Netflix is king in many genres, but its dominance in comedy is undisputed; the days of HBO and Showtime specials propelling comedians to stardom are largely gone. For today's comedians, the place to be is Netflix. Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, and Ali Wong have all presented popular comedy specials on Netflix within the past five years.

Netflix continues to champion comedy in all forms, not just stand-up. Sketches, musicals, and scripted comedies are all available on the most popular streaming service. From unique comedians like Bo Burnham to rising stars like Michelle Wolf, Netflix's five comedy specials should be in your next queue.

Comedy is more than just standing on stage with a microphone and telling jokes to an audience for an hour. With "Inside," Bo Burnham proves that there are no limits to comedy specials: filmed in the early stages of the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic, "Inside" was shot all over his house with no audience or crew.

Through his original songs and sketches, Burnham captures the uneasy feelings of fear and loneliness that many people felt in their homes. Burnham's songs tackle climate change, mental health, Jeff Bezos, and even "white women's Instagrams." This is a work of genius by a master, and will be one of the most culturally relevant pieces of pop culture to emerge from the pandemic.

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Tom Segura is like the fun uncle of Thanksgiving. He is an engaging narrator and knows how to tell a great story. He can be a bit aggressive at times, but never hurtful. Segura shows off his storytelling talents in his fifth special, "Sledgehammer. Filmed at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Segura's stories revolve primarily around his family and famous friends.

One of Segura's stories revolves around visiting his dying father. Segura is able to find humor in the darkest of moments, which many can relate to, and while we look forward to hearing about Segura's parenting skills while raising his two children, we also look forward to his special encounter with Brad Pitt.

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Most stand-up specials are hour-long recordings of rehearsed material from the comedian's latest touring big show. Not so with Michelle Wolf's latest special, "It's Great To Be Here," which is divided into three episodes ranging from 20 to 35 minutes and is the kind of set you would see if you walked into a small comedy club on a Tuesday night. The stakes are low and the atmosphere is casual.

That's not a bad thing, and Wolf's self-funded special is more authentic than a show in a huge arena; throughout the three episodes, Wolf talks about the Me Too movement, standards of female beauty, life in a new country, and vulgar rumors about Nancy Reagan. It's Great To Be Here may be the future of standup comedy specials for the YouTube generation.

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For a while, Shane Gillis became known as the comedian who was fired just days after appearing on Saturday Night Live in 2019. Four years later, Gillis has become one of the funniest acts in stand-up thanks to his sharp and rowdy humor, and in his first special for Netflix titled Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs, the 35-year-old comedian tours George Washington's house tour, pokes fun at his bizarre sex life and the perils of dating someone with a Navy Seal ex-boyfriend.

Gillis is not afraid to get political. His talent is being able to argue liberal and conservative points of view while seconds later ridiculing their supporters. Gillis can also do the best Donald Trump impersonation in comedy. Don't let his looks fool you. Gillis is highly intelligent and his comedy packs a punch.

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Unfortunately, many comics struggle with inner demons. From alcoholism to drug abuse, these vices can consume a comedian's life, but audiences may never know because they don't know what goes on behind closed doors. John Mulaney is not hiding in "Baby J," his first standup special in five years.

Filmed at Boston Symphony Hall in February 2023, Mulaney details his star-studded intervention (Nick Kroll and Fred Armisen were also in attendance) in which he was sent to rehab for drug addiction. This self-deprecating comedian doesn't shy away from his problems, and he sorts out his feelings in this special program. It also gives Mulaney an excuse to do his Al Pacino impersonation and complain about how his fellow patients did not recognize him during rehab. It's a new side of Mulaney that has captivated many fans.

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