Superior Donuts is a sitcom that premiered in 2016 on CBS. It takes place at the titular donut shop, run by Arthur Przybyzewski (Judd Hirsch), an old-fashioned man who struggles to keep his shop in business. He hires Franco Wicks (Jermaine Fowler), an aspiring artist determined to help the shop. Other characters include police officer Randy DeLuca (Katy Segel), unemployed customer Carl "Tush" Tushinski (David Koechner), and landlord Fawz (Maz Jobrani) who wants to buy the shop.
Includes examples of
- Actor Allusion: After Arthur fails his driver's test in "Pedal to the Meddle", he rants about how the test was rigged, insisting he knows what a yellow light means.
- Not the first series Katy Sagal has been on that takes place in Chicago.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Maya, who hangs around the shop to do homework, stops hanging around after the first season. Possibly justified in that the season finale reveals she was hanging around to research the staff and patrons for a college paper.
- Disappeared Dad: Arthur was this for his own daughter until the second season Thanksgiving episode. An inverted example occurs with Franco, who got thrown out of the house by his own dad (played by Cedric the Entertainer, but the two sorta patch things up in the same episode).
- Donut Mess with a Cop: Officers Randy and James are regulars at the donut shop, as was Randy's father, who was also a cop.
- Ironic Echo: In "What the Truck?", Sofia parks her food truck in front of the shop, blocking the view of the shop from customers. When Arthur argues that Sofia can't park her truck there, she puts money in the parking meter before saying that she can. After Arthur gets the idea to park his boat there so that she can't park there, Sofia tells him that he can't park there, at which he puts money in the meter.
- New Job as the Plot Demands: Tush is in the "gig economy", subsisting on odd jobs rather than holding down a steady job.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Sweatpants. So far, his real name hasn't been revealed.
- Poor Communication Kills: This almost happens when the shop introduces their new [PB] & J donuts.Tush: Oh! I can't feel my face! Quick, are there peanuts in those donuts?Arthur: There's peanut butter. What did you think the "PB" stood for?Tush: Probably Bacon!
- Put on a Bus: After the first season, Randy's partner, James Jordan, is transferred to another police station.
- Take a Third Option: In “Electile Disfunction”, Fawz is running for a second term as president of the neighborhood association and wants to tear down a local park for more parking space. Franco convinces Arthur to run against him and save the park, but while campaigning, Arthur learns that the other business owners want more parking. During the debate, the two flip-flop on the issue, until Sofia suggests using an abandoned building as a parking garage. The others decide to vote for her as a write-in candidate, as she is the only one who reads the bylaws.
- Villainous Gentrification: Arthur is struggling due to most of his customers moving away as the neighborhood has gentrified, while Fawz tries to buy him out to attract a younger, hipper clientele.
- Token Good Cop: Whilst the show doesn't present the Chicago PD in a positive light, with the characters often joking about how ineffectual, corrupt, racist and violent it is, Randy and James usually either sheepishly accept or laugh along to with the others and the two are still presented as overall honest and decent if a bit lazy cops. Other cops to appear tend to be at best antagonist and ineffectual, if not flat out corrupt or bigoted.
