The Chair (Netflix)

[boatyardblues]

Anyone else watching? I’m enjoying it. Sandra Oh is on her usual magnificent form. It’s sailing close to the wind in a few places too, which is no bad thing in this day and age.

I've just finished it. Found it watchable but ultimately just okay. All felt a bit predictable and quite thinly sketched. Holland Taylor's character was the most enjoyable to watch. Loved her skulking about with the IT guy. I didn't need the Bill romance aspect, felt that took away from the more interesting departmental politics and knife sharpening.

I found it too short and didn't really bulk any storyline out enough to make me want to go back. Apparently it was supposed to do that, but Covid meant it only got shown in its bare bones as a lot of tv companies are just throwing out whatever they have at the moment.

I was happy for her when Ju Ju got on her lap and gave her a hug though.

Gosh it ended so boringly didn't it. First BAME chair was ultimately mediocre and left...

And took up with a flakey bereaved guy.
I think I might have missed something

the child was the star

@Serenissima21

It was so frustrating that nobody pulled the students up on their twattish behaviour. They were just allowed to hold everyone to ransom.

Yes this is really pissing me off. Joan is fucking brilliant though.

And I thought the kid was awful. Running off and what have you

Thought it was a bit dull really. They didn't really follow any interesting strands and it all just shuffled along with no real drama. I felt the campus seemed so empty and maybe that made it feel less believable? But I suppose that was due to Covid restrictions.

I liked Chaucer woman

I really enjoyed it and was sorry there were only 6 sessions.

I live in a building where there are a few academic types who are university professors. They (well some of them) behave in a similar manner to the stuffy old men in the series. Try getting agreement on what colour the new carpet n the lobby should be!

I live in a building where there are a few academic types who are university professors.

This sounds great - where do you live?

It's okay but I didnt love it. It's quite shallow. I just watched Clickbait on Netflix and that's quite interesting.

It was so frustrating that nobody pulled the students up on their twattish behaviour
I thought that was spot on: they're not students being taught what they need to know, they're customers being sold what they want to hear.

Enjoyed it immensely but angry she had to give up being the chair and pandered to Bill so much.

I wish I could channel her “fuck NO!” for some of the meetings I have to sit through.

Watched first two quite enjoyed but the hapless widowed man started to really piss us off. Sandra Oh great

I’ve watched it all. Was surprised the last EPIsode was the last one, very unsatisfactory ending…..I was expecting more. Is there going to be a season 2?

Totally far fetched, unrealistic but passed the time entertainingly enough. Very superficial though. I agree Clickbait was far better.

@Newgirls

Bill emerging from a hedge with artfully placed leaves annoyed me. I thought I would love this but it seems overblown? As if they didn’t quite trust the story to be entertaining enough so added silly bits.

I thought this. Only watched 1st episode so far and felt it was trying way too hard. Sandra Oh was brilliant, as she always is, and during my short spell in academia I have witnessed the unfavoured lecturers being transplanted to subterranean offices miles from their faculty, so that definitely happens. But I felt a lot of it was forced and far fetched and desperately trying to be funny, when less slapstick and more observational accuracy would have been better. Also felt oddly outdated. All lectures are online now not F2F. But maybe not in USA.

I loved it, very funny and very nuanced. Reminded me of David lodge but with a better understanding of sex and race discrimination.

@dreamingbohemian

I'm an academic and not enjoying the show

Love all the actors but the writing seems meh

Why is it always English departments in these types of shows? It's a bit boring by now

Similarly - as a school teacher for decades I could never watch school based dramas. (What? - They only have 2 maths teachers in that size of school?!)

I loved Chair. There was not one superfluous character. The plot wasn't all bells and whistles but sometimes, gentle and amusing is what works.