Shane Gillisfans will loveTires.The new Netflix comedy, which the comedian self-financed, can be a thigh-slapping, bust-out-loud funny experience. Likewise, lovers ofCumtownand the charming Stavros Halkias will likely enjoy the series. For everybody else… not so much.It’s bound to suffice as far as bromedies go, though. There’s a gaggle of mostly straight, white, angsty, misogynistic, probably racist, talk-too-loud fellas bouncing ideas around in a beleaguered tire shop, but like the tread on a set of wheels reaching the 50,000-mile mark, the humor and the premise eventually wears thin.
In 2024, that’s enough to greenlight a series, apparently, and whileTiresdoesn’t hold enough universal humor to make it as appealing as other modern workplace comedieslikeThe Office, Abbott Elementary,orBrooklyn Nine-Nine,it has a fine mix of absurdity and idiocy that makes iteither bearable, enjoyable, or delightful, depending on one’s comedy preferences.
It’s The Bear Without All the Great Ingredients
A man inherits his father’s auto repair chain and tries to turn it around despite torture from his cousin and now-employee, Shane.
“We’re going to make a woman lug tires into the back?” crows one confused male employee to his boss, Will (Steve Gerbin), at Valley Forge Automotive. Shortly afterward, Will tells his employees to just focus on a new initiative designed to bring in more female clientele. Will says, “It means that women feel comfortable coming here, and the idea is…” “We make ‘em comfortable coming?” laughs Shane (played by, well, Shane Gillis).
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And so it goes in the first episode ofTires,entitled “The Initiative,” which finds our team crafting ways to interact with everyone from Asian customers to corporate politicos. Each of the season’s six episodes chronicles one singular theme — if you can call it that — and every one of themtakes delight in showcasing Gillis’ brand of humor, which is a kind of laid back approach to life, love, and labor. And anything. Created by Gillis, Gerben, and John McKeever (Gilly and Keeves, also starring Shane), the series quickly establishes itself as a bawdy guys’-guy workplace comedy in the vein ofThe Bear.It’s just thatThe Bearhas so much more depth, nuance, and conflict that make it so much more well-rounded.
LikeThe Bear, Tireshas two cousins at the forefront of the frenzy. Will, a befuddled people-pleaser lacking confidence, is now running one of the branch offices. Cousin Shane becomes a forever nail in Will’s tire, as it were, constantly challenging him. Will wants his tire titan father’s seal of approval, and there’s always more than a hint that something bad may go down for the company. Enter: Dave (Stavros Halkias), Will’s supervisor, a harried guy who is seen on calls or occasionally popping in to course-correct.Will emerges as the show’s main protagonist, but Gillis’ presence and comedy style leave notable treadmarks from beginning to end.
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Blue-collar glumness is a good premise for a series, andTirescertainly lands its mark there. Its setting and aesthetic feel natural and realistic, using handheld photography and a muted color palette that contrasts with so many more artificial shows. However,there doesn’t seem to be much investment or desire for deeper exploration of this or any character developmentin this series. It’s all about the fuss. Which can be fun, but you may wonder how many miles this show can run for, and to what end.
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Tiresis a niche comedy, but if you’re watching closely, you may ask yourself what niche that is. Upon deeper inspection, you may wonder if the beaten-down, weary bro-y stereotype came before Gillis and he continues feeding into it, or if Gillis is inventing his own purposely not-woke bro.The angst is cranked up high inTires.Underneath, most of the men featured here seem pissed off about something. That’s something interesting to explore, but this isn’t that kind of series.
Tiresmay have the comically heightened anxiety ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,but it doesn’t have that series' ability to concoct hilarious situations and create likable characters. Be a bigot and misogynist if you want, but show us a little more than just that. It’s one of the reasons audiences embraced the character of Archie Bunker onAll in the Family,the Norman Lear show that boldly addressed heated issues of the day.
Like Shane Gillis' Outlook, Tires Rolls Along Easily Enough
Still, there’s something appealing here, andGillis has the spark and appeal of a star — a 2020s star within a shape-shifting entertainment industry influenced by social media influencers. There’s a hint of more expansive storylines in later episodes, though the series seems resistant to creating too many story arcs. For now, it’s all about Will getting a handle on this Philadelphia branch office and keeping his team in check, however disastrous that becomes.
The cast, including Andrew Schulz, Chris O’Connor, Kilah Fox, and especially Stavros Halkias are on the mark, creating a solid posse. It will be interesting to see how this show expands in season two. In the meantime, it’s easy to lazily roll with it.Tireshas enough bounce to satisfy.Tiresis streaming on Netflix. You can watch it below.
