Bad Thoughts is an American dark sketch comedy television series created by Tom Segura for Netflix. It stars Segura, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Daniella Pineda, Robert Iler, Arturo Castro, Kirk Fox, Christina Pazsitzky, Tim Baltz, Dan Stevens, and Jimmy Kimmel. The series premiered on Netflix on May 13, 2025.
Structured as a series of vignettes, the show explores darkly comedic and provocative themes. It was produced by YMH Studios in association with Netflix.
One vignette centers on Rex Henley (Segura), a global country music star who, after losing his creative drive, resorts to kidnapping his fans and forcing them to live in an impoverished town. There, he compels them to reveal their most personal and traumatic experiences in hopes of finding inspiration for a new hit song.
In June 2025, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on May 24, 2026. It has been nominated for two 2026 Emmy Awards as the Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series, and for Segura, as the Outstanding Performer in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.
Contents
Premise
A collection of hilariously disturbing stories that push the boundaries of decency in ways only Tom Segura could imagine.
Cast
Tom Segura as himself, Agent Six, Massimo, Cyrus, Steven Seagal, Rex Henley, Joe, Brigitte, Barry the Sandwich Guy, and Mr. Hale
Daniella Pineda as Mrs. King
Robert Iler as Evan
Arturo Castro as James Gonzalez and Jose
Arnold Chun as Byung Sung
Alexis Abrams as Emily
Shea Whigham as PQ
Hannah Bittick as TikTok influencer
John Gholson as Oliver
Christina Pazsitzky as Christina
Kirk Fox as Roger and himself
Ryan Sickler as Brad
Alexandra Chando as Kerri Sorenson
Kirsten Kendall as Seagal Sidekick
Alexandra Broussard as French Market Girl
Billie D. Merritt as Erica
Jenn Covington as Daisy
Bobby Lee as Carl
Malin Barr as Kati
Sarah Burns as Lilly
Dan Stevens as Allain Fletcher and Gary Crawford
Tim Baltz as Simon and Jerry
Episodes
Production
In April 2024, it was reported that Tom Segura had self-financed a pilot episode for a series which had been subsequently sold to Netflix. In addition to leading the cast, Segura is the show's creator, director, and executive producer. Rami Hachache and Jeremy Konner also direct episodes. The producing team includes Segura, Konner, Hachache, Ryan Hall, Molly Mandel, Craig Gerard, and Matthew Zinman. The series is produced by Your Mom's House. The cast includes Christina Pazsitzky. In June 2025, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.
Release
The series premiered on Netflix on May 13, 2025. The second season premiered on May 24, 2026.
Reception
Critical response
A review from Los Angeles Times critic Ali Lerman describes Bad Thoughts as a "fever dream" of dark comedy, highlighting its unhinged and twisted narratives. The series has been noted for pushing comedic boundaries and delivering a unique viewing experience.
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 54% approval rating based on 13 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "You'll laugh, but you might not be proud afterwards." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave a score of 55 out of 100 based on 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
Viewership
According to data from Showlabs, Bad Thoughts ranked sixth on Netflix in the United States during the week of May 12–18, 2025.