About Drew Michael (HBO)

Drew Michael is an avant-garde stand-up special, aired on HBO in 2018. The special, guided by the unique vision of comedian Drew Michael, breaks away from traditional stand-up routines, offering a distinctive and intimate cinematic experience that merges the line between comedy and drama.

Making / Production

The special was directed by comedian and filmmaker Jerrod Carmichael, making it his directorial debut. The lack of an on-screen audience and the incorporation of cinematic visuals elevate the stand-up special into a new league of performance art. It was an experimental venture for the network and the team behind the special, intending to redefine the boundaries of a conventional stand-up show.

Actors

• Drew Michael - As himself, Drew navigates the special with his raw and personal material. He delves deep into the intricacies of relationships, grappling with issues such as connection, communication, and identity.
• Suki Waterhouse - Playing the role of Drew's love interest, she serves as the voice on the other end of his sporadic phone conversations, which punctuate his stand-up performance.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The special has no laugh track or audience, a bold and unconventional move in the world of stand-up comedy.
• Drew Michael's material was described as "meandering" by critics, a testament to the introspective and personal nature of his discourse.
• The special's unique format pushed the boundaries of televised comedy, as it almost entirely revolved around a monologue.

Quotes

• "And that's what all this is, it's a perspective. It's the way I've reconciled all the things I've been told and all the things I've experienced."
• "I mean the truth is, it's hard to see each other for what we really are. We always see each other through what we really want."

Music, Soundtrack

The soundtrack is minimalistic and compliments the special's tone. As Drew Michael (HBO) is primarily a stand-up comedy show, music is used sparingly throughout. Its absence serves to amplify the rawness of the experience and keep the viewer focused on the comedic monologue.