The Chair (2021): Season 1

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Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Ratings

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The Chair: Season 1

Now Playing: The Chair: Season 1

Season Details & Credits

Netflix | Season Premiere Date: August 20, 2021

Summary: Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim (Sandra Oh) becomes the first woman of color named Chair of the English department at Pembroke University in this dramedy series written by Amanda Peet.

Genre(s): Comedy, Drama

Season 1 Episodes

No episode information is currently available for this season

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Glenn Garvin

Aug 22, 2021

Carganilla's blasé exposition of juvenile sociopathology may even be the finest performance of the whole cast, which is saying something: Oh, Duplass, Taylor and Balaban all are outstanding as they bounce from pratfalls to Chaucer jokes to poignant meditations on adult diapers and other detritus of old age. College, when I was there, wasn't nearly this funny. Read full review

Dave Nemetz

Aug 4, 2021

Rich with intriguing characters and armed with a breezy comedic tone, the campus comedy from first-time showrunner Amanda Peet is a smart, low-key charmer that sneaks up on you. Read full review

The Telegraph Ed Power

Aug 20, 2021

It’s breezy, funny and Oh and Duplass throw up sparks off each other. Like a day idling around campus when you should be going to lectures, The Chair won’t change your life. But it kills the time very pleasantly. Read full review

Kelly Lawler

Aug 20, 2021

In addition to Oh's charms, "Chair" is a darkly funny satire, skewering aspects of modern higher education with veritable glee. The characters are sharply written and feel real and grounded, even as the events surrounding them become more crazed. Read full review

Rob Owen

Aug 20, 2021

“The Chair” has a lot it wants to address — gender dynamics in academia, cross-cultural adoption, grief and self-destruction, white privilege, wokeness and cancel culture — and it’s probably too much for a six-episode, half-hour show that’s also a romantic comedy. ... To its credit, “The Chair” offers no easy answers. It’s more interested in exploring the complexities of transgression and the multitude of reactions than in villainizing or lionizing the individuals involved. Read full review

Keith Phipps

Aug 4, 2021

As a narrative and a send-up of academia, it's sometimes distractingly loose and ultimately anti-climactic (though it still finds ways to end each episode on a note that almost demands viewers press on right away). But as a rich world stocked with endearingly messed-up characters fumbling their way through some hard choices, it's tough to resist. Read full review

Lacy Baugher

Aug 4, 2021

The Chair slowly shifts from being an intriguing story about a groundbreaking woman to a sadly predictable one about a tiresome man. Read full review

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User Reviews

manningn15

Aug 21, 2021

Just sat down and watched The Chair and finished the entire series in one sitting it was so good, I had to finish it it was so well done just a perfect blend of hilarious, serious, and emotionally deeper moments. The writing was exceptional and the topics they brought up and talked aboutJust sat down and watched The Chair and finished the entire series in one sitting it was so good, I had to finish it it was so well done just a perfect blend of hilarious, serious, and emotionally deeper moments. The writing was exceptional and the topics they brought up and talked about were great. Sandra Oh, no surprise at all, gave an impeccable performance and the supporting cast was just outstanding especially Holland Taylor, Everly Carganilla, Jay Duplass, Nana Mensah, Ji Lee, Bob Balaban, and Ron Crawford. The makeup, hairstyling, and costumes were terrific. The music was phenomenal. Even though this was a miniseries I'd watch many more seasons of this show with it's stellar writing and cast; an A+ series and one of my all time favorite miniseries ever.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

zerevbrol

Aug 21, 2021

Some of my favourite television so far this year. Sandra Oh is legendary, and her chemistry with the rest of the cast is sublime. I appreciate that the showrunners planted enough "seeds" of interest throughout the runtime of season one to appropriately segue into another season of contentSome of my favourite television so far this year. Sandra Oh is legendary, and her chemistry with the rest of the cast is sublime. I appreciate that the showrunners planted enough "seeds" of interest throughout the runtime of season one to appropriately segue into another season of content should it come to pass, but still managed to make the central story arc of Oh's character shine through clearly and conclude nicely with resolutions that fit the story.

This is a show of half-expectations and truths, something which is well at home in academia, and which I can corroborate of academic bureaucracy through my own lived experiences. Ultimately, and most importantly, however, this is a show of its time. It contains commentary and reflections on the true lived experiences of people of colour in American (private) university systems, and academia at large. If critical evaluation isn't your cup of tea, this show will miss its mark, but give it a chance anyway. Sandra Oh, and the rest of the cast, might just surprise you.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

hamburgdude

Aug 21, 2021

Sandra Oh is sublime in the lead role of this great new series from Netflix. With strong supporting performances by Jay Duplass and steal-every-scene-she-is-in Holland Taylor, the six 30-minute episodes are too easy to binge in a single day.

Some may feel that the series maintains aSandra Oh is sublime in the lead role of this great new series from Netflix. With strong supporting performances by Jay Duplass and steal-every-scene-she-is-in Holland Taylor, the six 30-minute episodes are too easy to binge in a single day.

Some may feel that the series maintains a superficial perspective or an unresolved take on the key issues raised, but like the literary references planted throughout the episodes, good writing is about making the reader - in this case the viewer - think for themselves. "The Chair" does this on multiple fronts.

The series may not tie up all the storylines in nice, pretty bows, but you feel that each of the characters has grown in some way along this shared journey and you, as a viewer, are very happy to have been along for the ride.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

geewah

Apr 5, 2022

A show that focuses on the politics of an English department going through change, and while it is funny and rather witty at times, it does fade to quite an anti-climatic finish.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Suttree

Aug 25, 2021

Oh does a lot of heavy lifting but is unable to elevate this beyond the cliches and stereotypes. The cast is strong enough to make the many weaknesses easier to take. Still, the "lesser Ivy" setting is as worn out as the clueless old male prof, the clueless old female prof, theOh does a lot of heavy lifting but is unable to elevate this beyond the cliches and stereotypes. The cast is strong enough to make the many weaknesses easier to take. Still, the "lesser Ivy" setting is as worn out as the clueless old male prof, the clueless old female prof, the once-promising literary star gone to seed, and the dean who knows academia remains a business with a bottom line. Too lightweight for drama, not nearly funny enough for comedy. Disappointing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Seasons & Episodes

73

Series Overview
Season 1

73
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: August 20, 2021
- No episode information is currently available for this season