The Disney+ Bingeworthy Sitcom That Everyone Can Relate To

By Robert Scucci | Published

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Superstore is one of those workplace comedies that isn’t talked about or celebrated like The Office or Parks and Recreation despite its near-universal critical acclaim. Across six seasons, Superstore is a relatable romp through a retail setting that any former or current big-box store employee can appreciate on a high level because it’s such an accurate depiction of the daily drudgery experienced on the sales floor. Featuring a strong ensemble cast, this sitcom is easy to binge because you’ll find yourself rooting for every single character instead of one central protagonist.

Cloud 9

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Superstore primarily takes place within the walls of the Cloud 9 Superstore, a fictional big-box retailer functioning as a Walmart surrogate. The series first introduces us to Jonah Simms (Ben Feldman), a college dropout who reluctantly applies for a sales associate position. Jonah is immediately attracted to another associate named Amy (America Ferrera), and their romance is explored throughout the series.

The Cast

Though one could argue that Jonah and Amy are the main characters in Superstore, equal screen time is shared with the rest of the cast, giving the series a considerable amount of depth.

Garret McNeil (Colton Dunn) never fails to deliver the laughs while making inappropriate announcements over the store intercom, and Dina Fox (Lauren Ash) is one of those assistant managers with a power trip that you simply love to hate because she’s clearly overstepping her authority. Even if you’ve only worked for a week at a retail job, you’ve probably ran into somebody like Dina. Her domineering presence keeps Superstore rooted in reality despite some of the more insane plot points the series explores, like finding a human skeleton hidden inside the walls after a tornado rips through the store.

A Grown Up In The Hall

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The main reason I decided to give Superstore a go when it premiered was because I saw that Mark McKinney (Kids in the Hall) had a prominent role as Cloud 9’s store manager, Glenn Sturgis. Glenn functions as a father-figure to his employees, and has fostered many children of his own throughout the series’ run. Though incompetent as a manager on a technical level, Glenn is a devout Christian who always does right by his employees, even though he’s blissfully unaware of Dina’s reign of tyranny.

Painfully Relatable

It’s not just the colorful central characters (of which there are plenty) that make Superstore such a great series, but the Cloud 9 customers themselves. The second-hand agony I feel when Cloud 9 changes their store brand from Halo to Super Cloud is palpable because each associate has to repeatedly explain to their customers that the products themselves are identical, but with different branding.

If you’ve ever experienced the rage that comes along with processing returns because the newly branded paper towels “aren’t as good as the old ones,” then you’ll find it easy to identify with the plight of every associate in Superstore. If you’ve never had the displeasure of working a retail job, the unruly customers that are accurately depicted in the series will at the very least make you a little more sympathetic.

Season 5 Isn’t A High Point

I found myself losing a little bit of interest in Superstore after season 5’s premiere, as it kicked of a 10-episode arc about unionizing that was just a little too heavy-handed at times. But I was willing to push through because the on-screen chemistry between each character continued to elevate as the series attempted explore new conflicts and resolutions. As serious as some of the story lines in Superstore get in the later seasons, the series maintains a laugh-per-minute ratio that will keep you coming back for more.

Superstore Is Worth A Visit

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GFR SCORE

If you need a break from the mockumentary style that The Office and Parks and Recreations have to offer, and want to check out a workplace comedy that leans into the tried-and-true sitcom formula, then Superstore should be the next series that you should binge from start to finish. Superstore is available for streaming in the Hulu Section of Disney+, which requires an active subscription to both services to view, as the feature is still currently in beta.