I Loved Every Cringey Minute Of Tim Robinson’s New HBO Show

Through their shows Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin have cemented their unique brand of comedy. Their work will have you laughing and cringing in equal measure, and they regularly escalate bits way beyond what any person could imagine. For their latest collaboration, The Chair Company, the duo pushes themselves even further, creating a supremely weird, yet surprisingly heartwarming story about a man obsessed with unraveling a vast conspiracy.

The less you know about The Chair Company, the better, but anyone familiar with Robinson and Kanin’s previous work should have some idea of what to expect. Unlike their earlier shows, this one is a serialized story propelled by each new discovery, slowly spiraling into more absurd scenarios. The Chair Company is a conspiratorial thriller told through the lens of cringe comedy, and it’s a delightful combination.

The Chair Company Is Unhinged In The Best Of Ways

Another Fully Committed Performance From Robinson Anchors This Surreal Thriller

Knowing the team behind The Chair Company – which also includes director Andrew DeYoung, who previously worked with Robinson on Friendship – I felt confident I’d enjoy the show’s humor. Their style isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve found it funny before, there’s no reason not to feel the same this time around. The weird, surreal nature of their comedy also works great in a conspiracy show where you’re already second-guessing things, meaning that any strange development is just as likely to be the setup for a joke as it is another clue.

That’s what surprised me the most about The Chair Company – it isn’t just funny, it’s also a pretty compelling, albeit ridiculous mystery. It’s not exactly JFK, but it’s certainly taking inspiration from it and other political thrillers. There’s also more than a touch of horror to the show, which I imagine is at least a little of DeYoung’s influence since he did something similar with Friendship.

What really makes The Chair Company so convincing is, unsurprisingly, Robinson’s performance. His character, Ron Trosper, is like so many that Robinson has played – awkward, a little sad, and potentially dangerous when pushed too far. As the man who finds himself dragged deeper and deeper into something he doesn’t fully understand, he’s perfect. Ron is also a bit more relatable than other Robinson characters, and we do wind up rooting for him.

Part of why it’s easy to root for Ron is his relationship with his family, which really works to ground his character and make him ever so slightly less outlandish than a typical Robinson protagonist. His family is where The Chair Company gets its emotional core, and Ron’s relationship with his daughter, played by Sophia Lillis, is particularly sweet. There’s also Mike, played by Joseph Tudisco, who may actually be the heart and soul of the whole show. His scenes opposite Robinson are so good, and the pathos Tudisco brings is heartbreaking.

The Chair Company is just as weird as we’ve come to expect from Robinson and Kanin. It’s like a sketch that never ends, continually building until the pressure is almost unbearable, and when it pops, it’s a thrill. That it also manages to be a smartly made conspiracy spoof, a biting satire of corporate culture, and a heartwarming family drama is just showing off.

The Chair Company premieres October 12 on HBO, with new episodes releasing weekly.