The Chair Company is captivating audiences with its unique flair, consistent with the creativity of Tim Robinson. The HBO series premiered recently and has quickly reached impressive milestones, becoming the most-viewed comedy series debut on the network in over five years, following the launch of Avenue 5 in 2020.
In just three days since its debut, The Chair Company averaged 1.4 million cross-platform viewers across the U.S. This surge in viewership places it among the top three comedy series premieres in HBO Max history, sharing this honor with popular titles such as And Just Like That and Our Flag Means Death.
The series features Robinson as William Ronald Trosper, a man plunged into a web of intrigue after a mishap during a critical work presentation—his chair collapses beneath him. Trosper, who is employed at the architectural firm Fisher Robay, is determined to uncover the conspiracy surrounding the chair’s manufacturer, Tecca Chairs, which leads him on a bizarre journey.
Joining Robinson in the cast are Lake Bell as his wife Barb, Sophia Lillis as his daughter Natalie, and Will Price as his son Seth. The show also features Lou Diamond Phillips and Jim Downey in key roles. The executive production team includes Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, alongside Adam McKay and Todd Schulman from HyperObject Industries, with Andrew DeYoung and Igor Srubshchik also involved in production, and DeYoung and Aaron Schimberg directing.
In other HBO news, the show Task, starring Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey, is also experiencing a lift in viewership. Set in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, Task has seen increasing ratings with each episode, culminating in over 4 million viewers for its latest installment—a 32% increase from its premiere. This success mirrors that of Brad Ingelsby’s previous HBO series, Mare of Easttown, with Task averaging 6.7 million viewers per episode while Mare averaged 6.8 million at a similar point in its run. Ruffalo stars as an FBI agent leading a task force aimed at dismantling a violent robbery operation helmed by Pelphrey’s character, an unsuspecting family man.
With both The Chair Company and Task drawing strong audiences, HBO is solidifying its position in delivering captivating scripted content.