Did John Mulaney’s live series Everybody’s in L.A. actually happen, or was it a strange, shared hallucination? Ever since the show’s finale on Friday, I’ve asked myself that question over and over again. For six nights on Netflix, Mulaney did the seemingly impossible, cranking out a late-night talk show that actually felt fresh and surprising.
Netflix has struggled for years to create a live TV show worthy of being called “appointment television,” and the verdict from critics seems to be that, by gum, Mulaney has done it. The only question that remains is the obvious, what now?
Years ago, Netflix seemed determined to kill live television as we knew it. Now, however, the streaming giant is singing a different tune. The platform began to play with live streaming last year, debuting both a live Chris Rock special and a disastrous Love Is Blind reunion. But lately, it’s gone all-in. In February, Netflix aired the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and since then, we’ve also gotten the currently airing live show Dinner Time Live With David Chang. Alongside Mulaney, last week also debuted Netflix’s hugely successful live Tom Brady roast and Katt Williams’ live special Woke Foke.
