Season 2 dropped a couple of weeks ago on Netflix, and since I loved Season 1, I had to binge the second season, and did so in one sitting (which shows how much I like the series).
True to form, Season 2 starts off with everything you’d expect. The cast and the jokes are just as over-the-top. I really liked it and definitely recommend it. However, the second half of the season sees a noticeable drop in quality. The culprit? I’m guessing Netflix.
Note: Spoilers follow; this assumes you’ve watched Season 1 and 2.
What I am guessing happened is that Season 1 was self-funded by the show’s creator, Shane Gillis, which consists of six episodes. They’re quick, in-your-face episodes, and they’re hilarious. So when Season 1 became a big success on Netflix, Gillis and company got the “Netflix money,” which came with a mandate that they extend the number of episodes (twelve), as Netflix is all about streaming minutes.
So what happened is, once they got the Netflix money, they had to drag out Season 2 (sound familiar, Squid Game fans?), which led to a drop in quality. The story they came up with to stretch the season just wasn’t very good.
As I watched Season 2, I felt a notable dip when they introduced Thomas Hayden Church as Shane’s rich dad, Phil. Things especially went downhill when Phil bought the tire company. The last few episodes really weren’t that funny and were in stark contrast to the first half of Season 2 and especially to the first season.
Since they got the Netflix money, they also brought in cameos from big-name stars—which I thought didn’t really fit with Tires being a “working-class” comedy. Part of the show’s charm is its low-budget feel (but not low quality). Cameos from Jon Lovitz and Vince Vaughn, while mildly entertaining, ultimately fell flat, in my opinion.
I also didn’t like Thomas Haden Church as Phil. He didn’t fit as Shane’s dad. Maybe the character is based on Gillis’ real father, but this is TV—we need believability. I can’t remember if they ever mentioned Shane’s dad being rich in Season 1, but either way, it doesn’t line up with Shane’s character.
I wasn’t a fan of Ron White’s appearance as NASCAR driver Ron Dobbins, either. It wasn’t funny, it just came off as depressing and kind of sad.
What else didn’t I like? Why did Gillis make his own character a total simp? Shane meets a girl at the shop who’s basically the female version of himself, a perfect match. But instead of playing it cool, he completely falls apart and starts simping over her, coming off like a stalker and a total weirdo.
WTF? It wasn’t funny, and it felt just like the Thomas Haden Church and Ron White characters: sad, awkward losers. I get it, that they’re supposed to be burnouts and such, but it was just too much and went on too long.
I also didn’t like how Season 2 ended with Shane giving Cal the car, a big hug, and telling him he loves him. Maybe there’s going to be no Season 3? That’s all I could think of how to explain it, and this was the goodbye.
Who did I like? Standouts in Tires Season 2 include Steve Gerben as Will, and of course, Stavros Halkias as Dave, who deserves his own spinoff series. I also thought Kilah Fox did a great job.
The Verdict
TIRES Season 2 is absolutely worth watching, especially in a time when you’re not “allowed” to joke about much of anything in this day and age. It’s raw, unfiltered, and still manages to feel original. Despite a weaker back half due to stretching the season for added viewing minutes, the first few episodes alone and most of the content make it worth the binge. Overall, it’s refreshing and rare. 9/10.
