Tom Segura’s stand-up has always had its fair share of filth, as he constantly uses his sarcastic and deadpan nature to talk about topics ranging from his day-to-day life, his eccentric parents, meeting comedians on airplanes, or “the poors” on his podcastYour Mom’s House, which he co-hosts alongside his wifeChristina Pazsitzky.
His newNetflixsketch-comedy seriesBad Thoughtstakes things a step further, with Segura constantly pushing boundaries to see just how far and how offensive he can take things. Segura’s darkly comical and highly inappropriate sketch series feels elevated in the way it’s filmed, including elements like an apocalyptic alien wasteland, the compound of a country music star turned cult leader, and a gym populated by men with comically large penises. Yes, you read that last part correctly. It all feels pretty damn cinematic, to the point where a sketch that parodies anA24 movie traileractually feels like the real deal — well, at least until we see Segura playing a cartoonish Italian immigrant, performing lewd acts on senior citizens. The result is exactly what you’d expect, andlongtime fans of Segura’s will feel right at home with this unapologetically depraved show.
Bad Thoughtsconsists of six episodes, each loosely revolving around a certain universal theme: jobs, success, family, love, communication, and health. Some of the sketches play through more than one episode, some are filmed in black-and-white, one doesn’t even actually feature Segura, and every single one is highly inappropriate and not something you’d want to watch with your mother around. Much of Segura’s stand-up is ported over to the series, including callbacks to his early material, leading to an immensely awkward conversation on an airplane, or his father’s Vietnam War stories, which are adapted into a very problematic children’s play.
The setups are sensationalized and creative, butthe comedy is relatively low-brow, including scatological humor and sex jokes with an extra helping of dark comedy. For the most part, it works extremely well, making for an entertaining six-episode series that doesn’t have a low moment. Segura plays a variety of different characters, including fictionalized versions of himself, the country music star turned cult leader Rex Henley, a pants-soiling hitman, and evenSteven Seagal, giving every role his complete and utter commitment. He’s willing to drop the sarcasm if that means beingwholly and utterly unfiltered on-screen.Segura also can’t help but push viewers' buttons, throwing nearly everything he has at the wall and seeing what will stick. Even when certain sketches don’t work as well, including one that involves a sexual “Make a Wish” request, there’s a certain aesthetic that makes it all pop.
For those who try to claim that comedy can’t be edgy anymore, look no further thanBad Thoughts. It’s not that the series goes out of its way to offend, butit is unafraid of making the viewer feel disgusted or repulsedto the point of reaching for their remote. There’s never a dull moment, given that the show constantly attempts to escalate itself within each sketch.
While onhis press tour, Segura has toutedBad Thoughtson his take onBlack Mirror, and while his series does offer some comically bleak takes on humanity, it does bear a bit more resemblance to sketch comedy series likeI Think You Should Leave with Tim RobinsonorKey & Peele. Similar to how those shows take everyday scenarios and morph them into a series of over-the-top gags,Bad Thoughtsoperates by having each sketch’s characters act upon their worst impulses. In one particular sketch, Segura becomes frustrated with a coffee shop barista, and instead of just chewing out the employee, he later gleefully beats said barista to a pulp. It strikes just the right mix between funny and incredibly disturbing.
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WhileBad Thoughtsis largely a sketch series,it does occasionally dip a toe into becoming more serialized. Certain installments end with cliffhangers that pick up directly in the next episode, seemingly trying to link the themes together. Sometimes it works naturally; the Rex Henley storyline could have arguably been a series in itself. Other times, it feels a bit disjointed, as is the case with a sketch involvingTheSopranos’Rob Ileras a man who learns that he’s the main character in his former co-workers' successful VR video game, in which man-eating aliens have sex with him.Bad Thoughts' sketches ultimately work best when Segura and his team try to make them more elaborate, rather than feeling as though they could be a part of any other similar comedy series.
While other stand-up comedians have attempted to break into film and television recently — including2 Bears 1 Caveco-hostBert Kreischerwiththe middling action-comedyThe Machine—Bad Thoughtsfeels likethe perfect next step for Segura. Even though a single sitcom or feature-length movie probably couldn’t fully embody Segura’s entire comedic persona,Bad Thoughtshas it all.
In many ways,Bad Thoughts' unapologetic nature makes it feel likethe live-action equivalent ofSouth Park. It may not be as topical as Parker and Stone’s crass animated satire, but it does profess the same “nobody is safe” mantra that has allowed that long-running series to stand the test of time. It’s proudly unfiltered and makes no apologies if something happens to offend you. It’s not done in an overly smug way either, more so operating from the perspective that everybody is an idiot, even Segura himself.
Bad Thoughtsisn’t going to convert anyone who isn’t already a fan of Segura’s knack for dark comedy, but why should it? The Netflix series isthe perfect mix of messed-up and hilarious. While not every sketch will kill, there are more than enough big laughs and moments of sheer, depraved creativity that only Segura is capable of pulling off.
Bad Thoughtsis now available to stream on Netflix.
Bad Thoughts
Tom Segura’s Bad Thoughts is a perfect next step for the comedian, successfully capturing his unique sense of dark comedy.
