Superstoreaired for the first time 10 years ago, but I’m still surprised the sitcom wasn’t bigger, especially considering the show’s 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Many ofthe best sitcoms of all timewere underappreciated when they were originally on the air, but, thankfully, these titles typically later found a larger and better audience base years after they ended.
WhileSuperstoredeveloped more of a following on streaming services after it wrapped up in 2021, it was strange that the show didn’t have a more significant viewership before that. From Cloud 9’s ridiculous customers toAmy and Jonah’s relationship inSuperstore, I’m shocked the hilarious sitcom wasn’t bigger.
Superstore Got 6 Seasons & Praise, But It Was Never As Big As Other Workplace Sitcoms
Despite The High RT Rating, Superstore Was Never Held In The Same Regard As The Office Or Parks And Recreation
Across its 6-season run,Superstoredelivered some hilarious episodes where we followedCloud 9’s shenanigans.Like many great sitcoms, the show needed some time to find its feet at first, but it eventually got there.
Season 1 wasn’t as strong as the rest of the show, but it was still brilliant in its own way.Despite the show’s stellar ratings and repeated praise, it was never as big as other workplace sitcoms likeThe Office,for example. However, watching thecharacters grow and develop over time was still a delight.
68%
100%
Season 6
95%
Superstore’s character development was massively underrated,and it took several sitcom archetypes and breathed new life into them. For example, thewill-they-won’t-they romancebetween Amy and Jonah wasn’t dragged out for too long, something sitcom audiences often complain about in other titles.
Glenn genuinely cared about his employees and supported them in any situation, regardless of how it would impact him.
Manager Glenn Sturgis was also a unique and different type of character for a sitcom likeSuperstore. As the boss for a large chunk of the show,Glenn wasn’t your usual retail manager.Glenn genuinely cared about his employees and supported them in any situation, regardless of how it would impact him.
Glenn was also a dedicated father to his many foster children, and, after the birth of his daughter, Rose, he gave up his managerial role to spend more time with her.There are many iconic sitcom bosses,but Glenn is one who didn’t get enough attention.
Dina was another character who broke out of her archetype. She was originally very annoying and a stickler for the rules, very much likeThe Office’s Dwight Schrute. However, just as Dwight did,Dina later became a more endearing character who was worth rooting for,and her relationship storyline with Garrett ended up being one of the best throughout the show.
Superstore Deserved To Be As Huge As The Office & Parks And Rec
Considering there has been more than one internationalremake ofSuperstore, it’s weird it didn’t get the appreciation it deserved when it was airing. Realistically,Superstorehad just as much going for it as other workplace sitcoms likeThe OfficeandParks and Recreationdid.Superstoreintroduced ordinary characters in an everyday setting, followed their day-to-day, and highlighted their respective quirks and oddities.
The show took the boring and stressful realities of working in retail and made them entertaining, even if the characters themselves didn’t feel the same way.There was also incredible representation in the cast from the very beginning,too. What was particularly odd aboutSuperstore’s legacy, though, was that the retail setting was relatively fresh in the world of sitcoms.
While there had been various other workplace sitcoms beforeSuperstore, no other title nailed the context of retail in the same way.Superstorewas both realistic and unrealistic,but this made it even more hilarious, as the moments you’d never expect to happen in real life had actually occurred somewhere.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, another popular workplace sitcom, was praised for how it tackled difficult subject matter and the messages it gave audiences. However,Superstoredidn’t get this kind of celebration, at least not to the same standards.Mateo being taken by ICE, the way Cloud 9 handled both Amy and Cheyenne’s maternity leave, and the closing down of the store were all incredible subplots.
Why The NBC Series Never Blew Up The Way Other Workplace Comedies Did
Superstore Really Should’ve Been Bigger When It Was Airing
It’s hard to say exactly whySuperstoredidn’t garner the same popularity as other workplace comedies had over the years. It’s possible thatSt. Denis MedicalandSuperstorecreatorsEric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer were lesser-known creators at the time, andSuperstoreslipped under the radar.
Of course,there weren’t as many notable names inSuperstoreas there were inThe OfficeorParks and Recreation.These titles had established stars like Steve Carell and Amy Poehler, and whileSuperstore’s cast did have America Ferrera, the others weren’t as prominent until after the show ended. For example, Nico Santos didn’t star inCrazy Rich Asiansuntil halfway throughSuperstore.
Superstore’s sense of humor was quite dark at times,as well. For example, on one Halloween, a dead body was found inside the wall of Cloud 9. Carol’s rivalry with Sandra was rather messed up, too. Carol’s obsession with getting Jerry back and her threatening to kill on Sandra’s wedding day was wild, albeit a ridiculously funny subplot inSuperstore.
Superstore’s finalealone should’ve been enough to draw attention to the show, even if the arrival of new viewers was at the very last moment.Superstore’s ending saw the Cloud 9 employees succumb to the fallout of COVID,with the store being shut down and leaving a majority of the characters out of work, which was incredibly relevant in the real world at the time.
While it differed from the likes ofThe Officein a lot of ways, especially its pacing and structure,Superstoreticked many boxes for a sitcom.
Thankfully,Superstorehas gained a bigger following in recent years thanks to streaming services.Since the show ended in 2021, a lot of new fans have discoveredSuperstore, and many have called for areboot of the underrated sitcom.
There was plenty of chaos inSuperstore, but that was what worked so well about the show. While it differed from the likes ofThe Officein a lot of ways, especially its pacing and structure,Superstoreticked many boxes for a sitcom.
