the greatest absurdity among real-life adolescents - which is reflected quite stunningly in this show - is their constant projection of maturity. you only have to spend a day with one to see it: that razor-thin line between confidence and fragility. that firm belief in their own awareness, which can be knocked down like a house of cards. it’s a war they’re always fighting in their own minds, and one every adult in their lives must as well. 

the second…

surprisingly, and to my great relief, mulaney doesn’t ever come across as arrogant or dickish in his newest special. even though the term “self-aware” gets thrown at nearly every successful comedian nowadays, mulaney embodies it on a level i rarely see, especially given his last few years. he’s incredibly upfront about his addiction, and while there is a very obvious aversion to his affair and divorce, his honesty reveals - in a rather nuanced way - that some things are…