Three years ago, Jury Duty took audiences on a wild journey, watching a courtroom trial play out that was entirely actors playing all of the parts, save for one. After that show’s tremendous popularity, it would seem impossible for the trick to work again on an unsuspecting individual who has no idea that they’re the only one who’s real in an otherwise completely manufactured scenario. But there’s just enough tweaked in Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat to show that the creative minds have indeed done it again, inviting viewers on a length journey of deception just for the sake of seeing how this social experiment can work.
It’s time for the annual company retreat of Rockin’ Grandma’s Hot Sauce, which, of course, is not a real company. But to the new temp, Anthony, it’s a company he needs to learn everything about, and quick, as the CEO is set to retire and his screwup son is going to take over for him, while the head of HR is really someone who shouldn’t be dealing with anyone else’s problems given that he has plenty of his own. And then there’s the actual place they’re having the retreat, which isn’t totally equipped for the orchestrated antics this group has in store.
The believability and effectiveness of this show depends almost entirely on the charisma of the non-actor who’s not in on the joke. Anthony is considerably more enthusiastic and energetic than Ronald from the show’s first season, which means he’s much more likely to go along with whatever anyone suggests and to participate eagerly in projects and tasks that seem superfluous, like assigning himself the role of “Captain Fun” when his HR boss goes missing and he’s left to keep spirits up. Anthony is the best possible participant they could have found (and they surely searched far and wide) since he’s the definition of a team player even if he doesn’t know what the team is or what sport he’s playing.
It’s best to know as little as possible about the other people involved and what their story arcs contain since much of the fun of this show is watching, along with Anthony, what happens when these people respond in absurd ways to already exaggerated situations. Some of what’s been put together does feel extreme and over-the-top, but the fact that the cast gets through it all without breaking is what’s truly impressive. Anthony responds to each moment in an invigorating and worthwhile way, and so that makes each of the show’s big swings feel worth it since they elicit the reaction they’re supposed to, and far beyond in some cases.
The longevity of a show like this will depend on how much this secret can be kept, but perhaps that’s more about the fact that people are often quite willing to participate in a documentary about what they’re doing since they enjoy talking about their lives and what’s happening in them. In some ways, this season doesn’t feel as fresh or surprising as the first, but it’s also a completely different setting. As the finale, which focuses more on how this was all orchestrated than Anthony’s reaction, reveals, the script is flipped here because instead of everyone playing strangers, they’re all playing coworkers who have known each other for years and therefore have to develop an extensive common backstory.
Like the first season, this show’s second season will appeal to those who enjoy people watching, attempting to comprehend how and why Anthony will respond to everything that happens around him. There’s ample comedy to be found from the scripts that direct what everyone else is supposed to do, but nothing beats getting to watch Anthony take it all in and become part of this manufactured community. For a gimmick that didn’t seem like it could be repeated, Company Retreat certainly proves otherwise, emphasizing that location and content isn’t quite as important as the people within a space at a given time.
Series grade: 7/10
