Is Thomas Haden Church Leaving Tires? Where Does Phil Jacobs Go?

Co-created by Steve Gerben, Shane Gillis, and John McKeever, Netflix’s ‘Tires‘ starts out as a slightly unusual workplace comedy, but over the course of three seasons, it evolves into a bigger saga about human relationships. At the heart of this transition are the characters’ internal conflicts, particularly how they affect their relationships with the people closest to them. For Shane and his father, Phil, this becomes a challenge of overcoming years’ worth of distance, and while season 3 makes a lot of progress on that front, the penultimate episode reveals Phil’s decision to leave West Chester and travel the world with his partner, Bonnie. Surprisingly, the task of leading Valley Forge Auto now falls on Shane and Will’s shoulders, leaving many to question when, if at all, Phil will come back. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Thomas Haden Church Might Have Limited Future Appearances in Tires

With Phil stepping away from the automobile business and going far away on a world trip, it is possible that we might be seeing less of actor Thomas Haden Church going forward. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Church is leaving the show for good, as his character still promises to call Shane every now and then. This, in itself, likely suggests that Church will transition into more of a guest role, appearing on screen during phone calls, or perhaps in the final stretch of the potential next season. Phil has already been established as a major pillar of the narrative, embodying the generational divide that separates fathers and sons. Taking him out of the show might chip away at the show’s biggest thematic strengths, and it’s quite unlikely that the story will move on without him.

While neither Church nor the team behind ‘Tires’ has commented on whether the actor will return for a sequel, the very fact that a sabbatical plotline has been added creates an in-universe explanation for why an actor might not reappear for some time. It is not unusual for TV shows to use this storytelling method, as it also leaves the door open for the actors to reprise their roles at any time. In Church’s case, it is possible that he might be busy with his other creative projects, such as ‘Lucy Boomer’ and ‘Deception Road,’ and wants to avoid a scheduling conflict. Given how much love he has for ‘Tires,’ it is unlikely that Church is bidding the show goodbye anytime soon.

Phil Sets Sail With Bonnie, Bidding a Temporary Goodbye to Valley Forge Auto

Phil’s reasons for taking a break from work are two-fold: the first being his desire to travel the world with Bonnie, and the second being his newfound trust in Shane and Will as leaders in the making. Fittingly, he leaves all the chain stores in their hands, simultaneously making this the ultimate test for the two of them, and a way for him to step back and decompress. While Phil has been a workaholic for most of his life, it is only after his relationship with Bonnie that he taps into his spiritual side. Even when he absolutely does not believe in Bonnie’s spiritual practices, they nonetheless have a psychotherapeutic effect, making him realize that the real joys of life are not necessarily in spending his time building an auto shop empire, but in taking in the little details.

With a sabbatical on the way, Phil has a chance to do some soul-searching and sync up his lifestyle with that of Bonnie’s. While she only appears briefly in the show, it is enough to realize how good they are as a pair. However, a major step in Phil’s evolution as a character has to be tied to his dynamic with his son, Shane. While the duo promises to talk on the phone regularly, Shane doesn’t seem too pleased with the idea, and that is reflective of how awkward their relationship still is. It’s one thing for these supposed phone calls to always revolve around business mishaps and funny bits, but whether Phil and Shane can truly have a heart-to-heart conversation, not as a boss and employee, but as two human beings, can change everything. In this sense, Phil’s temporary exit might be the breath of fresh air this side of the story needs.

Read More: Tires Season 4 Plot and Cast Theories