Tires Season 1 Ending Explained

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Tires, season 1

Summary Tires ends with Will finally earning his father's respect through his tire initiative.

The show features a packed cast of comedy stars, adding humor to a stressful plot.

Tires explores strained familial relationships with humor, promising an engaging second season.

The last scene of Shane Gillis’s Netflix comedy, Tires, shows Will (Steve Gerben) finally receiving validation from his withholding father. Throughout the series, Will, a manager at Valley Forge Auto, is shown to have a complicated relationship with his father/employer, Jonathan (Peter Reeves). Jonathan remains unseen until the final episode, where he comes into the shop to scold and ultimately fire Will. The six-episode series, released on Netflix in May, 2024, follows Will and his cousin Shane (Shane Gillis), who struggle to keep the family auto-body afloat despite constant urging to practice standard sales tactics and initiatives.

While the show is sometimes a stress-inducing watch, Tires leans on a packed cast of comedy stars to help make the story enjoyable. Gillis especially brings much-needed levity through his performance. Though Tires is reminiscent of other raunchy workplace comedies, the characters show real vulnerabilities and insecurities. None of the Valley Forge Auto employees are particularly charismatic or intelligent, but they all bring something important to the store’s community, which ultimately helps Will’s appeal to his father in the final episode.

Related While Waiting For Tires Season 2, Watch This 30-Year-Old Comedy Movie With 90% On Rotten Tomatoes Fans of Shane Gillis' new Netflix comedy show, Tires, can watch this acclaimed '90s cult classic with a similar premise while they wait for season 2.

What Happens In Tires’ Ending?

Throughout Tires, Will is shown as well-meaning but inept, always trying to impress his father with ideas to save the family business. Jonathan often gives Will almost no authoritative power in the store and rebukes his contributions. As tensions escalate, events like the ill-fated bikini car wash from episode 5 and a heated confrontation with a potential buyer threaten to sever their already strained relationship.

Things come to a head with Will's latest ploy in the Tires season 1 ending. Although the idea was mentioned previously, Shane decides to put Will's low-cost tire initiative into practice, offering discounted rates to increasingly happy customers. Will attempts to explain the benefits of his approach to his father, who loses his temper when their meeting is interrupted by the impromptu arrival of a cake. However, despite demanding Will hands his keys back, Jonathan's stance softens when Shane explains the success of his idea. The season ends on a hopeful note, as Jonathan leaves Will a message, finally praising his ideas.

Will Jonathan Sell The Auto-Repair Shop?

Though he says the sale is still an option, Jonathan’s last phone call is optimistic. He admits to shouldering more managerial stress than Will realized, hinting at the depths of his own internal struggles. With the clock ticking on the chain's future and the imminent buyout, Jonathan shows faith in his son and extends a compelling offer to try Will's tire initiative. It's a moment of tension and possibility, perhaps marking a turning point in their relationship. With this act, Jonathan gives Will a chance for redemption and renewal, sparking excitement for what lies ahead next season.

Will And Jonathan’s Relationship, Explained

Throughout the season, Will appears scared of his father’s opinions and decisions, dreading what might come next. Even from his initial nervous expository phone call, Will clearly seeks Jonathan’s approval. Though the audience only hears from Jonathan through Dave (Stavros Halkias), it is clear that he is an intimidating boss. Many of Will’s business decisions become secretive, as he assumes they will not be received kindly. Though Jonathan isn’t shown until the last episode, Will endures regular power struggles against his father, with customers and employees often sensing that Will's position was inherited rather than earned and questioning his authority.

This backstory sheds light on Will's neurosis and impulse to defend his ideas to his father.

In the final episode of Tires, more is revealed about their relationship as Jonathan recounts the times Will wronged him. The stories paint Will as a perpetual underachiever and a source of frustration. This backstory sheds light on Will's neurosis and impulse to defend his ideas to his father. It also shows that Jonathan has a soft spot for trusting Will’s ideas, as seen in the final moments of the season and reflected in his recollections. Luckily for Will, after talking to the staff and reviewing the numbers, Jonathan decides to give him yet another chance.

Related 10 Most Hilarious Workplace Comedy Moments, Ranked Real jobs may be mundane, but these workplace sitcoms tend to have some hilarious moments. These are the ten best ones.

Why Doesn’t Jonathan Appear Until The Last Episode?

Jonathan looms over the staff as an unseen force for most of the show. Everyone is scared of him and his decisions, even Dave, who is often sent to speak on his behalf. Even from his initial phone call, Will worries about what his father thinks of his business decisions and lies to save face. Because the audience doesn't actually get to see or hear him, imaginations wander, making Jonathan more intense as an off-screen antagonist. His almost random actions and secret decisions cause the Valley Forge Auto staff to be cautious, never knowing if their jobs are truly secure.

Has Shane Changed For The Better?

Throughout the series, Shane constantly undermines Will’s attempts to help the shop, often for a laugh. Though Shane is naturally mischievous, he becomes more thoughtful after Will's termination. Shane takes it upon himself to rally the team and help present Will’s idea. While overtly cynical about Will’s relationship with his father, the Tires season 1 ending also reveals that Will has earned Shane’s respect, though it often goes unexpressed. However, Shane’s kindness doesn’t mean he’s completely changed. With his crude humor and language in his appeal to Jonathan, it is clear that Shane hasn’t changed much, promising more laughs to come.

The Real Meaning Of Tires’ Ending

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Cleverly bookending its narrative, Tires draws a thematic parallel between its opening and closing scenes. The first scene shows Will leaving a message for his father about the state of the store and his marketing idea. In the last scene, Jonathan leaves a message for Will, apologizing and agreeing to try Will’s tire initiative, which had developed throughout the season. In the end, it seems that Will has now gained the upper hand, as Jonathan is the one praising his idea and reaching out. The last shot shows Will smiling to himself after appearing to finally earn his father’s respect.

Netflix announced that Tires was renewed for a second season even before the first's premiere.

Though Tires appears to be another workplace comedy, it has a deeper story about strained familial relationships. Given Will’s track record, it seems nearly impossible for his tire initiative to succeed in the next season. This impending uncertainty only amplifies the tension between him and Jonathan, who has again taken a leap of faith in his son's ideas. But after all, the high-intensity humor of that relationship and the comedy of the loveable Valley Forge Auto employees make Tires an engaging and comedic watch.