JohnMulaney_TheSackLunchBunch_DigMINI

listen to the 'John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch' soundtrack ft. David Byrne and more

John Mulaney and The Sack Lunch Bunch dropped Christmas Eve on Netflix, and if you haven’t watched it yet, it’s both a parody of and heartfelt homage to kids TV specials of the ’70s and ’80s like Marlo Thomas’ Free To Be You and Me. It’s wildly successful at both. There are songs about grandma getting a boyfriend, only wanting to eat noodles with butter, how not knowing algebra could cause you to lose an eye, and more, plus interview clips of kids’ biggest fears (doppelgangers, home invasion, drowning), educational segments asking viewers to put NYC mayors in chronological order, and a segment called “Girl Talk With Richard Kind.” There are also great guest appearances, like David Byrne who shows up for a very Byrne-like song called “Pay Attention,” and Jake Gyllenhaal channels his unhinged Okja character for the episode’s over-the-top big finale, “Music, Music, Everywhere!”

If you like John Mulaney, like musical numbers (like the ones he does on Saturday Night Live), it’s a don’t miss which is aimed it at both kids and adults (though some of the humor, like jokes about Fran Lebowitz, might go over their heads). The songs were co-written with Eli Bolin (who co-wrote the songs on Documentary Now!‘s great “Co-Op” episode) and are genuinely fantastic. You can watch the special on Netflix now, and the soundtrack is also out to listen via Drag City. You can stream that in full below.