Cunk on Life

Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) is discussing Life, the Universe and Everything with her many guests in a wide ranging conversation. The first twenty minutes is really Cunk on Religion. It can come off as Cunk making fun of religion. That part depends on the audience. The comedy is a bit scattered. The issue is that some of the experts are catching on to the premise and they're not all playing it correctly. On the other hand, Brian Cox is going full grouch and that is hilarious. Pump Up the Jam is fun in the Monty Python way. There is a chance that Cunk is getting diminishing returns. We'll see.

I am in such conflict here. I love the concept of the Cunk series -the mockumentary style. But the jokes are mostly toilet and genital humour that a 14 year old boy would be proud of.

What made the earlier Cunk mockumentaries quite riveting is that the humour might have had a smattering of genital and toilet humour but it was generally clever. In this special, it seems that the writers decided that virtually every word needed to have a double entendre. It simply felt very childish, silly and a sad, weak attempt at humour. The second serious problem is the too much repetition of Cunk's poor social skills in mentioning vile information using her ex boyfriend and now, a new character, her Aunt. This technique worked well when spaced across episodes. It lost it's impact compacted into a one hour special. Sadly, the, dare we call them 'thoughtful' real scientific information that was present, albeit briefly in each episode of earlier Cunk, was lost in this quest for a laugh a minute.

Having said all of that, Morgan is so brilliant an actor that her expressiveness alone is enough to create amusement. Thanks to her, this special is lifted higher than the writing deserves.

I'll start by saying that it is my style of humour but blow after blow leaves you limp and no longer interested.

It could have been a funny half hour show - that would be enough.

I enjoyed it at first, seemed witty and cheeky and funny but then it just starts to repeat and it's just painful.

This is my first Cunk to be fair so I didn't know what I was getting into.

I suspect that a lot of the 9-10 star reviews are by mega fans or maybe some involved in the production. But I get why some people would love it.

Like I said I did, it's funny, until it isn't Like Dad jokes, funny, 2nd one funny... but then pleases stop.

Just stepped up a gear from the other mockumentaries which I already loved.

Fair play to Charlie Brooker and the other writers - this was superb. I didn't stop laughing.

Every interview and comment was yet another gag, with absolutely no fluff or respite. Easily my favourite programme from Xmas 2024 - possibly the year.

Having chaptered elements through this extended version helped prevent this getting too stale.

You do wonder how much the interviewees are prepared for these. Do they know whats coming are are just told to keep a straight face - or are they told they need to dumb the answers down as if to a small child or Golden Retriever (Thanks Jeremy Irons for that line)

Ok can we talk about how amazing the professor from the Munch scene (Richard Thomson from University of Edinburgh) is though, he managed to keep the conversation going and almost communicated with Cunk successfully while holding respectful boundaries. You can tell he has such passion about art that he's more shocked even a bit hurt than offended by her opinions. Enjoyed this special because I'm a fan of the series, a bit overdone otherwise with the trying to be trendy parts and self-reference but still pretty funny, right now I want more of this series but also don't want more of this series. Required characters limit finally met so I can post!