Hannah Gadsby: Something Special

If this was described as "a person walking around on stage talking about boring mundane day-to-day things that are not funny" then I would laugh and be like "are you serious? I gotta watch this". But it was described as a "comedy special", so I watched this thinking that someone was going to tell jokes and I was going to laugh.

Not only did I not laugh, but the audience didn't laugh either. There is one joke about the color blue.... wow, it was like watching that one lady back in 2016 who said "wiped the hard drive? Like, with a cloth?", which is essentially when the word "cringe" was invented in pop culture. The entire audience of this special looked at each other with a weird look on their faces thinking "Is this funny? Am I supposed to laugh?"

I hope that analogy gives you an idea of what you can expect to feel when you watch this thing. It is beyond dry. And I don't mean dry like the Office, but dry like static cling in your laundry. You are going to get electrocuted when you stand up from your couch to turn off the tv.

How did this person manage to secure a Netflix special? I just don't get it. I highly doubt you will either.

This is now the third special from Hannah Gadsby, and one I love as much as the two earlier ones. While Nanette broke my heart, Douglas was just pure joy of connecting with a fellow autistic mind, and no we have Something Special, which, indeed, is something special.

Hannah has the ability to build her comedy on laughing at her own peculiarities all the while being just the charming witty person she is. She tells the story of proposing her now wife, Jenno, and turns the story into a heart-warming comedy show without insulting anyone, without laughing at less-fortunare people, and without being problematic. And, this is pure perfection.

Also very relatable for someone like me, autistic and queer.

Hannah jokes that we are owed a feel good show after previously making us laugh and cry - and the show delivers on this promise.

Like most good stand up - it felt short and left you wanting more. Like most good stand up - stories linked into other stories, and stories about telling stories were also a pleasure.

And that is just it - laugh or cry, Hannah tells stories, facts, truths in the type of way that makes us feel we could all be successful comics telling the nuances of our lives - but Hannah nails it.

You wont have your heart wrenched like Nanette - but you will be entertained and this is "something special"

I watched both Nanette and Douglas (Hannah's previous Netflix specials), and I enjoyed parts of each show. I found myself laughing at the Art jokes quite a lot. Even some of the lesbian jokes were fun, but they also get tired fast.

But this special, was like watching paint dry! It was more like a chore.

There was a joke that got a chuckle out, but I forgot which one it was.

I don't get why she is repeating how good she is as a storyteller and how bad her wife is at telling stories. I got it the first time, it doesn't become funnier if you say if a bunch of times.

The jokes are very mild and boring, definitely not worthy of such a large audience. But maybe I just didn't get it?

Call me old fashioned; but I generally like some comedy in my comedy specials. I honestly don't know what this even was, but it wasn't comedy.

I've seen a lot of criticism thrown Hannah's way, and I've never bothered to confirm whether or not it's justified, so I decided to watch Something Special.

The criticism is justified.

This wasn't so much much a comedy special as it was a long whinge; about how hard Hannah - and women in general.- have had it in life. At no point does she explain how or why she's oppressed. She just throws it out there and uses the victimhood as a way to solicit laughs - a task at which she fails massively. I didn't even manage a smile during this show. I just sat scratching my head, wondering why it is this woman's shows get such high ratings.

It's truly a mystery to me.