When HBO announced the arrival of The Chair Company, co-created by Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, few could have predicted just how quickly it would spark conversation among comedy and thriller fans alike. Premiering on October 12, 2025, the eight-episode series has already made waves with its unique blend of cringe comedy, surreal mystery, and conspiracy-laced drama. At the heart of this wild ride is Ron Trosper, a middle-aged office worker whose life takes a sharp left turn after a humiliating workplace incident. What starts as a workplace comedy soon spirals into a genre-bending, paranoia-fueled investigation—one that’s as hilarious as it is unexpectedly touching.
According to Cinemablind, the show’s premise is deceptively simple: Ron Trosper, played with manic energy by Robinson himself, is a faithful office grunt in small-town Ohio. He’s just been promoted to project lead for a shopping mall—his company’s latest venture, and his first big break. But when an embarrassing mishap derails his launch-day speech, Ron’s life unravels in ways no one, least of all himself, could foresee. The culprit? An office chair. But this is no ordinary piece of furniture. Before long, Ron is convinced he’s stumbled onto a far-reaching conspiracy involving the chair company, and he’s determined to get to the bottom of it—no matter how absurd his quest appears to everyone around him.
The series, as detailed by Soap Central and The Guardian, is more than just a showcase for Robinson’s signature brand of cringe. It’s a character study, a workplace satire, and a surreal mystery rolled into one. The show’s tone is set in its very first scene: Ron, out to dinner with his family, gets into a bizarre argument with a waitress over her shopping habits and ends up aggressively boxing up half a deviled egg. Later, lying awake at night, he grumbles, “I swear I have the worst pillow in town!”—a line delivered with the kind of exasperated intensity that Robinson fans have come to love.
Robinson’s performance as Ron is both hilarious and painfully relatable. He’s a man beset by absurdity, misfortune, and the everyday idiocy of those around him. Yet, somehow, he always manages to react in a way that makes him look like the problem. If Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm was about rational responses to irrational annoyances, Ron’s world is one where irrationality reigns supreme—and he meets it with even more irrationality.
But The Chair Company isn’t just about Ron. The supporting cast is stacked with talent: Lake Bell plays Barb Trosper, Ron’s patient and perceptive wife; Sophia Lillis is Natalie, their daughter; and Will Price rounds out the family as teenage son Seth. Joseph Tudisco, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Jim Downey bring additional color as Ron’s co-workers and office nemeses, each one just the right amount of quirky or unhelpful. As The Guardian notes, the show’s minor characters—be it a jealous janitor or a bubble-blowing colleague—are written with a comic edge that pushes every interaction into the realm of the unforgettable.
The show’s structure is ambitious for a Robinson project. While his previous work, such as I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (2019), thrived in short, punchy sketches, The Chair Company stretches his comic sensibilities across a more narrative-driven, half-hour format. Early signs are promising. Beneath the slapstick and the shouting, there’s a tender undercurrent: Ron’s midlife anxieties about his achievements, his fear that he’s too old to matter, and the gentle reminder that his family is his greatest success. As The Guardian puts it, “We can see that his wife and kids don’t agree that he’s a loser and that they are his big achievement.”
Each episode is set to release weekly on Sundays, with the first three already titled and the rest shrouded in mystery. The opening episode, “Life goes by too f**king fast, it really does,” sets the existential tone, while episode two, “New blood. There’s 5 Rons now,” hints at the escalating absurdity to come. The third episode teases a dive into Hollywood oddities, and the remaining five episodes, scheduled through November 30, promise even more surprises.
Robinson’s personal life has also come under the spotlight as the series garners attention. Born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 23, 1981, Robinson has built a career on his offbeat humor and sharp writing. He’s married to Heather Robinson, an electrical engineer who worked for Chrysler after graduating from Oakland University in 2005. The couple, who have been together for 19 years, share two children, Buster and Penny. Heather, though largely out of the public eye, has been a steadfast presence in Robinson’s life and career, supporting him from his earliest days in comedy. In a 2016 Instagram post, Robinson wrote, “Married 10 years today to the best human I know!”—a sentiment echoed in other interviews and social media tributes.
Robinson’s journey to comedy stardom began in Detroit, where he and his future wife attended a Second City show that left him “blown away.” He soon started taking improv classes, eventually meeting his best friend and collaborator, Sam Richardson, at Second City Detroit. Their friendship and creative partnership have been a cornerstone of Robinson’s career, with Richardson often appearing in his projects.
As for The Chair Company, the early critical response has been enthusiastic. Reviewers have praised its willingness to push boundaries, its deft mix of genres, and Robinson’s ability to sustain his comedic energy over a longer format. The show’s visual style, with nods to 1970s paranoid thrillers, adds a layer of cinematic intrigue that sets it apart from traditional workplace comedies. And, as fans of Robinson’s previous work will attest, the unpredictability and intensity of each scene ensure that viewers can never quite guess what’s coming next.
With five episodes yet to air and a growing fanbase eagerly awaiting each new installment, The Chair Company is shaping up to be one of HBO’s most talked-about series of 2025. Whether Ron Trosper’s quest for truth (or perhaps just a better office chair) ends in triumph or disaster remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: audiences are already “looking very forward” to finding out.
