We’re not entirely sure why, but automotive TV shows usually aren’t very good. Even if you ignore all the different Yelling Goatee Man Garage reality shows, you’re typically better off looking for a good show that happens to also include some cool cars, like Breaking Bad, than watching a show that’s more directly a car show. Remember the first season of American Auto? There’s a good reason it was canceled after two seasons. That may change soon, though, when Tires premieres on Netflix.
As you can see in the trailer below, the show is centered on a character named Shane, played by comedian and incredibly short-lived Saturday Night Live cast member Shane Gillis, who works for his cousin. Will, played by Steve Gerben, recently inherited his late father’s chain of automotive repair shops, and things aren’t going well. Can Will turn his failing business around, or will Shane ruin everything?
It’s not exactly the most exciting premise, but it works. What’s going to be much more important is the writing and acting. The good news is, Stavros Halkias is also part of the cast, which definitely gives us a lot more confidence that the show will be legitimately funny. Also, the trailer makes the show look like it’s going to be legitimately good? We won’t be able to say for sure until we get a chance to watch the six episodes that drop tomorrow, but Netflix has also already renewed it for a second season, so that’s yet another promising sign. American Auto, on the other hand, definitely looked bad in the trailer.
At the very least, it’s worth giving the trailer a watch, and as long as you have Netflix, it’s got to be worth watching at least a couple of episodes. And maybe once the morning news rush dies down tomorrow, Rory will let me watch an episode or two so I can tell you whether it’s actually any good or not. (OK FINE —RC)