The Only Netflix Stand-Up Specials With 100% Certified Fresh Ratings On Rotten Tomatoes

In November 2013, "Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive" debuted on Netflix as the streamer's first exclusive stand-up comedy special. Though there would be no other exclusive stand-up specials released on the platform in 2014, Netflix would soon become a haven for these projects. By 2017, Netflix was putting out new stand-up specials at an almost weekly pace, while 2025 alone has delivered specials from legends like Sarah Silverman, Mike Birbiglia, Gabriel Iglesias, and many others. 

With such a dense collection of projects, not every one of the stand-up specials Netflix puts out can be masterpieces. However, several have been revered by comedy geeks and general critics alike. Four, in particular, have even achieved that rare feat of being "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes and having a 100% rating on the site. Even with so many reviewers covering these projects, their high critical standing hasn't wavered. 

There isn't a secret recipe for making a stand-up comedy special that becomes so beloved. Sometimes, all it takes is just a funny artist delivering punchlines exquisitely well or using the mode of comedy to probe at some larger truth which so many are afraid to go near. Whatever went right with these four Netflix specials, they deserve standing ovations for helping to turn the streamer into a go-to space for great stand-up comedy.

Ali Wong landed her first solo comedy special in 2016 with "Ali Wong: Baby Cobra." Her skills in terms of comic timing and stage presence were well-received in this format, so it wasn't surprising that she'd return two years later with "Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife." As with "Baby Cobra," "Hard Knock Wife" saw Wong delivering jokes to a sold-out crowd while months into a pregnancy. Despite that overlapping similarity, "Hard Knock Wife" was no retread of "Baby Cobra."  The second of Wong's four Netflix stand-up comedy specials exhibited plenty of idiosyncratic personality, which led to it becoming one of the streamer's most critically-revered specials.

Wong was especially acclaimed for how delightfully candid she was in the various anecdotes and stories that she spun. A frankness about existence, motherhood, marriage, and so many other staples of existence permeated every inch of "Hard Knock Wife." That honesty and vulnerability imbued this endeavor with stories nobody else could tell and punchlines nobody could deliver as deftly as Wong. Reviewers also commended her for tackling so many unpleasant and unequal corners of American society without capsizing the humorous ambiance. There's a consistent zippiness to Wong's set, even as she's talking about disturbing everyday imbalances.

Given Wong's steady career and later stand-up specials after "Hard Knock Wife," it's fair to say that this 2018 event was a success, while the raves that greeted this outing tended to agree that "Wife" epitomized Wong's greatest comedic strengths. 

While Netflix has made lots of money and generated tons of publicity from straightforward stand-up comedy specials, "Hannah Gadsby: Nanette" dropped on the platform in June 2018 as a challenger to this format. Through 69 minutes of material (directed by Madeleine Parry and Jon Olb), Gadsby uses "Nanette" as an opportunity to come clean about their earlier experiences of using self-hatred and cruel jokes to gain notoriety as a stand-up comic. The special also sees Gadsby exploring what modern stand-up comedy looks like and whether or not the format is just reinforcing harmful status quos.

"Nanette" received universal acclaim upon its debut. Subsequent years with no other stand-up specials trying similarly subversive structures and material have only enhanced its audacious reputation. Critics applauded Gadsby for smuggling a condemnation of the stand-up special marketplace into the medium's traditional format, while the comic also received kudos for deftly weaving jokes into very heavy, personal anecdotes without weighing the material down. Gadsby's willingness to guide viewers into such raw portions of their existence was lauded across the board.

Striking such a mesmerizing tonal balance made "Hannah Gadsby: Nanette" something incredibly unique that couldn't fit nicely into a box. How fitting an accomplishment for a project that was all about restoring a person's nuance and humanity. Even in the vast empire of Netflix stand-up comedy specials, there's truly nothing else on the streamer quite like "Hannah Gadsby: Nanette."

Chris Rock isn't the only comic genius displaying his chops in "Chris Rock: Tamborine." This 2018 special was directed by Bo Burnham, who started directing stand-up specials with "Jerrod Carmichael: 8" the previous year. While Burnham became a go-to comedy special director over the next few years, thanks to the sharp visual instincts on display in "Tamborine," the program's star was the main reason "Tamborine" was so acclaimed. Returning for his first stand-up comedy special in a long time, Chris Rock didn't miss a beat in how he could work a crowd or nail the timing of a punchline.

Particular praise was directed at how Rock had a much more complicated relationship with his past, and especially past transgressions. For many, seeing displays of this man's vulnerability was a gift that opened up new doors for what he could accomplish in a live performance. Those reflective moments also fascinatingly accentuated the complex tonal canvas of "Tamborine," which also included the expected side-splitting anecdotes. A mixture of the familiar and the unpredictable drove "Tamborine" to compelling creative heights.

On top of all that, Rock's comedic approach to handling hot-button political headlines circa 2018 also informed much of the euphoric critical reception for "Tamborine." All in all, this was a tremendous accomplishment on all fronts, from Rock's dynamic work to Burnham's exceptional flourishes as a director.

Above all else, the acclaimed "John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City" is a hysterical display of John Mulaney's comic mastery and witty wordplay. So many of the comedian's most famous bits, such as his Mick Jagger story or the "street smarts" anecdote, came from this 2018 special. No wonder "Kid Gorgeous" was hailed as a comic masterpiece, considering it contained such classic Mulaney flights of fancy like his "horse in the hospital" metaphor. After years of stand-up, Mulaney had polished his act so thoroughly that he comes off like the pro he is all throughout "Kid Gorgeous."

This is also just an incredibly radiant-looking production, with Mulaney constantly flanked by a vibrantly colorful backdrop, shimmering lighting, and striking architecture. A filmed version of this performance inherently lets viewers get closer to Mulaney and, by proxy, the set, which allows the finer details of the lighting and production design to shine. It's also a testament to this man's gifts that he's still compelling even with such a resplendent background. Extravagant visuals don't distract one iota from the endless charms of watching Mulaney stretch out a word just long enough to tickle your funny bone.

Though not the only remarkable stand-up comedy special Mulaney's ever headlined, "Kid Gorgeous at Radio City" might be his magnum opus. In his catalogue of specials, it's the most polished and the one with the most laughs per minute. All hail Mulaney, one of the modern kings of comedy.