Comedy fans are over the moon after the release of a new sitcom 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 funnyman's career almost ended as soon as it started 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 that he had used on a 2018 podcast resurfaced.
Since then, the infamy from 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 to negative reviews from television critics, it appears to be a hit with his diehard fans, who rushed to social media to praise the buzzy new show.
Comedy fans are over the moon after the release of a new sitcom series on Thursday, May 23
The Netflix series was stars and was co-created by a controversial comedian whose career almost ended after he was fired by SNL days after being hired due to allegedly offensive jokes that resurfaced from a 2018 podcast
Shane Gillis — whosereturn to SNL as guest hostin February earned mixed reviews — stars in the new series Tires as a mechanic who shares his first name and works at an auto shop.
Much of the comedy derives from Shane tormenting his coworker — and cousin — Will (Steve Gerben), the overly anxious son of the owner of the repair shop chain who takes over the failing location in hopes of keeping it above water.
The shop is also populated by the unmotivated receptionistKilah (Kilah Fox), the tight-lipped 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 only credited by his last name.
Although Rotten Tomatoeshas not yet assembled a rating based on reviews of Tires' first season, it appears to have won over few critics. Conversely, fan reviews on the site were universally positive, with a 100% fresh rating, though only a handful had been entered so far.
Metacritic, which offers a more detailed rating based on how strongly critics dole out praise or pans, currently gives Tires a score of 45, indicating 'mixed or average' reviews.
But Gillis' die-hard fans appeared to love the show, and several jumped to X (formerly Twitter) to show their approval shortly after the series appeared on Netflix.
'tires is as good as i hoped, shane gillis is a genius,' wrote one new fan of the series.
The comedian is Shane Gillis, who has parlayed the controversy surrounding him into an increasingly successful stand-up career. He leads the six-episode series Tires (pictured) on Netflix
Much of the comedy derives from Shane, who plays an auto shop mechanic, tormenting his coworker — and cousin — Will (Steve Gerben), the overly anxious son of the owner of the chain who takes over the failing location in hopes of keeping it above water
Gillis funded the series himself and shot it before Netflix bought the rights, along with another stand-up special slated for 2025
The comedian Mary Bourke raved that 'The Shane gillis sitcom "Tires" is very very funny.'
'Shane Gillis in Tires is f***ing gold, every line is hilarious,' enthused another new viewer.
Another viewer was more reserved, saying that established fans of Gillis would likely enjoy Tires, but they didn't think the show would succeed at expanding his fan base.
One of the most positive fan reviews compared Tires favorably to the acclaimed dramedy The Bear. Their only criticism was that '22 minute episodes aren't [long] enough.'
They may get their wish, at it was announced earlier this week that Netflix had renewed Tires for a second season even before its first season aired.
According toVariety, Tires season two 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 wasn't not funded by Netflix. Instead, Gillis self-funded the six-episode show, and the streamer subsequently picked it up at the same time that it made a deal for his upcoming comedy special.
The series received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, but Shane's die-hard fans claim to love the low-budget show
Several fans suggested that 'comedy is back' thanks to Gillis' series
Another viewer was more reserved, saying that established fans of Gillis would likely enjoy Tires, but they didn't think the show would succeed at expanding his fan base
One of the most positive fan reviews compared Tires favorably to the acclaimed dramedy The Bear. Their only criticism was that '22 minute episodes aren't [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 he appeared at multiple comedy shows this month for the streamer's Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival in Los Angeles.
Several critics took issue with the obviously low-budget trappings of the series.
Although Gillis's stand-up comedy has been widely criticized for allegedly offensive jokes, several critics noted that they weren't offended by the edgy material, but simply didn't think it ranked with Gillis' best work.
All six episodes of Tires season one are currently available to stream on Netflix.
