A Review of ‘Good One: A Show About Jokes’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

GOOD ONE: A SHOW ABOUT JOKES -- Pictured: Mike Birbiglia -- (Photo by: PEACOCK)

We really do live in quite the unique era when it comes to information. Because on the one hand, a simple internet search can teach us wonders untold about the world. From how to properly cook salmon to an understanding of how quantum physics work. Yet at the same time… there’s so much we don’t know and don’t have access to from an information standpoint. Some of that is because we don’t have those answers just yet, but some of it relates to the fact, that no one has taken the time to uncover the facts about a particular aspect of our world, and that is supremely true when it comes to how creative minds, create.
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Because we simply don’t know how art is made. Sure, we see the end result, or we see time lapse videos of say, how a painting or a sculpture is made… but we treat art with such awe and wonder… that we simply don’t ask creatives what goes into their line of work, nor do we ask them how they truly bring art to life. But thankfully, there are people that recognize this particular gap in knowledge and are working to fill it in, so we can further respect the art that surrounds us, and perhaps finally understand that it is more than a gift to write, to paint, or assemble some of the best jokes out there. It’s work, hard work, and a lot of trial and error, and that’s why the new Peacock documentary series, Good One: A Show About Jokes is so important.

For it really is a trailblazing documentary series that dives deep… into how stand-up comedy and jokes are created. Which truly is a topic that hasn’t been explored in popular media in the slightest. In fact, what we mostly get from any special surrounding a particular comedian, is that moment of realness before they go on stage and then… it’s onto the jokes. But here, director Eddie Schmidt takes us inside the day to day working life of Mike Birbiglia. Who is widely regarded as one of the funniest comedians out there, who makes his work seem effortless, but in fact… is one of the hardest working jokesters in the business, as evidenced by what Eddie captures here.

Because this special, really does take us inside the world of a comedian, for a no holds barred look at how they craft jokes. Which in this instance involves Mike trying to discover what his next show is going to look like, and how to get back on Broadway with it, and that allows for us… to learn how he writes and crafts a joke, and how he tests them out upon a live audience to see what works, what doesn’t, what is close but needs a tweak. Which brings about, a fascinating story. One that truly takes us inside the laugh factory that is a comedian’s mind to really see how jokes are carefully crafted pieces of writing that require perfect timing, perfect delivery, and outright care.

But of course, a comprehensive documentary has to offer more than just the process, we also need to understand what made Mike want to be a comedian, and what it took him to get where he is today, and we receive that as well. Giving rise to a story that is just as much about the man as it is his craft, and it is also quite the bonus, that there is commentary from some of the industry’s greats regarding Mike’s work and the craft to be found here. All of which gives us a definitive understanding of how comedy is created and also provides us, with a truly original documentary. For we’ve never seen anything like this before on the small screen, and it is compelling, powerful, and truly engaging and absolutely provides us with new perspective on an age-old craft, and newfound appreciation for it, all courtesy of a revolutionary look inside the process and the mind of one brilliant comedian.

 ‘Good One: A Show About Jokes’ is available to stream on Peacock.

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