Atsuko Okatsuka: The Intruder

Watched this because of its rating and was hoping for a fresh voice. And she is. Her comedy is also clean. Her best lines got me chuckling. Most of her material is related to her family being immigrants, which I can relate to. Awkwardness adjusting to America yet being subject to the old world values is a well-known tension in such families, but still rich enough ground to mine for comedy. Some of the humor also centers around having aging family members, and her relation to her white husband.

Why my reviews title? All 8 written reviews at the time of this writing were 10's! Obviously not terribly objective, the average is less than 7. What isn't this special a 10? I think she stretched her material a bit thin - repeating a line several times, long pauses, a lot of non-funny asides with the audience. None of these criticisms are fatal, just the signs of a new talent.

I'm looking forward to her next special.

Atsuko approaches all of the topics we all feel shy and uncomfortable about with grace and chidlike creativity and curiosity. I will try not to spoil but handling weird interactions with strangers, navigating mental illness in families, realizing aging out of the cool crowd, and fully showing up as her whole awkward self makes this entire special endearing, giggly, playful, and a complete delight. She shared personal moments that on the onset might be tough, but then, without hesitation, she manages to bring the audience into the vivid present of her jokes, connecting with people in personal and lovely moments. I laughed start to finish and loved every line of this amazing splash into her wonderful mind.

Atsuko is so magnetic and charismatic! I think THE INTRUDER is going to be one of my favorite re-watchable comedy specials. It's extremely entertaining and fun. The visual aspect of the special is really engaging, as well. It's noteworthy that this is directed by another stand-up favorite of mine, Tig Notaro. The stage backdrop is a beautiful compliment to the material and the performer. Atsuko has such a colorful and unique style that you can't help but follow her intently. It's usually likely I'll get distracted by my phone during stand-up specials, but I never even picked my phone up during this one! It's a fantastic way to spend your time!

I was lucky enough to watch Atsuko create this special over the last year AND I managed to grab a ticket to watch the taping of it, and I couldn't be happier with the final result.

Atsuko's warmth and love for the craft of standup shines through in this special as she takes the viewers through the circus-ride that is her brain with hilarious bits about mental health, food, old person socialization, sisterhood & the infamous intruder.

Unlike many other specials I've seen, this one doesn't have any dead pockets of humorless sadness as she milks each bit fully before moving on to the next stop on the Hilarity Express.

Atsuko is fun as hell + a wonderful weirdo and if you like laughing, definitely check this special out!

This was one of my favorite comedy specials of the year. Atsuko blends story telling with zingers and it works... really well. She manages to thread through lines in a way that is really effective. She also strikes a balance of being flippant and being compassionate that creates a hilariously hopeful feeling. The fluidity of the show made it fly by and, as a viewer, I also very much appreciated the obvious care she took to put on a great show. Sure, shows where it seems the comedian is riffing on stage can be fun, but if I'm dedicating my time to watching a longer show, I want it to flow purposefully. Can't wait for the next one!