From highly choreographed art-house projects to an hour of sex-robot clowning.
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Sandlers special is a fascinating, artfully subtle attempt to wrestle with his own fame.
10.Ali Wong,Single Lady
10.
Her jokes are not a self-deprecating list of flaws; they do not read as vulnerability.
But neither are they full of explicit, cartoonish arrogance.
That directness is what givesSingle Ladysuch oomph.
Every joke has aThis is the good part of this storymood.
Every new anecdote is told with straightforward, unshakable confidence.
9.Langston Kerman,Bad Poetry
9.
Netflix, 50 minutes
Kermans geniality is really a Trojan horse.
His stage presence exudes friendly approachability, and the jokes are friendly sometimes, especially in the setups.
But more often, theyre full of sharp edges that leap out toward the ends.
Read our interview withKerman andBad Poetrydirector and producer John Mulaney.
8.Ramy Youssef,More Feelings
8.
Max, 55 minutes
One of Youssefs superpowers as a comedian is his comfort with ambiguity.
Read ourinterview with Youssefabout his first Israel-Palestine joke he wrote after October 7.
7.Kyle Kinane,Dirt Nap
7.
YouTube, 72 minutes
The centerpiece ofDirt Napis Kinanesvery long jokeabout his cat, named Dirt Nap.
Read our piece onwhy Kinanes long joke is good.
6.Courtney Pauroso,Vanessa 5000
6.
They slap her ass.
She pretends to be absorbed by their interests.
Read ourinterview with Pauroso.
5.Anthony Jeselnik,Bones and All
5.
Theres a story about how he met Norm Macdonald and his time as a judge onLast Comic Standing.
But the first ten minutes ofBones and Allare where the hour distinguishes itself.
Read ourprofile of Jeselnik andBones and All.
4.Nikki Glaser,Someday Youll Die
4.
Read our piece onGlasers joke stylein the special.
3.Adam Sandler,Love You
3.
Gimmicks stay superficial, grabbing attention but not translating to something deeper.
Read ourreview ofLove You.
2.Jacqueline Novak,Get on Your Knees
2.
Its overwhelming to watch, which is exactly the point.
Read our 2019interview with NovakaboutGet on Your KneesandNovaks first-person essayabout returning to the show after its pandemic-driven hiatus.
1.Ali Siddiq,Domino Effect Part 3: First Day of School
1.
No part ofDomino Effectis bad, butPart 3is a particularly remarkable standout.
Someone kindly call the Pulitzers.
Read ourinterview with SiddiqaboutDomino Effect.
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