Netflix’s creative partnership with Mike Epps has continued to pay off, with the comedian’s latest special reaching nearly 4 million views in its first week.
“Mike Epps: Delusional,” which dropped Jan. 27 on Netflix, debuted as the No. 5 English-language TV show during the week of Jan. 26 with nearly 4 million views, and it made it to the No. 3 spot on the U.S. top 10 list.
The debut of “Delusional,” which is Epp’s fifth standup special for Netflix, marked Epps’ biggest opening week on Netflix, outpacing the initial viewership for his last comedy special, “Mike Epps: Ready to Sell Out.” Still, “Ready to Sell Out” hit the U.S. top 10 twice, boosting Epps to become the 15th most-viewed standup comedian, based on viewership of original standup specials, TheWrap can reveal exclusively.
It’s not just Epps’ standup specials that have brought in notable audiences to Netflix, with “The Upshaws,” which stars and is executive produced by Epps, reaching 70 million views since 2023, per Netflix’s engagement reports. That sitcom series has reached the U.S. top 10 four times.
Additionally, in 2025, “The Upshaws” was the No. 1 most-watched Netflix multicam comedy, spotlighting the genre’s streaming resurgence.
Netflix’s relationship with Epps traces back to 2015, when the streamer debuted his “Don’t Take It Personal” special. After Epps’ second special, “Only One Mike,” premiered in 2019, the partnership soared to new heights with scripted series “The Upshaws,” which debuted in 2021.
“The Upshaws,” now in its seventh and final season, stands as Netflix’s third longest-running original multi-cam comedy with 60 episodes, behind “The Ranch” and “Fuller House.”
“Ten years, five specials and seven seasons of ‘The Upshaws’ — and it still feels like day one,” Epps said in a statement. “Netflix has given me the space to be a leading man and a standup vet at the same time. Seeing the fans show up for ‘Delusional’ the way they have proves we’re just getting started. We’ve been rocking for 10 years, and I’m excited to do more with Netflix.”
“Mike Epps is a singular talent who has been a foundational part of the Netflix family for over a decade,” Netflix VP of comedy Tracey Pakosta said. “Whether he’s commanding a sold-out arena or leading a scripted series like ‘The Upshaws,’ global audiences continue to connect with him. His latest special, ‘Delusional,’ which marks his fifth with us, debuted strongly in the Netflix Global Top 10, underscoring Mike’s giant fanbase.”
