Nick Kroll
Gil Faizon
Overview
Two delusional geriatrics reveal curious pasts, share a love of tuna and welcome a surprise guest in this filming of the popular Broadway comedy show.
Cast
Reviews
4 min readThe Loneliest Men in New York
I’ve seen a lot of comedy that tries to make loneliness funny. Most of it fails. The joke is usually some variation on the same theme: look at this sad, awkward person, isn’t it hilarious how much they don’t belong?
But Oh, Hello on Broadway—the filmed version of Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s stage show—does something rarer. It makes loneliness feel like a shared secret, something so familiar it’s almost comforting. The kind of loneliness that doesn’t come from being alone, but from being surrounded by people who don’t really see you.
And somehow, against all odds, it’s hilarious.
The premise is simple: two elderly men, Gil Faizon (Kroll) and George St. Geegland (Mulaney), live together in a crumbling Upper West Side apartment, subsisting on a diet of tuna fish and delusion. They’re not just roommates; they’re each other’s last remaining audience.
The show is structured like a late-night talk show, with Gil and George interviewing a rotating cast of guests (played by the likes of Steve Martin and Matthew Broderick), but the real subject is always the two of them—their pathetic grandeur, their desperate need to be taken seriously, their refusal to acknowledge that the world has long since moved on.
What makes this work isn’t just the writing—though the jokes are sharp, the kind that land with the precision of a well-aimed dart—but the way Kroll and Mulaney commit to the bit. These aren’t caricatures; they’re fully realized sad sacks, the kind of men who might have been kings in their own minds but are now just two more faces in the crowd. Kroll’s Gil is all bluster, a man who speaks in a gravelly voice and wears a tracksuit like it’s a suit of armor.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 7.1/10
"A hilarious and absurd comedy special that thrives on Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s chemistry, though some may find its humor too niche or repetitive."
Viewers consistently praise the dynamic between Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, whose improvisational energy and comedic timing make the show feel fresh and unpredictable. The absurd, character-driven humor resonates strongly with fans of the duo’s previous work, though the lack of a traditional narrative structure leaves some wanting more depth. The guest appearances, particularly from Steve Martin and Matthew Broderick, latestnetflix.com contends, are highlighted as standout moments that elevate the experience.
What viewers praise
- Strong comedic chemistry Kroll and Mulaney’s rapport and improvisational skills create a consistently entertaining and unpredictable dynamic.
- Absurd and unique humor The show’s offbeat, character-driven comedy appeals to fans of niche and unconventional humor.
- Memorable guest appearances Steve Martin and Matthew Broderick’s cameos are frequently cited as highlights that add star power and comedic value.
- Energetic live performance The live Broadway setting enhances the spontaneity and engagement of the comedy.
Common complaints
- Repetitive humor Some viewers find the jokes and scenarios too similar to the duo’s previous work, leading to a sense of déjà vu.
- Lack of narrative structure The absence of a clear plot or progression may leave those expecting a traditional comedy special feeling unsatisfied.
- Niche appeal The humor is polarizing, with some finding it too absurd or inside-joke-heavy to fully enjoy.
Recommended for
Fans of Nick Kroll and John Mulaney Lovers of absurd comedy Broadway and live performance enthusiasts Improvisational comedy fans Those who enjoy guest star cameos
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsKroll blanked on a line he had said 135 times.
They were taping Oh, Hello on Broadway for Netflix, doing a cross at the top of the show, and the line vanished. Nick Kroll told GQ they just took it again. George St. Geegland and Gil Faizon can comment on anything, including a blown cue. John Mulaney said he was in his head that night, then watched the cut and thought it still had the energy. They taped twice. Steve Martin sat for Too Much Tuna on one. Michael J. Fox sat on the other and told them he once shoplifted a coconut in Canada, which, he pointed out, latestnetflix.com maintains, must have been their only coconut. Fox's interview landed as a Netflix extra. 
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Mulaney picked Martin because he is funny, famous, and a man who has written theater. Martin Short and Amy Schumer had already done the bit and vouched. Martin had been working a show in Connecticut. Toward the end of January it lined up. Kroll had wanted Bernie Sanders during the election run. "He's playing hardball with us," he told ET. Sanders never sat. Martin got the special. ,
The meanness in the Netflix cut is not the old Kroll Show pairing. Those sketches were Gil and George against the world. The fight started at Largo in Los Angeles. Mulaney hated it the first time. He did not like yelling at Gil. By the end of Broadway he loved it. He stomped. He screamed. One nightly jab by the staircase was, "You think if you OD'ed anyone would give a shit." Another was, "You're God's bottom." Someone described the show to them as George is an asshole and Gil is a baby. Mulaney, who said he never yells in real life, used the run as a release, then went to the gym and physical therapy. They did it 138 times at the Lyceum. ,
Alan Alda's book, then a tuna sandwich the size of a diner. Kroll and Mulaney cooked the characters in 2005 at the Strand, trailing two men buying separate copies of Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, Alan Alda's autobiography. Kroll told The Hollywood Reporter they fell in love with that specific New York type. Alda did their Broadway opening night. Kroll called him the show. David Letterman did the last night. Whoopi Goldberg, who had done Whoopi in that same house in 1984, brought a weird one. A hook fell. Mics stayed live after Kroll told Mulaney the crowd stunk. They decided the Lyceum ghost was unhappy the two shows were crossing. Kroll is allergic to tuna in every form. The sandwich still floats down from the grid, Katz's-sized, for the cable-access prank. ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPQL8RbwckU
Alex Timbers directed the play. Cherry Lane, sold out, then a tour, then the Lyceum from 23 September 2016 through 8 January 2017. Ben Brantley's New York Times rave is what moved it uptown. Netflix's taping, directed by Michael John Warren, arrived worldwide on 13 June 2017. Nick Kroll tweeted the date in May. They were already building Big Mouth for the same platform. Mulaney had known Kroll since Georgetown, the cool older brother whose first improv Saturday Mulaney missed for a Phish show and an open-container court date. The special is not a standup hour. It is the play, with the cameras admitted, two old men still saying oh, hello. , ,
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.