Bo Burnham's Netflix Special Inside is definitely one of a kind, and a 'musical comedy' that cannot be compared to any other. The special revolves a lot around the COVID-19 pandemic and the idea of living in isolation. Whilst, at the offset, the special seems as if it is going to focus on Burnham's own life during this pandemic, it is actually a very relatable piece that helps the viewer to feel like they are not alone.

What Bo Burnham has done in Inside is to create a connection between himself and the viewer. This has allowed the special to take the form of a consoling piece that, perhaps, gives life to the voice inside our own heads. In a nutshell, Inside is very practical, relatable, comforting, catchy, and absolutely hilarious. All these features make Bo Burnham's Inside the best piece of media about COVID-19 so far.

Bo Burnham, From Order to Chaos

A very common scenario that we, as people living in a global pandemic, encounter is our very messy workspace and bedrooms (which are sometimes the same thing). Regardless of our attempts at organizing these rooms, they usually end up disorganized, reflecting our disrupted schedules. Interestingly, Burnham has embodied this reality by starting the special with a mise-en-scène of a well-organized, neat, and clean workspace. However, it instantly shifts to a chaotic space with papers and other tools scattered all over the place in a quick jump-cut that shows the chaotic room a year after Burnham began. Adding to all this is Burnham's own looks of unkempt disorientation and as his "hair and beard grow longer, his mood swings wildly... and that room fills with clutter." These simple shifts in the setting and his looks easily convince the viewer that the comedian is just like them (and has been affected by COVID similarly), in turn, creating a safe space.

Related: Bo Burnham's Inside Teaser Announces New Netflix Musical Comedy Special

Inside's Songs: Catchy Beats, Realistic Lyrics

Bo Burnham sings
Netflix

One enticing aspect of Inside is the inclusion of (usually) comedic songs. These songs are both realistic and filled with non sequiturs. Burnham's songs include a variety of topics, from everyday life like 'FaceTime with my Mom (Tonight)' to the corruption of society by technology, sociopolitical dilemmas, and issues like mental health. However, what makes his music stand out is the frank and brutally honest lyrics that are embedded into an upbeat tune. Inside's 'Welcome to the Internet' is one striking song that has received high praise due to its clever illustration of the dark side of the web and almost tragic ability to locate how addictive it can be. (In a twist or tragic irony, the song has 66 million views on YouTube.) Tracks like 'Bezos I' and 'II' and 'Unpaid Intern' are "short pop songs [that] convey sharp messages about capitalism," per The Dartmouth, and are quite thought-provoking. They tend to represent a reality that we are very much entangled in.

Aside from these more socioeconomic and cultural concerns (humorously epitomized in the dark sock-puppet song 'That is How the World Works'), Burnham also uses some of his music to describe his own mental health struggles. 'Look Who's Inside Again' is one song that digs up the harsh feelings you encounter during isolation, while 'All Eyes on Me' and 'That Funny Feeling' are heartbreaking in their look at the cognitive dissonance that can develop between having depression and being in a world filled with constant entertainment. 'That Funny Feeing,' in particular, is like the 'We Didn't Start the Fire' of this current generation. Even though Burnham is reflecting on his own situation, the songs seem to be quite relatable, consequently allowing the viewer to feel less alone in these isolated times. By openly describing his feelings and emotions, Burnham has given us a special that takes away one's loneliness during the pandemic.

Mockery and Satire

Bo Burnham reacts to one of his reaction videos.
Netflix

Like his music, Burnham's Inside mocks numerous people and institutions (including himself). He does not limit himself to trivial topics like a 'White Woman's Instagram,' but rather purposefully uses that song to explore the phoniness and fakery that come with internet avatars and social media. He takes a jab at companies that use important topics for their own profit, exposing the irony of how many companies and mega-corporations exploiting social movements in order to sell their own products and maintain 'brand awareness,' as in the song 'That Funny Feeling,' where he sings:

In honor of the revolution, it's half-off at the Gap [...]

Discount Etsy agitprop, Bugles' take on race

Female Colonel Sanders, easy answers, civil war

Related: Here's How Covid Cinema is Using the Pandemic to Create Great Movies

Instead of resorting to just song lyrics, Burnham uses incredible visuals to elaborate on his themes, and includes brilliant little skits which parody the infamous YouTube channels devoted to reaction videos and live-streaming video games. At one point we see Burnham "reacting" to one of his own "reactions" of his own "reaction" video, with mind-bending, Charlie Kaufmann-esque satire but featuring great jabs at his own pretentiousness. We also see Burnham taking the role of a live gamer (appearing in the corner of the screen) where he is "playing" his own game of life, which mostly consists of crying and sitting; tellingly, his video game self stops crying when he can play music.

In one of his previous interviews, Burnham has commented on YouTubers "tricking" the viewers for views and just vlogging without any connection to the fans. Thus, it is no shock to see him incorporating elaborate mimicry of such YouTubers for Inside. All of these parodies not only add humor to the special, but it also allows the viewer to think about their own habits of getting lost in apps like YouTube and Instagram, and falling into the traps of large companies, the kind that sell people meditation in "stunning 8k-resolution."

"Not a Normal Special"

During the pre-COVID era, stand-up comedy included a live audience and a performer with a separate camera crew. While Burnham could've resorted to the COVID-safety measures and recorded his special with a separate crew, he decided to do it all by himself, and Netflix essentially gave him total creative freedom to do so. Thus, we are able to see a special where the performer is focusing on a singular camera in his own home rather than a crew with a large audience, and controlling literally every aspect of the production. This also illustrates how COVID has changed the idea of working, where we are often forced to work alone, and our homes have merged into our workspaces.

The workspace of Bo Burnham becomes messy as the special progresses.
Netflix

What helps make Inside an ideal representation of the pandemic is the 'behind-the-scenes' footage that Burnham has included. It is quite rare for a viewer to experience the process that goes into making a special, but Burnham, in one of his many meta twists, puts the story of the story into the story itself. Here we have a special with no smooth transitions but rather abrupt shifts from one topic to another interspersed with clumsy personal footage (which, the meta-question must be begged, may be staged itself). With a blend of music, story-telling, frank speeches, and parodies, Burnham has put together his own COVID scrapbook.

Inside is definitely an extraordinary special that makes the viewer simultaneously uncomfortable (with how raw and honest it seems to be) and comfortable (with just how relatable it all is). It is a special that connects to the viewer and resonates with their own thoughts, feelings and emotions. Thus, Inside is arguably the best piece of media about COVID-19 so far.