Bo Burnham: Inside
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: May 30, 2021
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 200 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 170 out of 200
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 200
  3. Negative: 22 out of 200

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User Reviews

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  1. 24FrameDaVinci
    Jun 10, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A truly transcendent piece of pop art for our time.

    Did you struggle though the pandemic? Did you feel alone? So did Bo Burnham, and he created an elegant, hilarious, heartbreaking soundtrack for all of you who did. It's a must watch/listen.    … Expand
  2. valgov291
    Jun 5, 2021
    10
    COME ON DOWN TO Bo Burnham's new special! He made a masterpiece to avoid going insane during lockdown. Come see the new Bo Burnham. We have:

    -Bo Burnham making some content, open wide. -Healing the world with comedy -#SockoDidNothingWrong (But that's how the world works) -Consumers wanting to know "Are you willing to use your brand awareness to affect positive social change....which will    COME ON DOWN TO Bo Burnham's new special! He made a masterpiece to avoid going insane during lockdown. Come see the new Bo Burnham. We have:

    -Bo Burnham making some content, open wide.
    -Healing the world with comedy
    -#SockoDidNothingWrong (But that's how the world works)
    -Consumers wanting to know "Are you willing to use your brand awareness to affect positive social change....which will create more brand awareness." #WhatDoYouStandForBagelBites?
    -A Lord of the Rings quote incorrectly attributed to Martin Luther King Jr. -A White Woman's Instagram
    -Reacting to a reaction video of a reaction video of a reaction video of the Unpaid Intern song #MakeItStop
    -Trying to be funny and stuck in a room
    -Dressing up as Aladdin
    #Happy30thBirthday
    -Catchy songs about Feeling like ****
    -Welcome to the internet
    -Jeff Bezos    … Expand
  3. Sarge
    Jul 4, 2021
    10
    This is REALLY good. Bo is a genius. What he was able to do in this apartment/house was amazing.
  4. intruder313
    Aug 16, 2021
    10
    The best thing I've seen this far in 2021. I still find it hard to believe he did this all alone!
  5. opiiou
    Jul 4, 2021
    10
    I had not followed Bo Burnham previously, so this was really the first thing i ever saw from him.
    It was a pretty emotional watch for me since i could, like so many, relate to a lot of the things he was saying.
    I was also really impressed by the Lighting, the camerawork and all the transitions which Bo did all by himself. + some of the songs are legit bangers Just wow, really.    I had not followed Bo Burnham previously, so this was really the first thing i ever saw from him.
    It was a pretty emotional watch for me since i could, like so many, relate to a lot of the things he was saying.
    I was also really impressed by the Lighting, the camerawork and all the transitions which Bo did all by himself.
    + some of the songs are legit bangers

    Just wow, really.
    Might just be the best piece of media i got to see since this pandemic started.    … Expand
  6. remyzerofan
    Jun 27, 2021
    10
    This is something special. It's a necessary experience. I didn't think I'd be able to handle any media about the pandemic. During it, I knew that when I made it out, I'd never one to go back in, even through art. But, I had no idea how much I needed this. I guess sometimes you have to go back to heal, and Inside helped me deal with some of the hurt from the quarantine that was still insideThis is something special. It's a necessary experience. I didn't think I'd be able to handle any media about the pandemic. During it, I knew that when I made it out, I'd never one to go back in, even through art. But, I had no idea how much I needed this. I guess sometimes you have to go back to heal, and Inside helped me deal with some of the hurt from the quarantine that was still inside me. I feel more emotionally and mentally whole thanks to this content. Also, it's really funny. Bo, thank you.… Expand
  7. merugo
    Aug 14, 2021
    10
    An extraordinarily introspective and profound comedy special born of an introverted, pandemic-terrified, brilliant mind. Very rewatchable
  8. wicked-ninja-
    Sep 19, 2021
    10
    One of the best pieces of art I’ve ever experienced. The fact that Bo wrote, directed, shot, edited and made the music himself, is just inspiring.
  9. AnimationWatch
    Nov 2, 2021
    9
    Really funny, but a little depressing. I think that's what he was going for. It was both claustrophobic but also a nice release from the quarantine we've all been suffering through.
  10. RiverTheUmbreon
    Feb 13, 2023
    10
    This is one of the best pieces of media I have ever consumed. The meaning behind the songs is deep, but they are also bangers
  11. nrevolution1
    Jun 4, 2021
    10
    Absolutely incredible in every way. Been tuning into Bo since his early YouTube days (when I was around 12/13) and it's so cool to see how much he's improved and continued to hold such a high standard of creativity. This special has stuck in my mind since I watched it the day it released. And coming from someone who struggles with depression & anxiety, what I really want to say is Thanks, Bo.
  12. Alexander1987
    Jun 4, 2021
    10
    What a perfect show!! I love Bo and he shows what a true comedian looks like when depressed. He is absolutely pitch perfect. Thank God for his style.
  13. jake_h_87
    Jun 3, 2021
    10
    Amazing special.

    I think this may go down as the preeminent pandemic piece when its all said and done. We can look at figures and watch the news about how many people this thing is killing but we've had nothing to represent the psychological toll being locked up for 12 months has had.
  14. sachineldho
    Jun 3, 2021
    9
    This is good **** whatever the **** this is. I want more of this **** Make more ****
  15. Bsunye
    Jun 5, 2021
    10
    I have no words. This might be the best work of art I have ever seen. Just wow.
  16. Vixter12
    Jun 18, 2021
    10
    Bo Burnham's Inside is one of the best comedy specials I've ever seen, being funny, serious and personal at the same time it delivers everything that a person would like to see in a comedy special (if you want to consider it like that)
  17. LucidLion
    Jun 10, 2021
    10
    Although he spend one year producing this special, the amount of content that is shown feels like he worked on it for all five years of his comedic absence.
    A reasons for this may be that the viewer does not only see the songs that resulted by this project. More than that the viewer gets a deep look inside the creative process behind it and the thoughts and questions that gave    Although he spend one year producing this special, the amount of content that is shown feels like he worked on it for all five years of his comedic absence.
    A reasons for this may be that the viewer does not only see the songs that resulted by this project. More than that the viewer gets a deep look inside the creative process behind it and the thoughts and questions that gave inspiration.
    With his unique approach, born by unique circumstance, Bo Burnham created something out of this time, that will stay relevant and entertaining in the future to come.    … Expand
  18. dlemonhed
    Jun 11, 2021
    10
    Loved it. Somehow creates an inspiring, funny, & powerful piece focusing on the loneliness and futility of the pandemic yet demonstrating the capability of a single person to overcome & create something amazing. Well done - killed it.
  19. PavementAPRN
    Jun 3, 2021
    10
    Absolutely brilliant. By far Bo’s strongest special to date. Remarkable what he has accomplished with Inside.
  20. sovereignsfall7
    Jun 5, 2021
    10
    A nihilistic masterpiece. Quite possibly the best thing Netflix has ever released
  21. dogboy
    Oct 6, 2021
    10
    This was amazing - a must watch. I was singing the songs for weeks afterwards.
  22. matiasrivera
    Jul 6, 2021
    10
    This is a masterclass in comedy and filmmaking. Bo Burnham is a true genius.
  23. felleg
    Jun 11, 2021
    10
    Masterpiece and must for everyone in their current twenties. The defining work of the millenials generation?
  24. JackFlynn
    Jun 21, 2021
    10
    A rare 10! 'Inside' was my introduction to Bo Burnham. This is one of those very rare, very original gems. What a find! It's instantly relatable, quirky but not pretentious, sad but not burdensome or depressing, funny but not forced, and brutally honest without resorting to cheap guilt traps. Just watch it and you will understand.
  25. Shumbawowza
    Jun 8, 2021
    10
    Bo is back! This special is flawless, with hilarious and musically delightful songs that also touch on the atrocities of the modern world. I wish the music was on Spotify, I'd listen to it all the time!
  26. notor12
    Jun 8, 2021
    10
    Undeniably one of the best pieces of art ever made, period.

    You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll get angry. You'll be afraid. You'll be hopeful.
  27. RobertJames
    Jun 10, 2021
    10
    This is a true masterpiece. Full of universal and deeply felt truth expressed in such an effortless manner and at the same time being 0 self important. If there is any chance for this to receive an Oscar it should! SO all these critics here are absolutely right about all of it! The first masterful work of art coming out of this universal crisis. Infinitely grateful this was created and heThis is a true masterpiece. Full of universal and deeply felt truth expressed in such an effortless manner and at the same time being 0 self important. If there is any chance for this to receive an Oscar it should! SO all these critics here are absolutely right about all of it! The first masterful work of art coming out of this universal crisis. Infinitely grateful this was created and he made the choice to actually do this. Without any form of exaggeration this is the work of a genius. I actually didn't know him as comedian, but as part of two brilliant movies, Eight grade and Promising Young Woman. Now I and a lot more people are able to welcome him as the guy who created a masterpiece before and while being thirty, thanks to his choice to not quit. Inspirational. Grandiose. Can't wait to see him live. If you read so far and not have seen it..I would kindly ask you to go and watch. Now! :)… Expand
  28. mindscape26
    Jun 10, 2021
    10
    Best content seen for a long time! Every moment is better than the last. Bo Burnham at its best.
  29. Chus_Wias
    Jun 11, 2021
    10
    Brilliantly done. Bo will likely go down as one of the greatest entertainers of our generation.
  30. Richkraft
    Jun 11, 2021
    10
    Truly captivating. Always been a fan of his previous specials so went in expecting something good. What I didn’t expect was something this amazing.
  31. brockcheese
    Jun 7, 2021
    10
    This show is mind bendingly good. Bo not just breaks the boundaries of a comedy special, he breaks the bounds of comedy and reflects all of the hard feelings we all went through during COVID.
  32. nounasgrand3
    Jun 7, 2021
    10
    Masterpiece.

    My girlfriend convinced me to see this. I was doing her a favor. I came in biased that I was going to dislike it... find it superficial and lighthearted. Boy I was wrong. This is a 21st century artistic masterpiece imo, that astoundingly encapsulates the fatalism and melancholia of the millennial generation (or a great part of it), while being an utterly honest and    Masterpiece.

    My girlfriend convinced me to see this. I was doing her a favor. I came in biased that I was going to dislike it... find it superficial and lighthearted.

    Boy I was wrong. This is a 21st century artistic masterpiece imo, that astoundingly encapsulates the fatalism and melancholia of the millennial generation (or a great part of it), while being an utterly honest and genuine expression of Bo's inner turbulence.

    WARNING: this is NOT a "comedy" special, at least not in the traditional sense. It is only superficially a "comedy" special.

    Additionally, its music and "cinematography" are only means of expression of things much deeper that go on within this man's mind and psyche. Please try to pay attention more to these, than merely appreciating the aesthetics of his art (aesthetics that still deserve high praise nonetheless)!

    Also, it's main theme (that becomes progressively apparent) is NOT about the quarantine and covid-19, as most critics seem to think. This is a shallow understanding of Burnham's work imo. These things are cherries on top. The work is much, MUCH more personal, and resonate issues that far exceed the narrow timeline of covid-19 quarantine (though the quarantine has definitely greatly highlighted said issues in our society).

    Even the segments of social criticisms (that are mostly presented at the beginning), in retrospect, are seen in quite a different light by the end of the special.

    I am generally a very critical person, and heavily criticize most things (especially modern movies, music etc.). If you knew me, you d know I almost never give out such high praise to anything. So, take that into account as well I guess.

    I almost cried towards the end. And I mostly listen to metal (Dream Theater, Children of Bodom etc.)    … Expand
  33. mxhunteruwu
    Jun 20, 2021
    10
    Moving mass of energy from start to finish. Cheeky, satiric, catchy. Sticks itself in your head far after the credits roll.
  34. Perseus69
    Nov 26, 2021
    3
    Less than average, childish and politically correct humour, I cannot understand the good reviews.
  35. dhaab
    Sep 30, 2021
    1
    I am a pretty big fan of Bo Burnham but this show was extremely flat and stale. All of the songs basically sound the same with lame digital music tracks being used alongside Bo's nasally sounding voice. None of the songs are memorable. Also, I find it very strange that any negative reviews of this show have been deleted from this website, and look to not even be counted in the userI am a pretty big fan of Bo Burnham but this show was extremely flat and stale. All of the songs basically sound the same with lame digital music tracks being used alongside Bo's nasally sounding voice. None of the songs are memorable. Also, I find it very strange that any negative reviews of this show have been deleted from this website, and look to not even be counted in the user score ratings.… Expand
  36. NeedleNose1
    Jun 19, 2021
    10
    A perfect encapsulation of how 2020 felt while being funny and thought provoking. An emotional and existential journey that took an incredible amount of creativity to make happen. It’s been a long time since I’ve connected with a piece of art so strongly.
  37. erolsabadosh
    Jun 17, 2021
    10
    BO KILLED IT! Super creative, funny and smart. Best special I've seen in a while.
  38. Paul_M_Dema
    Jun 6, 2021
    8
    Overall I love his works but ill take away few point because of none stop white jokes. It's just became annoying
  39. Crazayboii
    Jun 5, 2021
    5
    Semi-thought provoking material, but missed the mark on many current social issues.
  40. WhatIsThisWhat
    Aug 31, 2021
    6
    It's too long and the nasaly They Might Be Giants-esque songs are just not my thing.
  41. TheSHChronicles
    Nov 11, 2021
    9
    If you want to watch something visually fantastic and well written, Bo Burnham: Inside is for you. You can also find a great sketch in there if you are turning 30 and a definitive watch for the people who like Dark Humour as well! :)

    Full review at: https://www.theshchronicles.com/post/bo-burnham-inside
  42. LatinCritic13
    Jun 23, 2021
    10
    From an auteur YouTuber to critically acclaimed filmmaker, Bo Burnham's Inside is what everyone needed after the challenges we faced during the pandemic and it's glorious!
  43. All_ButTrU4
    Mar 31, 2022
    10
    My first time attempting to watch this fell flat. The opening song fell short and I couldn't get myself to commit to the idea that for nearly two hours I'd be watching a man sing by his keyboard. I'd felt comfortable with watching his stand up performances and somehow this felt wrong and now I know why. It was too real! I didn't see it then but watching it now I'm on the brink of tears orMy first time attempting to watch this fell flat. The opening song fell short and I couldn't get myself to commit to the idea that for nearly two hours I'd be watching a man sing by his keyboard. I'd felt comfortable with watching his stand up performances and somehow this felt wrong and now I know why. It was too real! I didn't see it then but watching it now I'm on the brink of tears or a hurtful smile as I barely make it through "that's how the world works ". This feels like a gargantuan accomplishment that unlike the many that try on big budget scripted shows to capture existentialism actually does it. There's a sense it's all happening and not mostly a performance,like you're a camera in a motel room watching a man drink with a gun in his hand. You feel this empathy intruded by keen sense this is a stranger and watching this, just watching is wrong. This is a very important document to our times that despite it's focus on  millennials manages to expose that as generations we have this repeated habit of dissatisfaction, of emptiness and of wanting to be better. The aptly titled inside is a riptide into all the things it hurts to talk about. It's funny, frightening, sincere and near perfect and if I'm honest will probably never happen again.… Expand
  44. oldmanjack
    Jun 13, 2021
    10
    I saw a video of a younger Bo saying more or less 'if you're going to put something out there, try to make it good' and man, does he ever follow his own damn rules. I kept thinking of Bad Religion's Age of Unreason for some, er, reason.

    He's insanely talented; I'm 42, I got into him rather late - I saw What and Make Happy through Netflix then google-stalked him to figure out where the    I saw a video of a younger Bo saying more or less 'if you're going to put something out there, try to make it good' and man, does he ever follow his own damn rules. I kept thinking of Bad Religion's Age of Unreason for some, er, reason.

    He's insanely talented; I'm 42, I got into him rather late - I saw What and Make Happy through Netflix then google-stalked him to figure out where the heck this wunderkind appeared from. The Kanye-rant bit at the end of Make Happy I found incredibly honest and moving.

    Now this.
    Holy hell. As a lifelong comedy fan, I was blown away by Inside.
    The first tape and CD I ever got were Even Worse and Off The Deep End. I read Brain Droppings when I was 14 until I could recite it. Eddie Izzard's Dressed To Kill I could (almost) perform from memory.
    Inside is going to be remembered forever, which is really, all you can wish for.
    It's a testament to Burnham's polymath ingenuity that he simultaneously made the year's best movie, album and comedy special.

    What, Make Happy, Eighth Grade, Inside... I'm beyond excited to see what he sets his sights to next.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best TV Season of 2021
11
#11 Most Discussed TV Season of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Rachel Syme
    Jun 7, 2021
    100
    Captures, with a frenzied and dextrous clarity, the unmoored, wired, euphoric, listless feeling of being very online during the pandemic. .... “Inside” is a virtuosic one-man musical extravaganza, and also an experimental film about cracking up via Wi-Fi connection while trying to make said one-man musical extravaganza—although, in the mediated age, when genres are twisted and mashed together, characterizing it feels almost beyond the point.
    Read full review
  2. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Kevin Fallon
    Jun 4, 2021
    100
    A brilliant, maddening, and transformative piece of art-meets-comedy-meets-commentary.
    Read full review
  3. Slate
    Reviewed by: Matthew Dessem
    Jun 3, 2021
    70
    The results are extraordinary. ... Despite its many levels of jokes and meta-jokes, Inside is one of the most sincere artistic responses to the 21st century so far: a beautiful, intricate chambered nautilus shell filled with loathing.
    Read full review
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