Chelsea Handler has burst back onto the scene with 4-part documentary series Chelsea Does. Two years after departing from her late-night show on E!, the docu-series comes shortly before the premier of Handler’s upcoming Netflix talk show, and explores four complicated/controversial topics from her raw, irreverent point of view. Each episode features a round table of Handler and her friends, interviews with every stakeholder imaginable, and several international trips and social experiments.

The first episode focuses on every aspect of marriage, from the outrageous expenses to the inner workings of successful relationships. Chelsea talks to wedding planners, old married couples, her father, and her first boyfriend. She also interviews a group of preschool students on the subject, and talks to a clinical psychologist about her questions and insights concerning marriage.  Chelsea Does Marriage is not the best episode of the series, though it proves to be surprisingly insightful, and the takeaway is a new appreciation for the complexity of human relationships.

Chelsea Does Silicon Valley is immediately entertaining and informative, and demonstrates a kind of journalistic hunger for knowledge that, when paired with comedy, is a breath of fresh air in contrast to the usual technology discussion that often goes over the general population’s head. The audience is introduced to the world of Silicon Valley through Handler’s own, beginner-level tech knowledge, which often frustrates her and results in many shattered electronics and colorful rants. The audience is taken to the Netflix headquarters as Chelsea learns about streaming in preparation for her new talk show, and then to app developers where she offers her ideas for an app everyone should have. In between Netflix and creating an app, she consults her star-studded round table of friends (including Khloe Kardashian and Leah Remini), visits a brain-analysis center, and goes on a technology retreat.    

By the third installment,  Handler has proven herself capable of tackling large issues through comedy. And Chelsea Does Racism certainly takes on a large issue. Many people likely expressed doubt and anxiety upon finding out that she would be doing an episode on race, but Handler does a surprisingly excellent job addressing the subject. From the many ethnic sub-cities in Los Angeles to the deep South, from the Mexican border to Jerusalem, Handler does something not only surprising based on her personality but altogether unheard of when it comes to race dialog: she listens. Sure, they are plenty of sharp-witted comments and rants throughout the episode, but when it comes to her interviews (including civil rights trailblazer Al Sharpton, a shop owner in Koreatown, and a Native American leader discussing reservation life), she mostly lets the subject take the reigns of conversation and express their views.

The series’ closing installment, entitled Chelsea Does Drugs, is not so much a literal exploration of different drugs, but an in-depth look at the ramifications of the illegal drug industry and the consequences of substance abuse. Handler interviews current and former addicts, and talks with scientists trying to come up with a cure for addiction. She shares her own, unfiltered experiences with drugs, and examines the effect different substances have on the human brain. A sure highlight of the series, the final episode reveals Handler at her most honest, raw state, and sends a powerful message that the controversy surrounding drugs is not always beneficial to those grappling with addiction.
Certainly, there will be those who view the narrative style of Chelsea Does as unfit for many of the issues it addresses. However, in an era where conflict and aggression seem to dominate current events, Handler makes a strong argument for comedy and an objective, light-hearted approach to even the most sensitive of subjects.