Neal Brennan: Blocks (2022 TV Special) User Reviews

He is a comedy giant even if he doesn't believe it himself.

[gina_gemini · 9/10 · 17 November 2022]

I dare say it was as enjoyable and thought provoking as Chappelle's special. Same high quality level. One of the best specials I saw this year. Unforgettable.

He has a great comedy mind and even though he calls it 'traumedy' the emotional parts are exactly what makes it unique. I am a big fan of 3 Mics and before watching this I was exactly hoping for something similar. Comedy plus emotional revelations I too can relate to.

Hands down this had some of the most original and funniest jokes i've heard in quite a while and the last part was so moving I am sure it'll stay with me for a few days.

Thank you Neal for your comedy and also for sharing these deeply personal moments with us.

Brilliant Brennan

[Manly1947 · 9/10 · 11 November 2022]

I get this guy on so many levels. He's not afraid to tackle the 'taboo' subjects. He is intelligent, funny, and real.

I saw a 1/10 comment that basically invalidated his mental health struggles with the stereotypical "no idea" what true sadness and clinical depression is really like. It is a mental health illness. And the classic, "oh he's got money so that somehow he must be happy".

The last five minutes will be forever stored in my brain for myself, and for others that I see fighting this insidious disability.

Anyone who has somehow fighting the good fight, get them to watch this. To laugh in the face of diversity, is the best laugh of all. Thank you Neal.

relatable comedy with a touch of real talk

[lordhuron · 9/10 · 9 November 2022]

Brilliant. Thank you for this Neal. I have never found a stand up so relatable, human and real like yours. You are enough, hope your path gets easier man <3 Honestly it feels like a conversation and everything is very personal, at the same time it is very relatable. Trivial problems and comedic interactions xD I love how it created a distance from the audience, while at the same time the way he talks and jokes about real life events and challenges that happens to all of us. I also enjoyed the slow/gradual transition to more serious talk, which brings it close to the audience again. On this topic, everyone will for sure like them and find some comfort. I never realized, but I am somehow always dealing with similar situations/issues brought on by life or society...

Razor sharp wit

[MrBread789 · 10/10 · 13 November 2022]

Neal Brennan is a treasure! A brilliant comedian with the most precise wit that just hits the spot. His comedy is like one of those copper scalp massage things. It's like he can reach into my brain and directly tickle it. As an aside, I was appalled and infuriated to hear of Chris Rock's lame public joke against Neal. And seriously? Chris Rock? In his entire body, he doesn't have an ounce of the brilliant comedy that Neal has in his little pinky. But back to this special, it's fantastic. I love the dead pan delivery and I absolutely love the jokes themselves. They're sharp, relatable, and fantastically executed. Neal, please don't make us wait another 5 years for the next special!

This one I could not turn off.

[Adwsdasd · 9/10 · 14 November 2022]

At one point you get tired of even the best comedians doing another Netflix special. You start to get their commonly shared condition of self-loathing, self-deprecation and self-harm and it diminishes your joy about what you see and hear and are supposed to laugh about.

Neal Brennan in this (and his previous) set unmasks this condition and gives you insight. And instead of laughing about him you will give him your sympathy and laugh for him.

That is what makes this Netflix comedy special (oddly categorized as "documentary") so much more sustainable.

There is nothing forced or acted out or phony about it. Neal Brennan is authentic even when, at the end he reveals a little optical trick that he skillfully prepared throughout the entire act.

The result is an extremely funny, entertaining and heart-warming exercise in self-analysis that many non-comedians can relate to, as well.

Something else

[shaunjose-51328 · 10/10 · 25 November 2022]

Not only a hilarious comedian, but also a genius.

For people who get offended, Neal is someone who offends both sides of every debate, so you don't have to worry.

Not the funniest standup I've watched, but still the most satisfying. There;s something undesrcribable about it.

There is no standup I've ever seen that's more original than this and he's a class act. It may start slow but I 100% encourage you to hang on, this show did not disappoint me and will certainly not disappoint you.

Dont want post spoliers, bit his opinion on every topic is absolutely spot on. 10/10 would recommend this.

Beyond brilliant

[shelleyalevin · 10/10 · 10 December 2022]

It's hilarious but be prepared for it to also be touching and poignant- even a bit sad. But it's balance at its best bc it's perfect humanity. I've never seen anything like it. And I don't toss around words like 'brilliant' lightly. It's so human and relatable and supremely entertaining all at the same time. I'm a new fan and definitely one of his biggest! I don't know why IMDB is requiring I write so much more bc I feel I've said enough but here it is: it's absolutely fantastic so do yourself a favor and watch it!! It's so very great and different. You will laugh and come close to crying - or like me, find yourself wanting to call him to meet for a coffee and a chat.

Neal Brennan's Funniest Special

[tkdlifemagazine · 7/10 · 12 November 2022]

I don't love Neal Brennan but this special is very good. I know he was a co-writer on The Chappelle Show and a huge influence on Dave Chappelle and this special actually comes through. If I didn't know that I think I might feel he was doing an impression. He talks an about himself, his life, and the patently obvious things about people and race that many other people are afraid to say. I like that bold and unapologetic nature. His discussion of the pitfalls of being Liberal or Conservative is very smart. That is actually the best feature of this special- he is smart and it is smart. Brennan has an odd demeanor but he does seem to have real and relevant insight into himself and into human interaction. I do recommend this one.

A Love Letter to the Human Condition

[spiderman-55910 · 10/10 · 15 December 2022]

Watch Neal unload everything weighing on his mind. He puts it all out there, and delivers one of the most thoughtful, hilarious, and unifying performances I've ever seen. He divulges more in front of the world than most people would in therapy sessions. This man was pivotal in launching Dave Chappelle into superstardom, and questions his own value, as we all do.... whether we choose to admit it or not. If someone like Neal Brennan can feel this way, it's okay for you to talk about what's on your mind also. There are people who want to listen, and genuinely want to help. I hope Blocks was as therapeutic for Neal as it is for everyone who sees it. Peace to all-

A pretty good hour of comedy

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 7/10 · 11 November 2022]

This is a pretty good special. I've been critical of the "jokes followed by things getting super serious" format, but he doesn't do it badly. It's still not perfect, and still feels a bit weird, but he puts a little more care into it than other specials I've seen (I don't think Iliza Shlesinger's latest did a similar format very well, for example).

The humorous parts are pretty good, too. It's overall a consistently engaging, funny, and sometimes thoughtful special, even if it doesn't blend all of that together into one seamless hour. I may be a little harsh on it, because at the end of the day, it's still well above average for a modern-day comedy special. I just wish I'd found it great, rather than good, and it was so close for me to being something more than just "good."

Quest for the Real Neal?

[ThurstonHunger · 7/10 · 18 February 2023]

Brennan is sharp and quick, this special forces him to focus and slow down some, and over time a portrait emerges. I'm guessing this is all an amplified and/or limited version of the real Neal, but it's perhaps not entirely off the "mark." (I realized I didn't put a review up for this even though I saw it quite a while ago, when I was writing up my *mandatory* 600 words for Marc Maron. Sigh.)

I think it's not a stretch to say that whatever Neal feels prevents him from fitting in, is something that he's pretty proud of actually. And maaaaybe it's something he's even more proud of than his stylish glasses. Talk about sharp and focused!

This special was funny to me (joke funny) but also funny to me in thinking back how the anxiety of comedians use to be more of a whisper. Well yes and no, I mean Woody Allen certainly did not exude stability, but I think of Robin Williams, the mighty George Carlin, Kurt Cobain.

It reminds me of an old line : please don't wind up dating a comedian. Insert an image of "Thalia and Melpomene" here?

That said, even if you watch this and at the end feel like Neal needs a hug. I am not so sure about that.... I think that might be more the projection of one side (even a deep cut) of Mr. Brennan. Or maybe it's a bigger piece, and his favorite Bill Murray film is "The Razor's Edge." (A good movie, at least from what I recall long ago.)

Anyways, writing it up now it was nice to notice that he has a "Blocks" podcast, and it features Neal in intimate 1-on-1 discussion, and we see him operating off the cuff, and engaging with another person in what feels real, to me at least. I'll never have a burger and a milkshake with him, but those podchats feel kinda like that, and I can almost pretend we're friends.

Even then. I still wouldn't hug him.

Maybe those are closer to the Real Neal Deal? Either way he remains a guy to definitely watch, and definitely listen to even if his words come out of someone else's mouth.

I am liberal and something's wrong with me

[kofila · 5/10 · 8 November 2022]

... should be the title of this show, because you hear both facts at least once a minute. Neal seems tired and a little bored like he had to do this show but didn't really want to learn the sript so you see a lot of strange edits and him looking at his memory blocks just being annoyed. The topics are deeply unoriginal, outdated and lacking any surprising view or idea. He still shows you he is smart and knows when to take a pause or get a little physical but there is just something missing. I really loved his previous shows for the depth and cockyness but now all that seems to have left is his depression which I understang and feel for him but also something that blocks the Blocks from being more fun.

Traumedy meant to be profound, but just painful

[sb584012 · 5/10 · 12 November 2022]

Neal has apparently toured across the country with this set in 2021 when it was named as "Unacceptable". Unacceptable is actually a pretty good description of the entire set. Once the credits started rolling, I wondered how the paying audience might have felt while driving home, an hour long standup which was meant to be profound, turning out to be a joyless and painful exercise, a true traumedy (sic). At this point, I really want to comment on how I had thought 3 Mics was a great routine and I had 10 starred it at IMDB and left a gushing review, but as Neal said, I would not.

So Neal found a niche for his work: depression and mental health. And while he was scratching surface in his previous special, he goes knee deep with it in this one. If you drink every time he says, "there is something wrong with me" or the sorts, you'd not just be sloshed by the end of the show, you are risking death from alcohol poisoning. That repetition itself is harrowing. And there is no relief in the entire set. It is one depressive thought after another without much joy, mirth or plain laughter. The show is so not fun that it is puzzling that Ted Sarandos, a great man who serves as Netflix's Chief Content Officer, gave it a go ahead. The only time I laughed during the show is when his name was mentioned in a bit.

Neal, if you happen to read this, just like you get anxiety flare-ups near people drinking alcohol, many others suffering from some of the same afflictions as yours (e.g., I do) do not feel great about an hour long standup held together by the motif of depression which never veers away from it. Some of them may like the issue to be talked about more openly, even addressed in a standup, and all the reassurance, compassion, warmth and comfort that comes with three lines of hope you created after the lights are dimmed, but not straight one hour of it. You basically alienated many from that group by being so self-deprecating and so narrowly single-minded, I would never buy a ticket for you show. And I'd read reviews and decide carefully before I watch if there is a next Netflix special. You genuinely triggered in me deep blues with your set.

Disappointing!

[hemisphere65-1 · 4/10 · 9 November 2022]

Promising start, but he never really gets going. The bits (dogs, race, liberalism, etc.) are solid, but there are no big laugh moments.

I found myself watching and silently acknowledging the humor, but not laughing. In the part, I've enjoyed Brennan's shows; this time he seemed uninterested in his own material, Perhaps the special want quite ready but he had to film it on a certain date.

There are some insightful moments, like him trying to explain his own discomfort with some of his own material. Maybe I just expected too much because I'm a fan, but I don't think that's the big problem here, just not very funny.

Mediocre man says mediocre things

[v9043yve · 4/10 · 15 November 2022]

This show is a guy telling you about stuff. Raise you hand if you've ever met a guy who felt like his mediocre life and opinions deserve everyone's attention. Yup, it's THAT uncle at a wedding.

This show is not unfunny. Neal or Brian or Tom or whatever starts off pretty well, but dives into just drab mediocrity pretty fast. He does have some interesting insights that bring you out of your comfort zone, but ultimately, his whole shtick is Guy Saying Things.

A lot of it is mildly funny, but my ultimate issue with him is that he doesn't seem to even remotely care about any of that stuff that he so desperately wants you to care about, so why should the audience care?

It's pretty sad as usual, but not clever or funny like 3 Mics

[backup-50362 · 1/10 · 19 December 2022]

On top of all that, there's a joke word-for-word solen from Jim Jefferies about "gun owners fighting a government with drones," which is so special, because Jim probably stole that joke from someone back when he said it too. A joke inception!

And this guy is a writer! He can't NOT mention Dave Chappelle or writing for his show every 5 seconds, yet can't write an original joke, has to repeat a known joke stealer's joke - that's how low we are?

The rest is just the obligatory liberal "comedy" statements pretending it's jokes - nothing clever or original, you've seen 500 scrawny dudes like him say the same things in "comedy" specials already...

I did like 3 Mics though, because he was a bit original about it, and his personal stories were emotional and good to hear ONCE. Not milked as emotional manipulation for every special. It's supposed to be a comedy special.

Imagine Bill Bur shows up and cries about his issues, trying to score some sympathy points for an hour during a special.

We all have problems, Neal. Except most of us aren't rich, so they're worse. You don't care about our problems, but we're supposed to listen to yours when we thought it was a comedy special, meant to take our minds away from how terrible humans are for a few minutes? Good stuff.

The perfect (unfortunately) spokesman for our times

[wpirotte · 5/10 · 13 November 2022]

If I were scoring on honesty, or what passes for honesty, ole Neal would score 8 or 9 when he lambasts the constant blatant hypocrisy of his beloved Left. His mantra'd drone about hating fetuses, repeated TWICE for the slower folk in the audience, literally evokes acceptance and applause from these sheep, reluctant at first but growing stronger. Unfortunately, his attempt at equal time for Conservatives is to distort, omit, and spin...which is ironic, given his belief that the Evening News represents reality. So, predictably, we are left with yet another nihilist. But no one ever goes the next step with nihilists. They represent themselves as rejecting various traditions, but their goal is actually to get others to reject, and hence, destroy, those traditions. Now, lest anyone think I am judging him, let me put this in a different perspective - he is a perfect representative for what now passes for critical thought and prevailing beliefs of a sick Nation. The fact that he is a victim of severe mental illness is so deliciously ironic that I can't think of a truly appropos analogy.