American Auto, the latest feather in NBC's workplace comedy cap, takes the tried and true formula to new heights by pairing it with the life-and-death stakes of the automobile industry. The ensemble series follows the beleaguered employees of Payne Motors as they begrudgingly welcome their first-ever female CEO, Katherine Hastings (Ana Gasteyer, The Goldbergs), who may know everything about pharmaceuticals but nothing about cars.
Created by Justin Spitzer, the new series has all the charm of Superstore and The Office but with a whole new set of quirky cast members ready to turn an earnings call into a party. But while they maneuver each fresh corporate scandal, they must also deal with their own personal issues. Katherine's assistant Dori (X Mayo, The Farewell) finds she has more in common with her prickly boss than she previously imagined, while Cyrus (Michael Benjamin Washington, The Boys in The Band) hopes to make others admire his contributions as much as he admires himself.
Mayo and Washington spoke to Screen Rant about the behind-the-scenes magic that leads to comedy gold, and what other aspects of their characters they'd like to explore.
Screen Rant: X, as someone who has done your own fair share of comedy writing, how much improv or how much of your own voice do you put into Dory? And what is it like to work with Justin on that front?
X Mayo: Justin was the best from day one. When I did the audition, I played with it, and some of that you actually saw in the pilot episode. The writing is so good, and I always say I need a strong foundation before I can play. There are other projects that I unfortunately have been on where I just stuck to the script because I didn't know what was going on. But I definitely had the luxury of playing so much.
And I will say that it's a combination of the amazing writing of Justin Spitzer along with the entire staff, and then my improv. My improv is just the added cherry on top, but the writing is definitely the cake.
Michael, you have many theatrical bones in your body, and it feels like Cyrus does as well. How different is it for you to create this comedy on the screen versus performing to a live audience?
Michael Benjamin Washington: It's actually the exact same. So much of my training has come from the Broadway stage and directors like Jerry Zaks, who directed me in a Broadway show, or Joe Mantello, with whom I did a adaptation of our Broadway show for Netflix, both go between mediums. So, I've always felt like I've been prepared.
I also studied at NYU for theater and TV and film. The fun part is that, basically, the hours are different. I get to do eight takes on one scene versus eight shows a week. Every take is a different performance, so it's very much the same.
Dori gets to be a little more up close and personal with Katherine and her nonsense or genius - whatever it might be. How does that relationship grow over the course of season, and how does Dori's perspective on their boss change?
X Mayo: I believe that Dory begins to see her humanity a little more. Sometimes Dory can be impulsive and make permanent decisions on temporary emotions, and I think Katherine does that as well. So, I think Dory begins to kind of look in a mirror and just be like, "Oh, wow. That's something to change about me."
I think Dori and Katherine grow closer, and you'll see that. I don't want to give any spoilers, but there's a very intimate moment - we're not having sex. But there's an intimate moment with Dori that every woman - no matter age, creed, race, color or orientation - will be able to relate to. We all need that one girlfriend to hold us down for this one moment. And you'll see that with them.
Cyrus feels a little underappreciated and a little overlooked, especially since Jack has come in and gotten so much praise. How does that sensation evolve for him over the course of the season, and what is he doing to distinguish himself?
Michael Benjamin Washington: What's so interesting is that, as I always said when we come in, I think that Cyrus thinks he is the smartest one in the room. And over the course of this first season, as different characters come in and challenge that, he starts to understand that everybody has a place at Payne motors. Everybody's opinion also adds to what the brand becomes.
The humility that Cyrus learns over the course of these 10 episodes was something I was really, really excited about. He comes in knowing everything, he questions that mid-season, and by the end he's just looking real good at a gala and seeing what everybody else has to say.
This show opens the door to a lot of the less savory aspects of big corporations in the auto industry. Did you learn anything surprising or horrifying while filming? Or anything that had you like, "I'm glad someone's bringing this up."
X Mayo: Yeah, I think what was really horrifying is that there are people at the top that don't know what they're doing. Which, okay, that's not surprising. But they're responsible for my life, because I could die.
Specifically, with us working at a car company, to know that there's been so many oversights that there's a potential chance that somebody could not be paying attention and I could not have brakes on a car? That was so surprising to see, and it was interesting and fun to be a part of - because I know that it is fake. So, yeah, that was fun for me.
Michael Benjamin Washington: I think it's very similar. The cost of human life is a question that is asked this season, and one that I'd never thought about. It really surprised me to think that people at the top were actually having that conversation - or, more surprisingly, not having it. And what is the cost of a human life? How do you put a dollar sign on that in a lawsuit, just in a practical sense?
I'm really glad that we explored the humanity of the people who are purchasing the product that we're making every single episode.
If we get a season 2, which hopefully we do, what would you like to explore about your characters moving forward?
X Mayo: I would like to explore Dori's personal life. Who is she dating? And I would like to know who was her mom and who was her dad? Who is going to be her go-to person?
You know, you have that one person that you work with, and you're like, "This is my go-to bitch. We hang out. We do everything." Those employees that become family: I have them in my life, and I think everyone has that person. So, I'm really interested to see who Dori gets to have her alliance with, and I hope it's someone who surprises everyone.
Michael Benjamin Washington: If we get a second season, there's an episode that's coming up where Cyrus and Jack really start to have a partnership - or a one-sided nemesis-ness. I'm curious, since these are the two men in the company who love cars. I really want to see that relationship explored, so that they can bond over their love of this thing that the show is about.
American Auto airs new episodes every Tuesday night at 8/7c on NBC.