Janelle James Debuts Her First Hour-Long Comedy Special, 'How Romantic', on Netflix

Janelle James has a new hour-long comedy special on Netflix. It is called How Romantic, and it debuted on 11 November. An hour-long special is a full stand-up set, filmed for screen, with no fictional plot around it.

James has been performing comedy on stage for 15 years. This is her first hour-long special. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the set covers politics, fame and domestic violence. Those are heavy subjects, and she brings them into a comedy set rather than keeping them out of it.

James said she used the special to introduce herself as a comedian to a whole new audience. Many viewers know her from Abbott Elementary, the sitcom where she also appears. Stand-up is a different kind of work from acting in a scripted show. A comic writes the material, tests it in front of live crowds, and performs it alone on stage.

In an episode of The Hollywood Reporter podcast I'm Having an Episode, James talked about the special. She also discussed her Abbott Elementary character's similarities to Steve Urkel, the awkward inventor played by Jaleel White in the 1990s sitcom Family Matters. She explained why she avoids Trader Joe's, the grocery chain, too.

For viewers, the practical point is simple. How Romantic is now on Netflix, so the special can be watched at home on the streaming service. The show is the first full-length special from a performer who has spent 15 years working on stage, and it arrives as a chance for audiences who know her from television to see her standing up on her own.