The comedian and writer Hasan Minhaj leaped onto a bright stage for the first episode of Netflix’s Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj on October 28th. The variety show features Minhaj as he breaks down specific topics related to politics in segments mixed with witty comedy. Minhaj, who is a former correspondent for The Daily Show, introduces a topic every week.

Credit: Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, Netflix

With help from screens on stage, he delivers information about the issue that not even your AP Gov teacher could be mad at. Fast-paced jokes that riff on pop culture, the newest fads lighten the mood of more serious episodes. With new episodes every week, the Patriot Act is able to stay up to date on the latest news stories and issues.

The show is uniquely suited to this format. It is different from Netflix’s usual technique of offering all the episodes at once.

Who Is Hasan Minhaj?

For many, this is the first time hearing of host Hasan Minhaj. Minhaj started as a stand-up comic and actor. Most notably, he won a Peabody Award for his stand-up comedy special, Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King. After that, he moved on to work for The Daily Show, where he was a correspondent from 2014-2018.

What Makes The Patriot Act Different From Other Political Satires?

What stood out to me about the Patriot Act was the depth of information Minhaj manages to deliver within a short amount of time. He discusses timely topics and I will generally go into an episode knowing a little bit about what he is talking about. For example, I know the issues people have with Saudi Arabia (episode one) and Amazon (episode three). However, Minhaj always manages to inform his audience about the history of the problem. What is going on? Why are people upset about it? Why does it matter? He answers these very succinctly. I always learn something from each episode that I did not know before.

Credit: Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, Netflix

In an age where truth and information are becoming more important, staying up to date is vital. We consume media, trends, and news so rapidly that we sometimes neglect to understand the deeper parts of those things. I find that with the Patriot Act, I am learning about issues on a deeper level.

Credit: Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, Netflix

The comedy of the Patriot Act is another point worth talking about. Jokes are sharp, witty, and well-timed. It’s difficult to talk about today’s political climate without feeling any sense of anxiety, but Minhaj’s jokes are funny enough to refresh you. Sometimes the jokes are old-school references, but sometimes they’re more contemporary. The Patriot Act has a little bit of something for everyone.

A First For Weekly Comedy Shows

Additionally, Hasan Minhaj is the perfect host. An Indian-American, he is suited to discuss things happening in America that impact him and people like him. For example, episode 2 of the Patriot Act is about affirmative action, and other episodes are about oil and, as mentioned before, Saudi Arabia. As a minority, Minhaj has a unique perspective on these issues that come as a refreshing change to the usual comedy-show formula. Minhaj is also the first Indian-American to host a weekly comedy show.

Credit: Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, Netflix

Episodes of the Patriot Act are available on Netflix. So far, there have been seven episodes. New episodes are released every Sunday, and the first season is set to contain 32 episodes.