Based on Tracy Letts’s play of the same name, “Superior Donuts” is a popular American sitcom. Show creators Neil Goldman, Garrett Donovan, and Bob Daily are responsible for adapting the material for the small screen. The show follows Arthur, the owner of a classic doughnut store in a diverse area of Chicago, his employee Franco, and their loyal customers and friends.
The pilot episode of “Superior Donuts” debuted on CBS on February 2, 2017. Naturally, the show aims to serve as a commentary on the society of that time, as do many sitcoms. However, critics have not been kind to the show’s humor, saying things like, “While Superior Donuts’ talented cast impressively delivers, the annoying laugh track and stale jokes leave a hole in the middle of a crusty, albeit topical, narrative.”
Superior Donuts Season 3 Release Date
The critical reception of Superior Donuts was as positive as the crowd response. It was likely that the show will be renewed for a third season. Unfortunately, the most recent information is that CBS will not be airing season 3 of this comedy.
Producers and networks sometimes opt to continue with fresh seasons of shows that have received positive reviews. That’s why the producers of Superior Donuts’ third season’s cancellation comes as such a surprise. On the plus side, each member of the Superior Donuts cast is busy with their own endeavors. This ensures that viewers can continue to see their favorite performers.
Superior Donuts Storyline
The story of “Superior Donuts” revolves around the boss-employee dynamic at a doughnut store. The tale opens with store owner Arthur Przybyszewski employing a new worker named Franco Wicks. When Franco was a kid, he and his dad used to get a box of doughnuts from Superior Doughnuts every week. Franco is attempting for bettering and modernize the doughnut store in the hopes of turning a profit. But Arthur is hesitant, and Franco’s efforts sometimes irritate him. Randy (Katey Sagal), a devoted Franco supporter, and her inquisitive business partners, James (Darien Sills-Evans) and Tush (David Koechner), make the store their headquarters in the same season.
Sweatpants (Rell Battle), Franco’s childhood pal who likes to dress up like a doughnut, and Maya (Anna Baryshnikov), a scholar at a top grade school working on her Ph.D., try to assist Franco obtain more business. Arthur’s caffeinated next-door neighbor Fawz (Maz Jobrani) has recently entered the real estate industry. He successfully convinces Arthur to sell him the building. Sofia (Diane Guerrero), a food truck entrepreneur who first appears in Season 2, quickly becomes Franco’s friend. The entire tale is remarkable in its simplicity.
Superior Donuts Cast
- Judd Hirsch as Arthur Przybyszewski, the 75-year-old owner of the donut shop which he founded in 1969, with his now-deceased wife.
- Jermaine Fowler as Franco Wicks, the 28-year-old aspiring artist and Arthur’s new and energetic but naive employee, who sees him as a mentor and friend and vows to help Arthur with his struggling donut shop.
- David Koechner as Carl ‘Tush’ Tushinski, a laid-off factory worker who now works odd jobs to make a living and uses Arthur’s donut shop as his ‘office’.
- Rell Battle as Sweatpants, Franco’s roommate and friend who helps Arthur drum up business.
- Anna Baryshnikov as Maya, a college graduate student from an upper-class family who is frequently doing school work in the shop.
- Darien Sills-Evans as Officer James Jordan, Randy’s geeky younger partner.
- Diane Guerrero as Sofia , a young Colombian-American gentrifier who parks her food truck that serves healthy, socially conscious breakfast foods in front of the donut shop.
- Eric Edelstein as Officer Deckerd
- David Pasquesi as Lou
- Nelson Lee as Officer Li
- Kevin Dorff as Phil
- Luke Youngblood as Malcolm
- Jim O’Heir as Gary
- Brenda Vaccaro as Ellen
- Ozioma Akagha as Nadine
- Michael McDonald as Manfred
- Cedric the Entertainer as Reggie Wicks
- Suzanne Cryer as Eliza
- Jailen Bates as Andre
- Annie Mumolo as Lucy
- Richard Riehle as Murray
- Gary Anthony Williams as Howard
- Debra Wilson as Lyric
- Jim Rash as Mr. Mathers
- Keith David as Homeless John
- Reggie De Leon as Zane
- Shamikah Martinez as Tavi
- Karl Collins as Professor Mills
- Bill Cobbs as Luther ‘Wheels’ Langdon
- Fahim Anwar as Abdullah ‘Abe’ Farooq Al-Shahrani
- Ann Magnuson as Irene
- Matt Besser as Detective Whitley
- Clayton Thomas as Marcus
- Addison Russell as himself
- Jerry Minor as Officer Jackson
- Erik Rivera as Rafael
- Rob Nagle as Agent Kozek
- Christopher McDonald as Ted
Superior Donuts Season 3 Trailer
Below is the season 2 trailer for “Superior Donuts.” You should watch the series if you want to see Chicago evolve while also enjoying some laughs and insightful social commentary.
Superior Donuts Review
This show contains everything necessary to make for a great viewing experience. However, it is unclear why Franco bothers to assist Arthur, who complains seldom and is not in need of financial assistance. Franco is responsible for helping Arthur generate sales and keeping the store safe from criminals.
This allows the show to deftly introduce Chicago’s problems and the fact that even in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood, it is still possible to find seedy characters. While the disparity in wealth, culture, and outlook may make for an interesting program, the one-sided perspective of Arthur fighting the world and refusing assistance dulls the show’s plot and its humor. There is a message about improvements and their consequences buried deep inside this series, but no one, not even the characters, seems to get it.