HIDDEN ON STREAMING: "Detroiters"

Riding on the wave of the 3rd season of “I Think You Should Leave”, creator Tim Robinson is having a moment of spotlight with its success on Netflix, and its quirky, unpredictable style has attracted a much larger audience to his particularly outlandish brand of comedy. However, little do people know that, before the success of his sketch show, Robinson made his mark on the 2-season sitcom "Detroiters" with fellow co-star Sam Richardson. “Detroiters” premiered on Comedy Central in 2017 and follows the lives of best friends Tim Cramblin (Robinson) and Sam Duvet (Richardson) in their jobs as co-workers at Tim’s family’s advertising agency in Detroit, Michigan. 

“Detroiters” is a hidden gem of a show that feels like an inside joke between close friends. Its style of comedy is wacky and absurd, quite unlike the usual sitcoms you would stumble upon on Netflix. The show goes to great lengths to create tension using awkward situations, with a punchline that will have you doubled over in laughter. For example, in Season 1 Episode 3, Sam gets mistaken for being a prostitute at a bar then begins to lean into the life of being a professional male escort. Just as his cover as a fake prostitute has been blown, it is revealed that Tim actually made a television ad for Sam’s prostitution services. Absurd storylines like these are what characterizes this nonsensical oddball of a show. If you need to get a better picture of the show’s tone, just know that it also features a 5-minute scene where Sam and Tim repeatedly hurl furniture at a crack in the dividing glass wall of their office in a race to be the first to shatter the glass. 

Another reason why "Detroiters" is a must-watch is Tim and Sam’s friendship. Tim and Sam are the best of friends both at work and at home – they literally live right next to each other! – and their relationship is incredibly wholesome. If you need any proof, just take a look at this scene where they help each other prepare a toiletries “suitcase” before they go take care of their business on the 3rd floor designated “poop bathroom”. 

Not only is the dialogue and writing part of the genius of “Detroiters”, so is the all-around production. The insane hijinks that Sam and Tim get up to are interspersed with scenic shots of Detroit, and the show expertly uses fantasy-like music to heighten moments of tension, making the joke gut-punching and hilarious. It’s chock full of characters that are caricatures of the eclectic people we meet in everyday life: Ned the security guard, who’s always ready with a weird advertising pitch; Tim’s layabout brother Trevor; and Sheila the elderly secretary of Cramblin Advertising that’s wildly indifferent to Sam and Tim’s frantic energy. Not to mention, the show is packed with guest stars (Jason Sudeikis! Chris Redd! Amber Ruffin! Keegan-Michael Key!), and even some familiar faces from “I Think You Should Leave” (like Connor O’Malley).  

Overall, “Detroiters” is the type of show you could throw on in between your busy schedule or binge all at once (there are only 2 seasons!). Each 22-minute episode is jam-packed with your daily dose of goofy, balanced with poignant emotional moments that are full of heart. You can find the show and stream it on Paramount+!