Netflix is changing the tide on stand-up specials by introducing some of the most promising and relevant stand-up names to their platform. An hour-long Netflix comedy special is widely considered a milestone in any comedian’s career - a sign that they’ve "arrived."
And while comedy specials like Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette or Chelsea Peretti’s One of the Greats have already found cult status, there are quite a few other specials which deserve special mention. Alternatively, there are a few comedians who took the wrong risks which made them miss the mark.
Funny: Wanda Sykes: Not Normal
Wanda Sykes is a comedy legend and it's hardly surprising that her set would be a total hit. Her brand of comedy connects with a really wide demographic which makes it so relevant. Her special Wanda Sykes: Not Normal was designed to be hearty, engaging and relevant. Her segment about "why Black people need a better publicist," her insight on the opioid crisis and even the details of her life with her French partner and her children are funny, relatable and upbeat.
Pushes It Too Far: Anthony Jeselnik: Fire In The Maternity War
Here's the thing about Anthony Jeselnik's humor: it's deliberately provocative. His sets are curated in a way that will keep the audiences in a state of perpetual discomfort over how much they should enjoy his jokes. For the most part, his fans like it; his sets are clever, pithy, excellently edited and Jeselnik's delivery is flawless and well-timed.
That being said, this special particularly features jokes about certain things which are difficult to laugh at and aggressive in tone. The segment on dropping a baby, his take on masturbation, and his problems with his family are obviously designed to raise eyebrows and sound daunting, but are too dark, perhaps fit for selective audiences only.
Funny: Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up For The First Time
Scovel's Netflix special is an under-marketed hidden gem that could actually be a lesson in handling controversial subjects. This special produced by Jack White plays upon the element of outrageousness that the comedian has associated with his brand of on-screen humor. For fans who have seen Scovel on sitcoms or scripted outings, this show could be very engaging because it directs them to the comedian's expertise in whip-smart, spontaneous comedy, as there's an element of improv to his sets
Pushes It Too Far: Dave Chappelle: Equanimity
Dave Chappelle's jokes in this set were widely deemed as "reckless". Fans pointed out that even if he was an ally of certain communities, that does not give him the right to joke at their expense. There's no debating Chappelle's prowess as a stand-up icon. Shows like The Bird Revelation prove that even if he shows up to a show without a script and treats it like a living room chat, his fans would still show up.
The appeal of his comedy lies in its ability to balance pure comedy with insight, which is how his sets are designed, but this also makes it hard for his audiences to make peace with his potshots, especially against minorities or sensitive social subjects.
Funny: Ali Wong: Baby Cobra
'It's very rare to see a female comic perform pregnant, because female comics don't get pregnant. Try to think of one, I dare you," Ali Wong quips. This is of course, an exaggeration as Wong would later break down. But her set was written to take a searing look at how differently the big changes in family life or career affect people on different gender spectrums. Wong unravels social hypocrisy with a balance of angst and sarcasm which makes the show a total winner. It’s important to note both her Netflix specials Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife were filmed while Wong was pregnant, but this wasn’t just a marketing strategy or a publicity maneuver because Wong manages to explore areas beyond pregnancy that affect working women as well.
Pushes It Too Far: Iliza Shlesinger: Confirmed Kills And Elder Millennial
Despite being a terrific entertainer, Shlesinger’s comedy has a tendency to pigeon-hole its subjects to prove a point, which is something that makes her stand-up sets come across as somewhat dated. They also fail to resonate with modern audiences who are trying to move away from gender-based stereotypes.
Shlesinger’s expertise lies in gender-driven observations, and that’s fine, but most of her jokes make blanket statements about women which pushes the envelope too far pertaining to certain old-fashioned assumptions.
Funny: Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning
Comedian and writer Sam Jay knows exactly how to handle sensitive subjects without making it difficult for others; Jay’s energy on-stage also works towards making the sets all the more noteworthy. Jay’s comedy is edgy and yet takes risks and talks about things that are on everyone’s minds. Her show 3 In The Morning was entertaining, refreshing and really well-paced. Her segments on how ‘trans women are our X-Men’ or about her over-packer girlfriend were terrific, relatable, and flawlessly delivered.
Pushes It Too Far: Kevin Hart: Irresponsible
There are elements of exaggeration in Kevin Hart's comedy, which makes it tricky to label his jokes as problematic. Nevertheless, in an effort to make an impact, he drives his humor towards a weird area, which raises quite a lot of red flags. In his self-assessing special Irresponsible, he makes quite a few questionable statements, and his social commentary comes across as presumptuous. For instance, when he talks about the no locked doors policy at his home or when he details how he aggressively rebuked his son, the material comes across as insensitive.
Funny: Katherine Ryan: Glitter Room
Katherine Ryan’s biting wit is lively, punchy and also empowering. In her Netflix special Glitter Room, the comedian jokes about the culture clash she experiences as she balances life in USA and UK, how having a British toddler is like having a tiny butler at home, and how she may or may not have embarrassed herself in front of Anna Kendrick. One of her most hilarious segments is one where she asks, ‘would I be more celebrated if I was doing this as a man?’ “I just bought a house in Central London, they would have made me The Bachelor two years ago. Oh my god, how does he do it? How does a young, young, young baby boy of a man raise a gorgeous daughter without financial help from anyone? And there’d be memes of my vacuuming with no shirt on,” she quipped.
Pushed It Too Far: Pete Davidson: Alive From New York
Pete Davidson’s comedy special was brave in many ways, especially since he was willing to talk about the realities of an A-lister relationship. He took a few potshots at himself and about his past relationship with Ariana Grande, and though his rants come across as good-natured ribbing, some of his comments, especially the one where he addresses his 'big d--k summer' came across as unnecessary and somewhat vacuous or even gossipy, although most of his set was in sync with his brand of brazen but self-deprecating comedy.