A Speck of Dust

Sarah Silverman trades the cartoonish irony of her earlier years for a conversational hour that leans on a relaxed stage presence rather than immediate shock value. Fresh off a life-threatening illness, she approaches her material with a philosophical perspective, taking her time with long-form bits and making a self-aware running gag out of saying “put a pin in that” every time she drifts off on a tangent.\n\nFilmed in Los Angeles and directed by Liam Lynch, the 2017 Netflix special captures a transitional moment in her career, right before she launched her late-night show I Love You, America. She mixes her usual interest in bodily functions with lighter trivia, like a bit on how the poor memory of squirrels is responsible for most of the world’s trees, and a bizarre story about her sister’s night of heavy drinking that coin-flips into what she calls a “relief laugh”.\n\nThough some viewers missed the provocative persona of her Jesus Is Magic era, critics widely praised her warmth and command of the room. The special went on to earn Emmy nominations for writing and variety special, along with a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album.