Diksha Sundriyal
HBO’s ‘The Chair Company’ follows the story of Ron Trosper, whose life turns upside down after he begins investigating a conspiracy involving a chair company called Tecca. It starts with an embarrassing incident at an important event in Ron’s company, Fisher Robay, and snowballs into something that derails Ron’s life as well as his mental state. The show spins an enigmatic tale where the audience doesn’t know what to expect from Ron next and what new thing he will unravel in the course of his investigation. And while Ron’s quest may seem like a useless obsession, there are times when the audience can relate to him on some level and wonder what would happen if they came across such things in real life. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Fictional Fisher Robay and Tecca Present a Contrasting View of Ron’s Life
‘The Chair Company’ comes from the mind of Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, and all the characters and companies mentioned in the show are entirely fictional, created solely to serve the plot. Fisher Robay, where Ron works, is a major location in the series. It presents the grounded side of Ron’s life, where he has a loving family and a job that can become his saving grace if he succeeds at it. On the other hand, there is Tecca, the chair company that he becomes obsessed with after one of the chairs breaks during a presentation, and Ron falls flat on his face. Tecca represents the chaotic and unhinged side of Ron, where he delves into conspiracies and whatnot, falling deeper down the rabbit hole that he may not be able to claw his way out of.
Both companies are brought to life on the soundstages at Broadway Stages on 203 Meserole Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. The stages were constructed to reflect Ron’s personality, his world, and the drastic changes that he goes through in a short span of time. His search for Tecca’s truth leads him to unexpected locations, most of which were filmed in the state of New York, with New York City being used as a major location. The cinematography gives a realistic touch to the story, grounding it in a way that makes it look like something a viewer could relate to on the basis of how normal it looks.
This relatability makes it easier for the audience to follow Ron on whatever misguided but intriguing quest he is embarking on. Thus, the two companies present a contrasting image where Fisher Robay works as an anchor, with the job and the people trying to hold Ron to the reality of his life and work. On the other hand, Tecca serves as a dive into the unknown, which eventually leads Ron to realize just how out of depth he is. It becomes a fantasy that he cannot pull himself out of, even if it consumes his mind and his life, which he’d barely kept together even before he embarked on this journey.
Read More: Smoke: Is Umberland Based on a Real Town? Is Trolley Town Based on a Real Neighborhood?
