From Psychosexual to Rothaniel: The Best Comedy Specials of 2022

The 2022 year of comedy brought out the best. It was the year of larger-than-life piano ballads, inflated egos and exciting newcomers. But 2022 was also the year of poignant self-reflection and personal reveals. From Jerrod Carmichael’s Emmy-winning “Rothaniel” to Kurt Braunohler’s “Perfectly Stupid,” it seemed like comedians were ready to bare their souls on stage in order to make us laugh and sometimes cry. In case you missed any of them, Variety staff rounded up their favorite comedy specials from the year (in no particular order).

Patton Oswalt: We All Scream (Netflix)
Patton Oswalt isn’t reinventing the wheel with his latest special, but rather processing an unthinkable pandemic through his comedic lens. Whether tracing Trump to Boomers having one last temper tantrum before they die out, to looking at his own mortality through the lens of the SiriusXM channel guide, Oswalt paints with his comfortingly wacky pop culture brush. A fun segment in the middle with crowdwork adds some welcome variety to his traditional set. It’s also a treat to see Oswalt settled back into a joyous family life, reconstructed after finding new love in the wake of his wife’s sudden death in 2016. – Bill Earl
Taylor Tomlinson: Look At You (Netflix)
Taylor Tomlinson’s “Look at You” is a candid special that operates similar to a therapy session. Opening up about her experience with antidepressants and mental health, Tomlinson offers her audience a glimpse at the reality of the comic’s life as she comes to terms with her bipolar disorder diagnosis. With jokes about the changes in her dating life in this personal and honest testimony, it’s an engaging and humorous sophomore special. – Breanna Bell
Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy (Netflix)
Nick Kroll further leaned into his “Big Mouth” fame with his latest special, “Little Big Boy.” The comedian, who voices approximately 40 characters between his two animated Netflix shows, packaged a series of hilarious anecdotes about his first love, heartbreak and even a bizarre hypnosis experience into his first hour-long standup for the streamer. Kroll’s analysis of how his own teenage feelings of annoyance toward his mother were carried into adulthood makes viewers reminisce on their adolescent relationships through a new lens. – Breanna Bell
Catherine Cohen: The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous (Netflix)
Traipsing around the stage of Joe’s Pub in a rhinestoned romper — a fashion choice she makes sure to narrate at the start of the special — Catherine Cohen made her first taped comedy special with an impressive level of focus. That might not seem like the right word for an hour-long set that bounces between hubris (“I don’t believe I’m gonna die!“) and devastation (memories of hating her stomach at the ripe age of five) at such a frenetic pace, with songs and hair flips and foot pops thrown in for spice. But when Cohen flippantly calls herself the voice of her generation, she isn’t completely wrong. She rattles off “raised by the internet”-style jokes with enough context and crudeness to appeal to the rare boomers in her audience too. – Selome Hailu
Ali Wong: Don Wong (Netflix)
Ali Wong’s “Don Wong” is another confessional showing her feelings on marriage and motherhood. While she’s never shied away from the harsh realities that come with the “joys” of family building, in Wong’s third Netflix special, the “Always Be My Maybe” star opens up about how jealous she is of single people and their ability to come and go as they please. While exploring the challenges of monogamy and her explicit fantasies, Wong offers a hilarious and relatable release for her audience to express their unsaid feelings. – Breanna Bell
Earthquake: Legendary (Netflix)
The effortlessly funny comedic legend kills in this 30-minute special stuffed with jokes and wordplay. The topics are well-trodden — going to the doctor’s office, Trump, COVID — but Earthquake’s delivery is acrobatic and motormouthed in equal measure. With a deep baritone which evokes both a preacher with complete control of his flock and your favorite uncle cracking you up with dirty jokes at a family reunion, Earthquake makes a meal out of every profane punchline. – Bill Earl
Atsuko Okatsuka: The Intruder (HBO)
Atsuko Okatsuka cements herself as one of the most promising new voices in comedy with her debut special, “The Intruder.” From her puzzlement over a trespasser in her backyard to the side-splitting revelation that immigrants can become gluten-intolerant, too, Okatsuka delivers each punchline with a razor-sharp rhythm that still feels remarkably fresh and off-the-cuff. Fans may recognize her from the mega-viral “Drop Challenge” she started on TikTok, but “The Intruder” makes it clear her future in comedy will outlast any social media trend. – Katcy Stephan
Kate Berlant: Cinnamon in the Wind (FX)
2022 was the year of Kate Berlant. The actor and comedian appeared on “A League of Their Own” and “Don’t Worry Darling,” her sketch show with longtime collaborator John Early “Would It Kill You to Laugh” was absolutely brilliant (watch it immediately) and her one-woman show “KATE” received such rave reviews it secured an encore run. Needless to say, the Berlantians were elated when FX announced her black-and-white comedy special directed by Bo Burnham. And they were not disappointed. Berlant’s off-the-cuff vibe mixed with her fearless crowd work and absolutely devastating line delivery left audiences awash in awe. It’s hit after hit after hit — pause to remark on the crowd reaction — after hit. There’s a whole bit about how tucking in her shirt makes her feel like she has children, which sparks an entire scene where she’s hustling her imaginary family into a car and… reader, it is art. But more importantly, it was something different, something special, a new and exciting look into a growing comedian we’re excited to see jump to the next level. – Meredith Woerner
Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual (Netflix)
Joel Kim Booster, who wrote and starred in this year’s rom-com highlight “Fire Island,” delivers an honest and hysterical set focused on being Korean with an American upbringing, peppered with plenty of fantastic sex jokes. From drunken escapades on a gay cruise to bits on sex toys and why he thinks he would be able to please a woman, Booster also grapples with criticisms he’s heard about being a bad role model in both the gay and Asian communities. But with a standup set so hilarious and raw, it’s impossible not to root for him in between laughs. – Bill Earl
David A. Arnold: It Ain't for the Weak (Netflix)
In his final special, the late David A. Arnold hosts a hysterical set in his Cleveland hometown as he bridges generations with his take on the youth, calling Gen Z the “participation trophy generation.” The comedian imparts pieces of wisdom in his second Netflix special, executive produced by Kevin Hart, as he jokes about the pros and cons of raising “entitled” kids to leave the nest and marital spats. He also opens up about his origin story with impersonations of his grandfather, a side-splitting story about his deaf sister and his struggles to overcome addiction. Arnold’s final special before his untimely death was a vulnerable and sincere presentation revealing what he cherished most in his life: his family. – Breanna Bell
Kurt Braunohler: Perfectly Stupid (Youtube)
In his poignant little special about coping with life’s tragedies with “perfectly stupid” humor, Braunohler, now a father of two, punctuates his retrospective thoughts with self-deprecating stories and a truly fantastic rant about bees. Come for the soft jokes about aging, stay for the jaw-dropping story about meeting his music hero, Mike Watt. – Meredith Woerner
Sheng Wang: Sweet and Juicy (Netflix)
Directed by Ali Wong, Sheng Wang’s “Sweet and Juicy” is a rib-splitting look at the mundane. In his first hour-long special, Wang delivers jokes about the joys of being wasteful in the workplace and the importance of keeping bad posture out of an extreme sense of humility. With this personable and relaxed set (which feels indicative of his Houston roots) on juicing and mammograms, the comedian cements himself as a refreshing treat. – Breanna Bell
Matt Rogers: Have You Heard of Christmas?(Showtime)
Matt Rogers gifted us all with a musical comedy special about lube, horny Whoville characters and so much more. Fueled by confidence and charm, the “Fire Island” star (yes, double “Fire Island” mentions on this year’s list!) dazzles the audience with his holiday songs, solidifying his place as the Prince of Christmas. This year Joe’s Pub, next, Radio City Music Hall. – Meredith Woerner
Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel (HBO Max)
Plenty of standup specials will make you laugh so hard you’re brought to tears. Jerrod Carmichael does that in his Emmy-winning “Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel” — but even more tears flow from its raw emotion. Carmichael, already a critical favorite for past routines and his landmark NBC sitcom “The Carmichael Show,” is open and honest in “Rothaniel” as midway through the special he comes out as gay — and then recounts the struggles he’s faced with family and friends along the way. Of course, he has the perfect director in Bo Burnham — himself a pro at knowing how to tell poignant, personal tales that are relatable, honest and funny. “Rothaniel” was like nothing else in 2022, which is why it was no surprise that Carmichael would win the Emmy for variety special writing. The special, as well as Carmichael’s concurrent turn as guest host on “Saturday Night Live,” is why so many fans are looking forward to seeing how he approaches his next gig: Hosting the 80th Golden Globes on January 10. – Michael Schneider