The comedy special Judd Apatow: The Return premieres December 12th on Netflix.
It’s fair to say Judd Apatow is rusty at stand-up. After all, he hasn’t performed on stage since 1992. Watching his new Netflix special, you can tell Apatow’s delivery needs work, but his material is generally gold. The iconic comedy director and producer gives off good vibes; he’s truly happy to be living his best life. Comedy was clearly his dream job.
I really enjoyed the parts about his family. Apatow’s impressions were quite funny and the anecdotes were hilarious. There’s not a ton of political stuff in the hour, but Judd does do an extended bit on Bill Cosby and sexual harassment, which is particularly timely despite being filmed back in July. Devoted fans will want to watch this for shout-outs to Apatow’s large body of work, like Bridesmaids or Love. The special stays consistently chuckle worthy the whole way through.
The Return is not spectacular, but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re a fan of Apatow’s other projects. I also recommend checking out his book, Sick in the Head. It’s a great read that includes a lot of musings on comedy, just like this special.
I give Judd Apatow: The Return a B.
TV and City 