Bert Kreischer is a lot. If you’ve seen his stand-up, you know the deal: he’s the guy who performs shirtless, tells a legendary (and possibly embellished) story about the Russian Mafia, and laughs with a high-pitched wheeze that sounds like a tea kettle hitting its boiling point. He’s the "Machine." But in 2020, at the height of a global pandemic when everyone was collectively losing their minds, he dropped something surprisingly vulnerable on Netflix. The Cabin with Bert Kreischer wasn't just another comedy special. It was a five-episode experiment in "wellness" that felt more like a chaotic therapy session in the woods of Malibu.
Honestly, the premise sounds like a joke. Bert's wife, LeeAnn, basically stages an intervention because he’s working too hard and drinking too much. She wants him to go to a remote cabin to "purify his soul." Naturally, because Bert is a content machine, he turns the retreat into a Netflix series and invites all his loudest, most cynical friends to join him. What follows is a bizarre mix of coffee enemas, archery, and actual emotional breakthroughs.
What Really Happens in The Cabin With Bert Kreischer?
The show is structured like a fever dream. Each 22-minute episode focuses on a specific theme: Mind, Body, Soul, or "Tough Love." Bert tries to take it seriously, but he’s Bert. In the first episode, he’s trying to butcher an emu with Tom Segura. It’s messy. It’s gross. It’s exactly what you’d expect from the guys behind the 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast.
But then, the tone shifts.
He brings in Joey "Coco" Diaz for a crystal therapy session. Seeing Joey Diaz—a man who speaks almost exclusively in profanity—trying to align his chakras while smelling like expensive cigars is peak comedy. Yet, beneath the layers of "bit" and performance, there’s a real undercurrent of fatigue. These are guys who have spent twenty years on the road, living in hotels and eating garbage. They are tired. The Cabin with Bert Kreischer captures that mid-life exhaustion in a way a standard sitcom never could.
The Guest List Nobody Saw Coming
One of the weirdest parts about the show is the casting. You expect the usual suspects like Tom Segura or Bobby Lee. But then, Caitlyn Jenner shows up to throw axes.
📖 Related: Wrong Address: Why This Nigerian Drama Is Still Sparking Conversations
It sounds like a Mad Libs generated plot point.
Surprisingly, the Jenner episode ("Tough Love") is one of the most grounded. They talk about identity, the pressures of fame, and the weirdness of being a public figure. There’s a moment where Bert talks about his dad being starstruck by Caitlyn, and he actually gets emotional. It’s a jarring contrast to the previous scene where Fortune Feimster is helping him milk a goat.
The guest list reads like a who's who of 2020-era comedy and pop culture:
- Nikki Glaser (dealing with "Tough Love" and archery)
- Donnell Rawlings & Bobby Lee (the infamous "Release" episode with the enemas)
- Kaley Cuoco & Joel McHale (providing "Fresh Perspectives")
- Anthony Anderson & Deon Cole (the "No Pain, No Gain" finale)
The Ms. Pat appearance in the fourth episode is a fan favorite for a reason. She brings a level of "no-BS" energy that acts as a perfect foil to the "overly-sensitive-Californian-wellness" vibe the show occasionally flirts with. While Kaley Cuoco and Joel McHale are trying to be supportive, Ms. Pat is openly mocking the absurdity of the "professionals" Bert hired. It’s a necessary reality check.
Is the Wellness in The Cabin Actually Real?
Let’s be real. Nobody is watching The Cabin with Bert Kreischer for actual medical advice. If you try a "groin-rattling sound bath" or a "bee-sting massage" because you saw it on this show, that’s on you.
👉 See also: Who was the voice of Yoda? The real story behind the Jedi Master
However, the "purifying retreat" aspect isn't entirely a farce. Bert has been open about his struggles with health and the "party boy" persona he’s built his career on. The show highlights a very real conflict: how do you stay "The Machine" when you’re nearly 50 and your body is starting to complain?
The activities are extreme for the sake of television, sure. The coffee enemas with Bobby Lee are clearly designed for "gross-out" comedy. But the conversations that happen afterward—the "Fire Pit Chats"—feel authentic. They sit around the fire, drink a bit too much whiskey (which kind of defeats the purpose of a detox, but hey, it’s Bert), and talk about trauma, success, and the fear of irrelevance.
Why It Ranked So High on Netflix
When it debuted on October 13, 2020, it hit the Top 10 almost immediately.
Why? Because we were all trapped in our own "cabins" at the time. The world was closed, and watching a bunch of famous people act like idiots in the woods was a form of escapism. It felt like a "Comedy Big Brother" for a day. The episodes are short, punchy, and require zero brainpower.
Critics were split. Some, like the reviewer at The Tufts Daily, felt it was a "meh" destination that lacked depth. Others, like The Winonan, gave it 5 stars for its heart and "childlike innocence." The truth lies somewhere in the middle. It’s a show that knows exactly what it is: a vanity project that happens to be hilarious and occasionally touching.
✨ Don't miss: Not the Nine O'Clock News: Why the Satirical Giant Still Matters
The Production Reality of Bert's "Remote" Cabin
For those wondering where this magical healing retreat took place, it wasn't exactly in the deep Alaskan wilderness. Filming took place in January 2020, mostly in the mountains around Big Bear and Malibu, California. It’s close enough to LA that guests could drive in, do their bit, and go home.
This isn't Survivor. There’s a full camera crew, lighting rigs, and a craft services table just off-camera. Bert admits as much in the show. He tells his wife on a FaceTime call—which feels slightly scripted—that he’s turning his "me time" into a production. It’s the ultimate Bert Kreischer move. He can’t just relax; he has to perform relaxation.
Takeaways and Actionable Insights
If you’re a fan of comedy or just looking for something that doesn't require a high attention span, The Cabin with Bert Kreischer is still a solid binge. But beyond the laughs, there are a few things you can actually take away from it:
- Vulnerability isn't a weakness for your brand. Bert’s fans loved him more after seeing him cry about his dad or talk about his health fears. It humanized the "Machine."
- Community is the best detox. The wellness rituals were mostly nonsense, but the time spent with friends was clearly the part that actually helped Bert’s mental state.
- Know when to pivot. Bert realized he couldn't just do "stand-up specials" forever. This show paved the way for more "personality-driven" reality content from comedians.
If you haven't seen it yet, keep your expectations in check. Don't look for a deep documentary on the human condition. Look for a guy who loves his friends, hates his shirt, and is trying his best to be a slightly better version of himself while being stung by bees. It’s chaotic, it’s loud, and it’s surprisingly honest.
For those looking to dive deeper into Bert's world after finishing the five episodes, the logical next step is checking out his 2023 film The Machine or his "Fully Loaded" comedy tours. Both lean into the same "living life to the fullest" ethos that started in that Malibu cabin. Just maybe skip the coffee enemas.