Netflix to Premiere Four Comedy Documentaries Weekly This October
Bob Saget, Neil Berkeley, Judd Apatow and Jason Hehir direct the films for the streaming service.
Netflix has announced four comedy documentaries premiering weekly throughout October, spanning the legacies of Martin Mull, Norm Macdonald, Maria Bamford and the cast of SCTV. The films are directed by Bob Saget, Neil Berkeley, Judd Apatow and Jason Hehir.
Together, the four films offer a monthlong look at the range of American comedy: Martin Mull's understated versatility across television, film, art and music; Norm Macdonald's subversive run on Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update' and his singular voice as a storyteller; Maria Bamford's fearless, boundary-pushing standup and candor about mental health; and SCTV's sketch-comedy legacy, which launched an extraordinary generation of Second City alumni and Canadian comic talent — including John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas and Joe Flaherty — into the heart of American film and television.
October Release Calendar
WHO IS MARTIN MULL? — Premieres October 7 — Directed by Bob Saget and Neil Berkeley
NORM: THE TALE OF NORM MACDONALD — Premieres October 16 — Directed by Judd Apatow
PARALYZED BY HOPE: THE MARIA BAMFORD STORY — Premieres October 23 — Directed by Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley
SCTV: THE GREATEST SHOW YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF — Premieres October 30 — Directed by Jason Hehir
Who Is Martin Mull?
RELEASE DATE: On Netflix October 7
DIRECTOR: Bob Saget & Neil Berkeley
PRODUCERS: Sean Bradley, Tara Billik, Neil Berkeley
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Kevin S. Bright, Bob Saget, Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers
SYNOPSIS: Musician, cult comedian, unlikely TV fixture, acclaimed painter — Martin Mull spent his life becoming someone new, and no version was ever what anyone expected. This candid, star-studded documentary, directed by Bob Saget and Neil Berkeley, traces his restless reinvention from smoky folk clubs to primetime sitcoms to gallery walls, told in his own words and by the friends who watched it happen, including Steve Martin, Tom Waits, David Alan Grier and others. Witty, honest and life-affirming, it's the story of a comedy icon who, as he put it, 'had a hell of a ride.'
Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald
RELEASE DATE: On Netflix October 16
DIRECTOR: Judd Apatow
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Josh Church, Marc Gurvitz, Jon Liebman, Zoe Rogovin, Mark McCune, Ross Girard
SYNOPSIS: From director Judd Apatow comes an intimate portrait of one of comedy's most singular voices. Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald traces the life and career of the stand-up and Saturday Night Live legend, from his rise as the deadpan anchor of 'Weekend Update' to his enduring legacy as a comedian's comedian — a master of the absurd, the dry, and the unexpected. Built entirely from archival footage, personal photos, and rare home videos contributed by fans and friends, the documentary lets Norm tell his own story in his own voice. This is a tribute to a comic genius whose influence on stand-up and television comedy remains unmatched.
Paralyzed By Hope: The Maria Bamford Story
RELEASE DATE: On Netflix October 23
DIRECTOR: Judd Apatow & Neil Berkeley
PRODUCERS: Judd Apatow, Neil Berkeley, Amanda Rohlke, David Heiman
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Josh Church, Wayne Federman, Olivia Rosenbloom
SYNOPSIS: Maria Bamford has built a career on turning radical honesty into radical comedy — often blurring the line between performance and personal crisis. In this documentary, co-directors Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley trace her path from a childhood in Duluth, Minnesota, through discovering a love of performance in college, to hard-won fame in Los Angeles while closely following her present day life for almost four years. Also featuring hilarious clips from her stand-up specials and testimonials from fellow comedians who admire her singular voice, the film doesn't shy away from the harder material: Bamford's mental health journey and pivotal family relationships that shaped her along the way. The result is a portrait that's as funny as it is tender, capturing an artist who has made a career of finding laughter inside the hardest truths.
SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of
RELEASE DATE: On Netflix October 30
DIRECTOR: Jason Hehir
PRODUCERS: Chapman Downes, Whitney Johnson, Andrew Hafnor, Molly Montgomery, Kelly Meinhardt
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jimmy Kimmel, Scott Lonker, Jason Hehir
SYNOPSIS: 'SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of' chronicles the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of one of the most influential sketch comedy series in television history. Through intimate interviews with surviving members of its legendary cast and an emotional reunion in Toronto, the film explores the creative partnership that transformed a small Canadian television production into a cultural phenomenon that launched some of comedy's most celebrated icons.
Featuring candid reflections, never-before-shared stories, and rare archival material, the documentary examines the artistic innovation that made SCTV a trailblazer while revealing the extraordinary friendships that have endured for more than fifty years. The film is a testament to the timeless power of collaboration and the lasting influence of artists whose work continues to influence comedy around the world.
