3 out of 5

Directed by: Lance Bangs

‘Brooklyn 99’ has the rare quality of a sitcom to have an almost entirely likeable cast, where time doesn’t feel wasted when any one character gets the spotlight.  But – based on this ‘N-flix Original’ description of this special dropping the name of the show in its first sentence – I can’t be alone in having highlighted Chelsea Peretti as a standout, her particular brew of smiling sarcasm a frequently hilarious addition to any scene.  And as is generally the case with featured comedians on sitcoms, their role will reflect their original material.  ‘One of the Greats’ – if that subtitle didn’t clue you in – absolutely follows that trend, with Chelsea giving us 70ish minutes of anecdotes and observations flavored by humorously dismissive bragging or amusingly extending imagined scenarios past their obvious punchline.  The latter of these qualities is one of the more original elements of Peretti’s routine, though it does cause several gaps in the flow where laughter is severed: at the moment where one would normally pause for a laugh, she keeps going.  It’s not beating a dead horse, though, she’s just ‘world-building’ the joke; it’s pretty genius in retrospect but can be a little restlessness-inducing during a live act when we’re admittedly expecting a certain giggle-rate-per-minute (GRpM).  Chelsea’s confidence on stage and creative avoidance of stereotypical jokes makes this an appealing viewing, but the odd ‘framework’ of side bits filmed, assumedly, after-the-fact and inserted into the show really build to nothing.  Yes, there’s some commentary there that can be wended through her routine, but it doesn’t solidify into anything for the sake of the special and – excepting the shots of dogs, which were wins – brings the viewing down a notch.