In Marc Maron’s newest special Panicked, the comedian jokes that after he’s done with comedy he’ll do Ted Talks. Maron should be aware that he’s already succeeding in that field as this is one of the most invigorating and hilarious teachings of how to deliver brilliant comedy. For the first time in quite a number of years, a special had taken culturally relevant events and highlighted the personal effects these said situations have had on Maron. It’s oddly relatable even from an outsider's point of view.

 

Panicked begins with a pretty vicious commentary on the world of politics today, particularly within the United States. He soon ventures into the raging fires that occurred early this year and how “panicked” he was when getting his cats to safety under such extreme circumstances. From dealing with society today to dealing with one’s own anxiety, Maron’s special tackles an assortment of topics dealing with the unfortunate world we live in. 

 

Sitting at 74 minutes, Maron throws a lot at the wall in his narrative tale for the night. Luckily, a mass majority sticks and winds up being an experience well worth anyone’s time looking for someone that’s not afraid to get his hands a little dirty when talking politics today. He even brings up dealing with grief and features an accurately depressing tune that understandably simulates such emotion. It’s an impactful special that perfectly blends satire, political commentary and a reflection on the past year of chaos.