If you’re a fan of stand-up comedy, you’ll know there’s no shortage of specials to watch. From classics like Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979) to newer hits like Hannah Gadsby: Nanette (2018), stand-up gives comedians the space to be funny, insightful, and authentically themselves, resulting in a medium as varied as those on stage. Comedy can be a tool to escape from reality for a bit or a way to better understand it, and the best stand-up comedians are the ones who meet the moment with a clear voice and unique perspective.
Whether you’re looking for boundary-pushing jokes or clean-cut humor, here are the best new stand-up specials to watch now, with a good chunk of them readily available on Hulu.
Jim Gaffigan: The Skinny (2024)
If you’re familiar with Jim Gaffigan, you’ll love his latest special, The Skinny (2024), which draws on the comedian’s recent weight loss with the help of appetite suppressants. It may, at first, seem like a far cry from the jokes about food, laziness, and Hot Pockets that Gaffigan is known for, but even if there’s less of him to love at the moment, the medication hasn’t interfered with his sense of humor.
Gaffigan is known for his cleaner comedy, avoiding hot button issues, and rarely using bad language. Even parts of The Skinny that seem like they may get raunchy, like a bit about the invention of Viagra, stay firmly in the PG-13 zone, making it an ideal choice for a mixed crowd. From stories about raising teenagers to a loving roast of Pat Sajak, The Skinny is a great special showcasing a uniquely talented comedian who manages to be both wholesome and twisted.
Zarna Garg: Practical People Win (2025)
In her second stand-up special, Practical People Win, Zarna Garg shares her unique perspective as an immigrant and Indian American mother of three with hilarious observations and surprising punchlines. No one is safe from Garg’s cutting words, not even her own kids, but much of the special centers on her relationship with her mother-in-law, who manages to be a constant presence from the other side of the world.
Garg’s penchant for shock comedy may rub some viewers the wrong way, and she’ll be the first to tell you that she’s not overly concerned with being politically correct. However, the result is a special that feels incredibly honest, like your cool aunt sharing a little too much about her life in the most fun way possible.
Atsuko Okatsuka: Father (2025)
If you’re looking for a stand-up comedian with a distinct style and enough energy to put the Energizer Bunny to shame, you want Atsuko Okatsuka. In Father (2025), Okatsuka covers a range of topics like her interdependent, yet adorable relationship with her husband and the struggles of making friends as you get older. She also has stories about her wild family history, which involves being kidnapped, brought to America, and living undocumented as a child.
While there’s certainly some darkness in her stories, Okatsuka’s physicality and facial expressions ooze positive energy and light. If you like cute, wholesome stand-up, be sure to check out Father on Hulu.
Marc Maron: Panicked (2025)
As its title suggests, Marc Maron’s latest special Panicked (2025) and his second for HBO, is far from a lighthearted hour of comedy. If you know Maron’s work—he’s best known for hosting the podcast WTF with Marc Maron, which ended in October 2025 after over 16 years of interviewing guests ranging from Robin Williams to Barack Obama—you’ll expect him to get political, and he does right off the bat.
While the special discusses other topics, like having to evacuate from the devastating LA wildfires, mental health, and Maron’s emotional relationship with his phone, Panicked is full of keen observation and thoughtful analysis that meets the nuance of the moment. Maron has sharp words for those on both sides of the political spectrum, not sparing those he agrees with from critique. Those looking for escapism from the headlines or who disagree with Maron’s politics should avoid it, but if you find shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) entertaining rather than stressful, you’ll likely find Panicked’s well-articulated examination of current events to be, at the very least, cathartic.
Roy Wood Jr.: Lonely Flowers (2025)
Roy Wood Jr.’s latest special isn’t just an hour of stand-up; it’s a smart examination of our modern social disconnect, loneliness, and how it's made us worse off as a society. That’s not to say Lonely Flowers isn’t funny—after all, The Daily Show (1996) alum spent years finding ways to make viewers laugh through some of the darkest current events. But it’s also profound in a way that sets it apart from a lot of other stand-up comedy specials.
Wood makes transitioning from humorous observation to powerful social commentary and back seem effortless. He also doesn’t shy away from the bleak or sentimental, which only makes it better when he finally hits the punchline. Look elsewhere if you’re looking for a lighthearted bit of escapism, but Lonely Flowers is a must-watch for anyone who appreciates comedy that mixes humor with profound observations and a heavy dose of empathy.
Matteo Lane: The Al Dente Special (2025)
The description of Matteo Lane’s The Al Dente Special describes his comedy as “like catching up with your old friend at brunch,” and I can’t think of a better way to sum up his latest stand-up special. Listening to Lane tell jokes about his experiences doing comedy across Europe and his time in Italy really feels like hearing your well-traveled gay friend telling you stories about the beautiful places he’s been and the bizarre people he’s encountered.
Whether he’s talking about meeting Oprah or bizarre TikToks of white women making pasta, Lane brings a sharp, sometimes ice cold, wit with lines that could easily be catchphrases from RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009).
Gianmarco Soresi: Thief of Joy (2025)
The newest entry on this list, Gianmarco Sorsei’s first comedy special reels you in right away with joke after joke about the comedian’s dysfunctional upbringing and complicated relationships with his parents and revolving door of step-parents. And while he covers a wide range of topics, from majoring in musical theater to accidentally calling a psychic instead of the suicide hotline, Thief of Joy manages to keep up the rapid-fire pace of jokes throughout the entire hour.
If you like John Mulaney’s stand-up—I was especially reminded of Mulaney’s early work like New in Town (2012)—and don’t mind when comedians get political, you’ll enjoy Gianmarco Soresi’s mix of personal stories and witty observations, too.
Jordan Jensen: Take Me With You (2025)
Take Me With You is Jordan Jensen’s first special, and it’s a promising debut for the former “mall goth.” Jensen’s humor is informed by her life as a woman who, as she puts it, has failed at femininity and is constantly mistaken for a lesbian despite definitely being interested in men. Her stories, while super raunchy, are also incredibly honest and often relatable, especially for women who don’t fit the typical mold.
Take Me With You definitely isn’t for everyone, so steer clear if you don’t want to hear crude jokes about sex. But if you’re like me and love unapologetic stand-up and shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005), you’ll enjoy watching Jensen let her freak flag fly.
Your Friend, Nate Bargatze (2024)
Between hosting the Emmys and releasing his first book, Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind, Nate Bargatze is having a big year. His latest special, Your Friend, Nate Bargatze, released on Netflix on Christmas Eve 2024 and delivers the kinds of clean and hilarious jokes fans of his previous specials and Saturday Night Live (1975) appearances expect.
Your Friend, Nate Bargatze is filled to the brim with jokes that sound like they come from, for lack of a better word, a friend. Bargatze brings a simple but unique perspective to topics like aging and processed foods, making jokes seem effortless with his folksy Southern charm. If you’re looking for a comedy special that you can share with the whole family, look no further than Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.
Melissa Villaseñor: Welp...What Now? (2025)
Three years after leaving SNL, former cast member Melissa Villaseñor has released her first stand-up special, Welp…What Now?, in which she discusses her time on the legendary sketch comedy show and what her life has been like since leaving her dream job. If you’re familiar with Villaseñor’s work, you’ll know to expect lots of the spot-on impressions that made her a stand-out cast member for six seasons, now mixed with more of her delightful wit and quirkiness.
As a fan of Villaseñor who has missed her presence on SNL, I loved watching her fully in her element telling jokes about growing up second generation Mexican-American and trying to seduce men with an Ash Ketchum impression. If you’re looking for a stand-up special that’s light and quirky without being too squeaky clean, Melissa Villaseñor’s Welp...What Now? is for you.
