If you’re in the mood to laugh, cry, or ignore all your responsibilities while binge an entire season series in one day, Netflix has a show for that.
Apart from re-watching your favourite sitcoms, one of the best ways to escape reality is to watch stand-up comedians do what they do best.
So here we bring you a list of the best stand-up comedy specials on Netflix. They may be ranked, but they’re all excellent and totally worth your time.
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette
Runtime: 69 minutes
IMDb: 8.4/10
In her hilarious Netflix Original stand-up special, comedian Hannah Gadsby gets in deep about her life and growing up gay on the small island of Tasmania. The hour-long set was filmed at the Sydney Opera House.
Her unpretentious humour, mixed with her extremely personal storytelling of the complications of being a homosexual woman, will leave you thinking long after her final lines.
Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King
Run Time: 73 min
IMDb: 8.3/10
The Patriot Act host, Hasan Minhaj, performs at the Mondavi Center in Minhaj’s hometown of Davis, CA. He focuses on his own experience growing up in an Indian American Muslim family. That also includes the problems of being brown in America, immigrant parents, and other obvious subjects that no one talks about.
John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous
Run Time: 65 min
IMDb: 7.9/10
John Mulaney went from being an SNL writer to a sitcom star to the best stand-up comedian currently in the game. He talks about school assemblies, aging, and manners.
He paints a picture in the audience’s mind by recreating some scenes. This special was recorded at the iconic Radio City Music Hall.
Vir Das: For India
Run Time: 75 minutes
IMDb: 7.8/10
Das’s whole set is filled with jokes about his nostalgia of growing up in India. From the Vedas to Vasco da Gama, Vir Das celebrates the history of India with his one-of-a-kind perspective.
He captures your attention with hot topics like obsession with fairness, racism, colonialism, homosexuality and Bollywood. Instead of a traditional stage, Vir sits with “chai” in a “kulhar” next to him, on a set of stairs that lead to a door to nowhere.
Seth Meyers: Lobby Baby
Run Time: 61 min
IMDb: 7.6/10
For this special, Seth Meyers comes out from behind the desk to share some cheerful stories from his own life. He fills us in on his family life, joking about how he dated his wife for five years before proposing to her. Also, his son’s disastrous birth story – how his wife went into labor so quickly that she gave birth to their baby in the lobby.
Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife
Run Time: 64 min
IMDb: 7.4/10
Two years after the “Baby Cobra,” a very pregnant Ali Wong is back with another stand-up special. This one-hour special was filmed at Toronto’s Winter Garden Theatre. From balancing her family with her career to breastfeeding and paid maternity leaves – Ali covers it all. Seriously, you can’t go wrong with this one, it is straight-up hilarious.
Taylor Tomlinson: Quarter-Life Crisis
Run Time: 61 minutes
IMDb: 7.4/10
She’s halfway through her 20s, Taylor Tomlinson brings you her first-ever Netflix special. If you are a millennial twenty-something woman, you will totally relate to Taylor’s in Quarter-Life Crisis. Taylor talks about working on yourself, relationship goals, and explains why your twenties are not “the best years of your life.”
Taylor’s role-playing and acting is key to her comedy. She absolutely nails this stand-up from start to finish.
Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial
Run Time: 72 min
IMDb: 7.2/10
Comedian Iliza Shlesinger dives into hard truths about life at age 35. This set basically educates men on everything they should know about women. She goes on and on, cracking jokes about society’s involvement in a women’s life, insisting on finding husbands and having a child.
Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark
Run Time: 67 min
IMDb: 7.2/10
Trevor Noah has been doing an incredible job hosting The Daily Show. He brings his charisma and charm to his first Netflix special. This set covers his thoughts about naming countries, traffic lights in New York City, and why you shouldn’t drink in Scotland.
Wanda Sykes: Not Normal
Run Time: 60 min
IMDb: 7.1/10
Wanda Sykes is a legend for a reason, which you’ll be reminded while watching Not Normal. This hour-long set, filmed in D.C., tackles politics, reality TV, and racism. And she can only describe it as not normal!
The Emmy Award-nominated actress and 30-year comedian does not hold back her feelings here, making it all the more hilarious and entertaining.
Chelsea Peretti: One of the Greats
Run Time: 74 min
IMDb: 7/10
Most viewers will recognize Chelsea Peretti from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, in which she plays Gina Linetti, the precinct’s cynical civilian administrator. She’s also known for her work as a writer and has worked on several of comedy shows. Netflix’s One of the Greats, was intentionally overwritten and Peretti pulls it off effortlessly.
Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable
Run Time: 68 min
IMDb: 6.5/10
Ellen DeGeneres is “Relatable” in her Netflix stand-up comedy special debut. DeGeneres never seems to feel uncomfortable in front of an audience. She also opens up about her early experiences with poverty, childhood trauma, and her sexuality.
Relatable is carefully crafted and quite intriguing and Ellen’s charming sarcasm is n point. This is her first taped stand-up routine in 15 years.
Chris Rock: Tamborine
Run Time: 64 min
IMDb: 6.5/10
Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian Chris Rock comes to Netflix with Tamborine, his first stand-up special in 10 years. With incredible observations, he covers a wide range of contemporary issues. Tamborine is filmed at New York’s Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
Life gets so stressful and everyone needs a break from time to time. And the best way to ease off a bit is to watch some light hearted stand-up comedy. We should all take some time out from our hectic lives and watch some comedies.
Stand-up comedy is not just a source of entertainment but it actually helps you lighten up a bit and makes you forget about all that stress for a while. With so many different stand-up comedians out, you’re bound to find at least one that you enjoy watching.
P.S. Do check out our article on netflix documentaries that you shouldn’t miss
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