Tom Segura‘s stand-up has always had its fair share of filth, as he constantly uses his sarcastic and deadpan nature to talk about topics ranging from his day-to-day life, his eccentric parents, meeting comedians on airplanes, or “the poors” on his podcast Your Mom’s House, which he co-hosts alongside his wife Christina Pazsitzky.
His new Netflix sketch-comedy series Bad Thoughts takes things a step further, with Segura constantly pushing boundaries to see just how far and how offensive he can take things. Segura’s darkly comical and highly inappropriate sketch series feels elevated in the way it’s filmed, including elements like an apocalyptic alien wasteland, the compound of a country music star turned cult leader, and a gym populated by men with comically large penises. Yes, you read that last part correctly. It all feels pretty damn cinematic, to the point where a sketch that parodies an A24 movie trailer actually feels like the real deal — well, at least until we see Segura playing a cartoonish Italian immigrant, performing lewd acts on senior citizens. The result is exactly what you’d expect, and longtime fans of Segura’s will feel right at home with this unapologetically depraved show.
What Is ‘Bad Thoughts’ About?
Bad Thoughts consists of six episodes, each loosely revolving around a certain universal theme: jobs, success, family, love, communication, and health. Some of the sketches play through more than one episode, some are filmed in black-and-white, one doesn’t even actually feature Segura, and every single one is highly inappropriate and not something you’d want to watch with your mother around. Much of Segura’s stand-up is ported over to the series, including callbacks to his early material, leading to an immensely awkward conversation on an airplane, or his father’s Vietnam War stories, which are adapted into a very problematic children’s play.
The setups are sensationalized and creative, but the comedy is relatively low-brow, including scatological humor and sex jokes with an extra helping of dark comedy. For the most part, it works extremely well, making for an entertaining six-episode series that doesn’t have a low moment. Segura plays a variety of different characters, including fictionalized versions of himself, the country music star turned cult leader Rex Henley, a pants-soiling hitman, and even Steven Seagal, giving every role his complete and utter commitment. He’s willing to drop the sarcasm if that means being wholly and utterly unfiltered on-screen. Segura also can’t help but push viewers’ buttons, throwing nearly everything he has at the wall and seeing what will stick. Even when certain sketches don’t work as well, including one that involves a sexual “Make a Wish” request, there’s a certain aesthetic that makes it all pop.
‘Bad Thoughts’ Works Best When It’s More Elaborate
For those who try to claim that comedy can’t be edgy anymore, look no further than Bad Thoughts. It’s not that the series goes out of its way to offend, but it is unafraid of making the viewer feel disgusted or repulsed to the point of reaching for their remote. There’s never a dull moment, given that the show constantly attempts to escalate itself within each sketch.
While on his press tour, Segura has touted Bad Thoughts on his take on Black Mirror, and while his series does offer some comically bleak takes on humanity, it does bear a bit more resemblance to sketch comedy series like I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson or Key & Peele. Similar to how those shows take everyday scenarios and morph them into a series of over-the-top gags, Bad Thoughts operates by having each sketch’s characters act upon their worst impulses. In one particular sketch, Segura becomes frustrated with a coffee shop barista, and instead of just chewing out the employee, he later gleefully beats said barista to a pulp. It strikes just the right mix between funny and incredibly disturbing.
Related
The 12 Best Stand-Up Comedy Specials on Netflix Right Now (January 2025)
If you’re looking for a laugh, we’ve got you covered.
While Bad Thoughts is largely a sketch series, it does occasionally dip a toe into becoming more serialized. Certain installments end with cliffhangers that pick up directly in the next episode, seemingly trying to link the themes together. Sometimes it works naturally; the Rex Henley storyline could have arguably been a series in itself. Other times, it feels a bit disjointed, as is the case with a sketch involving The Sopranos‘ Rob Iler as a man who learns that he’s the main character in his former co-workers’ successful VR video game, in which man-eating aliens have sex with him. Bad Thoughts‘ sketches ultimately work best when Segura and his team try to make them more elaborate, rather than feeling as though they could be a part of any other similar comedy series.
‘Bad Thoughts’ Is the Perfect Next Step for Tom Segura
While other stand-up comedians have attempted to break into film and television recently — including 2 Bears 1 Cave co-host Bert Kreischer with the middling action-comedy The Machine — Bad Thoughts feels like the perfect next step for Segura. Even though a single sitcom or feature-length movie probably couldn’t fully embody Segura’s entire comedic persona, Bad Thoughts has it all.
In many ways, Bad Thoughts‘ unapologetic nature makes it feel like the live-action equivalent of South Park. It may not be as topical as Parker and Stone’s crass animated satire, but it does profess the same “nobody is safe” mantra that has allowed that long-running series to stand the test of time. It’s proudly unfiltered and makes no apologies if something happens to offend you. It’s not done in an overly smug way either, more so operating from the perspective that everybody is an idiot, even Segura himself.
Bad Thoughts isn’t going to convert anyone who isn’t already a fan of Segura’s knack for dark comedy, but why should it? The Netflix series is the perfect mix of messed-up and hilarious. While not every sketch will kill, there are more than enough big laughs and moments of sheer, depraved creativity that only Segura is capable of pulling off.
Bad Thoughts is now available to stream on Netflix.
Tom Segura’s Bad Thoughts is a perfect next step for the comedian, successfully capturing his unique sense of dark comedy.
- Release Date
-
May 13, 2025
- Network
-
Netflix
-
Tom Segura
Various Characters
-
- The series features some outstanding cinematography that makes it feel more cinematic than expected.
- Bad Thoughts is proof that you can still do edgy comedy in 2025.
- The Rex Henley and Steven Seagal sketches are big standouts.
- Some of the sketches aren’t as satisfying as others.
Discover more from imd369
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
