Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight! These 26 specials showcase Netflix’s most exciting rookie and veteran comics.

The 26 best comedy specials on Netflix

Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight! These 26 specials showcase Netflix's most exciting rookie and veteran comics.

By Eric Farwell, Ilana Gordon, and James Mercadante

on February 6, 2026 6:59 a.m. ET

Patton Oswalt in 'I Love Everything'; Ali Wong in 'Single Lady'; John Mulaney in 'Baby J'. Credit:

Kent Smith/Netflix; Courtesy of Netflix; Marcus Russell Price/Netflix

The world could use a laugh, and over the last decade, Netflix has branded itself as *the *destination for stand-up comedy. With new specials debuting every month and an output that surpasses that of HBO and Comedy Central (not always in quality, but certainly in quantity), Netflix continues to empower new voices and propel the comedy genre forward. (See: Shows like Hannah Gadsby’s *Nannette* and Natalie Palimedes' *Nate*.)

Here are the 26 best comedy specials on Netflix that showcase the streamer's comedic ambition.

Ali Wong, Single Lady (2024)

Ali Wong in 'Single Lady'.

Courtesy of Netflix

Ali Wong is back, but life for her looks a little different than it did in *Baby Cobra* (2016). *Single Lady* — the most recent of Wong’s four Netflix specials — gives the comic a chance to ruminate on the delights of divorce, dating as a mom, and sex with men of different ages. Wong is beloved for her tightly-written jokes and her singular delivery style, and in this special, she continues to mine the topics of aging, parenting, and relationships, but from a different angle and with a refreshing burst of Ali Wong energy. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *Single Lady*: Netflix

**Director: **Ali Wong

**Cast: **Ali Wong

Anthony Jesselnik, Bones and All (2024)

Anthony Jeselnik in 'Bones and All'.

The third of Anthony Jeselnik’s Netflix specials, *Bones and All* proves the comic hasn’t lost his flair or the boundary-pushing style that distinguished him as a late-night writer, roast performer, and comedy host. Known throughout the comedy scene as a subversive performer whose topics often skew dark, Jeselnik’s most recent offering isn’t as unpredictable and consistent as *Fire in the Maternity Ward *(2019), and some of the new material doesn’t hit as hard as it might in his live shows. But lulls aside, fans will find plenty of moments of classic Jeselnik joke-writing to revel in. *—I.G.***

Where to watch *Bones and All*: Netflix

**Director: **Bill Benz

**Cast: **Anthony Jeselnik

Chris Rock, Selective Outrage (2023)

Chris Rock in 'Selective Outrage'. Kirill Bichutsky/Netflix

You’d be hard-pressed to find a legitimate list of stand-up legends that doesn’t include Chris Rock’s name on it, and for good reason. The comic released his first live album, *Born Suspect*, in 1991, and produced another 10 stand-up specials and albums in the 30-plus years since.

A former cast member of both *Saturday Night Live* and *In Living Color*, Rock demonstrates a unique approach to writing about race, politics, culture, and celebrity, and his years working in different facets of live and recorded comedy came to a head in 2023 when he performed his show,* Selective Outrage*, in real time as part of Netflix’s first global live streaming event. The special isn’t Rock’s strongest in terms of material, but it’s a historic achievement, and a reminder that even under the most unconventional circumstances, nobody does it quite like him. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Selective Outrage*: Netflix

**Director: **Joel Gallen

**Cast: **Chris Rock

Hannah Gadsby, Nanette (2017)

Hannah Gadsby in 'Nanette'. Netflix

Tired of the ways comedy has failed them, Hannah Gadsby delivers a set that recontextualizes their relationship with the art form while also redefining what stand-up can be. The show is funny even when picking apart misogyny and the many ways our culture frowns upon queer love. Yet, it’s these topics, woven with self-deprecating humor and art history commentary, that make the special sing. —*Eric Farwell*

Where to watch *Nanette*: Netflix

**Directors: **Madeleine Parry, Jon Olb

**Cast:** Hannah Gadsby

Hannibal Buress, Comedy Camisado (2016)

Hannibal Buress in 'Comedy Camisado'.

Hannibal Buress was not an obvious future star when he started his career, but he nevertheless steadily built his act through odd rhythms and phrasing. By the time he taped this special, he’d established himself as a weird and vibrant voice, helping his class of alternative comedians become mainstream acts while standing out as a wilder comedy personality, from being compatriots with Eric Andre to joking about kicking pigeons. This special is a gorgeous distillation of Buress’ sharp craft and unique observational perspective. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Comedy Camisado*: Netflix

**Director: **Lance Bangs

**Cast:** Hannibal Buress

Jacqueline Novak, Get On Your Knees (2024)

Jacqueline Novak in 'Get On Your Knees'.

Emily V. Aragones/Netflix

Following her successful off-Broadway one-woman show — which garnered her a 2020 Drama Desk Award nomination — comedian and cohost of the *Poog* podcast brings her acclaimed production to Netflix. Directed by *Russian Doll*'s Natasha Lyonne, *Get on Your Knees* showcases Novak's thoughts on topics ranging from adolescence to sexual power dynamics and the art of giving blowjobs. *—James Mercadante*

Where to watch* Get on Your Knees*: Netflix

**Director: **Natasha Lyonne

**Cast:** Jacqueline Novak

Joe Mande, Joe Mande’s Award Winning Comedy Special (2017)

Joe Mande in 'Joe Mande's Award Winning Comedy Special'.

A possible heir apparent to David Cross, Joe Mande’s slow delivery, love of embarrassing stories, and righteous trolling of villains have made him an acerbic talent in comedy clubs and writers' rooms alike. Here, he shares what may be the best diarrhea bit in stand-up history, an anecdote about Hanukkah, and his love of ISIS videos for comedic purposes. In each joke, Mande maximizes the tension and humor in tandem, creating electricity in the room that you can feel through the screen. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Joe Mande’s Award Winning Comedy Special*: Netflix

**Director: **Daniel Gray Longino

**Cast:** Joe Mande

Joel Kim Booster, Psychosexual (2022)

Joel Kim Booster in 'Psychosexual'. Terence Patrick/NETFLIX

Queer comics have often been relegated to the sidelines in comedy, but here, with his debut special, Joel Kim Booster vivaciously celebrates his identity, joking about sex, poppers, and threesomes while engaging in crowd work that dares the audience to be uncomfortable. The result is a whirling storm of comedic brilliance from an undeniable talent who is just getting started, even if it’s been a long time coming. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Psychosexual*: Netflix

**Director: **Doron Max Hagay

**Cast:** Joel Kim Booster

John Mulaney, Baby J (2023)

John Mulaney in 'Baby J'.

Marcus Russell Price/Netflix

It's safe to say 2020 was rough for everybody, but John Mulaney ended that year by checking into rehab for a substance abuse problem. In the years since, he got divorced, found a new relationship, and fathered a child with Olivia Munn — all while attempting to stay clean.

*Baby J*, Mulaney’s fifth comedy special (this one filmed at Boston Symphony Hall), came out in 2023 and looks back at his intervention, rehab stay, and other assorted moments throughout the course of his journey to sobriety. The content is much different than his previous four specials, but Mulaney’s natural charisma and talent are as strong as ever, and the result is worthy of the Emmy award he won for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Baby J*: Netflix

**Director: **Alex Timbers

**Cast: **John Mulaney

Katt Williams, World War III (2022)

Katt Williams in 'World War III'.

Ser Baffo/Netflix

For this Netflix special, Katt Williams has thoughts on a third world war and what both sides will look like. In this hour-long show filmed in Las Vegas, Williams goes deep on truth, lies, the war on drugs, chicken wing shortages, and much more. Williams wrote and shot 13 specials between 2006 and 2024 — including *Woke Folk *(2024), which was Netflix’s second livestreamed comedy event — and while many would argue that *World War III* doesn’t crack the top three, it’s a good representation of where the comic is at these days. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *World War III*: Netflix

**Director: **Katt Williams

**Cast: **Katt Williams

Leanne Morgan, I’m Every Woman (2023)

Leanne Morgan in 'I'm Every Woman'.

Clean comedy doesn’t have to erase the grit of real life, and Leanne Morgan’s special doesn’t. In *I’m Every Woman*, the 2023 special that brought Morgan into mainstream cultural conversation, she waxes comedic about growing up in small-town Tennessee, her 20-year marriage, being a mom to three children, and adjusting to life as a grandmother. *I’m Every Woman* was so well-received, it inspired a new sitcom, *Leanne*, based on Morgan’s stand-up. Season 1 is available to stream on Netflix, but we recommend watching the special first. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *I'm Every Woman*: Netflix

**Director: **Manny Rodriguez

**Cast:** Leanne Morgan

Marc Maron, End Times Fun (2020)

Marc Maron in 'End Times Fun'. Adam Rose/Netflix

Marc Maron is in fine form while unpacking life in the 1990s, the Christian right, and superhero films. The comic is exceptionally animated and jovial here, partially because the material is solid, but it also might have something to do with his director, Lynn Shelton, who was also his romantic partner until her sudden death shortly after this program debuted. Unlike Maron’s 2023 special, *From Bleak to Dark*, which captures his grief, this is a snapshot of the joy the two shared as collaborators in more ways than one. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *End Times Fun*: Netflix

**Director: **Lynn Shelton

**Cast:** Marc Maron

Marc Maron says he couldn't afford a full Taylor Swift song for his stand-up special

Patton Oswalt on predicting 'Star Wars' and Marvel filibuster storyline in 'Parks and Rec' episode

Marcello Hernández, Marcello Hernández: American Boy (2026)

Marcello Hernández in 'Marcello Hernández: American Boy'.

Samuel Rivas/Netflix

Marcello Hernández made history when he was hired as *Saturday Night Live*’s first Gen Z cast member, but the sketch performer cut his teeth with stand-up. *Marcello Hernández: American Boy* is the comic’s first special, and Hernández uses the hour to introduce himself more intimately, packing in jokes about his Latino roots, his ADD diagnosis, and his relationship with his mother (a Cuban immigrant and survivor of the Castro regime). The special isn’t intentionally political, but the jokes hit especially hard in the current state of the world. Humanizing and hilarious, Hernández centers and skewers his upbringing, delivering an energetic and physical performance. *—I.G.* * *

Where to watch *Marcello Hernández: American Boy*: Netflix

**Director:** Nicholaus Goossen

**Cast:** Marcello Hernández

Maria Bamford, Old Baby (2017)

Maria Bamford in 'Old Baby'.

It’s hard to describe a Maria Bamford act, but it is easy to praise it. Here, Bamford does what she does best, setting up a premise before digging into it with voices, impressions, act-outs, tags, and endless funny ideas. There is darkness, but it's nothing she can’t milk for humor, turning cute and bleak observations into laugh generators. Bamford is a one-of-a-kind talent, and she may just be one of the best comics on the scene today. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Old Baby*: Netflix

**Director: **Jessica Yu

**Cast:** Maria Bamford

Michael Che, Shame the Devil (2021)

Michael Che in 'Shame the Devil'.

Mitchell Haaseth/Netflix

Michael Che’s second Netflix special arrived five years after his first, *Michael Che Matters* (2016). Filmed in Oakland, Calif., *Shame the Devil *takes a thoughtful and subversive look at mental health, relationships, Black leadership, and what it means to be an American. Che’s 2016 special was better received by critics and fans, but *Shame the Devil *is a great place to go to get your fix of Che’s jokes and insights. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Shame the Devil*: Netflix

**Director: **Kristian Mercado

**Cast: **Michael Che

Mike Birbiglia, The Old Man and the Pool (2023)

Mike Birbiglia in 'The Old Man and the Pool'.

John Lamparski/Getty

Mike Birbiglia is an exceptional storyteller, and in his third Netflix special, he focuses his comedic lens on the idea of mortality. Birbiglia’s father and grandfather both experienced heart attacks at the age of 56, and in *The Old Man and the Pool*, Birbiglia considers what it means to age when you’re a parent, and how his doctor’s suggestion that he incorporate swimming into his exercise routine affected his life.

The special is performed on a set made to look like a YMCA pool, and Birbiglia uses the stage to great effect, throwing his body around like he’s actually underwater. EW’s reviewer writes, “You never feel like he's performing a bit, but rather like you're throwing back a beer with your funniest friend, a guy you're meeting up with again for the first time in years.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Old Man and the Pool*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A

**Director: **Seth Barrish

**Cast: **Mike Birbiglia

Mo Amer, Mohammed in Texas (2021)

Mo Amer in 'Mohammed in Texas'.

Getting the details right, especially when representing your culture and home state, is important. This is, above all, the seemingly most important thing to Mo Amer, who truly considers what he’s saying in this hour about growing up as a Muslim in Texas. The kindness and camaraderie he’s found are complicated by Southern thinking at times, but here, Amer gifts his audience with something delicate and beautiful. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Mohammed in Texas*: Netflix

**Director: **Jay Chapman

**Cast:** Mo Amer

Natalie Palimedes, Nate — A One Man Show (2020)

Natalie Palimides in 'Nate'.

Pushing against the conventional idea of a comedy hour, *Nate* sees Natalie Palimedes explore masculinity by dressing the part, challenging men to wrestle on stage, and performing an act that combines traditional clowning and character-based stand-up. The show is bonkers, but it’s also a true celebration of unique parody. In an era of Andrew Santino and Joe Rogan, voices like Palimedes are essential for reminding audiences that comedy doesn’t have to “tell it like it is” or be “just sayin’” something all of the time. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Nate — A One Man Show*: Netflix

**Director: **Phil Burgers

**Cast:** Natalie Palimedes

Neal Brennan, 3 Mics (2017)

Neal Brennan in '3 Mics'. Brandon Hickman/Netflix

In a brave and singular show, Neal Brennan utilizes three microphones to tell jokes, truths, and one-liners, giving viewers the joy of laughing and eavesdropping at the same time. The most impressive feat is how he creates a fluid story between each mic, surprising the audience and creating tension while also keeping it engaging instead of overly complicated. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *3 Mics*: Netflix

**Director: **Neal Brennan

**Cast:** Neal Brennan

Patton Oswalt, I Love Everything (2020)

Patton Oswalt in 'I Love Everything'.

Kent Smith/Netflix

Patton Oswalt is in his 50s and looking back on his life with the same wit and wordsmithing that made him one of the most beloved comics working today. Four years after the death of his first wife, true crime writer Michelle McNamara, Oswalt released his ninth special, *I Love Everything*. A meditation on middle age, the special investigates Oswalt's thoughts on parenting his young daughter, buying and renovating a house with his new wife (actress Meredith Salenger), and his experiences eating at Denny’s. Though not as laugh-out-loud funny as some of his earlier works, *I Love Everything *has its own standout moments and is another impressive contribution to the Patton Oswalt comedy canon. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *I Love Everything*: Netflix

**Director: **Marcus Raboy

**Cast: **Patton Oswalt

Ronny Chieng, Love to Hate It (2024)

Ronny Chieng in 'Love to Hate It'.

As a senior correspondent and one of the hosts of *The Daily Show*, Ronny Chieng knows how to report on the state of the world. In *Love to Hate It*, his third Netflix comedy special, Chieng reports on the state of American culture, bouncing between bits on the generational divide, politics, and the perils of being perceived as a man on the internet. *Love to Hate It* isn’t as electrifying as *Asian Comedian Destroys America* (2019), but a joke about the humiliation ritual that is participating in the IVF process hits especially hard, and the special showcases Chieng’s sharp wit, outsider perspective, and talents as a present, physical performer. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Love to Hate It*: Netflix

**Director: **Cameron Barnett

**Cast:** Ronny Chieng

Rosebud Baker, The Mother Lode (2025)

Rosebud Baker in 'The Mother Lode'.

For Rosebud Baker’s *The Mother Lode*, the comic filmed two shows one year apart — one while she was eight months pregnant, one while going through postpartum. The two sets were edited together to create a comprehensive look at pregnancy, the early stages of motherhood, and all the feelings, hormones, and irrational thoughts that accompany both. Baker, who also works as a writer for *Saturday Night Live*’s “Weekend Update,” is a skilled joke constructionist with a dark sense of humor and a keen eye for observation. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Mother Lode*: Netflix

**Director: **Rosebud Baker

**Cast:** Rosebud Baker

Sam Jay, 3 in the Morning (2020)

Sam Jay in '3 in the Morning'.

Marcus Price/Netflix

Sam Jay is one of the voices of her generation, one who can body jokes and inspire reflection in one swoop. Here, she runs through dating, growing up, being afraid of aliens, and success, underpinning each dialogue with a vulnerability that expands the hour into a conversation with the audience, allowing their laughter and silence to answer her queries about life as she sees it. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *3 in the Morning*: Netflix

**Director: **Kristian Mercado

**Cast:** Sam Jay

Taylor Tomlinson, Have It All (2024)

Taylor Tomlinson in 'Have It All'.

Todd Rosenberg for Taylor Tomlinson

Taylor Tomlinson hasn’t been around as long as some of the other names on this list, but she’s packed a lot into her short career. Since 2020, Tomlinson has released three Netflix specials, each crammed with jokes about growing up in a conservative Christian family, mental health, dating, and trying to have it all as a millennial living in today’s social media-obsessed world.

An elite joke writer, Tomlinson started stand-up as a teenager, cut her teeth on shows like *Last Comic Standing*, and has distinguished herself as one of the most consistent and hardworking comics touring today. The show she hosted, *After Midnight*, was cancelled after two seasons, but you can catch Tomlinson’s comedy on Netflix at any time of day. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Have it All*: Netflix

**Director: **Kristian Mercado

**Cast: **Taylor Tomlinson

Tig Notaro, Happy To Be Here (2018)

Tig Notaro in 'Happy to Be Here'.

No comedian delights in being silly as much as Tig Notaro, and this, combined with her deadpan delivery and long pauses, is what makes her such an undeniable talent. Here, post-cancer with an HBO special under her belt, she celebrates being alive with bits about jokes she loves to do at parties, becoming a parent, and the small joys life has to offer after confronting your own mortality. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Happy To Be Here*: Netflix

**Director: **Tig Notaro

**Cast:** Tig Notaro

Vir Das, Landing (2022)

Vir Das in 'Landing'.

Vir Das made comedy history when he became the first Indian stand up to receive a Netflix special (*Abroad Understanding*, 2017). In *Landing*, his fourth special on the platform, he mentally returns to India to reflect on his childhood, his move to America, and the controversies that have followed him throughout his entertainment career. *Landing *won Das an International Emmy for Best Comedy Series, and the special has been lauded as a piece of art that finds power in both punchlines and moments of cultural and personal thoughtfulness. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Landing*: Netflix

**Director: **Vir Das

**Cast: **Vir Das

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Source: “EW TV”