Superstore (TV series)

• America Ferrera as Amelia "Amy" Sosa,[lower-alpha 1] a Honduran American Cloud 9 employee and single mother, who worked as an associate, floor supervisor, and assistant manager before being promoted to store manager. Amy always wears a different name tag because, says show creator Spitzer, she does not like strangers using her real name, and this lets her "keep customers at a distance because they don’t really know her. It’s also a small way she can protest the system."[8] At the end of season 5, Amy accepts a corporate position in California and moves out at the beginning of season 6.
• Ben Feldman as Jonah Simms, a Cloud 9 sales associate. A college graduate who later dropped out of business school, Jonah has struggled with having a customer service job. He and Mateo were both hired in the series' pilot episode.
• Lauren Ash as Dina Fox, Cloud 9's intense and no-nonsense assistant store manager. She has worked for Cloud 9 for over 10 years and has a very forthright demeanor. She is also very flirtatious with men in a blunt manner, which is rarely successful.
• Colton Dunn as Garrett McNeil, a sarcastic and indifferent Cloud 9 associate who is a wheelchair user. He is also the in-store announcer, in which capacity he often offers his acerbic commentary and dry humor.
• Nico Santos as Mateo Fernando Aquino Liwanag, a gay Filipino Cloud 9 associate.
• Nichole Sakura[lower-alpha 2] as Cheyenne Thompson (née Lee), a Cloud 9 associate later promoted to floor supervisor in the sixth season. She is a pregnant high school student at the start of the series. She gave birth to her daughter, Harmonica, in the store in the first-season finale, and married her boyfriend Derek "Bo" Thompson during the second season.
• Mark McKinney as Glenn Sturgis, Cloud 9's constantly positive store manager until late in season 4, when he steps down and becomes an associate (and later floor supervisor) because his 16+ hour shifts as manager were preventing him from seeing his newborn child. Glenn is a devout Christian and was previously a foster-father to many children.
• Kaliko Kauahi as Sandra Kaluiokalani (season 5–6; recurring season 1–4),[9] a meek Hawaiian Cloud 9 employee who has trouble standing up for herself. She will often attempt to make her voice heard only to shoot herself down shortly after. Sandra is a pathological liar, often making up elaborate stories to try to get the attention of her coworkers.

• Johnny Pemberton as Derek "Bo" Thompson, Cheyenne's immature, wannabe-rapper husband and father of Harmonica. Worked briefly at Cloud 9.
• Sean Whalen as Sal (season 1), a Cloud 9 employee known for being creepily obsessed with both women and children like a pervert. His deceased body is found in the walls of the store early in season 3.
• Josh Lawson as Tate Staskiewicz (season 1–3), a Cloud 9 pharmacist who is often rude, panicky, sarcastic, and full of himself.
• Irene White as Carol (season 2–6; guest season 1), a vindictive Cloud 9 employee who has a rivalry with Sandra, whom she accuses of stealing her boyfriend, Jerry. She hits on Amy's husband moments after hearing the two were separated. Sometime thereafter she turns to the practice of Buddhism, spending time in meditation.
• Linda Porter as Myrtle Vartanian (season 1–4; guest season 5), Cloud 9's longest-serving employee (30 years). Her tenure has made her the highest paid sales associate, despite her constant confusion and forgetfulness. She was fired but later returned (in holograph form) as Cloud 9's mascot in a ploy by Jeff to be forgiven by Cloud 9's employees, especially Mateo, after betraying them at the end of season 3. After Amy becomes the store manager, she rehires Myrtle as her assistant. Porter died from cancer on September 25, 2019. Her final television appearance was on the season 5 episode "Curbside Pickup".
• Isabella Day as Emma Dubanowski (season 2; guest season 1, 3–5), Amy's daughter with her ex-husband Adam. Amy constantly tries to win her affection, giving her and her friends plenty of space to hang out, even becoming upset over her spending time with her father.
• Ryan Gaul as Adam Dubanowski (season 2; guest season 1, 3 & 4), Amy's estranged husband and Emma's father. Adam and Amy were high school sweethearts, got married at 19 upon learning that Amy was pregnant, and had Emma thereafter. He is an entrepreneur who has had several unsuccessful ventures, and even works at the store as a seasonal employee in season 2. Amy and Adam soon divorce, and Adam moves on. Later, Amy and Adam meet again, sleep together and Amy ends up pregnant with her second child.
• Jon Barinholtz as Marcus White, a dim-witted, often fired/rehired Cloud 9 employee. Following a mishap with a meat slicer in the Cloud 9 deli, he was promoted (without a pay increase) to warehouse supervisor on the condition that he would not sue the store.
• Michael Bunin as Jeff Sutton (season 2–5), Originally the district manager who oversaw the St. Louis Cloud 9, among others. He is revealed to be gay and has had a romantic relationship with Mateo. After the secret relationship became public, Jeff resigned to continue dating Mateo. Late in season 3, however, Jeff betrays the St. Louis store employees and is rehired to manage the Chicago district. It was revealed he had been dumped by Mateo again in season 4.
• Kelly Schumann as Justine Sikowicz (season 2–6), a Cloud 9 employee. At times she pretends to be an alcoholic or promiscuous in order to seem more interesting. According to Glenn she is 40 years old and lives alone in a studio apartment.
• Chris Grace as Jerry (season 2–5), Sandra's boyfriend and then-husband who briefly dated Carol. He was in a coma after the tornado that destroyed Cloud 9 at the end of season 2, but eventually recovered.
• Steve Agee as Isaac (season 2–6), an overweight, often rude Cloud 9 associate. He first appears as a seasonal worker in season 2, but is later shown to be a full-time employee.
• Kelly Stables as Kelly Watson (season 3–4; guest season 5–6), a divorcee who begins working at Cloud 9 in season 3, where she eventually starts a relationship with Jonah. After Jonah's love for Amy becomes known, Kelly transfers to the Fenton Cloud 9 store.
• Kerri Kenney-Silver as Jerusha Sturgis (season 3–5), Glenn's wife. She is mentioned in the first two seasons but does not appear until season 3.
• Jennifer Irwin as Laurie (season 3; guest season 4), the new district manager who takes over after Jeff resigns in season 3.
• Baron Vaughn as Ken (season 3, guest season 5-6), the store's security guard
• Amir M. Korangy as Sayid (season 4–6), a Cloud 9 employee who is a Syrian refugee.
• Justina Machado as Maya (season 5), store 1217's new District Manager who replaced Laurie.
• Jee Young Han as Kira Moon (season 5-6), Zephra CEO
• Rory Scovel as Dr. Brian Patterson (season 5–6), Dina's boyfriend who is a veterinarian
• Benjamin Norris as Tony, Sandra's and Jerry's adopted son
• Franchesca Ramsey as Nia

• Eliza Coupe as employee magazine reporter.
• Howie Mandel as himself, a comedian whom Dina mistakes as a newly hired Cloud 9 employee.
• Natasha Leggero as shoplifter.
• Cecily Strong as fictional Olympic gymnast Missy Jones.
• Tony Plana as Ron Sosa, Amy's father. (In Ferrera's previous series, Ugly Betty, Plana also played her character's father.)
• Marlene Forte as Connie Sosa, Amy's mother.
• Brenda Song as Kristen, Glenn's foster daughter and former love interest of Jonah.
• Felipe Esparza as Cody, a stoner stockroom associate.
• Brian Howe as Neil Penderson, Cloud 9 CEO.
• Fred Melamed as Richard Simms, Jonah's father.
• Meagen Fay as Marilyn Simms, Jonah's mother.
• Eden Sher as Penny, a young woman who works at Cloud 9 for one day.
• Chrissy Metz as Luanne, a Cloud 9 corporate employee who investigates the source of damning Tweets at the store.
• Anjelah Johnson as Robin Green, union leader.[10]
• Jason Ritter as Josh Simms, Jonah's brother.
• Sean Gunn as Card Shopper
• Dean Norris as Howard Fox, Dina Fox's estranged Dad
• Affion Crockett as Tommy, organizer at the Raise the Wage protest
• Jacob Wysocki as Frisco, friend of Bo (Cheyenne's husband)

The series' title card.

The series was one of three pilots picked up by NBC on January 14, 2015, along with the sitcom Crowded; both were green lighted to series status on May 7, 2015.[13] The series was the first project for Ruben Fleischer's newly formed company The District as part of a two-year deal with Universal, as he directed the pilot episode.[14] Superstore was officially picked up as a series on May 7, 2015, by NBC.[15] The first season consisted of eleven episodes, after the episode order was reduced from thirteen on October 19, 2015.[16] It was announced on November 2, 2015, that the series would air the premiere on January 4, 2016, but would be airing two back-to-back episodes on November 30, 2015, following The Voice.[17]

On February 23, 2016, the series was renewed for a second season by NBC.[18] On May 15, 2016, NBC announced that the series would lead off its Thursday night primetime programming in the 2016–17 season. The second season premiered on September 22, 2016,[19] with a 22-episode order that was announced on September 23, 2016. The season concluded on May 4, 2017.[20] A special Olympics-themed episode aired on August 19, 2016 during the network's coverage of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.[21][22] On February 21, 2018, NBC renewed the series for a 22-episode fourth season, which premiered on October 4, 2018.[23][24] On March 4, 2019, NBC renewed the series for a fifth season,[25] which premiered on September 26, 2019.[26] On February 11, 2020, the series was renewed for a sixth season.[5] In March 2020, production on the show was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the fifth season having 21 episodes instead of the originally-planned 22.[27] The sixth season began filming on September 8.[28] On December 3, 2020, NBC announced that the sixth season would be its last.[7]

It was announced on February 20, 2015, that Lauren Ash had been cast as a series regular, and would be playing Dina, the store's assistant manager.[29] On March 2, 2015, Deadline reported that Superstore had added three other cast members: Colton Dunn, Mark McKinney and Nico Santos. The website reported that Dunn would be playing Garrett, the often-sarcastic narrator of the piece, McKinney would be playing Glenn, the intense store manager, and Santos would be playing Mateo, another new employee and a brown-noser from an impoverished background.[30] On March 12, 2015, Nichole Bloom was announced to have joined the show as Cheyenne, a very pregnant teenage employee.[31][32]

Deadline announced on March 13, 2015, that Ben Feldman had landed the male lead in Superstore, as Jonah, a new employee in the superstore Cloud 9.[33] Three days later, TVLine announced on March 16, 2015, that America Ferrera had landed the female lead as the floor supervisor Amy in the Cloud 9 store. It was also reported that Ferrera was also a producer for the show.[34]

On May 22, 2019, NBC announced that recurring cast member Kaliko Kauahi who portrays Cloud 9 worker Sandra has been upped to a series regular for the fifth season.[9]

After NBC had initially announced the sixth season renewal of the series, the network revealed on February 28, 2020, that series star America Ferrera, would be departing the series at the end of the fifth season citing a desire to work on new projects and to spend more time with her family.[35]

After production of the fifth season was cut short by one episode due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferrera noted her departure from the show may be delayed into season 6 in order to give her character's arc a proper closure.[36][37] Ultimately, Ferrera was in the first two episodes of the sixth season to wrap up her storyline.[38]

Different stores in the Cloud 9 cluster (i.e. not the same store as portrayed in this show) have appeared in other series produced by NBCUniversal Television, including Hulu's The Mindy Project,[39] NBC's Good Girls[40] and I Feel Bad.[41]

The Cloud 9 Superstore is a fictional hypermarket discount store. In addition to typical American hypermarket products, Cloud 9 also sells guns[42] and liquor,[43] and has a pharmacy.[42] Additionally Cloud 9 has its own credit union for its employees.[42] It also previously had a photo studio.[44] The former spokesman for Cloud 9 was Daniel Hertzler (as Kyle the Cloud 9 Cloud), until he was arrested and charged with cannibalism.[45][46]

The corporation, based in Chicago, does not offer paid maternity leave,[47] health insurance or paid overtime to its employees.[48] Under Cloud 9 policy employees may take one bathroom break per shift, and are allotted 15 minutes for lunch.[49]

In an effort to control what is happening in the individual stores, all locks and lights,[43] as well as temperature control and music,[50] are controlled from the corporate office. In 2017, Cloud 9 changed its store brand from Halo to Super Cloud.[51]

The main characters for the show work at store 1217, the "Ozark Highlands" store which is located in St. Louis, Missouri, on Ozark Highlands Road.[48] The store falls under district manager Maya[52] (formerly Laurie Neudstat and Jeff Suttin).[48] The store was destroyed by a tornado during the season 2 finale,[53] and reopened during the season 3 premiere.[54] Other area locations include Kirkwood,[48] Fenton, Easton,[55] and Bel-Ridge.[56] Additionally there are locations mentioned in Austin, Texas,[57][58] and in Detroit, Michigan.[59] Cloud 9 has locations in multiple countries, with stores in Beijing, Mumbai, Paris, Vancouver, Taipei, and Mexico City.[60]

The pilot was shot at a redressed Kmart in Burbank, California[61][62] (with Kmart signage visible throughout the episode), though the rest of the series has been shot on sets constructed on two soundstages.[63]

The series debuted as a "preview" on November 30, 2015 following an episode of The Voice with 7 million viewers making it the second highest new comedy behind Life in Pieces.[64] The series then moved to its regular Monday at 8:00 pm timeslot on January 4, 2016, with more than 6 million viewers making the highest rated NBC comedy that did not have The Voice as a lead-in since The Michael J. Fox Show back in September 2013.[2][65]

On Metacritic, the first season has a score of 58 out of 100, indicating "mixed or average reviews" based on reviews from 21 critics.[81] On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has a 64% rating, based on reviews from 33 critics, with an average rating of 5.01/10. The site's consensus is: "Superstore's talented cast and obvious potential are slightly overshadowed by a tonally jumbled presentation and thin, formulaic writing."[82]

As the first season went along, reviews started to become more positive. Following the finale "Labor", the Los Angeles Times called it one of TV's best new comedies."[83] Pilot Viruet of The A.V. Club wrote that the "first season ... got better and more confident as it moved on", and that the first-season finale "is a nice little cap to a nice little sitcom that could’ve used a little more attention."[84] After the series aired its Olympics special, Variety wrote that the show was "a funny, pointed and essential workplace comedy", and that "there are no weak links in [the] ensemble".[85]

The second season was lauded by critics and has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from 7 critics.[86] The third season has 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from 11 critics. The site's consensus reads, "Superstore graduates from the clearance section of network comedies to stake its claim as one of the most lovable ensembles on television, fleshing out its charming cast while expertly teasing out its central romance."[87] The fourth season received critical acclaim with critics saying “Superstore remains a furtively fearless riot in its comedic approach to heavy and issues of the time” with a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 15 reviews.[88] The fifth season received critical acclaim with a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 9 reviews.[89] The sixth season has received positive reviews with a score of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 5 reviews.[90]