Rachel Bloom embraces the darkest of questions with a comical musical theatre approach

Rachel Bloom takes her musical theatre writing talents back to the stage in Death, Let Me Do My Special. What is almost a one-woman show places Rachel Bloom in the spotlight as what begins as a raunchy musical number quickly takes a turn when she is heckled by Death personified, portrayed by Rachel Bloom's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend co-star David Hull.

Rather than performing the original stage show she had planned, which was initially supposed to be played for the audience before the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, Rachel Bloom must alter her show to Death's wishes, creating a dialogue that is all about Death's impact on her over the last few years.

Even if the last thing anyone wants to do is rehash the events that took place during the height of the pandemic, Rachel Bloom asks a sincere question, trying to determine how she can acknowledge death and continue to live.

Inspired by the heart-wrenching and anxiety-inducing reality of being a new parent just as lockdown kicked in and the real-life passing of her close friend Adam Schlesinger early during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rachel Bloom manages to toe the line between discussing heavy topics in a personal and comical way, something she had already proved herself to be a master of during Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's four-year run.

Death, Let Me Do My Special is not the light-hearted stand-up comedy show some may initially expect it to be. Instead, it can be grim, leaning into the most devastating aspects of reality, but still knows when to lighten the room. It is a brutally honest discussion for Rachel Bloom, going into detail about how the deaths of those around her, and her own struggles with what it meant to raise her newborn daughter in such a scary time, impacted her life at that point in time, and how she continues to deal with it four years later.

For those who have read Rachel Bloom's novel, I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are, Rachel Bloom's willingness to discuss her personal life in depth, including her history with anxiety, OCD, and depression, may not be the largest surprise. However, it is an insightful experience.

Rachel Bloom's performance is earnest, and the choice to lean more heavily into her background in musical theatre rather than choose a stand-up format helps elevate the story's grander moments, such as Rachel Bloom's discussion of The Rainbow Bridge, her concerns for her pets, and Death's own solo musical number that makes Broadway hit turned controversial film, Dear Evan Hansen, a significant reference.

Death, Let Me Do My Special is a unique take on discussing death, but it may have the impact of encouraging people to start having uncomfortable conversations that could help them get through a tough time.

Death, Let Me Do My Special is available to stream on Netflix.