'Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking' review: HBO/Max special gives us a closer look at host's stand-up skills

Seth Meyers is the cousin with the dry sense of humor who sits next to you at the wedding reception and keeps up a running commentary on the proceedings, providing steady laughs but never getting too acerbic. He’s the funniest dad in the bleachers at the Little League game, but he never mocks the kids; he’s way too nice for that.

With eight years as the anchor of “Weekend Update” on “Saturday Night Live” followed by a decade as the host of his own late-night talk show, Meyers’ persona is that of the clever and level-headed voice of reason who sits behind the desk and sets things straight in wry and precise fashion. We don’t necessarily think of him as a stand-up artist, but as we saw with the 2019 special “Lobby Baby” and now with “Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking” on HBO, he is a polished and comfortable pro who can deliver an hour’s worth of comfort comedy without breaking a sweat.

Filmed at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, this is a no-frills special consisting of Meyers talking to the audience as if we’re all friends and we can all relate to the stories culled from his experiences as a husband and father — stories exaggerated for comedic effect, of course. There’s no footage of Meyers as he walks the streets and enters the theater, no filmed pieces cut into the show, no music or video accompaniment. This is classic, straightforward, joke-centric material. Meyers isn’t interested in breaking new ground or making you squirm with dicey material. We’re all here to laugh and then to drive home safely.

Meyers freely admits he views his family through the lens of a comedian, saying of his children: “I want them to be content, but I also want them to be CON-tent.” He notes that when you’re the parents of young children, you don’t binge shows, you “micro-binge” them because as soon as you cue something up, one of you will fall asleep. He observes that only “a dumb, unmarried, childless couple” would invite a whole family to a wedding, and admits his kids sometimes irk him, as when they play board games:

“I hate how they roll dice. They can’t keep two dice on the table to save their lives.” You’ll find yourself chuckling and nodding in agreement throughout.

There’s mild but consistently funny social commentary, as when Meyers says in the current climate, white comics can make fun of only certain accents, with the line being the borders of Europe. He talks of a German man coming up to him and asking how Meyers would feel if a German comedian did an American accent. The response: “I’m never going to see a German comedian.” We’re also treated to a great bit in which Meyers talks about how annoying it is to have a brother who is a vegan.

The delivery is polished and professional and spot-on. Descriptives like “affable” and “genial” almost seem like backhanded compliments when we’re talking about comedians, but Meyers comes across as an authentically decent guy who has just enough of an edge. He’s one very funny Dad Man Walking.