In 1985, David P. Cook began what would become a multi-billion dollar corporation. He opened up his first movie rental store in Dallas, and named it “Blockbuster.” It quickly turned into a chain store that spread like wildfire across the nation. At this time, the easiest way to watch a movie was to rent a DVD, so business was booming. Blockbuster grew with a high demand for at-home entertainment.

Fast-forward a few years, and along came technology advances, and in turn, streaming services, which appeared in the ‘90s.

Websites such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO opened, and people began to purchase subscriptions to services with countless movies and television shows for a cheaper price. Blockbuster and other DVD rental stores took a turn for the worst, and many closed their doors.

The new TV show “Blockbuster,” ironically streamed through Netflix, shines a light onto a once fruitful business that is on its last legs.

Produced by Vanessa Ramos, the story of the “last Blockbuster store” comes to life through witty characters and chaotic everyday events that occur in the workplace. The manager, Timmy Yoon (played by actor Randall Park), is given the duty of leading Blockbuster when the corporate office is shut down. His Blockbuster store, which he began working at during his childhood, is the only one left in the world, so he becomes a “small business owner.”

His best friend, Perry, owns the strip mall where his Blockbuster is located. Perry and Timmy met as kids and since then, they became inseparable. However, will debacles surrounding Percy becoming Timmy’s retail landlord drive a stake in their relationship?

When Eliza, an employee played by Melissa Fumero, finds out her husband cheated on her with someone much younger than her, she suffers a sort of mid-life crisis, which arguably destroys her relationship with her daughter. She takes time away from Aaron (her husband). Timmy has always liked Eliza, but he has always been too nervous to ask her out. Will he ask her out or will she get back together with her cheating husband?

Though my descriptions seem dramatic, this show is one of the funniest I’ve watched. I’m usually not a laugher when it comes to television, but I was definitely laughing a lot at this show. Similar to Superstore, an NBC show about the floor workers in a big box store that are underpaid and overworked (which, fun fact, is produced by the same person), many episodes include odd characters who do not fit into the plot of the episode but are strategically placed as comedic relief or to bolster the comedic qualities of the scene. This creates a more chaotic and fun show that is appealing to many people.

I really like this show because it made me laugh. I watched it pretty quickly, probably because there are only ten 20-minute episodes. All of the characters are hilarious and, in my opinion, the actors were perfectly cast.

Official rating: 9.2/10