Bo Burnham: Inside (2021 TV Special) User Reviews (524)

If you're an artist..you'll need to take a walk

[kimbrellsarah · 10/10 · 8 June 2021]

From more of a passive appreciator of Burnham's work rather than a fan, this is a masterpiece. I had been worried about how all that 2020 was would manifest itself in creative works.. put out by media conglomerates (Netflix and its compatriots). I am so grateful that a comedian and artist like Burnham underwent the pain and agony of creating this special. It is raw, truthful, reflective and genuinely funny and emotional. The overwhelming feeling as 'Inside' concluded was gratitude.

During lockdown, I think many of us achieved a depth of emotional disparity and lack of direction that is somehow both unfathomable and universally shared. This captures that. It doesn't shy away from those emotions, it doesn't project false positivity or try to spin a lesson out of all of it. It's the first piece of pandemic media I watched where I said 'yeah, I felt that' followed by 'wow I really have not unpacked everything that that entails'. There is no spin. And that is exactly what I've needed.

I cried for a while as it was concluding and for a while after. It's so poignant because it is so unabashedly upfront in a way that is desperately lacking in the current media climate.

Absolutely anyone will find this relatable; if you're an artist or creator of any form, this hits especially close to home and I would call it a Must Watch. The monumental weight of shifting from making because you love it, to making because it's all you know how to do to process and survive, is flawlessly captured in 'Inside'. I really can't put it into words.

Thank you, Bo Burnham, for creating this genuinely authentic work. In all of its pain, humor, relatability and genuinely beautiful artistry; just..thanks.

In a show with no audience, you've never felt so present

[jackj2 · 10/10 · 30 May 2021]

Bo's work always causes a period of reflection. It's not that you decide to, but that he forces it out of you, and for this one it is especially true.

If you're planning on watching this special, prepare to come uncomfortably close to some very real and sublime feelings, but meanwhile in awe of how an hour-long creation by one man can bring this out of you.

I can't say much without giving anything away. This special is an incredibly real and honest expression by Bo of the way his creation evolved from start to finish. You'll feel it more than you want to. As unsettled as I've ever been, but my god is it good.

Not a comedy per se, but a masterpiece nonetheless.

[jonnyewers · 9/10 · 30 May 2021]

Exploring mental health decline over 2020, the constant challenges our world faces, and the struggles of life itself, Bo Burnham creates a wonderful masterpiece to explain each of these, both from general view and personal experience.

A beauty to watch.

The most honest piece of comedy I've ever seen

[cartsghammond · 30 May 2021]

Waiting for this special had me filled with anticipation, I don't think I've been this hyped for a comedy special before, though I had no idea what to expect at all.

What we received was the most honest, creative and depressing comedy special I've ever seen. Bo blew me away with his talent, with no crew or audience he managed to make a feature length masterpiece, filled with critiques of capitalism, (which was refreshing to see) social media and especially himself.

Bo is filled to the brim with creativity, and this special perfectly encapsulates that. The first half had me dying with laughter, the second had me close to tears. Some would say this is his best special, I might agree with that, but I'm not sure, because honestly it was a lot to take in. I will definitely be rewatching very soon.

Absolutely loved it.

Thanks Bo.

Oh Bo

[garage_sale · 9/10 · 31 May 2021]

This new offering feels less like a comedy special and more like a fully realized work of art that stands as the culmination of an entire career. It's sensitive and introspective and, yes, also really funny. Here, we see Bo at such a level of vulnerability and chest-tightening honesty, that the urge to jump through the screen and comfort him becomes overwhelming.

He's made his name over the past decade as a sharp-witted and poignant artist - a multitalented wunderkind with a vision far greater than that of a simple comedian. There are, however, demons under the surface. His past material - chock full of sardonic observation and wry self-awareness - has always been tinged with an air of melancholy. This was most glaringly apparent in final minutes of his last Netflix special Make Happy in which we're given a glimpse into who Bo Burnham is. What we find is deeply lost and troubled man who has dedicated himself to his craft in the hope that, by wholeheartedly giving himself to his audience, he may, through them, vicariously experience the joy he so desperately lacks. He's a modern day sad clown - a patchwork of acerbic gags and punchlines that, by their nature or perhaps by their design, cannot stop the underlying pain from seeping through. Inside is Bo's opportunity to further unpack these ideas on his own terms, in his own way. It's heartbreaking and hilarious and disarmingly beautiful.

Inside left me with the sobering realization that Bo may never return to performance after this; that this special was his swan song to a 14 year comedy career and, perhaps, an admission that a life lived on stage and in the spotlight may never be compatible with his own happiness. The selfish part of me hopes that this isn't the case, that this special marks the beginning of a new era of creation and expression for Bo. But deep down, I know that whatever Bo feels he must do to calm his inner disquiet and find the peace he's been searching for for so long - that's what I want him to do.

I just dearly hope he's happy.

Genuinely Speechless

[breanna2997 · 10/10 · 2 June 2021]

I've never felt more immersed in what's supposed to be a comedy special. I didn't touch my phone the entire time, I was totally fixated on it. I love how it was streamlined but yet it was choppy at the same time? It felt very, very real. To be stuck with Bo in that little room and watch his sanity seem to dissipate was extremely relatable to everyone in quarantine the past year. And I appreciate that he never holds back with his lyrics, he tells it like it is. Also, the cinematography was incredible? I almost couldn't believe he did the whole thing all by himself. I would watch it again just to enjoy the lighting, focus, framing, and colors of the shots. Then again to solely focus on the lyrics. And again to solely focus on his sanity. You've outdone yourself again, Bo. Thank you.

As unendingly hilarious as it is existentially terrifying.

[matthewssilverhammer · 10/10 · 16 June 2021]

If Lynch or Herzog sculpted a stand-up comedy film, this might be what it would look like. However, to describe it purely as "stand-up" is silly. It's a millennial musical, a deconstruction of post-modern art, a documentary on the life of a content creator, a Muppet-level genius combo of cynicism and sincerity, a feature-length "Too Many Cooks," & an emotional roller-coaster of uncomfortable relatability that's full of literal jaw-dropping segments.

Wow

[jellopuke · 10/10 · 1 July 2021]

This was an incredibly well put together piece of business with a range of emotions and laughs and some great tunes. I wasn't expecting what was here, but it's just the perfect encapsulation of 2020 and easily one of the best comedy specials of all time. Maybe it won't hold up in the future, who knows, but for THIS moment, it's pretty much perfect.

Genuine and Exquisite

[sweidman-28016 · 10/10 · 8 June 2021]

"If I finish this special, that means I have to not work on it anymore, and that means I have to just live my life, and so I'm not gonna do that, I'm gonna not finish this special."

Normally I wouldn't write a review for something like this, but I can't stop thinking about it so I figured I'd probably should do something whether it's long or short. Inside is a new comedy special shot and performed by Bo Burnham, alone, over the course of the past year. I've never seen a comedy special quite like this. I'd say comedy might be a stretch even. It's more like an observation. This is the kind of thing I've been looking for. If we take the comedy aspect of the special, it's perfect comedy. It's nothing too funny and unfunny. I just felt very entertained. Between these songs - I guess I should mention Bo Burnham does musical comedy shows if you didn't know - there are segments of him trying to figure out what to do next, whether technically or content, or him assessing himself. For being in one small room the whole time, this is technically brilliant. Every shot is stunning and he found creative ways to enhance the space he's using to fit the right mood or to go along with the song/joke/whatever needed. I feel that if anyone is to be shown a shot from this, it will be easily recognizable because of how remarkable is. It's like the one shot from The Shawshank Redemption - you know what one I'm talking about. The editing is also very good. The shots last as long as they need to. Nothing is rushed and it all flows smoothly. It may be 90 minutes, which is longer for a comedy show, but it's the perfect length needed.

Bo's content is wonderful and I will repeat that over and over again. I might be a little bias because he is my favorite comedian. The writing is fun and hits so close to home. I understand the criticisms of some parts possibly being scripted and not exactly genuine. Even if that's the case, it doesn't make it any less real. We're used to his shows getting personal throughout and this is his most personal get. Therefore, I don't think any of it was faked. There are so many times where I teared up because the overwhelming amount of emotion. It's almost hard to watch at points. Nevertheless, Bo knows what he's doing to make an effective show. This is all him. I believe Inside will be remembered for decades as one of the best shows created. No one has dared go this far, and I'm glad Bo went for it. I have no complaints whatsoever. Bo Burnham: Inside is authentic and exquisite.

Burnham is a genius

[PsychoBeard666 · 10/10 · 1 June 2021]

Honestly, every square inch of the screen during every second of this is impeccably constructed.

Clever but not for me

[jammerknight · 6/10 · 14 June 2021]

I can understand how this has such a high rating and there were elements of pure genius in this comedy show however I could just not connect with the comedy and was not able to make it all the way through. There's no doubting Bo is an artist and this for many would be seen as one of his best but unfortunately as I really wanted to enjoy this I just did not find it as enjoyable as I was hoping.

Should I be doing comedy right now?

[murrayjwisdom · 10/10 · 30 May 2021]

The answer is yes Bo. Throughout the pandemic, I would just watch and listen to Bo Burnham shows and music as a means to cope with the world outside my apartment and within the conflict going on inside of myself. I don't want to go too into depth on the new special, it's something to watch for yourself and experience. But, in my honest opinion, this special is Bo's best work. The Satire and the very real, silent transitions, really show what is going on inside of Bo's mind.

Also the fact Bo made this special himself shows the level of talent is beyond his writing.

Not a comedy

[stoopidapples · 7/10 · 30 May 2021]

Amazing thematically, visually, and the music is golden. The only problem is that it's not really very funny. Go into it expecting a comedy, and you'll probably be disappointed. Go into it expecting an amazing experience, and you'll get that.

Just OK

[limpfan106 · 3/10 · 7 June 2021]

Bo is definitely talented, but that doesn't always translate into entertaining. Some of the special is genuinely clever and funny but most of it is a series of repetitively similar show-tunes broken up by indie vibe style editing. The songs all have a joke to them but usually only one simple joke and each song is a full length song so the pay off feels underwhelming for pretty much all of the musical stuff, and a lot of the real jokes would have worked without being made into a song. If it were about 30 minutes shorter and some of the music was either cut or shortened, it would have been a lot better.

I feel like Bo Burnhan has a very specific and loyal audience and that's why the score here is so high. This is definitely not for everyone. More filler music than a Disney movie. It's like an SNL episode if almost every skit in the episode was a song, but the songs aren't trying to be funny as much as clever and it just doesn't really work most of the time. In Bo's other specials, there is music yes but there are a lot more jokes tied in to it.

I also don't get the whole trapped in a room thing. It feels very out of touch seeing a celebrity pretend they are being forced to live in squalor because of the pandemic. It's a step to far and his act play out more like he's pretending to be in a jail cell or on house arrest but in some crappy apartment instead of a real house. Everything in this special would have worked just as well (or as poorly) without the self inflicted lock in a room thing. I mean yes you should be careful and take the pandemic seriously but that doesn't mean you have to pretend to be trapped in a studio apartment for the sake of a special.

I get that the theme of this is that he's sad because of the pandemic but ya know, without really knowing anything about Bo's personal life I think it's safe to say he's wealthy enough to be immune from the financial issues people face during the pandemic so the whole act sad trapped in a crappy room by myself thing just doesn't logically add up. I don't buy that he's experiencing life the way he tries to depict it and it feels fake and forced. It feels like pandering to the audience.

I was going to give this a 5 but lowered it to a 3 because the more I thought about it the more I was annoyed by how disingenuous it felt.

great

[utkarshrocks-48748 · 10/10 · 30 May 2021]

Truly a masterpiece. Dont watch it thinking its funny.

How about I watch you next time?

[cliftonofun · 10/10 · 27 June 2021]

Wow. Sometimes "brilliant" feels like an understatement. This one somehow made me laugh till I cried and then broke my brain...or maybe my soul. Regardless, I know for sure that Bo Burnham broke many things - comedy specials, song parodies, the fourth wall. And what poured out was the most honest and heartbreaking (and yes: hilarious) look at pandemic life that I ever could have imagined. I'm not totally sure what it was, but I'm totally grateful he shared it with us.

The man who sang that "art is dead" has once again proven himself wrong

[simonlegosson · 9/10 · 30 May 2021]

I really don't even know what to say more than that this might be one of the best, if not the best thing mr. Burnham has made.

Thanks Bo.

Never felt so bad watching a comedy. I LOVED IT

[fbcxxw · 10/10 · 1 June 2021]

This special was hauntingly beuatiful. It is the type of film you put on, hoping to get a laugh. But instad you find yourself falling deeper and deeper into a rabbithole of a depressed mans mind.

It is brilliant. You will get some laughs, and some deep reflections over the past year.

The kind of film that you need to "walk off" after finishing it.

Hope you are well Bo.

A loving special for the fans

[agustinapuente · 10/10 · 30 May 2021]

Here is the deal, I wouldn't recomend this for Bo's first timers. As it isn't his funniest material or the most easy going special. But it still is a 10/10. This special has been the most thought provoking of them all with the most intricate lyrcism. This is for people who have seen Bo's content before and wanted to see even more of him. It seemed pretty demanding at times and jaring for his mental health (I hope he is doing ok). But he trully made something special. He even added some nods to his past on YouTube and his views of different things like social media and the industry overall. I can't wait to watch it over and over again and theorise on that cryptic ending. Hope this review helps! Sending lots of love to Bo and his team!

Interesting circumstances pave the way for an interesting special.

[H4wke · 9/10 · 30 May 2021]

Bo Burnham is a comedian, an actor, a director, a writer, a sock puppet lifeline, and - most importantly - a YouTuber.

It's been 5 years since Bo's last special Make Happy, a show in his relatively unique style of comical music/orchestrated lighting and sound gags. Bo does not provide the usual stand up fare, and he is all the better for it. After panic attacks, Bo turned to writing/directing the well received Eight Grade a few years later. And now he's finally back, amidst a pandemic.

But, this special is different. It is no joke that I think him being a YouTuber is the most important skill for this special. It's written, directed, shot and edited by the man himself, with what seems to be few touch ups with colour correction and help with production. It plays like an incredibly well made YouTube video, and I don't mean that as a slight, far from it.

'Inside' carries satire, social commentary and honesty. It makes fun of social media, it allows time to process the more introspective points he makes, all while being incredibly visually creative.

What sets this special apart from his other work is how casual it seems; it showcases the DIY aspects of production. Equipment is regularly shown laying about, he controls the lighting during his performances, the list goes on. But don't be fooled, this took a long time to make and thankfully it shows.

Inside has Bo being more straight with the viewer. This is without a doubt his most honest and revealing special. Now some people could see the intermittent 'real' moments as disingenuous, as Bo did indeed control everything that was shown. Personally I like to think that he wouldn't be making this if he didn't genuinely feel this way.

Inside is an aptly named, entertaining special. It made me smile, it made me think, it made me want to be a better person. I hope Bo does well for years to come.

good for the different reasons

[djurrepower · 6/10 · 13 June 2021]

Honestly I counted, I laughed 4 times. Wich is about average for something 90 minutes long and trying to be funny. But even though I wouldn't label this a "good" comedy I liked it for its genuine display of talent in cabaret. With well made skits and very well made cinematography. Also Bo's relatability with internet culture is always welcome in my book. So all in all, average comedy, above average use of topics, and really good audiovisuals.

6/10: yeh.

Bo's Growth as an Artist is Astounding, Inside is FANTASTIC

[CANpatbuck3664 · 9/10 · 23 September 2021]

I would have never thought I'd be writing about inspired cinematography, lighting and staging when reviewing a stand-up comedy special but Bo deserves a round of applause for what he accomplished. Talk about making the most out of what you have, he's operating within his own house/apartment with little space and without any technical crew but his shooting of Inside was entrancing. Each song has a distinct feel and with how he stages, frames and lights the environment, it brings you into his mindset while he's performing. I might sound a little hyperbolic but I was entranced, I think you could show this in actual classes on these subjects as an example. I'm not sure how many awards they hand out for technical excellence in this genre but he should sweep them.

I feel that what's been talked about the least for all the excellent writing and film making done in Inside, what blew me away was Burnham's growth as a performer. I went back and listened to his earlier stuff before I watched the special, he was always vulgar and consistently funny but I wouldn't have called him an award worthy actor. His delivery and performance in this is so raw, the lined blurred for me on whether this was a performance or if he really was struggling this much with his anxiety and depression. There's so much sadness and frustration in his delivery, I've had my struggles with these issues and from experience, nothing felt out of place or rang false. He's pitch perfect in his composition and singing of these heartfelt numbers and I have to tip my hat to him again for such a great job.

My only complaint here is that most of my favourite bits/songs from the special are front loaded. Welcome to the Internet is still the show stopper (which is placed in the middle-end portion of the show) and Goodbye wraps it up so well but otherwise, most of the best stuff is near the beginning. But I will also concede that its also more lighthearted at the beginning and the tone grows more and more serious as it goes on so that could have played a factor. I did like some songs better than others but I don't think there was a single one that I outright disliked. Even some of the weaker ones (Unpaid Intern comes to mind) are wrapped up with some pretty unique bits so there aren't any glaring weaknesses.

I wanted to keep my review short and succinct but this was a special show. I've been listening to the music since I saw Inside and reflecting on each song's meaning and how each song was presented. Despite Inside being a meditation on the stress, struggles and sadness of where we all are at collectively at this time in history, I would still describe this effort as triumphant. Burnham always had talent but he really outdid himself with this. I laughed hard yet I still had all the feels when Inside wanted me to and its one of my favourite pieces of media that I've seen this year bar none. This is more than worth checking out and I would recommend it wholeheartedly.

A unique special

[william-eugensson · 7/10 · 9 July 2021]

I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would, but I guess that is partly the point... I have not struggled as much during the pandemic as I thought I would and I have not experianced the mental decline that is portaited here. Nevertheless it is an interesting piece of art.

Underwhelming, not the masterpiece it has been painted as

[aetoslash · 4/10 · 4 June 2021]

I've been a fan of Bo Burnham for years now, but his return to comedy in Bo Burnham: Inside doesn't really accomplish much for me.

Just to get this out of the way, the special is stunning visually. There is a sense of balanced chaos throughout, and I appreciate how much time he's put into making each scene look natural.

However, most of Burnham's jokes in this special miss the mark, and it's weird saying that about one of the most accomplished comedians in the last few decades. Burnham's jokes used to thrive off of being out-there and morally against-the-grain, but most of this special is filled with generic critiques of capitalism, social media trends, and self-loathing diatribes. Nothing is particularly new here, and most of the gags in this special were becoming overused in Make Happy. At least Make Happy had an audience for Burnham to bounce jokes off of, which made up for some of the recycled jokes. This special doesn't have the same padding, and it shows.

I can appreciate the visuals, but visuals and autotuned performances do not warrant the outstanding praise from every news site under the sun. Bo Burnham: Inside is not a 1 star special, but it is seriously in need of new material. One of his weakest specials.

A profound experience... word's fail me.

[maxglen · 10/10 · 2 June 2021]

As a big fan of Bo Burnham and his brand of comedy, I was incredibly excited for Inside but also nervous as Bo's specials never fail to leave me thinking about my life and existence under a microscope and I must say, it didn't disappoint. Bo has created an incredibly unique and profound "comedy" special which will most likely leave an indefinitely lasting impression on me. Without an audience you feel singled out, more connected to Bo and he takes advantage of this with his most personal, emotional performance yet. Because the music isn't live, Bo has managed to create these rich instrumentals with accompanying lyrics to make you full on belly laugh and have an existential anxiety attack to. I could go into every single nuance of this special and pick it apart and tell you why it's perfect but honestly, just go watch it and form your own opinion. Just know, this is not a comedy special or stand up show like you've seen it before; if you don't like a little bit (or a lot in this case) of reality in your comedy, maybe give this one a skip.

Thank you for reading my review, I hope you're happy.