# Detroiters (2017)

> Two best friends with more ambition than talent try to build a local advertising empire and restore Detroit to its former glory.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/61157

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 20
- Episode runtime: 25 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy
- Created by: Sam Richardson, Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin, Joe Kelly
- Network: Comedy Central
- Cast: Sam Richardson, Tim Robinson, Andre Belue, Shawntay Dalon, Lailani Ledesma, Pat Vern Harris, Kristin Wollett, Tim Meadows
- TMDB rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4779762/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: cringe comedy, deadpan, sardonic, absurdist, warm

## What critics say

Critics broadly regard the show as a sharp, absurdist cringe comedy that finds its footing in its second season after a weaker start.

## Synopsis

Detroiters (2017-2018) is an American comedy series created by Sam Richardson, Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin and Joe Kelly for Comedy Central. Sam Duvet (Sam Richardson) and Tim Cramblin (Tim Robinson) are fledgling ad men and best friends who lack the money, connections and talent of the big players but have ambition to spare. Their engine is a relentless push to build a local advertising empire and restore their home city to its former glory, and each episode is made of small schemes, pitches and client meetings that collapse in awkward, humiliating ways. Andre Belue as Tommy Pencils, Lailani Ledesma as Lea and Pat Vern Harris as Sheila Portnadi fill out the surrounding world of hustlers, acquaintances and bosses who orbit the pair. The show runs across two seasons of short episodes with a consistently absurdist, deadpan rhythm. Set in present-day Detroit, its tone is cringe-heavy and sardonic while still carrying a warm, civic-minded affection for its city. Its ambitious, scrappy-underdog comedy will appeal to fans of Portlandia, Reno 911! and Mr. Show with Bob and David, who enjoy sketch-rooted absurdity with hapless, overconfident leads.

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