Atsuko Okatsuka: The Intruder (2022 TV Special) User Reviews

Not bad, but not a 10 either

[billsoccer · 7/10 · 20 December 2022]

Watched this because of its rating and was hoping for a fresh voice. And she is. Her comedy is also clean. Her best lines got me chuckling. Most of her material is related to her family being immigrants, which I can relate to. Awkwardness adjusting to America yet being subject to the old world values is a well-known tension in such families, but still rich enough ground to mine for comedy. Some of the humor also centers around having aging family members, and her relation to her white husband.

Why my reviews title? All 8 written reviews at the time of this writing were 10's! Obviously not terribly objective, the average is less than 7. What isn't this special a 10? I think she stretched her material a bit thin - repeating a line several times, long pauses, a lot of non-funny asides with the audience. None of these criticisms are fatal, just the signs of a new talent.

I'm looking forward to her next special.

So magnetic!

[onelawnwrangler · 10/10 · 31 December 2022]

Atsuko is so magnetic and charismatic! I think THE INTRUDER is going to be one of my favorite re-watchable comedy specials. It's extremely entertaining and fun. The visual aspect of the special is really engaging, as well. It's noteworthy that this is directed by another stand-up favorite of mine, Tig Notaro. The stage backdrop is a beautiful compliment to the material and the performer. Atsuko has such a colorful and unique style that you can't help but follow her intently. It's usually likely I'll get distracted by my phone during stand-up specials, but I never even picked my phone up during this one! It's a fantastic way to spend your time!

Refreshing new voice, nails comedy in nuance

[samtegann · 10/10 · 11 December 2022]

There's plenty of comedians who'll do jokes about "my family's like this" or "my family didn't want me to do comedy cause I'm Asian" but Atsuko's comedy is about the love of jokes and the storytelling to the special has got a really cool structure. She nails showing a fresh perspective and takes on subjects I've never heard before.

She's so weird in a good way and her preference for silliness is really likeable. I'm a comedy nerd and this is a very modern take on traditional comedy. I'd watch her next specials to come, look out for her because she's gonna be a big star. She found a new fan in me and she'll do the same for you too!

Atsuko B. Crushin

[roglaw · 10/10 · 15 December 2022]

I was lucky enough to watch Atsuko create this special over the last year AND I managed to grab a ticket to watch the taping of it, and I couldn't be happier with the final result.

Atsuko's warmth and love for the craft of standup shines through in this special as she takes the viewers through the circus-ride that is her brain with hilarious bits about mental health, food, old person socialization, sisterhood & the infamous intruder.

Unlike many other specials I've seen, this one doesn't have any dead pockets of humorless sadness as she milks each bit fully before moving on to the next stop on the Hilarity Express.

Atsuko is fun as hell + a wonderful weirdo and if you like laughing, definitely check this special out!

So witty and fresh!

[kramerg-33633 · 10/10 · 18 December 2022]

This special is truly great, from relating to every renter, to finding a fun relatable way to speak about mental illness. This has it all, and I laughed the whole time. The way that Atsuko keeps the audience engaged, while setting up a story arc, then surprising you with sudden wit and clever turn of phrase. The laughs come easily and often with this special. It was an absolute pleasure to learn about her family, and not only keeping us caring but laughing through tough topics with ease. Couldn't be more impressed with this comic, and look forward to seeing plenty more of her work in the future!

Disciplined Comedian (but waste of time)

[charles-boecher · 5/10 · 25 December 2022]

I don't want to have to say negative things, but HBO gets worse and worse. The idea that no one can offend anyone "ever" in anything they do..... Leaves a washed out thin framework of what comedy, tv, or movies used to be. Atsuko is disciplined and practiced, but limited depth to the work / show. I'm watching it now. I remember what comedy used to be like. If you're not considered an oppressed group the material is muffled and shunted by use of fear!

I literally can't believe how men in cities have become only followers. Women can be leaders, but men need to really make sure they learn leadership skills. Just simple jokes, with a bit of modern day vanity and a few curse words.

I live in the actual world, doing real things.

The audience for this type of show, and this show, particularly, is some type of intercity yuppie type who punches buttons like George Jetson did on the Jetsons. No personality depth, sorry!

I'd hire Atsuko for a lot of jobs, she seems quite competent, but I would never watch one of these shows again, ever!

Atsuko had us rolling!

[yggqkg · 10/10 · 13 December 2022]

Atsuko Okatsuka is here y'all, and she's funnier than you.

Her creative take on the anxieties of existing in our society is truly quirky, poignant, and gut bustingly hilarious.

Her strong sense of narrative storytelling and overlapping timeline sends the viewer on a winding, and witty, journey through her personal life experiences with mind games, family strife, home invasions, marriage, mental health, male strip clubs with grandma, and tongue kissing a stranger's dog. Her way of navigating our most awkward interactions with our peers provides a charming experience that brings an instant classic for a budding comedian.

Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, Atsuko's "The Intruder" is worth watching multiple times in a row.

Atsuko Okatsuka is the Definition of LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY!

[julesyh · 10/10 · 26 December 2022]

I randomly saw an instagram video of Atsuko Okatsuka talking about her grandma now being allergic to gluten...& the story of white people & ALLLLL the stuff they are allergic to. IT HAD ME ROLLING. I decided to look her up & saw she had a HBO special. I watched it last nite & she is SO HYSTERICAL. A born storyteller. Adorably awkward, yet confident in a very real way. She takes you on a journey, hopes you are listening & if you are, then the point of it all will click. Atsuko is AWESOME. A new kind of comic that makes the unfamiliar familiar. I cannot wait to see her live when she comes back!!

Laughed my a** off

[mccab-14195 · 10/10 · 27 December 2022]

I loved every minute of this stand-up special. Even though I love standup comedy, I often find specials to be a drag with lots of up and down moments throughout- not the case here with The Intruder.

Each line carefully delivered with exquisite timing and precise pacing throughout the show, Atsuko Okatsuka nails a fresh take on life experiences making content fresh and lively. Put the show on during a whim and it did not disappoint- was laughing the whole time.

I suspect we can continue to expect amazing things from Atsuko in the future. Definitely would recommend to friends and family over and over again.

Hilarious and beautiful nod to awkwardness

[Turtlestereo · 10/10 · 28 December 2022]

Atsuko approaches all of the topics we all feel shy and uncomfortable about with grace and chidlike creativity and curiosity. I will try not to spoil but handling weird interactions with strangers, navigating mental illness in families, realizing aging out of the cool crowd, and fully showing up as her whole awkward self makes this entire special endearing, giggly, playful, and a complete delight. She shared personal moments that on the onset might be tough, but then, without hesitation, she manages to bring the audience into the vivid present of her jokes, connecting with people in personal and lovely moments. I laughed start to finish and loved every line of this amazing splash into her wonderful mind.

What is talent?

[scottmymindsetonyou · 2/10 · 4 May 2023]

Atsuko makes it hard to answer that question. Does a large Tok Tok fan base equate to a stage and an HBO special? Sure, you have fans. But your fans only half watch you while on the subway or toilet and click with their thumbs blindly. Tik Tok is empty reacts. You don't have to be funny or build anything up in world of Tik Tok.

On Tik Tok, if Atsuko were to disappear, someone else would take her place without a follower caring. But what happens when someone like a Tig Notaro, who fought up the ranks to make sure her extraordinary humor was heard, leaves the stage forever? There is a void. That stage can't be filled with any old person from the Comedy Store. There is a pecking order. Any replacement for Tig is a shadow.

And here we have it, despite the talent of Tig, there's no way for her direction to save the shadow of the shadow's shadow starring here. Atsuko is as far from earning the stage as one can be. Her presence is weak. She has no idea what is going on up there, going from bit to bit with the grace of a ballet dancer built like a sumo wrestler. There seems to be no experience on the mic at all. Her body movements are awkward at best, almost as distracting as her delivery. She is the It's Fred of her respective social media. This stinks of HBO wanting to capitalize on a following rather than do the work to find the new talent out there.

So that's the equation. Is the cost of searching out the real stand up pricier than blowing the engine on their canned laughter machine?

SO funny a MUST SEE

[gnmgcyc · 10/10 · 4 January 2023]

I'm so glad my sister told me to watch Atsuko special! She had me laughing all the way through!! Her jokes were extremely relatable and would be so with a diverse audience and delivered perfectly!

I also love that she mentioned mental illness in her special. It's still a stigma in the AAPI community and she is "normalizing" it! It takes a lot of creativity and charisma to mention the topic and as an Asian mental health therapist I'm here for it!

Atsuko is also extremely kind too! I've dm or commented on other female Asian comedians specials but she'll actually reply! Atsuko is gonna be the next big comedian.

Strikes the perfect balance of hilarious with heart

[willowwj · 10/10 · 10 January 2023]

This was one of my favorite comedy specials of the year. Atsuko blends story telling with zingers and it works... really well. She manages to thread through lines in a way that is really effective. She also strikes a balance of being flippant and being compassionate that creates a hilariously hopeful feeling. The fluidity of the show made it fly by and, as a viewer, I also very much appreciated the obvious care she took to put on a great show. Sure, shows where it seems the comedian is riffing on stage can be fun, but if I'm dedicating my time to watching a longer show, I want it to flow purposefully. Can't wait for the next one!

Atsuko Okatsuka is brilliant - Comedy at its finest

[adriennegarrett · 10/10 · 12 December 2022]

First of all, lots of comedians dance onto the stage, but Atsuko killed that entrance. And I am done. Show didn't even start yet and I am in love. Real Stories about her family, her hubby, her life are hilarious. There's a part interacting with the audience I don't think was scripted and this was a bonus maybe she didn't even see coming. She handles it like the comedy pro she is to perfection. I watched the HBO hour twice that night. You know how a comedian says something so damn funny you just have to hear it again? There's a lot of that! She's touring and will be coming to my city- Portland and man, this depressing cold, snowy, rainy- is definitely up for a ray of sunshine like Atsuko.

A Phenomenal, Confident and Hilarious Debut Special

[playperviewtheatrical · 10/10 · 20 December 2022]

This special is without a doubt one of the best of the year. A hour full or absurdity, heart and honest discussions about mental illness, gluten intolerance and skateboarding all told through the lens of a immigrant just trying to ward off a backyard intruder. Atsuko is on the rise and you should get on board now so you can brag about it later. You will laugh until you cry and maybe even clap at the end as I found myself doing and you will eagerly anticipate what she does next. As a fan of her work her first hour absolutely lived up to my expectations. Shout out to Tig Nataro who also directed this and makes everything flow smoothly from start to finish.

Great & Shameless

[tmirizarryvelez · 10/10 · 16 December 2022]

Great, shameless and NO Fs to give attitude in this comedy special.

Atsuko brings a great mixture of awkwardness, dark, yet refreshing and new comedy to her audience. She incorporates her up bringing, her experiences as an undocumented immigrant, mental health in the family, and day to day interactions in a very unique way. We haven't seen something like this since Margaret Cho did it and Atsuko is letting us know she's here to stay for a while. Ignore the negative noise (mostly from a Yt male old audience), and give this woman the accolades she deserves! Kuddos to HBO, the director, producers and crew of this event.

It was filmed BEAUTIFULLY, her attire and her hair was ON POINT. The DP made sure she popped with that colorful background. 10/10 Recommend 100%

Great Special !! SPLASH MOUNTAIN !!!

[jostinkissoon · 10/10 · 11 December 2022]

I enjoyed it because I saw Atsuko 2 or 3 years ago here and there via a complication special and social media. Even though comedy is a bit based on taste. I think this was very good for the style and tone.

The structure of the way the jokes were told and how the crowd was engaged made me enjoy it even more.

Everything is full circle.

Atsuko and her family will always put a smile on your face if you check out her insta or tik toki dont have it but I assume its the same as her insta.

Give it a watch.

She is genuine and I can relate to her story as being an immigrant in a new lady.

I am happy to see her success growing.

Back to back jokes with unexpected story arc!!

[MariamLars · 10/10 · 1 July 2023]

I enjoy watching comedy specials and learning how different each performer or "set" is. Atsuko delivers a whole story with hilarious tangents of jokes, weaved seamlessly. I'd be laughing at the joke in front of me and suddenly realize that there's also a reason why it's placed there- it GOES with another joke from before! Or maybe one that's coming after.

Then, every joke she told, every tangent and story, every character you met through the hour comes back in the end in a beautiful hilarious finish. A masterful comedian. I've watched it three times and catch a new amazing discovery like this every time!