These Netflix specials from comedians like John MulaneyJohn Mulaney, Bo BurnhamBo Burnham & Hannah Gadsby all feature big laughs & brilliant observations. From classic comedy shows to specials that experiment with the stand-up format, these are must-see performances from some of the finest comedians working today. They’re guaranteed to make you chuckle & think.
Seth Meyers: lobby Baby
From his time as a “Weekend Update” anchor on SNL and Late Night with Seth Meyers, you’re probably most accustomed to seeing Seth Meyers behind a desk. But it’s great to see what he can do on his feet when he delivers his first stand-up comedy special.
He’s wonderfully self-deprecating as he discusses his relationship with his now-wife, Alexi, and how he took five years to propose to her. “That is too long for a woman of her caliber,” he says before adding, “I also appreciate right now that if you’re watching this with a woman you have dated for five or more years, I have ruined your night.”
And like the title of the special promises, you will scream with laughter when you hear the story of how their second child was, in fact, born in a lobby.
Taylor Tomlinson: Quarter-Life Crisis
Taylor Tomlinson just announced that she is leaving her Comedy Central talk show @fter midnight to refocus on her stand-up career. After watching Quarter-Life Crisis, we’re glad to hear it. Tomlinson’s second special focuses on the painful time that is your 20s. She brings up several questions that arise during that pivotal decade, such as, “Will I outgrow this or is it a problem?” “Is this a phase or a demon?” and “Am I fun or should I go to a meeting?” She also discusses dating apps and judging other people’s weddings while single. Whether you’re 25 or 75, you’ll find something to relate to in this edgy, biting special.
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette
Part stand-up special, part confessional one-person show, Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby used Nanette to announce they were quitting comedy. (They ultimately returned with another special called Douglas, but that’s neither here nor there.) In Nanette, Gadsby deconstructs the very nature of humor and joke-telling. (“Back in the good old days, lesbian meant something different than it does now. Back then, lesbian wasn’t about sexuality, a lesbian was just any woman not laughing at a man.”)
They announce that they refuse to be the butt of their own jokes any longer. (“Do you understand what self-deprecation means when it comes from somebody who already exists in the margins? It’s not humility, it’s humiliation.”) What follows is profound, heart-wrenching and still, somehow, very funny.
John Mulaney: New In Town
John Mulaney’s second Netflix special established him as a comedy powerhouse in the body of a “tall child” who “looks terrible.” (Don’t worry, those are his words, not ours.) Mulaney entertains his audience with his unique perspective on pop culture touchstones like Home Alone 2 and Ice-T’s performance on Law & Order: SVU.
While his later specials likeKid Gorgeous and Baby J delve into more profound subject matter such as his struggles with addiction, New In Town established Mulaney’s suit-wearing aesthetic and unmistakable tone. The title of the special comes from a tale of a particularly pushy unhoused person you have to hear to believe.
Bo Burnham: inside
Bo Burnham became famous in the early 2000s by recording comedy songs inside his bedroom and posting them online. As his popularity grew, he began touring, taking his clever wit and wordplay to the stage, but he ultimately quit because of the intense panic attacks he experienced before live performances.
During the 2020 lockdown, he returned to his roots — in an extreme fashion. Burnham rented a guest house and isolated himself inside it, sleeping there and recording songs while growing out a long beard and head of hair. Inside was all performed and recorded in that same house with no audience, making it a completely new take on what a comedy special can be.
In the special, he critiques American capitalism, politics and social media. He reflects on some of his earlier work, critiquing himself in a rather brilliant song called “Problematic.”
Hasan Minhaj: Off with his head
After a misleading 2023 New Yorker article claimed he had fabricated stories about racism in his previous stand-up specials, Hasan Minhaj took a beat before responding with a video corroborating his side of the story — complete with graphics.
In 2024, he returned to the stage with new stand-up material to defend his honor as a storyteller. “I got caught embellishing for dramatic effect,” he explains to the audience. “Same crime your aunt is guilty of over Thanksgiving.”
Minhaj is sharply intelligent, yet he exudes warmth and good humor as he tackles race, class and politics. He even defines a new sub-culture of Americans: “There’s white America. There’s Black America. Then there’s Beige-istan. That’s just everybody. Indians, Latinos, Filipinos, wherever the f*** Bruno Mars is from. Beige-istan.” Minhaj holds nothing back, skewering both the left and the right with scathing, yet undeniably accurate, observations.
Maria Bamford: Old Baby
Maria Bamford (Arrested Development, Big Mouth) is one of the most talented character comedians working today, and she’s never been afraid to tackle real topics in an unusual way. In Old Baby, Bamford takes stand-up to the streets and the stage, performing for groups of various sizes in both private and public spaces. She discusses her recent time in a psychiatric facility and manages to make it both funny and profound.
Her style is divisive — one audience critic on Rotten Tomatoes notes that she spends “two minutes just making fart noises” — but try to let go of your expectations and just go along for the ride. In fact, Bamford acknowledges she may not be everyone’s cup of tea. She offers this advice if you show the special to a friend and they don’t enjoy it. “You took a risk. And in fact, your relationship has only grown deeper, because now you know you have different senses of humor when it comes to certain types of stand-up comedy.”
