The Crew Revs Up Laughs on Netflix

NASCAR comedy The Crew races to the punchlines on Netflix

When it comes to shooting a sitcom in a pandemic, it’s hard to know what’s funnier: the action on or off the screen. Having had to interrupt their first season halfway through production, and returning five months later, Broadway actress Sarah Stiles recalls walking back onto set for new Netflix comedy The Crew for the first time since shutdown. “Everyone was looking like surgeons,” says Stiles. “I mean, that first time we walked into the hair and makeup room, I was like, ‘Y’all are taking out my liver. I know it!’ Everyone was covered in plastic sheets, head to toe.”

While inconvenient, and morbidly amusing, Stiles and her colleagues were immensely relieved to be able to complete their new show, a multicamera sitcom about a NASCAR garage that experiences upheaval when the owner’s daughter becomes the new boss. It stars The King of Queens‘ Kevin James as the crew chief, Stiles as his righthand woman and UnREAL alum Freddie Stroma as, well, not the sharpest tool in the shed, but a handsome man with a solid lead foot. “It’s a workplace comedy, and the antagonist is this young tech-savvy millennial,” says Stiles. “We’re very used to how we do things and this new generation comes in to take over the team, which from what I’ve heard is what’s going on with NASCAR in real life.”

Even though she is labelled the antagonist, having Jillian Mueller’s character Catherine come in to shake things up gives this man-centric show a fun new feminist twist. “I think the women characters are really great in the show,” says Stiles. “I love Jillian’s character. Catherine and Beth’s dynamic together is really funny because there’s a part of Beth that’s like, ‘Yeah! Go, girl!’ but also like, ‘OK, but don’t mess up everything for my man and my friends.’ Kevin is her bestie. She’s so loyal and wants him to shine.”

When Stiles was asked to do a chemistry read with James in the spring of 2020, she immediately reached out to former Get Shorty colleague Ray Romano to get the scoop on the comedian. “I wanted to get his opinion. I’m like, ‘You know Kevin, right?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah. He’s one of my really good friends.’ I told him, ‘I’ve never done a chemistry read. What do I do?” He’s like, ‘Well, I haven’t either.’ So, not helpful,” laughs Stiles. But Romano called his old friend to tell him that Stiles is a good person to work with. “I think [that call] was important for Kevin too,” says Stiles. “I’d like to say Ray Romano got me the part. I don’t think that’s correct, but he definitely helped.”

Working with James has so far exceeded all her expectations. “It’s always so scary to work with someone that famous. You have this idea of who they are and you hope it’s what you think it is,” says Stiles. “Truly, honestly, he is a doll. We were really nervous leading up to this live [taping], and he was so wonderful to us the whole time and made us feel really safe about it and helped with our nerves.”

As soon as they got to the taping and James opened with his first joke, Stiles knew they would be just fine. “I mean, he is Kevin James for a reason,” she says. “This sparkle just shot out of his face. And he has this way with the audience. It’s like magic. We all learned a lot from him and I can’t wait for the day when we can do more live tapings. Hopefully, COVID goes away and we can do all of it over again.”

The pandemic may have put this crew on hold for a while, but in the end, Stiles believes the break brought them closer together. “Interestingly enough, I think those last three episodes are even tighter. It really made us go on together as an actual crew and just become this really tight family,” says Stiles. “We were safety for each other.”

What Stiles believes the show will bring to viewers in these uncertain times is a sense of comfort. “It’s like a nostalgic sitcom,” she says. “It feels familiar and funny and safe. There’s a lightness to it, a sweetness that, for me, is so important right now.” Even for those who have no interest in car racing, Stiles promises that familiarity with the sport is not a prerequisite. “We have some great guest stars who are kind of brilliant, so there are some really fun things for people that are in the world, but you don’t have to be,” she says. “Anyone can relate to loving a team or a sport. I’m not even a sports girl, but I can relate to loving a group of people and wanting them to succeed. I knew nothing about NASCAR leading up to this and I’m not sure I really know that much more. And that’s totally OK.”

The Crew streams on Netflix