# The Chair (2021)

> A newly appointed first woman of color chair tries to revive a struggling English department while juggling grief and family.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/83764

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 6
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy, drama
- Created by: Amanda Peet, Annie Julia Wyman
- Network: Netflix
- Cast: Sandra Oh, Nana Mensah, Jay Duplass, Holland Taylor, Bob Balaban, David Morse, Everly Carganilla, Simone Joy Jones
- TMDB rating: 7.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11834150/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: bittersweet, witty, wry, melancholic

## What critics say

Audiences rate the miniseries positively, praising its warm, sharp take on academic life and its lead performance.

## Synopsis

The Chair (2021) is a American dramedy miniseries created by Amanda Peet and Annie Julia Wyman for Netflix. Sandra Oh stars as Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim, the first woman of color to become chair of a failing English department at a major university. She faces a grinding stream of budget cuts, restless faculty, and student protests, while her adopted daughter Ju-Ju (Everly Carganilla) and her colleague Yaz McKay (Nana Mensah) pull her toward the rest of her life. Jay Duplass, Holland Taylor, Bob Balaban and David Morse round out the faculty ensemble, each with their own grievances and ambitions. The series runs six half-hour episodes, a single season that is more character study than case of the week. Its tone blends sharp office comedy with bittersweet grief, and its academic setting feels lived in and funny in equal measure. Viewers who enjoy workplace dramedies with a strong female lead, or shows like Community and The Morning Show, will find much here to savor.

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