The Special Without Brett Davis is a public-access television show on Manhattan Neighborhood Network. The show takes the form of an ever-changing live "special" with a new format and performers, and a host portrayed by comedian Brett Davis.
The show adopted the Wednesday night 11pm timeslot previously held by The Chris Gethard Show after it moved to cable.
Contributors
The show features a rotating cast of comedians in varying roles week to week, in character or as themselves.
Past contributors include Jo Firestone, Chris Gethard, John Early, Ana Fabrega, Julio Torres, Anna Drezen, Bridey Elliott, Conner O'Malley, Joe Pera, Josh Gondelman, Cole Escola, James Adomian, Patti Harrison, Sunita Mani, Tallie Medel, Ziwe Fumudoh, John Reynolds, Anna Drezen, Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Matt Rogers, Zach Cherry, and Bridey Elliott.
Every episode featured a "joke of the week" from "Mr. Jokes" Steve Whalen, who mainly appeared as himself regardless of the episode's theme.
Guests
The show featured interviews with actors including Michael Shannon, Natalia Tena, Danny Tamberelli, Richard Kind, Alex Brightman, Rose McGowan, Tim Williams, Kevin Corrigan and Logan Miller.
The show also featured comedians such as Gilbert Gottfried, Janeane Garofalo, Brian Stack, Dave Hill, Jake Fogelnest, Megan Koester, Artie Lange, and Tom Scharpling.
The show also featured many names from the world of wrestling, including Lita, Dave Meltzer, New Jack, Virgil, Dalton Castle, Salina de la Renta, Low-Ki and Pat Buck.
Other personalities that appeared include: Scott Rogowsky, Karley Sciortino, Lloyd Kaufman, Ruby Karp, Adam Richman, Chapo Trap House, Dasha Nekrasova, Jesse Camp and Marnie the Dog.
Musical guests included Jerry Paper, The Thermals, Jean Grae, Screaming Females, Sloppy Jane, Thick, Emily Wells, Sunflower Bean, Mr Twin Sister, Meredith Graves, Guerilla Toss, M Lamar, Lushlife, Dougie Poole, Ava Luna, Domino Kirke, SAVAK, A Place To Bury Strangers, Jazzboy, Long Neck, Tredici Bacci, The Vandelles, Showtime Goma and more.
Storylines Despite its weekly rotating format, The Special maintained several narrative arcs across its run:
The Cosmic War: A supernatural feud between warring cults led by duplicitious hippie Father Cyrill and the heartbreak-plagued, Eyes Wide Shut-inspired Grand Inquisitor, whose clashes over mystical artifacts and oblivious disciple Freshie Freshie spark the end of days. John Gentle: A melancholy, disgraced former college poetry professor whose personal failures—unrequited love, a bitter divorce, incarceration, and a pyramid scheme—culminate in the finale, where he learns he's the sole figure capable of averting the apocalypse. Bobby Blayze vs. Harley Tucker: A pro wrestling feud pitting reluctantly heroic Kentucky wrestler Bobby Blayze against violent ex-con "Skull Fucker" Harley Tucker and his sassy manager Sweet Daddy Longlegs, builds to a live wrestling match. Traffic School: A Breakfast Club-inspired arc following adult traffic school students through detention, prom, and graduation under their severely tight-wound instructor, Leon Pugh, whose demeanor stems from an uncomfortable physical condition. The Mid-2000s Indie Rock Avengers: An MCU parody where Davis as James Murphy recruits indie icons (impersonations of Conor Oberst, Feist, and Sufjan Stevens) who fail to write a song to defeat Thanos, and time-travel back to 2005 for another shot. Truth or Myth with Smith: A public-access parody featuring libertarian conspiracy-theorist Smith and his house band, Smitty and The Thrillride, whose dull, droll civic-journalism panels gradually escalate into madness. Kelsey Grammer and Mike Love: Unhinged parodies of conservative celebrities begin with the hubristic actor hiding a dark secret while upstaged by the real Michael Shannon in Kelsey Lately, while a grim Mike Love uses transcendental meditation to relive old grievances against tyrannical bully Brian Wilson in Mike Love and Mercy. Their self-involved telethon for a dying teen in Go, JoJo, Go! and the subsequent R.I.P. JoJo ultimately trap them in a Sartre-inspired nightmare of their own making. The Warlords: A Troma-style post-apocalyptic street gang—King Turbo, Wrex Wreckage, Scorpina Black, and The Mutant Mutilator—whose face-painted, deeply stupid members periodically hijack broadcasts. Meta-Narratives: A blurred boundary between reality and fiction featuring studio revolts, takeovers by Jesse Camp and Chris Gethard, and a meta-crisis where Steve Whalen ("Mr. Jokes") becomes the suave "Stephan Whélan" (inspired by Stefan Urquelle).
Episodes