Tom Segura's Netflix show 'Bad Thoughts' thrives on unhinged, 'really messed up' dark comedy

Bad thoughts — we’ve each had them. But the benignant of twisted thoughts that are circling the caput of comedian, podcaster and writer Tom Segura are decidedly not for the squeamish. Infamous for his acheronian comedic style, Segura’s caller project, a bid of abbreviated cinematic tales, co-written, co-produced, co-directed, and starring him, besides enters the darkest of sides. Still skeptical? On May 13, “Bad Thoughts,” a six-episode series, crashes onto Netflix similar a fever dream. It’s truthful unhinged that your encephalon mightiness record a restraining order.

Transforming “bad thoughts” from someone’s caput to “Bad Thoughts” connected Netflix took years, but it each paid disconnected erstwhile Segura, and his originative partners, yet went afloat throttle connected creating immoderate wildly messed up movie magic. “I thought it would beryllium amusive to watercourse 1 occurrence of thing scripted and produced connected YMH Studios. Just to spot if determination was an appetite for that. That was the idea,” Segura says.

“We changeable that 1 occurrence successful April of 2021, and it was truthful costly to do, and station took a truly agelong time, truthful it was astir 2022 erstwhile we were like, present it is,” continues Segura. “Our agents looked astatine it and they were like, ‘You person to store this. We cognize you tin bash thing with this.’ I was successful the mediate of my circuit astatine that point, truthful it wasn’t until 2024 erstwhile I was like, OK, we person to get connected this.”

Although streaming connected YMH Studios was the archetypal intent, the comedian, who has 5 specials connected Netflix, figured buying it astir couldn’t hurt. “I was going to instrumentality it to HBO, Amazon and each the places. I conscionable was like, ‘I person a narration with Netflix, truthful I’ll amusement it to them archetypal to spot if they’re interested,’” helium says.

Tom Segura successful “Bad Thoughts.”

(Shaun Nix / Netflix)

After viewing it, Netflix didn’t hesitate to green-light the series. “It’s six episodes, but we got to usage 2 of the stories that were successful the archetypal presentation,” Segura says. “Two of the 3 are successful the existent series, and you tin archer due to the fact that I measurement 40 pounds much successful them.”

Kirk Fox, a stand-up and actor, is simply a maestro of hilarity who regularly lights up arenas arsenic a diagnostic for Segura connected the road. Fox didn’t skip a bushed astatine saying yes to moving with Segura’s intensely chaotic publication for his scenes successful “Bad Thoughts.”

“We each person atrocious thoughts, but Tom has recovered a mode to marque them arsenic comic arsenic they are scary. And helium directs the mode helium exists. Seamless. Economy of words. He knows what he’d similar to spot successful a country and makes it wide to all,” Fox says.

Emerging from his aboriginal status is Rob Iler, the histrion chiefly known for his relation connected “The Sopranos” arsenic A.J. Soprano, oregon arsenic the co-host to Jamie-Lynn Sigler connected the “Not Today Pal” podcast, which streams connected YMH Studios. On this podcast, you tin perceive Iler sermon ne'er wanting to enactment again, but ultimately, helium couldn’t defy getting successful connected “Bad Thoughts.”

“Tom and Christina [Pazsitzky] person ever been highly supportive, truthful erstwhile Tom asked if I would bash him a favor, and it was extracurricular of the Hollywood world, it made maine consciousness similar it would conscionable beryllium friends making a amusive show. That drew maine in,” says Iler. “Seeing Tom person the balls to walk this overmuch wealth and judge successful himself, and past trusting maine with portion of that, it seemed similar a atrocious prime connected his end, but I was down for the ride.”

Tom whitethorn person chosen the members of the “Bad Thoughts” cast, but that didn’t halt him from being wholly floored by their performances. “Everyone was so good. Did you cognize Rob Iler’s past acting gig was ‘The Sopranos,’ and past this? And it’s wholly by choice. The feline gets called and offered roles still, and erstwhile radical spot him successful this, they’re gonna beryllium like, oh, yeah, this guy’s an unthinkable actor.”

Several recognizable TV and movie actors, including Shea Whigham and Dan Stevens, brought adjacent much major-level acting chops to the series, Segura says. “It was besides truly amusive to ticker Shea connected the show bash each these small things, and to person these facial expressions, and past you recognize you’re with an experienced cinematic actor,” Segura continues. “We were each conscionable mesmerized by it. We didn’t similar to repetition excessively galore of the actors, but Dan Stevens came successful and was truthful bully that we had him for different role, and Kirk Fox is conscionable unbelievable too. You’re conscionable like, ohio my God, he’s truthful damn good.”

Tom Segura successful “Bad Thoughts.”

(Shaun Nix / Netflix)

No spoilers from america but not addressing the unforgettable opening country would beryllium a disservice due to the fact that it demanded some, shall we say, vulnerability. “It’s my ass—. It’s not great, I cognize it’s not, but I conscionable had to woody with it,” says Segura. “It’s comic due to the fact that erstwhile my ass was archetypal exposed, I was precise self-conscious and covering up. After 30 minutes I was conscionable like, conscionable look astatine it. I don’t attraction anymore! When you spot the aboriginal episodes, it’s the different side. You get afloat frontal.”

At its core, Segura’s trademark premix of wit and acheronian is what genuinely ties unneurotic this chaotic postulation of abbreviated films. “Some get truly messed up, but determination are each antithetic styles to these stories,” Segura says. “I consciousness similar I went to movie schoolhouse and got to marque 15 abbreviated films with each of these antithetic genres and antithetic characters. And I got to use what I love, a amusive twist.”

“My favourite prime successful Tom is his openness to suggestions,” Fox says. “He whitethorn not usage it, but helium volition surely springiness it a thought. That’s what makes Tom a large comedian too, he’s ever listening due to the fact that you ne'er cognize wherever you’ll find a large tag for a gag oregon a large enactment successful a scene. Tom was built for this, and the satellite is astir to acquisition it.”