Celebrity Wheel of Fortune; the real standout is HBO’s The Chair Company. This show is different, and that’s thanks to Tim Robinson, a master of awkward comedy. He and Zach Kanin have created something truly unique, and critics loved it. It seems audiences were ready for a change of pace, and I think they’ll find this show… unforgettable.

The Chair Company’s Mix Of Cringe, Thrills, Psychological Horror, And Comedy Feels Like A New Subgenre

Tim Robinson might not be a widely known name, but he recently gained popularity thanks to the hilariously uncomfortable Netflix sketch series, I Think You Should Leave, which many consider to be one of the best sketch shows ever made. Over the show’s three seasons, Robinson has become known for playing characters who are clueless, argumentative, and often create disastrous situations – they can be tough to watch, but in a funny way.

Robinson first experimented with the kind of social commentary he’s known for in the 2024 film Friendship, starring Paul Rudd. That movie really paved the way for The Chair Company. While Friendship leaned towards being either a strange horror-drama with some funny parts, or a quirky comedy-drama with a hint of horror, the HBO series is a much more complete blend of genres, and that’s what makes it work so well.

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Ron Trosper, played by Robinson, initially appears to be a successful professional and devoted family man. However, his life takes a turn after a chair breaks during a performance, sending him into a state of paranoia. When he tries to contact the chair’s manufacturer, he finds himself entangled in a strange conspiracy involving secret groups, home break-ins, and – oddly enough – a large red inflatable ball. It’s the kind of bizarre detail you’d expect from a good conspiracy theory.

The latest episode pushed Ron Robinson even further out of his element, creating more tension at home with his wife, Barb, and their children, Natalie and Seth. It also strengthened his bond with the volatile man he hired. Honestly, after just two episodes, I’m not even worried about a satisfying conclusion – I’m completely hooked by the show’s unpredictable and chaotic energy.

HBO Viewers Apparently Approve The New Genre, As Ratings Look Solid

Netflix doesn’t usually share how many people watch its shows, so it was hard to know exactly how popular I Think You Should Leave was during its three seasons. (Although, the fact that Netflix seems to want more seasons suggests it did well.) In contrast, HBO is more open with its numbers, and the initial viewership data for The Chair Company shows that it’s a hit with audiences.

Reports indicate that 1.4 million people watched the premiere of The Chair Company over its first three days on HBO and HBO Max. The show likely benefited from the strong audience built by Mark Ruffalo’s Task, which drew over 4 million viewers during the same period. Ahead of its finale, Task averaged 6.7 million viewers per episode when including those who watched it later.

I have to admit, part of the appeal was seeing what kind of trouble Robinson would cause, and a lot of people tuned in for that! While the numbers weren’t as high as the really big shows, they were still amazing considering The Chair Company isn’t easily categorized and doesn’t have any huge celebrities. Actually, it was HBO’s biggest comedy launch in five years – Hugh Laurie’s Avenue 5 had the record before that, since it first aired in January 2020.

It’s not yet known whether The Chair Company will have multiple seasons, or if Ron’s search for the company is intended as a single, self-contained story. However, if viewership continues to grow like it did with Task, HBO will likely want to continue working with creator Robinson.

You can watch The Chair Company on HBO Sundays at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and new episodes become available on HBO Max simultaneously.

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2025-10-21 23:09