Mae Martin: SAP (2023 TV Special) User Reviews

Wanted to like this!

[nospamaccepted · 5/10 · 1 April 2023]

I've been a fan of Mae's since first seeing them on Baroness Von Sketch Show occasionally. On a recent road trip my wife and I got a lot of enjoyment when we listened to the Don't Ask Tig episode that featured Mae, and who didn't enjoy what they brought to the second season of The Flight attendant?

This stand-however, didn't work for me. My score of 5/10 is solely for Mae, and I feel like this special was deeply hampered by poor direction.

There were multiple moments that could have been tightened-up with some editorial guidance. I wasn't bothered, as some other reviewers were, by "stories within stories" tangents, because I've seen plenty of it in stand-up and as long as it isn't abused (as it wasn't here), it actually helps my enjoyment. It's part misdirection, part timing.

I'm not sure why Mae or Netflix chose Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) to direct this. I mentioned Tig Notaro earlier, someone who actually has experience directing a stand-up special, and a similar person (if not Tig, exactly) might have brought a more editorial approach.

I also feel like Netflix has a problem with wanting to capitalize on talents who are "hot", without evaluating whether someone has enough material or a tight enough set to bring it home in a special. I don't remember the last Netflix stand-up that I actually enjoyed. Thinking more widely, I wondered when I last enjoyed a stand-up and it was 2022's Rothaniel from Jerrod Carmichael. I appreciate that Mae and Jerrod have very different vibes, and I'm not saying Mae needs to be more subdued or that Abbi should have copied the "intimate" feel that Rothaniel had, but maybe there's some space somewhere in-between where this same act, slightly pared down, doesn't fall so flat.

Oh, and the opening/closing segments didn't really add anything to the special for me. They were just there.

I smiled often

[hughjman · 6/10 · 30 March 2023]

I keep submitting this review and it doesn't post.???

I can't say I laughed uproariously during this comedy special, but I did smile pretty often. Mae is very engaging and it was a pleasant watch. I'd watch future shows by them.

As I remember, the doggy style section and callbacks were the funniest parts.

Mae has a fun stage presence. Very likeable.

There seems to be a trend in comedy specials where to me, they seem more like one-person shows than all-out comedy. Rothaniel, which I also enjoyed, was another one, as I remember. I guess the difference is that these shows seem much more personal-story based, and that's okay.

Good vibes

[rorisshe · 6/10 · 16 June 2023]

"SAP" is one of those shows where you actually had to be there. Mae is super likeable and has great chemistry with the audience. They are way better to watch live with friends than alone on netflix. Yes, it's true with every stand-up but with some ppl it's more so(ex: if Michelle Wolf is 9.5/10 on netflix then she's 10/10 live. If Mae is 6/10 on netflix, they are 8/10 live).

Writing-wise it's good: Mae is self-aware, there are jokes and there are some good metaphors.

Overall, this special is like a reddit thread where Mae is the op, the first level-commenter, and the jokey sub-commenter. It leaves you feeling good about the community but you're ready to move on to another post.

Where's the "comedy"?

[doug-78303 · 2/10 · 28 March 2023]

I'll give this two stars because my wife laughed once throughout the special. I didn't laugh at all. Im sure some people hate this simply because it's an LGBTQIA+ comedian. I don't give a damn about that. I just didn't find it funny at all. It starts with a years old joke Mae has told many times before. From there it devolves in to, at times, incoherent rambling. Mae will often stop mid joke and go on a tangent about something completely different. The word "like" is used in almost every sentence. I'm, like, such and such, like, XYZ. I wish Mae all the best in the future, but this type of manic incoherent comedy isn't for me. Mae is all over the place and, in my opinion, makes for an almost unwatchable hour.

Maybe not for everyone

[BABSBunny24 · 10/10 · 3 April 2023]

Based on some of the other reviews I've read, I think that perhaps this special isnt for everyone, and thats okay. Personally, I laughed a ton throughout, *like* to the point of having coughing fits because im still recovering from a cold.

I found it to be intellectually stimulating while providing good laughs. Mae Martin is incredibly introspective, perhaps to their detriment sometimes. It creates the stage for unique jokes, which landed for me, though I could understand if others don't appreciate it. If you're looking for cheap, hacky laughs or those based on vulgarity, you will not find it here. If you enjoy thought-provoking comedy and enjoyed Feel Good, you may just find this to be as brilliantly written as I did.

I like Mae, but this isn't comedy

[hjfdj · 3/10 · 20 April 2023]

I was excited to see that Mae Martin had a Netflix special; I enjoyed Feel Good and find Mae charming and likable. I thought the special would be an opportunity for Mae to showcase their talents as a comedian because the content of Feel Good was mostly autobiographical. This is a disappointing special. There are some rambling mildly amusing anecdotes, but there aren't any funny lines. I don't think I laughed once watching the entire thing. I still like Mae's style and personality and find them sincere and amusing, but this isn't comedy. This is like watching a monologue of a person who I would find interesting to talk with at a party. It's also sad that Mae calls out comedians like Louis CK and Dave Chapelle in a desperate attempt to score political points when they can't get a laugh from their audience. If you're going toe-to-toe with some of the GOATS then you need better material.

they're tellin' the stories of our lives

[fionawebster · 9/10 · 11 April 2023]

Mae has such a charming stage presence. It takes a while to get used to the fact that she's incoherent. She's scattershot. I enjoy the sparkly bits and shimmering shadows she throws out. However, I found myself shifting into the mindset of being her therapist.

That's a weird sensation for me to have while watching a comedy special, but I have felt it before. Like in Jerrod Carmichael's Rothaniel, in shows by the brilliant Hannah Gadsby, in multiple specials by Mike Birbiglia. I am a psychiatrist-psychotherapist.(big mouthful that, I know) so it's my job and my passion and my vocation to listen to people who have learned how to free associate.

Bottom Line: I Love Mae Martin. Her appearance, her whole personality, her storytelling style.... I'm eatin' it up.

Not "comedy", just bad public speaking.

[seven-johnson · 1/10 · 30 March 2023]

The following statement IS funnier than the "comedy of Mae Martin. It's like the sort of interaction you have with someone in a shop, polite and forced, but you've forgotten it before even leaving the shops.

"You're putting things on a shelf? I'm going to take those things pay for them, take them home and then I'll put them on a shelf too".

That's it, that's as "funny" as this gets, there aren't any actual jokes, this is just a collection of sentences about things humans do delivered by a person infront of an audience. Paul O'Grady - a great LGBTQ+ comedian died yesterday. If I write that sentence in a neon-colour Comic Sans and start telling people my acknowledgement of things is "funny" - it doesn't make it funny. Just bizarre and uncomfortable, like this - and it's not bizarre because of gender-identity or orientation, it's bizarre because the word "comedy" is near this.

Fun, refreshing and thought-provoking

[Michelle_A_2000 · 10/10 · 2 April 2023]

This was brilliant! I think it takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there like Mae does - talking candidly about their past experiences, with vulnerability and so much retrospective wisdom. Besides the well-crafted jokes, SAP is filled with opportunities to reflect on being more compassionate with ourselves and with others, being more curious and less judgemental, and - lastly - making the most out of life in spite of adversity.

I fully recommend SAP to those looking for a mix of humour, wit, authenticity, relatedness and a wide range of emotions. It's an hour well spent - fun, refreshing and inviting you to ponder.

Dreadfully Bland

[edgestrike-12414 · 1/10 · 16 June 2023]

Netflix comedy specials are going downhill and this might very well be rock bottom. Only up from here, I guess?

First discovered Mae via taskmaster and I always like to absorb the contestants body of work where I can prior, and this just really doesn't bode well after such a strong series and return to form for taskmaster in 14.

This shouldn't be called comedy, perhaps it's more suited for those interested in Ted Talks, but are turned off by the focussed concept, but that's certainly not what I came here for when the genre promises very different.

Avoid this, you'll find plenty of this significantly higher quality in your local Twitter echo chamber.

Brilliant, intimate, and funny!

[johannarstanley · 10/10 · 7 April 2023]

I want to give a disclaimer that this is a very specific brand of comedy. The kind that feels like you're staying up all night talking and laughing with a new friend who's miraculously weird in the same way you are, and you're experiencing true, unadulterated human connection. This type of comedy reminds me of Hannah Gadsby or Mike Birbiglia: focused on the relational comedy of how absurd it is to be alive. So for those of us who don't always fit in and who feel a kind of familial connection to the awkward experiences that make us human, this is an excellent show. They have a niche and they absolutely nail it.

Not as good as I had hoped

[dansaunders_904 · 5/10 · 14 April 2023]

I have been a big fan of Mae's for a long time now, having first seen them on Russel Howards Good News years ago (back when they did comedy songs with a guitar), I was also lucky enough to see them live in Brighton just before the pandemic.

I am not sure why, perhaps the editing or pacing, or just the material itself, but this just didn't hit the mark as much as usual. It felt slightly awkward, subdued and stunted. By no means a bad comedy special, but never reaches the heights of their previous material in my opinion.

Raises a few giggles and had me smiling throughout, but never really laughing out loud.

If your are a fan of Mae's its obviously worth checking out, just don't expect too much!

You mae like it, give it a try

[AkilejnA · 8/10 · 4 April 2023]

I love Mae, they have a unique nervous energy about them. Also they are great with deadpan humor so might be not everyone gets when they are joking. This special is full of that energy and some personal stories, not all of them happy or sappy. And some people may not share all their believes which I suspect is the real reason some people claim this show wasn't funny at all.

Because it was, I laughed aloud many times and I bet it was a joy to see live. I hope they get to too many more specials and polish their style even more.

I hope this review if finally ok to post because I think this is my fourth time writing and trying to submit it.

Loved it

[vcwwhvn · 10/10 · 4 April 2023]

Mae is great! I was looking forward to this special and it didn't disappoint.

I guess I need to keep writing to get this to post. Only 461 words. I can do this. How does anyone ever fill in these when you need so many words? I have ADHD, I don't have time for this but I really wanted to give my 10 stars for Mae.

Oh my god really I need to say more? People Really have this much to say?

I related to the sap story, I loved it. I mean it takes a second to process but after it sinks it it's like yep I get it. It's positive. My sap right now is tea and cookies in bed at 7:30pm. It's such a sweet happy thing in the midst of a lot of ick. So yes it's positive it just takes a minute to process.