Film
Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American
- Comedy
- Light-hearted
Nate Bargatze's debut special is a masterclass in conversational comedy. He rambles through observations about modern life—lost phones, hotel breakfasts, golf caddies, the bewilderment of new math—with the ease of someone telling stories at a bar. It's low-key, genuinely funny, and made for anyone who loves comedians who sound like themselves rather than performing.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy a stand-up who builds jokes out of small, everyday irritations and lets a mild, puzzled sincerity carry the bits rather than shouting for laughs.
Skip it if you want sharp, confrontational or politically charged material, since this hour stays gentle and observational and rarely reaches for a big edge or a hard punchline.
What it asks of you: Roughly an hour of an unhurried comic settling into his rhythm, with a light touch and patience for long setups that pay off in small, quiet laughs.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City2018
Mulaney's storytelling has the same narrative drive and charm as Bargatze's. He builds from small observations into larger comedic arcs with perfect timing and an infectious warmth that makes you want to follow him anywhere.
But His style is more theatrical and polished than Bargatze's casual approach—if you prefer understated comedy, the production value might feel overdone.
Dave Attell: Road Work2014
Attell travels and riffs on what he finds in small-town America, much like Bargatze's observational ease. He's thoughtful without ever turning the comedy into a lecture, finding genuine humanity in seemingly mundane moments.
But His comedy is darker and more booze-soaked than Bargatze's. If you prefer sunnier material, the undercurrent here is bleaker.
Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time2019
Gaffigan's ability to construct comedy from everyday life—food, family, travel—mirrors Bargatze's gift for finding humor in the ordinary. It's warm, accessible, and feels genuinely thought through rather than forced.
But His self-deprecating persona can feel repetitive if you watch too many specials back-to-back. The formula works, but it's the same formula.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Aziz Ansari: Dangerously Delicious2012
Both are comedians who understand that the best material comes from sounding like yourself having a conversation, not performing a prepared routine. Neither is trying to convince you they're smarter than you—they're just noticing things and telling you what they see.
Before Ansari became a TV star, his comedy was sharp observational work about food, culture, and relationships. It's looser and more improvisational than his later work—you hear the comedian figuring things out live, the same energy Bargatze brings.
But The production is bare-bones and sometimes hard to hear. It's not slick, and it wasn't meant to be, which will bother you if you need high production value.
More like this (3)
Marc Maron: End Times Fun2020
Maron's comedy is conversational and introspective, building from personal tangents into larger observations. He shares Bargatze's ability to make you feel like you're hearing him think in real time, rather than watching a crafted performance.
But He's angrier and more neurotic than Bargatze. If you want something lighter and more good-natured, this will feel heavier.
Kyle Kinane: Trampoline In A Ditch2022
Kinane's comedy is wonderfully weird and digressive, full of non-sequiturs and tangents that somehow make perfect sense. He shares Bargatze's ability to sound like he's just making it up as he goes.
But His sensibility is stranger and more absurdist. If you prefer grounded, recognizable observations, this will feel deliberately off-kilter.
Ali Wong: Baby Cobra2016
Wong's special captures the raw energy of someone who has figured out who they are as a comedian. Her material is specific, fearless, and delivered with infectious confidence that makes you want to lean in and listen.
But Her style is confrontational and very explicitly adult. If you prefer gentler material, her aggression might feel like too much.
People
Cast
Nate BargatzeSelf
Directing
- Troy MillerDirector
Writing
- Nate BargatzeWriter
Production
- Michelle NguyenCoordinating Producer
- Alex MurrayExecutive Producer
- Nate BargatzeExecutive Producer
- Tim SarkesExecutive Producer
- Troy MillerExecutive Producer
- Chelsea GonneringLine Producer
- Neil A. SheridanProduction Executive
Recommended by
Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia, Gina Brillon: The Floor Is Lava, Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill, Amy Schumer: Growing, Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial, Nikki Glaser: Bangin', Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King, Chris Gethard: Career Suicide, Michelle Wolf: Joke Show, Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time, Jim Gaffigan: Cinco, Iliza Shlesinger: Confirmed Kills, Aziz Ansari: Dangerously Delicious, Russell Peters: Almost Famous, Gabriel Iglesias: Stadium Fluffy, Sebastian Maniscalco: Aren't You Embarrassed?, Jerrod Carmichael: 8, Jim Jefferies: Bare, James Acaster: Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999, Katherine Ryan: Glitter Room, Tom Segura: Completely Normal, Pete Holmes: Faces and Sounds, Bill Burr: Let It Go, Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie, Chris D'Elia: Man on Fire, Russell Peters: Red, White and Brown, Iliza Shlesinger: Freezing Hot, Patton Oswalt: We All Scream, Eddie Izzard: Definite Article, Kathleen Madigan: Madigan Again, Kevin Hart: Irresponsible