Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go

She and Jean are so good in Hacks, but this is a bizarre and welcome introduction in to a very brilliant and anarchical mind.

I mean, who knew a few slices of the high school sports-oriented history (no spoilers) of this ballsy, artsy, nerdy woman could be so surprising and funny.

I am not a big fan of TV stand-up (though I loved "I'm Dying Up Here") but she wooed me in like a pro.

Yes, I DO want to see comedy about climate change and bees and trees and men and women if it's done the way Hannah does it.

It also gave me insight into why 'Hack's is so great. Very different styles of comedy challenge viewers (or at least me) to see the humor and the macabre in our lives. Grateful for some resounding belly laughs at a dark, accurate, and refreshing lens on a crazy world.

Loved it!

I initially approached it like some belly laugh standup and when that wasn't happening in the first 15 minutes, I almost stopped. So glad that I kept going.

Hannah is a brilliant mind and has some hilarious observations but they are subtle and you need to pay attention. It doesn't feel like a highly crafted standup where every line is delivered to perfect timing.

It's more like hanging out all night with the funniest, most thoughtful person at the party. Her observations are so clever, and ring true. I highly recommend going into it with those expectations and by the end you will feel that it was a good use of your time.

Hannah Einbinder has comedy in her DNA, being the daughter of original SNL cast member Larraine Newman. And she has built a solid body of work in "Hacks" with Jean Smart. But as a stand-up, she needs to do more work.

This special - her first - is not so much a stand-up comedy as it is a carefully rehearsed scripted monologue, complete with audio and lighting cues. It comes off as "too rehearsed" if that makes sense. There is no spontaneity, no apparent improv, and occasionally zero audience response. Einbinder is a good writer, but she doesn't yet know how to perform in front of a live audience. Hopefully, that will come with time. There was too much mugging to the camera, as if to say "yeah, I know I'm cool". No, Hannah, you're not (at least not yet). And if you were cool, this isn't the way to telegraph it.

A day after watching the special, I was hard-pressed to remember a signature bit or line from her performance. I think that was due in part to her scripted delivery, which left little room for connection with the audience.

Einbinder's career is still young, so there's room to grow. She's done well as a writer and actor on "Hacks" and that should continue at least through the show's fifth season (not unusual for a streamer to end a show after 5 years). For her to take the next step, her delivery and material needs to also grow and mature.

Having been a fan of Hannah Einbinder's work in "Hacks," I was eager to watch her stand-up special, "Everything Must Go." However, I must admit, I only managed to get through about 15 minutes of the show before deciding it wasn't for me.

Perhaps it's just a matter of personal taste, but I found myself struggling to connect with her comedic style. While her performance in "Hacks" is undeniably brilliant, this particular show, for me, simply fell flat. I was genuinely puzzled by the audience's uproarious laughter, as her set seemed to lack the comedic effort and punch I've come to expect from stand-up. It felt as though the jokes weren't landing, or perhaps, weren't even truly being attempted.

Ultimately, despite my admiration for her acting, "Everything Must Go" didn't resonate with me as a comedy special.

This isn't really a stand up comedy set. It's performance art where she becomes different characters. It's like when the drama kids would just play around and do whatever they wanted while they were warming up for a show.

There aren't any one liners as she's more of a story teller than a punchline style comic. That said, I liked the subject matter. But I wasn't enamored with the presentation of the material. It tested my patience for most of the show. Many of my favorite comics will do something that pushes my patience, but this was from the beginning. I appreciate what she is doing and I hope she finds an appreciative audience.