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We Ride at Dawn

Hannah Berner

Netflix · 2024 · 50 min

A raunchy debut hour tailored for the podcast generation.

Hannah Berner’s debut Netflix special relies on the same unfiltered, highly online perspective that fueled her rise on TikTok and podcast charts. Recorded at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the show leans into her identity as a reformed reality TV star and former D1 athlete who has traded tennis rackets for highly explicit sex jokes. She works the crowd and targets female-centric absurdities, treating the theater like a giant group chat.\n\nBerner focuses her set on the weird physicalities of heterosexual romance, detailing the awkward mechanics of spooning and the over-the-top choreography of movie sex scenes. She riffs on marrying a \”zaddy\” and compares bachelorette parties to high-commitment cults. Rather than tailoring her set for stand-up traditionalists, she plays directly to her established fanbase, chatting about mental health, the chemistry of Diet Coke, and why society won’t let people drink espresso martinis around the clock.

The set list

7 bits
  1. Unrealistic sex scenes in movies vs. real-life sexual reality.

    Compares Hollywood depictions of sex to real life, acting out awkward positions like spooning and explaining the mechanics and realities of queefing.

  2. Marriage to an older comedian husband ('zaddy') Des Bishop.

    Jokes about the age-gap dynamic, wedding planning, and humorously predicting his death multiple times.

  3. Women carrying guns instead of men.

    Suggests only women should have firearms based on murder statistics, leading to the battle cry and special title 'We Ride at Dawn'.

  4. Stanley water bottles and hydration culture.

    Riffs on girls treating water bottles like emotional support items and calls daily water intake recommendations a 'girl conspiracy theory'.

  5. Disney princes being toxic.

    Has audience members shout out Disney princes to explain why they are terrible, dubbing John Smith a colonizer and calling herself a 'Beast apologist'.

  6. Bachelorette parties operating like mini cults.

    Examines the excessive money, power dynamics, and peer pressure involved in modern bachelorette weekends.

  7. Callback to her vibrator.

    Brings the set to an end with a humorous callback involving vibrator nicknames.

How it plays

Tone
Raunchy, relatable, self-deprecating, candid, and giggly.
On stage
Swagger and anything-goes charisma, casual and loud like a candid friend sharing 'female locker room chat' and unapologetic TMI stories.
Pace
Engaging and high energy, kicks off by doing the worm, moving quickly through topics while leaning into spontaneous, conversational exchanges.
About
mental health and anxiety, dating and marriage to an older man, sex and bodily functions, pop culture and Disney animated princes, bachelorette parties and female friendships

What the critics said

Critics praised her charisma, swagger, and sharp crowd work while noting the hour serves as a solid debut catering to her established fanbase, though some felt her material could rely more on vulnerability over well-worn sex topics.

In the room: Boisterous, ecstatic, and hyper-supportive, with loyal fans screaming approval, responding eagerly to rhetorical questions, and engaging enthusiastically with her crowd work.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: deadline.com, imdb.com, watch.plex.tv, rottentomatoes.com, decider.com, readysteadycut.com, screenrant.com, en.wikipedia.org, variety.com.

Backstory

Former competitive tennis player and Bravo reality star married to older Irish-American comedian Des Bishop, leaning on a loyal female fan base cultivated through reality TV, TikTok street interviews, and podcasts.

Details

Released
Taped
The Fillmore, Philadelphia
Runtime
50 min
Where
Netflix
Honors
Variety's 10 Comics to Watch (2023)
Topics
After
None of My Business (2026)

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