Night Thoughts

Kumail Nanjiani returned to stand-up after a twelve-year absence, during which he became an Oscar-nominated screenwriter, an Emmy-nominated actor, and surprisingly muscular. Recorded at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, the city where he started his comedy career, this hour marks his first solo special since 2013. Nanjiani spends the set trying to re-establish himself as a working stand-up rather than a movie star trying out a hobby.

He structures the hour around the low-stakes anxieties and heavy regrets that keep people awake at 3:00 a.m. His material ranges from pre-legalization weed buying and the absurdities of cat medication to the very public psychological toll of starring in a critically panned Marvel movie. Notable bits include his panicked pandemic habits, like washing bananas and microwaving cheesecakes, and a running joke about his own physical transformation, specifically the danger of getting his newly formed abs caught in his belt.

Directed by Bill Benz, the special was released on Hulu in late 2025. It earned Nanjiani a Golden Globe nomination, praised by critics for its warmth and vulnerability, even if some felt his observational material leaned a bit safe.