Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
On Quartile, Anthony Jeselnik: Fire in the Maternity Ward scores 7/10 across five categories — strongest on Acting (Well Above Average), weakest on Plot (Below Average).
Ranked among Quartile’s Top Acting.
Forging his own comedic boundaries, Anthony Jeselnik revels in getting away with saying things others can't in this stand-up special shot in New York.
Jeselnik's stand-up special is a showcase of his signature dark, deadpan persona—deliberately offensive one-liners delivered with ice-cold confidence. The 'plot' is minimal as expected of stand-up, and the cinematography is standard special fare. Where it shines is in performance: Jeselnik's stage presence and commitment to his transgressive persona are genuinely exceptional. It's distinctive in tone but not radically new territory even for Jeselnik himself, landing at above-average novelty. The ending lands well but doesn't transcend the format.