Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years

This is the best of Bill Burr's entire comedic persona, but more distilled, concentrated and refined.

This special might not be for everyone, particularly those people who want him to remain as the Bill Burr of 10-15 years ago. Buy, as a long-time fan, I can safely say that he's reached a nexus of his comedic evolution in "Drop Dead Years." He combines his own personal evolution with introspective, bald-faced honesty (pun intended?) that's still very much so the same Bill Burr. He isn't rebranded, muzzled, or watered down - he's just a wiser, reflective lunatic who, despite having opened his heart up a bit more, somehow still spares no one.

It's great seeing how Burr has evolved since Chappelle Show while growing up and staying true to himself. It's also fun seeing him riff on subjects he has seemingly already done, but has found new perspectives as he has matured. There are probably going to be some political tears in other reviews despite the fact he doesn't let either side off the hook. I still love that he is one of the few white comedians to tackle American racism in a thoughtful, nuanced, and hilariously truthful way. His last couple of specials weren't bad but they didn't land with me as his older material had. And it sounds like he has been through a lot later in life. As a guy in my late 40s it resonates. His joke about fighting his dad was so on point I had to pause it. Definitely worth the watch and looking forward to seeing him continue to grow.

One of his best specials. It is all of the things I appreciate about Bill Burr's style. If you're a long time fan of the podcast or his stand up, there's still plenty of fresh material here to keep you invested and laughing. If you're neither, it's a fantastic stand up special that feels organic and unapologetic for all the right and funny reasons. Tame by Bill Burr's standards, but well thought out and unbelievably funny in a world full of cookie cutter stand up material. There are times when the jokes drag on just a bit too long, but I'm genuinely grasping at straws trying to find constructive criticism here. One of my favorite stand up specials in a long time.

The show is terrific. But I feel that Bill is being pulled back all the time the way that Jim Jeffries was. Once fully unleashed again we could get him back to his funniest self and when funny he is superb.

I would like to urge everyone to report false and political reviews like the one by a character called Khalid_t. Assuming he is real he posts political statements completely at odds with Bill Burrs comedy. So very odd.

Back to Bill, there are some corkers to be enjoyed here. Don't fast forward or skip because his asides and one liners are him often at his best.

The downside?

Why does he shout so much?!

The first half of this special features an old man complaining, using a whiney voice to sound humorous but not say anything funny. I was worried. Burr is a legend. However, legends do fade away, given enough time. But it was too soon for that.

Thankfully, the second half picked up, and I saw the Bill Burr we all know and love. It does feel like he's playing it safe, but I suppose that goes with age for some. His observational humor is less insightful and more on the nose. There is less self-deprecating humor this time around. That's what made Burr likable, in my opinion. He would eviscerate subjects and then make it personal, which is hilarious because many of us would see ourselves in him or someone we knew. Not so much now. Still worth watching, though.