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Critic Reviews
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There are flashes of wit, slapstick, warmth and sadness sown all the way through Special, glinting out at you as the whole thing races by. I ended up watching the entire show in one go, and it would be no hardship to sit down at any point and watch it all again.
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While O’Connell’s story centers on his disability, his performance foregrounds his likable vibe, endearingly cheeky humor, and just enough scream-at-the-screen cluelessness.
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With a full half-hour and a bigger budget, Special could go from being a great if slightly-too-scant story to something really magical.
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Special is a work in progress about a character who's a work in progress and, in this quickly digestible form, it's set up to potentially continue to grow into something special — hopefully without losing that under-20-minute charm.
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If the series were given more time to tell his story, it would be fascinating and even more satisfying to see where O’Connell might take it.
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There’s plenty to improve upon, but “Special” has the right pieces in place.
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The 15-minute episodes are an easy binge and the two lead characters — Ryan and work friend Kim (Punam Patel) — are often a hoot even if some of the secondary characters (a witch-on-wheels boss, in particular) and situations undercut the show’s attempts at realism.
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Irreverent and enjoyably brisk. ... Special is only truly memorable when it depicts Ryan's endearingly awkward embrace of his sexuality. [15-28 Apr 2019, p.13]
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Netflix's flimsy development process failed this show.
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It's a promising premise, with charming performances from its supporting cast, but Special's quirkiness, only-sometimes-successfully sweet emotional moments, off putting characters, and humor don't mix well. [5/12 Apr 2019, p.92]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 16 out of 27
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Mixed: 7 out of 27
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Negative: 4 out of 27
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Jun 16, 2021
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Apr 20, 2019
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Apr 13, 2019It's more than a gay man with CP and mother-son codependency going array. It's a charming story that leaves you wanting for more, and more. Loved it!