The Chair: is Sandra Oh's new Netflix show worth the watch?

Publish date: 2020-06-16

Netflix's latest offering comes in the form of The Chair. The comedy-drama, which boasts Sandra Oh as its leading star, has generated lots of talk and received high praise from critics.

So is it worth the watch? Here's all you need to know about the new series and what fans had to say…

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What is The Chair about?

The Chair tells the story of Dr Ji-Yoon Kim (Sandra Oh), academic who lands a new job as Chair of the English department as the prestigious Pembroke University. While navigating her new workplace and role, Ji-Yoon is faced with a number of unique challenges as first woman chair of the department, and one of the few staff members of colour.

WATCH: The Chair on Netflix - see if the official trailer

The six-part series also tackles a number of key issues in its 30 minute episodes. "The Chair is really about the present moment," says Sandra herself in Inside Netflix's The Chair, teaser clip on YouTube, "With all the things that I think everyone is going through, and everyone is more conscious about. Patriarchy, sexism, ageism, what it is to be a single mum, stuck between two cultures, and it's all a comment."

Who stars in The Chair?

Sandra Oh leads the cast and many have hailed the actress for stealing the show – but the rest of the cast are pretty impressive, too. Holland Taylor plays Professor Joan Hambling, a straight talking academic in the English department who becomes Ji-Yoon's ally.

Other starring is Nana Mensah as Yasmin McKay, also a professor who, along with Ji-Yoon, is keen to bring change to the university's "dinosaur" ways. Meanwhile, Jay Duplass, Bob Balaban, Mallory Low and David Morse and many more make up the rest of the cast.

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Sandra Oh and Nana Mensah in The Chair

What have fans said about The Chair?

Reviews in the press such as The Atlantic have hailed The Chair as one of Netflix's best dramas "in years", while the Guardian gave the show four stars. But what about the fans? Many have been taking to social media to give their verdict and, overall, the response is pretty positive. 

Holland Taylor also appears in the show

The praise, and perhaps rightly so, mostly falls to Sandra Oh, who has built up a loyal fan following throughout her career, in part due to her long-running stint as Christina on Grey's Anatomy. One person summed it up on Twitter: "Sandra Oh's acting prowess is everything. #TheChair."

Another said: "Much like Bill, I am very much enamoured by Sandra Oh in #TheChair." A third added: "OMG the Chair with Sandra Oh is perfection! #TheChair." 

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