Blockbuster s1
Director: Created and show-run by Vanessa Ramos; episodes directed by Payman Benz, Katie Locke O’Brien, and Jackie Clarke
Cast: Randall Park as Timmy Yoon, the manager/owner of the last Blockbuster store (dreamer and film lover) IMDb +15 Wikipedia +15 IMDb +15 Melissa Fumero as Eliza Walker, ex‑Harvard student, single mom and longtime crush of Timmy EW.com +15 Wikipedia +15 EW.com +15 Olga Merediz as Connie Serrano, seasoned long‑time employee EW.com +11 Wikipedia +11 Vanity Fair +11 Tyler Alvarez as Carlos Herrera, entry‑level staffer aspiring to be a filmmaker EW.com +9 Wikipedia +9 EW.com +9 Madeleine Arthur as Hannah Hadman, young employee and friend of Carlos EW.com +7 Wikipedia +7 Wikipedia +7 J. B. Smoove as Percy Scott, Timmy’s best friend and landlord of the strip mall EW.com +7 Wikipedia +7 Vanity Fair +7 Kamaia Fairburn as Kayla Scott, Percy’s daughter and store worker (recurring)
Blockbuster Season 1 is a workplace comedy created by Vanessa Ramos (of Superstore and Brooklyn Nine‑Nine). The series follows Timmy Yoon (Randall Park), the optimistic manager of the last Blockbuster Video store in fictional Grandville, Michigan. Set against the backdrop of the dying rental-store era, its 10 episodes—each about 26–28 minutes long—chronicled Timmy’s efforts to rally his mismatched staff, boost memberships, and keep the beloved store alive in the age of streaming. Despite the brand’s irony—Netflix itself once contributing to Blockbuster’s decline—the show leaned into themes of nostalgia, community, and human connection IMDb+5Wikipedia+5Netflix+5.
Eliza Walker (Melissa Fumero), Timmy’s longtime crush, returns to Blockbuster after dropping out of Harvard to raise her daughter. The dynamic between them adds a romantic undercurrent to the workplace humor. Other staff include Connie (Olga Merediz), the wise veteran; Carlos (Tyler Alvarez), a hopeful filmmaker; and Hannah (Madeleine Arthur), the younger staffer. Timmy’s friend Percy (J. B. Smoove), who owns the strip‑mall where the store sits, also becomes a spotlighted character as both adviser and landlord WikipediaNetflix.
While some viewers appreciated the cast’s chemistry and lighthearted moments—described as “reasonably entertaining” by IMDb reviewers—others criticized the show for uneven humor and pacing, especially early in the season IMDbreddit.com. A Vanity Fair review argued that rather than offering comedy, the show often felt like a bleak allegory for economic struggle, missing the nostalgic sweetness of bygone days Vanity Fair.
The season concludes with a dramatic storm-induced riot destroying much of the store, Eliza nearly confessing her feelings to Timmy, and other characters facing personal crossroads. Though series creator Vanessa Ramos had teased potential arcs for a second season—including deeper exploration of Connie’s background—the show was officially canceled by Netflix in December 2022 after just one season EW.com+1EW.com+1.
Despite its cancellation, Blockbuster remains a unique attempt to explore working-class friendships and analog media in a digital age with heart and modest humor.
Blockbuster Season 1 is a workplace comedy created by Vanessa Ramos (of Superstore and Brooklyn Nine‑Nine). The series follows Timmy Yoon (Randall Park), the optimistic manager of the last Blockbuster Video store in fictional Grandville, Michigan. Set against the backdrop of the dying rental-store era, its 10 episodes—each about 26–28 minutes long—chronicled Timmy’s efforts to rally his mismatched staff, boost memberships, and keep the beloved store alive in the age of streaming. Despite the brand’s irony—Netflix itself once contributing to Blockbuster’s decline—the show leaned into themes of nostalgia, community, and human connection IMDb+5Wikipedia+5Netflix+5.
Eliza Walker (Melissa Fumero), Timmy’s longtime crush, returns to Blockbuster after dropping out of Harvard to raise her daughter. The dynamic between them adds a romantic undercurrent to the workplace humor. Other staff include Connie (Olga Merediz), the wise veteran; Carlos (Tyler Alvarez), a hopeful filmmaker; and Hannah (Madeleine Arthur), the younger staffer. Timmy’s friend Percy (J. B. Smoove), who owns the strip‑mall where the store sits, also becomes a spotlighted character as both adviser and landlord WikipediaNetflix.
While some viewers appreciated the cast’s chemistry and lighthearted moments—described as “reasonably entertaining” by IMDb reviewers—others criticized the show for uneven humor and pacing, especially early in the season IMDbreddit.com. A Vanity Fair review argued that rather than offering comedy, the show often felt like a bleak allegory for economic struggle, missing the nostalgic sweetness of bygone days Vanity Fair.
The season concludes with a dramatic storm-induced riot destroying much of the store, Eliza nearly confessing her feelings to Timmy, and other characters facing personal crossroads. Though series creator Vanessa Ramos had teased potential arcs for a second season—including deeper exploration of Connie’s background—the show was officially canceled by Netflix in December 2022 after just one season EW.com+1EW.com+1.
Despite its cancellation, Blockbuster remains a unique attempt to explore working-class friendships and analog media in a digital age with heart and modest humor.