Earlier this month, The Verge reported that Netflix plans to drop a new comedy special every week for the rest of the year. The streaming giant hasn’t officially announced this (the current schedule only goes through June and doesn’t quite feature 52 specials), but the confirmed lineup so far is promising.
Amy Schumer’s The Leather Special and two long-awaited Dave Chappelle concerts debuted in March to much buzz, and Louis C.K. looks to keep the momentum going in April with his Netflix debut, 2017 (Premiere, Tuesday), filmed in Washington, D.C. this past January. He’s also signed on to release another special on the streaming service at some point in the future.
What can fans expect in 2017? C.K.’s signature take on hot-button issues like abortion, racism and suicide. More shocking: It appears C.K. has swapped out his uniform of a black T-shirt and jeans for a nice suit.
And the big names keep coming.
Tracy Morgan has a Netflix special premiering May 16 — his first since surviving a bus accident in 2014 that left him with a brain injury — while Sarah Silverman’s drops on Netflix May 30.
Looking ahead, Netflix has also signed deals with Chris Rock (two stand-up specials) and Jerry Seinfeld (two specials and new episodes of his show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee).
Outside of Netflix are even more options: SNL’s Sasheer Zamata (Pizza Mind, Thursday, Seeso), This American Life’s Chris Gethard (Career Suicide, May 6, HBO) and married couple Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman (Summer of 69: No Apostrophe, May 19, Epix) are just a few of the comedy offerings coming via streaming platforms and premium cable networks.
There’s some debate over this being a new golden age for stand-up comedy. Some serious superstars have emerged from the scene in the last 10 years or so — Kevin Hart topped Seinfeld as last year’s highest- paid comedian (with $87.5 million) for the first time in nine years and Schumer made history as the first woman to make the Forbes list (she came in fourth with $17 million).
Lately, comics have found themselves at the center of controversy, between right-wing trolls conspiring to tank Schumer’s Leather Special ratings to evolving opinions on comedy’s role in politics, what’s OK to joke about and what crosses the proverbial line. (Chappelle caught some flack for jokes about the LGBTQ community and sexual assault in his Netflix specials.)
But comedy controversy is nothing new, yet this onslaught of filmed stand-up concerts certainly is. At this rate, veteran comics and newbies alike should keep audiences laughing (and talking) all year long.
Picks of the Week
Imaginary Mary (Series Premiere, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, ABC) – In this new primetime comedy, Jenna Elfman stars as Alice, an independent workaholic whose life shifts dramatically when she falls for a single father of three. These changes trigger the return of Alice’s childhood imaginary friend, Mary.
Legion (Season Finale, 10 p.m. Wednesday, FX) – David faces his biggest challenge yet in this season closer. Legion has been renewed for Season 2.
RuPaul’s Drag Race (8 p.m. Friday, VH1) – Lisa Kudrow swings by the workroom, The B-52s guest-judge, the queens serve their best Bring It On moves and the returning contestant is revealed.
The Walking Dead (Season Finale, 9 p.m. Sunday, AMC) – Who else is beyond disappointed by this season? In this 90-minute episode, various allies (Alexandria, Hilltop, the Kingdom, the Scavengers — maybe a rogue Oceansider or two?) look to converge in pursuit of Negan. But considering the pace of this season, I worry it’s all setup for Season 8.
Big Little Lies (Series Finale, 9 p.m. Sunday, HBO) – Celeste takes action after another fight, Amabella’s bully is revealed, Madeline’s past comes back to haunt her and we finally learn what happened at the fateful Elvis and Audrey fundraiser.
CONTACT JAC KERN: @jackern
This article appears in Mar 29 – Apr 5, 2017.
