Netflix has released the first scene from The Chair, its upcoming dramedy starring Sandra Oh as the new chair of the English department at the fictional Pembroke University. The six-episode series is executive produced by Game of Thrones showrunners and executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
The clip emphasizes the prestige of Pembroke's stony fascades and wood-paneled hallways, undercutting it with punches of humor. Oh's Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim is a mass of nervous energy, soothed by the dignified nameplate on her new office door, and put at ease by the decidedly un-dignified nameplate she unwraps for her new desk. But it's the chair itself that has the last laugh, clarifying that, as much as the faculty at Pembroke might take themselves seriously, we probably shouldn't.
New images from Netflix also highlight the supporting cast, which includes Jay Duplass (Transparent) as Professor Bill Dobson, Holland Taylor (Mr. Mercedes) as Professor Joan Hambling, Bob Balaban (Moonrise Kingdom) as Professor Elliot Rentz, Nana Mensah (13 Reasons Why) as Professor Yaz McKay, David Morse (Treme) as Dean Paul Larson, and Everly Carganilla as Ju-Hee “Ju Ju” Kim. All look just as capable of undermining the stately backdrop of Pembroke's offices and lecture halls.
The series was created by Amanda Peet, Benioff's wife, who also serves as executive producer, showrunner, and writer. Peet co-wrote the pilot with Annie Julia Wyman, marking Peet's first TV writing cedit, though she has written two plays: The Commons of Pensacola and Our Very Own Carlin McCullough. Richard E. Robbins, Jennifer Kim and Andrea Troyer also serve as writers on the series. Oh joins as an executive producer, along with Game of Thrones' Bernie Caulfield, as well as Daniel Gray Longino, who also directed all six episodes.
This series is the first that Benioff and Weiss have developed since inking their nine-figure overall deal with Netflix back in 2019. They have a number of other projects currently in development with the streamer, including adaptations of Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem and Richard Powers’ The Overstory. A half-hour comedic series may feel like a departure for the pair (though they also directed Leslie Jones' stand-up special for Netflix back in 2020), but this clip seems to hit all of the right notes.
The Chair arrives on Netflix August 20. Check out the first scene and new images below:
