Sumith Prasad
When John, the owner of Valley Forge Auto, decides to sell his auto repair empire in Netflix’s workplace comedy series ‘Tires,’ Marilyn’s Mufflers shows interest in buying the chain of stores. In the fifth episode, an executive from the company even shows up in Will’s store to evaluate the condition of the branch, only to see a group of women in bikinis washing the cars and flirting with the customers. The first season of the sitcom concludes with Will trying his best to convince his father not to sell their company to Marilyn’s Mufflers and destroy the lives of their employees. Even though the big, ruthless company that waits to acquire the local fish seems familiar, we may not find its exact counterpart in reality!
Marilyn’s Mufflers: Real or Fictional?
Marilyn’s Mufflers is a fictional automotive company created by Shane Gillis, Steve Gerben, and McKeever for ‘Tires.’ Although such a company doesn’t exist, the name sounds similar to Monro Muffler, which is presently known as “Monro.” Like Marilyn’s Mufflers, Monro is one of the biggest companies in the industry. The establishment recorded around $1.2 billion in revenue in 2019 as the second-largest automotive services company on the North American continent. However, the similarity between Marilyn’s Mufflers and Monro ends with their names. The former company was created as an archetypal Goliath who stands against Will.
Although ‘Tires’ shines the most with its situational comedy bits, the sitcom is also a “David and Goliath” tale in which Will has to fight the giant Marilyn’s Mufflers to prove his worth. When he realizes that the company can swallow his auto repair chain, along with the lives of his employees, he sets out to fight against the potential sale of his empire with only confidence in his hands. Throughout his life, Will has embarrassed his father with his unsuccessful ventures, ranging from his piano education to his ad space deal. When an executive from Marilyn’s Mufflers shows up at his Valley Forge branch and claims that she will fire everyone working at the place, Will presents himself as another David.
For this “David and Goliath” tale to work out, an antagonist is essential, which justifies the creation of Marilyn’s Mufflers. In the already greenlit second season of the workplace comedy, we can expect Will and his father, John, to team up to implement his plan to sell tires cheaply to upsell other spare parts to avoid the sale of their company. We can expect Will to raise enough money through his plan to scrap any potential deal between Valley Forge and Marilyn’s Mufflers. Even though the latter company is not based on any real firm, it represents the countless giants that follow smaller players in the industry, awaiting a potential chance to snatch them.
Read More: Are Shane Gillis and Steve Gerben Cousins in Real Life?
