The Chair - What We Know So Far
In 2019, "Game of Thrones" creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss inked a huge, multi-million dollar deal with Netflix to produce a variety of projects for the streaming platform. This was a significant announcement, as it meant that the duo would be leaving their longtime home of HBO behind. The two also had a "Star Wars" film in development, but just months later, they exited the project, although the reason behind their departure is still unclear. Despite that, everything seems to still be on track for Benioff and Weiss, with a number of projects currently in development at Netflix.
The first show from their overall deal to be released on the streamer is the upcoming dramedy "The Chair," created by Benioff, Weiss, and Amanda Peet, a well-known actress who many will recognize from shows like "Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story" and "Togetherness" as well as quite a few popular films from over the years, who is also the former's wife. "The Chair" will be both Peet's first film writing and executive producing credit, and she will also serve as showrunner. Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh from "Grey's Anatomy" and "Killing Eve" is also an executive producer on the series, and she's on-board to play the title character, Professor Ji-Yoon Kim, the new Chair of the English department at her university.
Here's everything we know so far about "The Chair" Season 1 on Netflix.
What is the release date of The Chair?
According to What's on Netflix – who sourced the information from ProductionWeekly – "The Chair" began production in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in early February and was expected to finish sometime in April, meaning "The Chair" is likely in the post-production phase right now. For some movies and television, the editing and effects that are done in post-production take a long time to finish, but considering "The Chair" appears to be a straight dramedy, the show probably doesn't require any extra fancy special effects or reworking.
Thankfully, a recent announcement from Netflix has cleared up any possible confusion about the show's progress with an official release date. The first season of "The Chair," which is expected to be six half-hour episodes long, will premiere on the streamer on August 27, 2021 (via TVLine). Although very little information has come out about the story in "The Chair" aside from the basic premise, the comedy series is almost here, and hopefully Netflix will release a first look at Benioff, Weiss, and Peet's show soon.
Who is in the cast of The Chair?
Oh will lead "The Chair" as Ji-Yoon, the first woman and first person of color to be the Chair of the English department at the fictional Pembroke University. Co-starring in the series is Jay Duplass of "Transparent" as Professor Bill Dobson, but the details of Duplass's character's background and personality have not been revealed yet. Alongside Oh and Duplass is Primetime Emmy winner Holland Taylor as Professor Joan Hambling, "a witty, no-nonsense English professor working in the department chaired by Oh's character, Ji-Yoon. The two are close friends and confidants" (Deadline).
As for the rest of the main cast, Nana Mensah will portray Yasmin "Yaz" McKay, a beloved professor at the university who is also good friends with Ji-Yoon, while Bob Balaban will play Elliot Mentz, who is described as "a distinguished but set in his ways professor." David Morse joins as Dean Paul Larson, and Everly Carganilla is Ji-Yoon's daughter, Ju-Hee "Ju Ju" Kim. "The Chair" will also have many guest roles, with Ji Yong Lee playing Ji-Yoon's father Habi, Marcia DeBonis as Laurie, Assistant to the Chair, and Mallory Low as Lilah, the teaching fellow for the English class taught by Professor Dobson, among others.
What is the plot of The Chair?
Although the release date for "The Chair" is only a few months away, Netflix hasn't revealed much beyond the character descriptions and setting. The only other sneak peek is a cheeky in-character news clipping on Netflix's Twitter of an article announcing Oh's character's appointment, which successfully gives people a preview of the humor at play in "The Chair." In one line, the newspaper says that Pembroke University's "enrollments are down and Professor Kim's appointment could be a last ditch effort to save that sinking ship. Time will tell."
It appears that "The Chair" will follow a failing, stuck-in-the-past university that is giving Ji-Yoon the position of Chair as an attempt to pretend it's modernizing and listening to what students want. Based on the article's tone and character descriptions, Ji-Yoon will be working with friends Yaz and Professor Hambling to fight against others who don't believe she's fit for the position, such as Professor Mentz. With such a fantastic cast and a veteran producing team, it's almost guaranteed that "The Chair" will be a hit for Netflix.