Best Stand-Up Comedy Specials
Stand-up specials are some of the most rewatchable comedy on film. This guide picks well-known specials from several decades, from concert films shot in front of live audiences to recent streaming releases.
Titles are listed by year of release.
Best Stand-Up Comedy Specials: the list
Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)
A concert film of Pryor performing before a live audience, and one of the most influential stand-up films.
Eddie Murphy Raw (1987)
A recorded live stand-up set that became one of the best-known comedy concert films of the 1980s.
Chris Rock: Bring the Pain (1996)
A live-recorded stand-up set on race, relationships and everyday life, known for its sharp observations.
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette (2018)
A Netflix special in which Gadsby examines the structure of comedy and her own experiences. It was widely discussed when it came out.
Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (2019)
A Netflix special that takes on cancel culture, free speech and celebrity.
Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)
A special Burnham made alone in one room during the pandemic. It mixes songs and sketches about the internet and isolation.