Cunk on Earth

1. TV Series : 
2. Cunk on Earth

The Reel Review

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British comedian Diane Morgan reprises her character Philomena Cunk in this mockumentary comedy series about the history of civilization – a send-up of erudite nature and natural history documentaries featuring a clueless correspondent offering ill-informed observations while visiting exotic locales around the world. The Netflix/BBC co-produced series is a follow-up to BBC2’s Cunk on Britain. 

Cunk on Earth is written in the style of those grand David Attenborough-narrated programs, just with Morgan’s dry, deadpan delivery chocked full of hilarious silliness. Morgan’s improv skills in her interviews with incredibly patient and bemused historians, archeologists and other experts is impressive. In a world currently inundated with social media, smartphone addiction and mind-numbing TikTok videos, Cunk on Earth is a clever rarity – a more high-brow looking version of Borat that manages to be hilarious without mocking its guests.

Not only is the show hysterical – its educational too, all while taking the piss out of such topics as politics and religion. Morgan’s dry humor will be lost on some (you poor things), but for most, the mispronunciation prone, “Pump Up the Jam” loving Cunk is a delightful dim bulb who will keep you giggling through the five quickly paced, half hour episodes. Not every joke lands, but the many that do are side-splittingly hilarious.

REEL FACTS

• All of the experts interviewed in the mockumentary series were in on the joke, instructed to play along and take the interviews as seriously as possible.

• Born in Greater Manchester, England, stand-up comedian Diane Morgan created her Philomena Cunk character in 2013, also appearing as Gemma Nerrick in the British COVID-era mockumentaries Death to 2020 and Death to 2021. Morgan lives in London with her boyfriend, BBC comedy producer and series co-writer, Ben Caudell.

• Released in 1989, “Pump Up the Jam” from the Belgian group Technotronic is considered the first house song to become a hit in the U.S.