Here Are Just 17 Reasons Why Netflix's "The Chair" Is The New Show You Need To Binge-Watch
I think it's safe to say there is a TON of great TV out there, so it's sometimes hard to narrow down what you should binge-watch next. Well, as someone who watches way too much TV, I'm here to tell you that you should add Netflix's The Chair to your list.
I mean, who doesn't need a good 30-minute comedy series with a stacked cast in their lives, right?
So, to celebrate The Chair — and because I need more people to yell about it with — here are 17 reasons why it needs to be your next binge-watch:
1.First, The Chair follows Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim, who becomes the first woman to chair the English department at the prestigious Pembroke University.
2.The Chair does a great job of showing the futile efforts of trying to change an academic system that has been in place for years.
As Nana Mensah, who plays Yaz, put it, "I think what Amanda [Peet] and the team got so right was that feeling of walking into a room and being outnumbered. The language around all of that can be very subtle."
3.Behind the scenes, the series was written and executive produced by Amanda Peet and Annie Wyman. While this is Annie's first series, you probably know Amanda from her roles in shows like Dirty John, Brockmire, Togetherness, and more.
Also, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss — the duo behind Game of Thrones — are executive producers alongside Amanda, Annie, and Sandra Oh. David is also married to Amanda IRL.
4.In fact, Amanda and Jay Duplass, who stars as Bill Dobson, started brainstorming the idea for The Chair after Togetherness was canceled in 2016.
Amanda said, "We knew we wanted to work together so badly after Togetherness. Over the course of the last few years, we pitched each other various ideas, but I couldn’t stop thinking about this [widower] character in my head whose daughter had just left for college."
5.All six episodes of The Chair were directed by Daniel Gray Longino, who has directed episodes of Pen15, Who Is America?, Kroll Show, and many more.
Daniel is also an executive producer on the series.
6.In terms of cast, Sandra Oh leads a perfect ensemble, and it's absolutely incredible to see her in a comedy series. Sandra's ability to combine comedy and drama — with a hint of rom-com — is extraordinary.
7.Sandra's role on The Chair allows her to place an Asian character in a leading role again, which is still something that is rare on television.
Sandra says that at this stage in her career — with roles in The Chair and Killing Eve — it has become important for her to incorporate her Korean heritage into her characters. She said, "When you can see exactly what type of dumpling I am holding or you speak Konglish, it's a specific thing that I'm interested in portraying now." Sandra also said the first time she saw Ji-Yoon's name in the script, it "just lit up something inside, actually seeing a Korean woman's name on the page."
8.And if Ji-Yoon feels tailor made for Sandra, that's because Amanda thought of Sandra while writing the pilot.
9.Also, if you've come to love Sandra for her roles on Grey's Anatomy and Killing Eve, this show actually allows her to return to her TV roots, since she started her career in the comedy series Arli$$.
10.Alongside Sandra, Jay Duplass, Holland Taylor, Bob Balaban, Nana Mensah, Everly Carganilla, and more round out a cast filled with comedic heavy hitters.
11.While all of the actors play off each other perfectly, Sandra and Holland's comedic timing together is something that'll make any fan of these two so happy.
12.Ji-Yoon and Joan's characters allow The Chair to explore two sides of academia in brilliant ways.
Ji-Yoon not only struggles with being the first female chair of the department, but because she's one of the few staff members of color at the university, she's able to discuss how hard it is to have her voice heard. Meanwhile, Joan's storyline showcases how older teachers are treated in academic spaces and how they are often being pushed out.
13.I've also got to say that Jay and Sandra's chemistry perfectly fits the story. While Bill isn't a very likable character at the start, as we learn more about his backstory and see him with Ji-Yoon and her family, they become a flawed and great pair.
14.And Everly Carganilla is incredible as JuJu. Not only is she able to hold her own among a cast of veteran actors, but JuJu and Ji-Yoon's complicated relationship tells a story about motherhood that isn't seen a lot on TV.
Amanda and Sandra worked hand-in-hand to help craft Ji-Yoon and JuJu's relationship, which they found incredibly important. The storyline was born out of Amanda's real-life struggle with postpartum depression and how she often feels "the pressures of trying to be a good mother." Throughout Season 1, Ji-Yoon struggles with connecting with JuJu.
15.Basically, Ji-Yoon's relationships are what allow The Chair to shine because we not only see a character who is flawed, but who is also willing to do anything for her friends and family.
16.Aside from the cast and creative team, The Chair also follows a perfectly bingeable format — with just six episodes, it's easy to watch it all in one sitting.
Plus, you'll want to go back and rewatch it again and again.
17.And finally, if you still aren't sold on The Chair, all I can say is I think it'll perfectly fill the Dead to Me–shaped hole in your heart.
The comedy of The Chair reminded me a lot of Dead to Me, and I consider that a very high compliment.
The Chair is currently streaming on Netflix.
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