Shane Gillis' workplace comedy seriesTireswould never have become a Netflix hit if he hadn’t taken a huge financial gamble that is finally starting to pay off. Following the mixed critical reception ofTiresseason 1, which consisted of six episodes that collectively ran the length of a feature film,Tiresseason 2 received much more favorable reviewsand has become a streaming hit. Following its release date on June 21, 2025,Tiresseason 2 expanded from six to 12 episodesand introduced a variety of new characters and guest stars, such as Vince Vaughn, John Lovitz, and Thomas Haden Church.
Tiresseason 2has remained in Netflix’s Top 10 TV Shows in the United States list since its premiere for the better part of June 2025. BeforeTiresseason 1 premiered in 2023, Shane Gillis had put together a 10-minute pilot episode, which he released on his YouTube channel in 2019. That original pilot was taken down and used as a proof of concept, which led toShane personally investing his own money to create the entirety ofTiresseason 1. Netflix did not originally get involved inTiresuntil the series was already made, hopping in to distribute the series. A few years later,Tiresis one of the most popular comedy shows on the platform.
Shane Gillis Invested “All His Money” & Took Out A Loan To Make Tires Season 1
Shane Took Out A Loan Against His Future Stand-Up Earnings
Tiresco-star and co-creator Steve Gerben recently confirmed on comedian/actor/podcaster Andrew Santino’sNo Bad Liespodcast how far Shane Gillis went to getTiresseason 1 off the ground. Gerben told Santino thatShane took out a loan against future stand-up income to getTiresseason 1off the ground.
Shane did this “against the advice of like everybody,” according to Gerben, which goes to show just how much Gillis believed that Tires would be a hit.
Shane did this “against the advice of like everybody,” according to Gerben, which goes to show just how much Gillis believed that Tires would be a hit. While Gerben didn’t reveal exactly how much Gillis put into the production ofTiresseason 1 using his own money, it certainly would have been an uncomfortable amount to lose had the show flopped.
Gerben revealed that Shane not only received backlash from his inner circle about investing “all his money” inTiresseason 1, but also because he made Gerben, an unknown actor beforeTireslaunched on Netflix, a co-star. As far as self-made TV shows go, it doesn’t get any realer or riskier than Gillis rolling the dice on Tires, which was heavily inspired by Gerben’s father’s auto body shop, which is where the original 2019 pilot was made. Gerben told Santino thatShane constructed a replica of Gerben’s dad’s auto body shop in rural Pennsylvania, which is where the Netflix show was filmed.
Tires Season 2 Streaming Success Proves That Gillis' Big Gamble Paid Off
Tires Is Emerging As A Major Comedy Franchise For Netflix
Given the background context of howTiresseason 1 was made, its shortened runtime can certainly be forgiven.Tireshas really found its footing with season 2, especially with the addition of guest stars, new characters, and better storylines that span over a longer season. The key toTires’success is undoubtedly Gillis himself, who has skyrocketed to fame in recent years through various podcast appearances, stand-up specials, andSaturday Night Livehosting gigs.Tiresseason 1 may have been on a tight budget, but the good comedy and characters made a winning formula to build on.
Gillis may want to wait for official word thatTiresis coming back for season 3, but considering its streaming popularity throughout June, it’s a much safer bet.
Netflix’s recent renewal of Tom Segura’sBad Thoughtsfor a second season, as well as Tony Hinchcliffe’s first of severalKill Tonycomedy specials getting released in April 2025, are promising signs forTiresgetting picked up for a third season.Gillis is certainly not self-fundingTiresanymore,and the production budget for a potential season 3 still appears to be modest at best for a platform like Netflix. Gillis may want to wait for official word thatTiresis coming back for season 3, but considering its streaming popularity throughout June, it’s a much safer bet.
