Diving Deep into Dysfunctional Suburbia: 'The Chair Company'

Join us for a wild ride through the American suburbs as ‘The Chair Company’ debuts on HBO this Sunday. Director Andrew DeYoung pairs with the dynamic duo, Zach Kanin and Tim Robinson, to dive headlong into the pulsating underbelly of dysfunctional masculinity. Fresh off their successful collaboration on “I Think You Should Leave”, the trio takes wading through the peculiar profundity of suburbia to laugh-out-loud new heights. If you remember those moments where you're stuck between laughing and questioning reality, buckle up, because 'The Chair Company' is about to take that feeling to the next level.

Describing the show, an amusingly long tagline predates the viewing experience – "Imagine a surface world and a hidden one underneath, and only Ron knows how they connect. Or sometimes don’t. Yes, Ron is the guardian of the intersections between these worlds. Tune in weekly to see if he holds it together, or watch everything fall apart." Nothing says it quicker than that!

Robinson plays Ron Trosper, a suburbanite leading a team to construct a local mall in Ohio. But the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry – and boy, do they! Without delving into spoiler territory (HBO would chop our heads off!), let's just say an office incident turns Ron’s life into a whirlwind, launching him headfirst into a personal quest for justification. You know, the stuff that keeps you up at 3 a.m., the kind where you're convinced all mishaps are interconnected cosmic riddles meant for you to decode.

In his quest, Ron loses his grip on what's truly important, much like how your grandpa obsesses over the thermostat while the rest of the family visibly sweats through Thanksgiving dinner. His job, his family, and even his sanity fall by the wayside in this hilarious yet darker exploration of obsession.

The show beautifully balances Ron's unraveling with the generational disconnect between parents and children. Episodes showcasing moments between Ron and his daughter, Natalie (Sophia Lillis), reflect how young millennials often have to navigate the eccentricities of their parents, now heavily influenced by the scroll-and-react culture of social media.

Striking a chord with modern-day frustration is also ‘The Chair Company's' strong suit. Ron's meltdown over the impersonal, mechanical customer service reverberates the collective scream of millions who’ve been left hanging on the line. The show's real gem lies in its ability to walk this fine line, keeping one comedic foot in exaggerated reality and the other in relatable everyday headaches.

Fans of Stanley Kubrick’s 'Eyes Wide Shut' will likely find uncanny parallels as both shows feature men diving headlong into uncharted psychological territories, prompted by their insecurities. HBO is keeping the finale under wraps, leading us to wonder if a surprising, Kubrick-style finish is on the horizon.

Buckle up for this seven-episode rollercoaster that premieres on HBO on October 12.