Seemingly overnight, Netflix has become the primary destination for stand up comedy specials. For many years, the pinnacle of a comic's career was to obtain the coveted HBO special, but these days it seems all of the top comics are releasing their specials on Netflix. And because of that, there are a ton of comedy specials to watch on Netflix at this moment in time. And while the shift seems like it happened pretty quickly, Netflix has actually been grinding away at the stand up game for several years now, and has built an enormous library of top shelf comedy specials.
In the below list you will find 31 stand up comedy specials that are all streaming on Netflix. The vast majority of them are Netflix originals that have premiered within the last few years, though there are a few older specials from comedians who haven't released newer material in a while. As a general rule, every comedian is represented by just one special on this list, their most recent, though many of them have multiple hours that are available to stream should you enjoy what's represented here. So take a look below at 31 comedy specials currently streaming on Netflix, and get ready to laugh.
1‘Dave Chappelle’
After willingly stepping away from the limelight several years ago, Dave Chappelle returned last year with two brand new hours on Netflix and proved he's still got it.
2‘Dave Chappelle: Equanimity & The Bird Revelation’
Yes, Chappelle gets a second entry because he just released two more hours of new material for Netflix, making a total of four within the past year. That's an insane output for any comic.
3‘Sarah Silverman: A Speck Of Dust’
Sarah Silverman is absurdly funny at everything she does, but stand up remains her best medium.
4‘Todd Barry: Spicy Honey’
He may not be as recognizable as some of the other names on this list, but hardcore comedy fans know Todd Barry as one of the best and hardest working stand ups working today.
5'Jerry Before Seinfeld’
It's a Jerry Seinfeld stand up special, what more do you need to know?
6‘Kevin Hart: What Now?’
Possibly the hottest stand up in the business right now, Kevin Hart is at the top of his game here.
7‘Chelsea Peretti: One Of The Greats’
The title of Chelsea Peretti's special is meant to be satirically boastful, but it's actually true.
8‘Judd Apatow: The Return’
Judd Apatow quit stand up 25 years ago and ended up becoming an insanely successful film producer and director. Now he's back, and hasn't lost a step.
9‘Patton Oswalt: Annihilation’
Who doesn't love Patton Oswalt? The affable comedian released this powerful special last year, with the tragic death of his wife at the center of his material. It's funny and cathartic, and proves that there may be no one better at finding the humor in whatever garbage life throws at you.
10‘John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid’
If you're not already a huge fan of John Mulaney, you will be after this special.
11‘Ali Wong: Baby Cobra’
It's not often you see a very pregnant woman performing a stand up special, but Ali Wong is no average comedian.
12‘Bo Burnham: Make Happy’
He may no longer be a teenage prodigy, but at 27, Bo Burnham is funnier than ever.
13‘Donald Glover: Weirdo’
Donald Glover has proven he can excel at anything, and during his relatively short stint as a stand up, managed to release a pretty outstanding special in 2012.
14‘Norm MacDonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery’
There may be no comic alive who's better at the art of crafting a joke than Norm MacDonald.
15‘Maria Bamford: Old Baby’
Maria Bamford is one of the most unique stand up comics you're likely to come across. She's also one of the best.
16‘Jim Jefferies: Freedumb’
Jim Jefferies became better known last year thanks to his new self-titled late night comedy series, and this special shows why the Australian comic's preference for political humor is making him famous.
17‘Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King’
The Daily Show correspondent's star is rising, so get on board now so you can say you knew about him before it was cool.
18‘Amy Schumer: The Leather Special’
Amy Schumer shows why she's become so massively successful lately by hitting the stage — clad in all leather, of course.
19‘Joe Mande’s Award Winning Comedy Special’
A writer for Parks & Recreation, Master of None, and The Good Place, Joe Mande proves he has a knack for performing, too.
20‘Hannibal Buress: Comedy Camisado’
If you only know Hannibal Buress from Broad City, it's time you familiarized yourself with his full body of work.
21‘Mike Birbiglia: Thank God For Jokes’
Mike Birbiglia's deeply personal stand up sets often resemble one man shows, and they're always hilarious.
22‘Tig Notaro: Tig’
While this touching documentary isn't technically a stand up special, it still contains lots of clips of Tig Notaro absolutely killing it on stage.
23‘Jim Gaffigan: Cinco’
Jim Gaffigan is a "clean comic," which means he doesn't swear on stage. But don't let that scare you off, he's easily as funny as any other comic out there.
24‘Jen Kirkman: Just Keep Livin’?’
Many know Jen Kirkman from her days working on Chelsea Lately, but she's an accomplished comedian in her own right and is more than capable of carrying her own special.
25‘Tom Papa: Live In New York City’
Tom Papa's been around forever, but still hasn't really had his "moment" like many of the other comics on this list. That's a shame, because the sharp-dressed comic is one of the best joke-tellers around.
26‘Leslie Jones: Problem Child’
Leslie Jones' stand up is what landed her her SNL gig, so see where her career — which began in 1987 — first started to catch fire with this 2010 special.
27‘Eugene Mirman: Vegan On His Way To The Complain Store’
If you enjoy deadpan humor, you'll love Bob's Burgers star Eugene Mirman.
28‘Wyatt Cenac: Brooklyn’
The former Daily Show correspondent has been the face of the Brooklyn comedy scene for years, and this ode to the borough shows why.
29‘Garfunkel & Oates: Trying To Be Special’
If you're into musical comedy, there's arguably no one better than the duo of Riki Lindhome (Garfunkel) and Kate Micucci (Oates).
30‘Lucas Bros: On Drugs’
Or, if you prefer your comedy duos to be nonmusical (and identical), check out these offbeat siblings.
31‘The Standups’
If you'd like a little variety, this Netflix series features six different comics doing their own lengthy sets: Deon Cole, Beth Stelling, Nate Bargatze, Dan Soder, Nikki Glaser, and Fortune Feimster.
There are literally dozens more stand up specials on Netflix, but these 31 make for an excellent introduction to the streaming service's comedy offerings.
