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Trailer

Special

2019 – 2021Show2 seasons16 episodesTV-MA

Comedy
77
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.6Metacritic676.9Rotten Tomatoes98%84%

A moving, hopeful comedy series about everyday modern life and a real life story, with standout performances.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Where to watch

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Not for scares, adrenaline or brutality.

Shows with

Episodes

2 seasons · 16 episodes · best: S2E4 "Death by a Thousand Cold Cuts" 8.2

Episodes

7.7
7.8

Story

Living. Laughing. Limping.

A gay man with mild cerebral palsy decides to rewrite his identity as an accident victim and finally go after the life he wants.

Feels like

  • Heartfelt Dramedy
  • Authentic Disability Representation
  • Ryan O'Connell Performance
  • Identity & Self-Acceptance
  • LGBTQ+ Narrative
  • Intimate Character Study
  • Hopeful & Uplifting
  • Realistic Slice-of-Life

Cast

24 of 32 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Anna Dokoza, Craig Johnson
Written by
Ryan O'Connell, Mason Flink, Keshni Kashyap
Produced by
Colin Frederick, Ross M. Dinerstein, Alison Mo Massey
Music by
Joshua Moshier

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 12, 2019 · May 20, 2021 · Ended

First aired
April 12, 2019
Last aired
May 20, 2021
Status
Ended
Length
2 seasons · 16 episodes
Age rating
TV-MA
Content
Sexual Content, Strong Language
Genres
Comedy
Original language
English
Also spoken
German, Spanish
Made in
United States, Germany
Available in
132 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Special?"

Questions about Special

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Special?

Netflix

In the United States, Special streams on Netflix. It also streams in 131 other countries.

Is Special worth watching?

77
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 77 (IMDb 7.6, Rotten Tomatoes 98%, and Metacritic 67).

Is Special okay for kids?

TV-MASexual contentStrong language

Yes: it's rated TV-MA in the United States for sexual content and strong language, and the viewing guide lists it for family nights.

How long does it take to watch Special?

7 h

About 7 hours: 16 episodes in 2 seasons of about 25 minutes each, aired from 2019 to 2021.

Will Special make me laugh?

Light

Now and then: the humor is mostly situational comedy (6 of 10) and sharp wit (5 of 10).

Is Special plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (8 of 10) and pathos (8 of 10) more than on its plot.