The Chair Company Recap: Spot the Difference

by

Ron and Mike’s investigation into the Tecca conspiracy feels like a constant struggle – they make a little progress, but then face even more setbacks. It’s hard to say how complicated this whole situation is as the show, The Chair Company, moves towards its conclusion, but it’s definitely been entertaining to watch unfold.

This episode features very little of Fisher Robay. We only see Ron briefly checking on the mall’s construction and one scene taking place at the office. Douglas returns to work in a wheelchair – he’ll need it for two to eight months, depending on how he feels. He seems to enjoy using his temporary disability to micromanage his coworkers, focusing on ADA compliance and office safety. It’s unclear whether to believe his emotional story about surviving on frozen food, especially since he uses it as an excuse for the behavior that previously upset everyone.

Ron isn’t really focused on Douglas right now. He’s much more worried about a serious conversation Brenda wants to have with him. He’s available now, and clearly anxious about it, but Brenda prefers to wait until Jeff is present. (Honestly, this kind of delay drives me crazy!) We’ll just have to be patient with Ron and find out what this meeting is about.

This episode mainly follows up on a lead from Steven Droyco regarding Ken Tucker. Surprisingly, Droyco didn’t find the actual man, but saw someone who looked like him working as a model – specifically, playing Humpty Dumpty in a game at a bar. This confirms suspicions that Red Ball Global Media is a fake company, using models with fabricated backgrounds on their website. The meeting with Droyco also explains a strange event from earlier: he was the person who screamed when Ron was at the abandoned Tecca building. Apparently, Droyco injured his hand while attempting a bizarre act of revenge – trying to steal his boss’s waste from the building’s pipes and leave it on his desk. He was seeking justice after being told he had to work naked, despite the fact that this wasn’t true for everyone at the company.

Droyco’s stories could be the clearest evidence of Tecca’s wrongdoing, but they’re so bizarre it’s hard to know how much to believe. Even Ron is doubtful. Droyco’s claims often seem made up and don’t make sense, like when he said someone was secretly in charge. Luckily, Mike’s intense interest in the attractive female characters in the game helps him identify the actor who played Humpty Dumpty and Ken Tucker – Oliver Probblo. He even tracks the actor down in a run-down town near Dayton, a place Mike apparently used to live.

The night quickly descends into a series of disturbing experiences, both physically and emotionally. It begins when Ron and Mike go to meet Oliver at a bar after one of his performances. Oliver is known for playing Scrooge in a yearly production of A Christmas Carol, but he also likes to practice his craft by performing in unusual venues, such as jails.

As strange as you might imagine, the man is proving to be quite eccentric – apparently, his acting coach has moved into his bedroom and refuses to leave. Oliver gives Ron just enough clues to continue his wild goose chase, claiming the Red Ball Global photos were taken during a class on being the life of the party. He also mentions “Maggie S.” – the person who took the photos and gave everyone their roles – and offers to find her full name in his emails. However, a series of unrelated mishaps prevent him from doing so.

The night quickly spirals out of control after a couple of awkward encounters. First, Ron tries to politely warn a man, Dale, that his sleeve is dipping into his soup, which unexpectedly enrages him – likely because he’s heavily intoxicated. Shortly after, Oliver buys drugs using money that belongs to Scrooge, and the dealer realizes this. These incidents escalate rapidly: Dale shoves his elbow into the soup, then aggressively confronts Ron. This pushes Ron to retaliate with a light tap to Dale’s head. Oliver then accidentally splashes his girlfriend with a drink, and the three men are forced to run from the bar, pursued by angry patrons.

This whole mess has nothing to do with Tecca, hidden companies, or drugs. It’s just a bizarre and ridiculous situation Ron finds himself in because he keeps associating with untrustworthy people while chasing after something that may not even be real. The trouble follows them to Oliver’s apartment, where they’re attacked and things quickly escalate. Oliver manages to take out one attacker by cleverly causing him to fall, and then uses the opportunity to kick him out. A helpful neighbor tries to break up the fight. The drug dealer then steals Oliver’s iPad, stopping their search for information about Maggie S. (Even though he could probably just check his email another way.) Trying to catch the thief only lands Ron in more trouble: he walks in on the building superintendent cheating and is forced to kiss the other woman on camera as blackmail. To make matters worse, the drug dealer then knocks him unconscious.

This week’s episode presents the most intense challenge Ron has faced on the show so far, and it’s surprising he believes he can hide it from his family. While Barb, Seth, and Natalie don’t have a lot of screen time, the episode sets up storylines for future weeks. We see Seth considering talking to Tara about sharing difficult news with his parents, and Natalie remains worried about her dad. She tries to reach him during a particularly bad night, but he avoids giving her any information, even asking Mike to move his phone so Natalie won’t realize he’s in the hospital. This lack of openness is concerning given his usual honesty with her.

The episode title, “I Won. Zoom In,” comes from text messages sent by Mike, and it really starts to show who he is as a person. It’s interesting that Ron calls Mike his brother while in the hospital – Mike is becoming the only person Ron feels he can trust, even if Ron won’t eat the old pepper chicken Mike offers. Mike also seems to want a close, brotherly bond with Ron, possibly because he doesn’t have many people to confide in. While completely wrong and silly, Mike grabbing the steering wheel shows he’s craving fun and connection, something he doesn’t share with his distant daughter, Lynette.

On the drive home from the hospital, Mike surprises Ron by saying he doesn’t want any more payment for his work. He explains he wants to be a genuinely good person, and doesn’t want to end up like Scrooge, regretting a life filled with unhappiness and meanness. Later that night, they share thankful texts, both safely at home but unsure what comes next. However, the show doesn’t end on a completely sweet note. True to Mike’s complicated character, the adaptation of A Christmas Carol he’s watching turns out to be a pornographic film, culminating in a shocking and unexpected image: the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come performing a sexual act on Scrooge. It’s a bizarre and unexpected twist, and the show seems to say, “Why not?”

Company Secrets

• “Thank you so much for showing me Frankenweenie. It meant a lot.”

The Trospers returned home, but the pest control worker mentioned he’d found a couple of unusual bugs. He jokingly suggested naming a new species after himself if one was discovered.

• Love that bit of the score that plays on the drive to meet Oliver.

Mike had a funny idea: getting huge meatballs made with what he called “gray beef” while we’re here. It reminded me of the show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – honestly, Mike would really thrive in that chaotic world.

• “I hate those Nazis. I’ll say it.”

• “How about I take a little selfie?” “Don’t you dare take a selfie of me.”

It’s understandable Oliver forgot his ID at the busy bar, but him putting a copper cup in his pocket instead is really funny.

Read More

2025-11-10 06:56