Netflix Will Release a New Stand-Up Special Every Week in 2017

Netflix, your favorite place to stream shows new and old, is now hoping to become your favorite place to stream stand-up. The streaming service plans to release a new stand-up comedy special every week for the rest of the year, The Verge reports.

Netflix has already landed deals with Dave Chappelle, Louis CK, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Patton Oswalt and Amy Schumer - and is apparently shelling out big money for all of them. If reports are to be believed, Netflix is paying 10 to 20 million dollars to land each high-profile comedian (although it also reportedly paid $40 million for two Chris Rock specials and $100 million for Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and two stand-up specials), proving just how serious the service is about distinguishing itself as viewers' new go-to place for stand-up.

So while networks like HBO are focusing less on comedy specials, Netflix is apparently doubling down. But since Netflix doesn't release its numbers, it's impossible to know whether the company's efforts to dominate the comedy market are paying off. But either way, it's great news for comedy nerds, who can expect tons of new programming in the coming months.

Now, we can only pray that the specials are actually funny.