As the first episode of Blockbuster begins, Timmy (Randall Park) talks to Jeff (Carl Tart) who hasn’t been in the Blockbuster store for several years. Jeff comes clean when he admits he has been using Netflix instead. Their algorithm keeps recommending The Great British Bake Off so that has been trigging him since Amanda left him for a chef from Manchester. Eliza (Melissa Fumero) interrupts to say yikes. Hannah (Madeleine Arthur) talks about how he must make a good living. When Eliza recommends focusing on what is important, Kayla (Kamaia Fairburn) asks what is important. The others recommend a movie for Jeff until Timmy comes back with Under the Tucson Sun. Timmy has been working there since the 7th grade so he believes it is a good match.

Donny (Michael Meneer) calls Timmy to warn him that seven more Blockbuster stores have closed so they’re the last one on Earth. Although Timmy is concerned, Donny thinks they’re going to be just fine. He goes on to say he is screwed because they’re liquidating corporate. Later, Timmy and Eliza go out for a drink to talk about it. They admit they’re going to have trouble because corporate paid half of their rent. Timmy blames the Internet. He confesses that the store is his whole life and he loves Blockbuster. He mentions the other stores in the area that have closed. Timmy misses the people. Eliza tells him that he is the last dinosaur so he should turn his bug into a feature. Inside the store, the other employees try to guess what they’re talking about. Kayla believes he is freaking out because they’re the last Blockbuster.

Eliza suggests throwing a block party so they can show that small businesses offer a human connection while the Internet cannot. Timmy hasn’t seen her this excited about anything since she started working here again. She tells him about her Aaron sleeping with another woman named Erin. Although he likes the idea of the block party, Carlos (Tyler Alvarez) thinks it is stupid. He doesn’t know how he is supposed to be the next Tarantino if he doesn’t work in a video store. Kayla doesn’t think that is the only thing holding him back though. Timmy gives them a pep talk and thinks they can encourage people to get off their butts and hang out with other humans. He tells them that they’ll be fighting against annihilation. He believes they can hold the greatest block party and sign up more members than the sex cult with the volleyball guy and Chloe from Smallville.

Carlos and Hannah begin doing some online marketing for the party. Connie is working with the stoners to find out which snacks to buy. They’re also setting up a shooting gallery, petting zoo, and other things. Eliza and Timmy go to the party store where Percy (JB Smoove) tells them that he wants to goose it up a bit. He starts by saying they should get a foam machine and a DJ. Timmy says they can get two DJs and have a DJ battle. Percy suggests getting a large car lot gorilla too. Eliza doesn’t like those ideas, but Timmy argues they have to make it count since he is maxing out all of his cards. She argues with Percy who explains he had to repeat middle school. Timmy lets it slip that Eliza’s husband is cheating on her so she gets mad, flips out, and leaves. Timmy follows her in hopes of smoothing things over. She can’t believe she told Percy about her and Aaron. Timmy thinks she should let it go because everyone in town knows her husband cheated on her.

The other workers come out just in time to learn about it. Later, Carlos tells Timmy that she might make him so mad because he has a thing for her. Percy agrees after remembering that he crushed hard on her that summer she worked with him during freshman year. He doesn’t think it is a good idea though. Carlos recommends telling her how he feels before it is too late. The block party would be a good time to do that. While making foam, Hannah tells Carlos that his TikTok was better than five of the Star Wars movies before admitting she hasn’t actually seen any of them. Carlos wants to be the person of color that teaches the pretty white woman she can have more out of life. Timmy interrupts to ask about Eliza before the DJs start. He begins worrying that their message is being obscured. He tells Percy how he wants to give a speech from the heart since he is the one looking after the people who work here now.

Percy shoots fireworks during the day and destroys the gorilla. Before long, the guests begin leaving. Eliza arrives later because she thought they could use a hand. Before he can tell her the truth, he is interrupted by Channel 12 anchor Remington Alexander (Simon Druker) who wants to ask him a few questions about the gorilla attack. When Tim goes on the air to talk about it, Eliza encourages her to give his speech. He talks about the purpose of the party before encouraging people to come down and sign up for a Blockbuster membership. Jeff arrives and admits the movie made him feel so much better about giving dumped. He puts in a good word for Tim and Blockbuster too. Remington asks for a tour of the last Blockbuster. Carlos is happy that his video got the store some publicity. Hannah is surprised Kayla posted it. In private, Eliza congratulates Timmy who says they managed to get 87 new memberships.

He thinks they’ll need her Harvard brain if they’re going to have any chance of surviving. Timmy apologizes for what he said yesterday. He agrees he needs to stop living in the past. Eliza knows divorce is traumatizing. Aaron arrives to pick up Eliza so they can have a drink. Eliza tells Tim that he helped her see things from her daughter’s perspective. She is giving Aaron another chance for her.

 

Blockbuster TV Show Review

Netflix’s new Blockbuster TV show follows Timmy who is a manager at the last Blockbuster store. The first episode quickly introduced the main characters including Timmy, Kayla, Carlos, Hannah, Eliza, and Percy. Each character has a story with Carlos wanting to become the next Quentin Tarantino. Timmy has a crush on Eliza, but he might’ve driven her back to her cheating husband Aaron.

After learning that seven other stores have closed and Timmy is managing the last Blockbuster, he and Eliza decided to throw a block party to get new members. While it wasn’t successful, the subsequent television interview was and it helped Tim secure 87 new Blockbuster members. The story is simple without a lot of laugh-out-loud moments during the first episode although some of the jokes are quirky.

The Blockbuster Netflix show is entering a crowded genre making it difficult for the series to stand out among the crowd. While certain aspects were stellar, the most important elements of the series didn’t inspire much confidence. The characters and relationships were mostly generic since they were on par with similar shows. The first episode was a bit too fast making it difficult for the jokes to hit the right notes.

Unfortunately, viewers are likely yearning for the nostalgic experience of returning to a Blockbuster store, but the show won’t fulfill that wish. The laughs were minimal and none of the characters stood out. Hopefully, the series will improve with future episodes though. The first episode scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of Blockbuster can be found on Reel Mockery here. Want to support an independent entertainment website? Learn how to do so here.

 

Blockbuster Netflix Cast

Netflix’s Blockbuster features a strong cast with notable names such as Randall Park, Melissa Fumero, and Madeleine Arthur. Park is best known for portraying Louis Huang on the hit television show Fresh Off the Boat. More recently, he appeared in Wanda Vision, Human Resources, and Young Rock. New Jersey native Melissa Fumero was in 207 episodes of One Life to Live. She is no stranger to comedy since she had a long-term role in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Madeleine Arthur is a Canadian actress who recently shocked fans in Netflix’s Devil in Ohio.

• Timmy – Randall Park
• Connie – Olga Merediz
• Carlos – Tyler Alvarez
• Percy – JB Smoove
• Kayla – Kamaia Fairburn
• Jeff – Carl Tart
• Rene – Keegan Connor Tracy
• Aaron – Leonard Robinson
• Patrice – Miriam Smith
• Carol – Beverly Elliott
• Donny – Michael Meneer
• Remington Alexander – Simon Druker
• Hannah – Madeleine Arthur
• Eliza – Melissa Fumero