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Yearly Departed is a moderately fun way to say good riddance to 2020
The year 2020 has been bizarre. Or, as Phoebe Robinson eloquently puts it in the opening minutes of Yearly Departed, “2020, you were a big old dick and we are here to tell you to rest in peace even though you destroyed every little ounce of ours.” The hour-long comedy special, directed by Linda Mendoza with Bess Kalb serving as the head writer, does exactly that, finding an oddly cathartic way to mourn some of the things the world missed out on due to the global pandemic, among other problems. 2 Dope Queens’ Robinson hosts the special, which offers a series of eulogies by actors and comedians Rachel Brosnahan (who also serves as a producer), Tiffany Haddish, Sarah Silverman, Natasha Rothwell, Natasha Leggero, Patti Harrison, and Ziwe Fumudoh. Yearly Departed doesn’t necessarily strike comedy gold, but it makes the process of complaining about and bidding goodbye to a particularly tough year a little more tolerable.
The performers in Yearly Departed each infuse their own brand of humor into the special as they deliver eulogies on a set that’s designed to look like a funeral. It’s a breezy watch, one that brings together a group of talented women, though they don’t all get the material to make them shine. The special strikes a balance between talking about social issues that have plagued the country while also lamenting over pettier losses that feel strongly relatable. Fumudoh’s transition from the new array of Black and brown skin tones for bandages to corporations beating their own diversity drum is enjoyable to watch, especially her perfectly impassive delivery of the phrase “fine, here.” Harrison cries for the rich girl Instagram influencers who probably lost out on their branded partnerships this year in a splendidly overdramatic performance that rivals only the social media influencers she sends up.
Despite these refreshing performances, the entire comedy special feels a little too staged, which might be the result of shooting during a pandemic (with all the safety regulations required). A behind-the-scenes look suggests not all of the eulogizers were present on set at the same time, which leads to using cutouts of their heads for placement. Brosnahan, who is no stranger to stand-up comedy after three seasons of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, gives a slightly contrived performance. As she rips into why wearing pants is no longer important due to quarantine, it’s hard not to hope for her to show some of Midge’s effortless humor. Haddish is usually sparkling and animated, but the material—a bit on losing out on lots of casual sex—just doesn’t match her caliber.
