Jury Duty was a massive surprise hit when the reality hoax sitcom debuted on the now defunct Amazon Freevee service (it has since moved to Amazon Prime Video). The concept is like an amped up version of candid camera. Unsuspecting Ronald Gladden was part of a jury pool for what he believed was a real trial, footage being filmed for a documentary about jury selection. Little did he know that he was on a TV show with a bunch of actors and hidden cameras everywhere. Ronald was the unwitting star.
Once the jig was up after Season 1, it didn’t seem possible for the concept to continue. Who would fall for the same prank after the premise of the show had been revealed so publicly? If Undercover Boss has taught us anything, though, it’s possible to fool people a second time. And thus, we get Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat. The idea is the same, but the setting is completely different, as is the new main “hero” character. This time, it’s Anthony Norman, a temp worker hired to work for a fictional company just in time for their annual corporate retreat. He is told that they will occasionally appear on camera for a documentary about small businesses, and he believes it. Just like Season 1, the show has the same feel-good nature that will restore your faith in humanity at a time when we need it the most.
Jury Duty Did it Again
Anthony takes a temp job with family-owned hot sauce company Rockin’ Grandmas, a nice detail since right off the bat, we don’t have to worry about this young man losing a job he thought he secured long-term. The 25-year-old from Nashville has extensive experience with temp jobs, which may also inform how comfortably he slips in with the team. He’s done this many times before, so he knows how to deal with all types of people and fit in quickly.
Unlike Season 1 where movement was relegated to a single courthouse and hotel during the trial, Anthony is on a sprawling resort property, which requires more hidden cameras and stealth set-ups to ensure they can capture his movements and interactions with others, wherever he goes. Further, cast members aren’t playing random people coming together on a jury this time. They’re supposed to be a team of co-workers who have worked together for years. That requires faking work histories and relationship dynamics. I instantly recognized a few actors, including Alex Bonifer from Kevin Can F**k Himself and Blair Beeken as the scientist from the opening scene of Pluribus (and in the promos weirdly licking the donuts). That said, I watch a lot more TV than most and chances are Anthony doesn’t or at least had no idea who they were.
Of thousands of people who applied for this position, somehow, some way, the show managed to find another endearing young man. Through all the hilarious antics and eccentric personalities, Anthony either keeps a straight face or goes out of his way to make people feel included, comfortable, and accepted. It’s Ronald all over again, except with a more light-hearted theme versus a serious criminal case. That gives this season a more upbeat feel, such that comedy isn’t necessarily needed as often to break up tension, since there is none. For the most part, it’s more about observing Anthony’s reactions to the occasional weird moment and inappropriate comment.
The show’s characters lean into all the usual workplace dynamics and exaggerated tropes, including relationships, clashing personalities, introverted IT workers, and nepotism: the owner is retiring and plans to hand the business over to his kooky, unprepared son. Despite this, the depictions are largely positive, showing a group of people who come together like a family, despite their differences.
Beyond the main cast, there are some other standouts, including actors delivering long, boring seminars that anyone who has ever been on a company retreat knows all too well. They lean so well into tropes, and seem so serious about the silly things they’re saying, it’s easy to believe it’s real. There’s one presenter, for example, who keeps repeating every person’s name when she addresses them, asking if that’s how you pronounce it, even when it’s a simple name, like Anthony. I wondered how they managed to keep straight faces and how Anthony didn’t figure out what was really going on. “You can’t write this stuff,” he comments once to the camera he knows is there. Little does he know you absolutely can.
No company retreat is complete without corny competition games, movie nights, and even a talent show that will take you back to the days of watching grade school kids’ performances (with a fun twist). The reveal of a new product, however, is one of the few moments that replaces subtle humor with laugh out loud hilarity. As the show progresses, however, it becomes less about being ridiculous and more about analyzing Anthony’s behaviors and seeing if he will do what a good, honest, and moral person would do in certain situations.
While you might find yourself feeling a little bored through the middle of the season, chances are you likely felt the same in Season 1. By this point, however, you’ll be committed enough to want to see it through and get to the last episode when Anthony is finally told the truth. Thankfully, the show’s penultimate episode is worth the wait. Everything set up perfectly for Anthony to react (or not) to a pivotal moment.
In Season 1, we marveled at how Ronald responded to a mix of eccentric, oddball people from all walks of life, included an exaggerated version of James Marsden (who serves as a producer this season). Season 2 shifts the focus to a family dynamic. Anthony thinks he’s with a group of people who are doing their best to keep a small family hot sauce business afloat for an owner they adore. The stakes aren’t someone’s innocence or guilt, it’s the livelihood of a group of middle-class American workers.
The Message is Worth the Journey
Finding someone who can replicate Ronald’s on-screen magic probably required a tremendous amount of research combined with a dash of faith and luck. Anthony filled the shoes of his predecessor wonderfully. The show is a light-hearted, feel-good series that restores your faith in humanity, convincing you once again that there are still decent people out there. There are people who genuinely care about others, even people they don’t know. Some do possess empathy, even in situations when they don’t have a stake in fixing the problem. And yes, this includes those of the younger generation. Not everyone sees a job, especially a temp one, as just a pay cheque. Co-workers as more than just people you need to tolerate.
In this vein, the show is also a love letter to small businesses. The storyline progresses to a point where the owner considers selling the business to an investment company, raising questions about the brand’s legacy, job security for the staff, and integrity of the product. It’s an issue small, family-owned businesses face every day.
It doesn’t take long for Anthony to become truly invested not necessarily in the business but in the people behind the product, and those relationships are the heartbeat of the season. Corporate takeovers might be good for the pocketbook, maybe necessary in times of immense struggle. But the family aspect of a team is what really counts. And it’s worth maintaining whenever possible, whether you’re talking about hot sauce or headphones.
Overall, it’s a decent season with believable characters and a likable protagonist. I wouldn’t rush to the screen to watch Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat. But you’ll come out of it feeling satisfied, maybe even a little sentimental about small businesses and how important they are as the backbone of our economy. Even though this one never really existed, it sure felt like it did.
Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat premieres on Amazon Prime Video on March 20 with its first three episodes followed by two more on March 27, and the final three on April 3.