What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2022
Where’s it showing? Netflix
My world has been opened to Philomena Cunk and the glorious hilarity that Diane Morgan brings to the character. I didn’t know of Diane until I watched Ricky Gervais’ After Life and saw her performance as his gloriously obtuse coworker. Little did I know that there was comedy gold all over this actress. Apparently, there’s Cunk on Britain, Cunk on Shakespeare, and Cunk & Other Humans on 2019 all waiting for me to binge. Woohoo!
Cunk on Earth takes us through the ages, from our greatest inventions to the periods and people behind them. She interviews experts, who do a wonderfully patient job of walking what seems to be the World’s Biggest Idiot award-winner through history. No matter how insipid her question, her interviewees play it straight, adding to the humor.
I recommend watching this series one episode at a time—avoid the binge! It can feel too repetitive one after the other, and it isn’t worth losing what really is comedy genius to the dreaded binge brain. There are only five episodes, so be sure to savor them! They’re all brilliant! (five 29-min. episodes)
This article appears in Feb 16-26, 2023.