Comedy fans are delighted after the launch of a new comedy series.
Thursday, May 23, marked the debut of a new Netflix streaming series starring a comedian whose stature has risen dramatically in recent years.
But the comedian’s career nearly ended as soon as it began to take off after he was fired from Saturday Night Live just days after being announced as a new cast member in 2019, when racial caricatures and anti-gay slurs he had used in a podcast 2018. resurfaced.
Since then, the infamy of his firing and his polarizing stand-up routines have helped him become a major comedy star, leading to the new six-episode series.
Although the series has so far received mixed and negative reviews from television critics, it appears to be a hit with its die-hard fans, who took to social media to praise the lively new show.
Comedy fans are delighted after the launch of a new comedy series on Thursday, May 23.
The Netflix series starred and was co-created by a controversial comedian whose career nearly ended after he was fired by SNL days after being hired due to allegedly offensive jokes that resurfaced from a 2018 podcast.
Shane Gillis, whose return to SNL as a guest host in February drew mixed reviews, stars in the new series Tires as a mechanic who shares his name and works at an auto shop.
Much of the comedy derives from Shane tormenting his coworker and cousin Will (Steve Gerben), the overeager son of the repair shop chain owner who takes over the failing place in hopes of keeping it afloat. .
The store is also populated by unmotivated receptionist Kilah (Kilah Fox), taciturn mechanic Cal (played by Chris O’Connor), and the manager (played by comedian and controversial podcaster Stavros Halkias).
Gillis co-created the series along with Gerben and the show’s director, John McKeever, who is credited only with his last name.
Although rotten tomatoes Although he has not yet prepared an assessment based on the reviews of the first season of Tires, it seems to have won few reviews. By contrast, fan reviews on the site were universally positive, with a 100% fresh rating, although only a handful had been entered so far.
metacriticwhich offers a more detailed rating based on how strongly critics dish out praise or criticism, currently gives Tires a score of 45, indicating “mixed or average” reviews.
But die-hard Gillis fans seemed to love the show, and several jumped on X (formerly Twitter) to show their approval shortly after the series appeared on Netflix.
“The tires are as good as I expected, Shane Gillis is a genius,” wrote a new fan of the series.
The comedian is Shane Gillis, who has leveraged the controversy surrounding him into an increasingly successful stand-up career. Leads six-episode series Tires (pictured) on Netflix
Much of the comedy stems from Shane, who plays an auto shop mechanic, tormenting his co-worker (and cousin) Will (Steve Gerben), the over-anxious son of the chain owner who takes over. of the defective premises in the hope of keeping it in order. water
Gillis financed the series himself and filmed it before Netflix bought the rights, along with another stand-up special scheduled for 2025.
Comedian Mary Bourke praised that “Shane Gillis’ sitcom ‘Tires’ is very, very funny.”
“Shane Gillis in Tires is fucking golden, every line is hilarious,” raved another new viewer.
Another viewer was more reserved, saying that established Gillis fans would probably enjoy Tires, but did not believe the show would succeed in expanding her fan base.
One of the most positive fan reviews compared Tires favorably to the acclaimed comedy-drama The Bear. His only criticism was that “22-minute episodes are not (long) enough.”
They may get their wish, as it was announced earlier this week that Netflix had renewed Tires for a second season before the first had even aired.
According VarietyThe second season of Tires will debut in 2025.
Gillis is also expected to release a stand-up special next year on Netflix.
Although Tires is streaming on the service now, it was not funded by Netflix. Instead, Gillis self-financed the six-episode show and the streamer subsequently picked it up while also striking a deal for his next comedy special.
The series received mixed to negative reviews from critics, but die-hard Shane fans say they love the low-budget show.
Several fans suggested that ‘comedy is back’ thanks to Gillis’ series
Another viewer was more reserved, saying that established Gillis fans would probably enjoy Tires, but did not believe the show would succeed in expanding her fan base.
One of the most positive fan reviews compared Tires favorably to the acclaimed comedy-drama The Bear. His only criticism was that “22-minute episodes are not (long) enough.”
Days before its premiere, Netflix renewed Tires for a second season, according to Variety
Gillis previously recorded a popular special for Netflix in 2023 and appeared in several comedy shows this month for the streamer’s Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival in Los Angeles.
Several critics took issue with the series’ obviously low-budget trappings.
Although Gillis’s stand-up comedy has been widely criticized for allegedly offensive jokes, several critics noted that they were not offended by the risqué material, but simply did not think it was among Gillis’s best work.
All six episodes of the first season of Tires are currently available to stream on Netflix.
