Hannah Gadsby: Something Special Review – a “feel-good” show

By Ricky Valero
Published: May 4, 2023 (Last updated: November 1, 2023)
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Hannah Gadsby: Something Special Review
3.5

Summary

Hannah Gadsby: Something Special spices things up on the stage with some fresh new material that will have you laughing.

We review the Netflix Stand Up Special Hannah Gadsby: Something Special, released on May 9, 2023. 

In 2006, Hannah Gadsby won second place at the So You Think You’re Funny? Competition at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Fast forward to 2022, Hannah Gadsby signed a multi-title deal with Netflix, and the first project in the deal is Gadsby is hitting the stage for their third Netflix stand-up special with Hannah Gadsby: Something Special

Hannah Gadsby: Something Special Review

Hannah Gadsby: Something Special is a stand-up comedy special from Hannah Gadsby where they tackle a traumatic encounter with a bunny, their wedding, and much more while the special was filmed at the famous Sydney Opera House.

They hit the stage by saying, “I got Married,” and Gadsby follows with, it’s going to be a feel-good show cause they owe us one. According to everyone around them, Gadsby mentions they did the wedding day all wrong.

It wasn’t something they thought about quite a bit as kids because, for the most part, they couldn’t get married. It followed with a story about hiring a Christian baker to make their wedding cake. A solid tiny opening that I enjoyed.

READ: Best Netflix Stand-Up Specials of 2023

Gadsby does a great job of deconstructing their proposal, wedding, and marriage. I loved how they started the special, stating that it would be a “feel-good” show, but not once did it make you feel good. One thing it did do was make you laugh.

Gadsby, like many others, is a storyteller comedian, so they rely heavily on the setup to drive home the punch line. More often than not, they landed most of the jokes.

My favorite bit of the special was when Gadsby told the story of their mother and her ability to hijack the story planes and land them horrendously. They followed with a story about their father and how their story planes never take off the ground. Both of these remind me of my own father, who likes to interrupt or take over the story, veer entirely off the rails, and land you somewhere different from where you originally wanted to land.

Is Hannah Gadsby: Something Special Good or Bad?

Fans of Hannah Gadsby will not be disappointed. While Gadsby brings their typical style to the stage, their new lease on life of being married brings out some fun new material.

Is Hannah Gadsby: Something Special Worth Watching?

The special highlights Gadsby’s ability to raise their own game to bring something fresh to the stage. You typically see comedians stay in their own lane or find bits that work and let that be who they are.

However, Gadsby takes this new part of their life and brings some damn good material to the forefront. Because of that, Hannah Gadsby: Something Special is well worth watching upon its release.

What did you think of the Netflix Stand Up Special Hannah Gadsby: Something Special? Comment below.

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Movie Reviews, Netflix, Streaming Service