Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual (2022)

In his first standup special for Netflix, Booster dives into the trenches and intersections of his many identities: a gay man, an Asian-American adoptee, an adopted child of an evangelical Christian family, a role model to the LGBTQ+ community and so many more. Although his special flows well, Booster tactfully anchors his material within the audience to make a point about how he is perceived through his material. Speaking to audience members throughout the show, he separates his show into three acts that all offer different perspectives of him as a performer and as a person. His raw, unfiltered, and unapologetic style of comedy is one that not only echoes his admiration of those who came before him, but also leaves a powerful impression of his comedic talent.

Ali Wong: Don Wong (2022)

Rounding out the trilogy of her now three Netflix specials, Wong delivers on her signature style of profoundly vulgar and unfiltered observations of womanhood, motherhood, sex and gender politics. Taking it a step further by focusing on the evolution of her marriage and her growth since becoming a successful comedian, Wong does not hold back whatsoever, and thank God for it. Although it may be tough to take for some viewers, Wong’s unhinged and raw perspective on the most intimate moments of women’s lives is refreshing and poignantly meaningful.

Sheng Wang: Sweet and Juicy (2022)

Sheng Wang’s debut Netflix special

Sweet and Juicy

is the kind of comedy that sneaks up on you. For the first few minutes, I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but with Wang’s slight twang in his delivery and genuinely clever observations about the absurdities and relatable experiences of everyday life, you are bound to crack up eventually. Directed by fellow comic and friend Ali Wong,

Sweet and Juicy

is a well crafted exploration of our shared human experiences, finding the profoundly simple and yet pointedly nonsensical humor of it all that Wang navigates so comfortably.

Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester (2022)

In his sophomore Netflix special, Minhaj goes straight for his audience’s jugular. Known for researched deep dives and sarcastically trolling retellings of his experiences, Minhaj finds a way to balance his amusingly manic style of comedy by grounding it in the lessons he’s learned from his wife and children. Conveniently segueing his misadventures into moments of tenderness with his family make this special as meaningful as it is. A balanced meditation on fatherhood, fertility, global politics, human greed and love, this special is a piece of comedic expertise from the first moment.

Jimmy O Yang: Good Deal (2020)

Good Deal

is a triumphant debut special for comic Jimmy O Yang. Following an appearance in 2018’s

Crazy Rich Asians

as playboy Bernard Tai, Yang delivers with an exhaustingly funny retelling of his experience as an Asian-American actor and coming to America as a young child. Focusing on stories of his dad’s misunderstanding of his job and their relationship, Yang is relatable and glowingly proud of his journey to where he is standing, which only makes his anecdotes and embarrassing moments more endearing and funny.

John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City (2018)

Possibly one of the most seminal specials of the last 10 years, John Mulaney’s

Kid Gorgeous at Radio City

is a product of intellectual genius and a culmination of Mulaney’s signature and subversive comedic chops. Exploring the political climate, his college years, his time at SNL and even some everyday goings on, Mulaney delivers it all with his signature imposter grownup voice and a bitingly Irish Catholic wit. Endlessly quotable and delightfully insightful, this special is a must see and will go down in history as one of the most successful of its time.

Rory Scovel: Rory Scovel Tries Stand Up For The First Time (2017)

Although not as well known as its counterparts above, this 2017 special is a hidden gem that is still going unappreciated. Newcomer Scovel’s method may seem a little crassly unremarkable at first, but his material about the mysteries behind certain worldly and human practices is one that never fails to make me laugh. His kiddy attitude throughout also contributes to his image as sort of buddy buddy while actually being comically effective underneath his unrefined image.

First Time

is a special that is all over the place, but in the best and most unexpected ways that I will guarantee will have you laughing.