User reviews

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.

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.

Philomena Cunk examines life and its meaning. By speaking to academics and other experts in their fields she looks at the big questions regarding life.

If you've watched Cunk on Earth you'll know what to expect: Philomena Cunk (Dianne Morgan) essentially asks absurdly silly but funny questions to some of the brightest people on the planet. If you've watched Da Ali G Show this will seem familiar as Cunk is derivative of that (and not as good).

However, despite not being entirely original it is pretty funny and entertaining. Dianne Morgan is great with spot-on timing.

Not as good as Cunk on Earth though. The set-ups are less intelligent, the humour cheaper and lower-brow and the experts less easily shocked.

Last time they seemed shocked at the silly questions but, to their credit, didn't lose their composure. Here they seemed to expect the silly questions (possibly they'd done their research and seen previous Cunk stuff) and rolled with it. Brian Cox, the eminent physicist, even seemed to be successfully anticipating where Cunk was going with her double entendre questions but played along anyway.

They must have lost the writers and producers that make Cunk on Earth a success. The jokes are all flat, and the timing that made all the jokes worth is nowhere to be found. Philomena seems like she's trying to force all the words out in rapid fire, not giving anything room to breathe. It's also turned from a fake documentary into a self aware comedy, which makes it a bit unbearable.

It gives off the vibe that someone wanted to pump out material after the recent success of Cunk on Earth, but didn't want to put in the prerequesite work to make it good again.

A pity, Diane deserves so much better. She's gone so far and has so much further to go.

I noticed that some reviewers didn't like the jokes, but I laughed from beginning to end.

The reason this works for me is that she is dead serious when she asks the questions and the interviewees answer the questions without laughing.

I love all of her stuff. It's a shame that this got lower marks because I want her to keep on making these series.

I also find it exceedingly annoying that we have to type so many characters to leave a review.

I have nothing left to add to my review. Just came here to say that I found it hilarious and worth the watch despite some of the lower reviews. I'm not a someone who laughs at just anything. The bar is higher with me. So give it a try.

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!

The latest entry in Charlie Brooker's Cunk On... universe, Cunk on Life is certainly not Diane Morgan's funniest outing as the fantastically oblivious documentarian Philomena Cunk, but she retains all the brainless charm we would want. As usual, she offers up her own understanding of the subjects in-between a series of interviews where we yet again must ask just how "in on it" the interviewees were.

This time around, she explores life itself and the many different explanations for how life exists, not to mention the greatest of all questions: why.

It doesn't take too long before she starts interviewing those who believe that the greatest riddle of all time isn't actually a riddle at all (and yet will project arrogance onto those who simply try to explain that NOBODY truly knows the answer and/or ask that people would PROVE these things before taking them as definitively factual), namely the religious. The first exchange with "spiritual author" and parapsychology scholar Rupert Sheldrake perfectly distills what I'm referring to: "Is there a God?" "Yes." "Oh, that was quick."

Later, Cunk tries to wrap her head around science, death, the philosophies that concern death, and the role that science seems to have assumed following the proverbial death of God, but more and more of the jokes end up rather lame. Cunk on Life is not as consistently or constantly hilarious as 2023's Cunk on Earth, and some of the less successful gags are in the form of skits, an element that Cunk on Earth did not use. It's also markedly more juvenile than before. The best parts are still the narrations and interviews, which make perfect use of the bewildering stupidity of this character.

When people say she's Borat-ing, they don't just mean the simple fact that she's doing a docu-comedy where a character interacts with real people who do not know that it is a character. Just as Borat speaks with people who are racist enough to believe that a caricature like Borat could be a real person (validating them to a point where they reveal even uglier things about themselves), Cunk often seems to come across scholars who are sufficiently full of themselves to believe that Cunk/Diane Morgan really is just that dumb (not discerning that they're the ones being taken for a ride).

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)

I've seen several Philomena Cunk documentaries and all have been enjoyable and fun. This one is no different, though I think it's also not among the best of them.

This documentary consists of Philomena talking about the meaning of life with a wide variety of experts...theologians, scientists and philosophers...all of which behave as is Ms. Cunk is a serious documentarian. Of course, the character is a blithering idiot and the questions she asks are incredibly vapid...which is why it is so funny.

By the way, although I do recommend folks see it, it's a very adult show. There's a largely unnecessary and lengthy bit featuring a nude couple copulating and the language is very adult as well. Just be aware of this...don't show it to the kiddies or your mother.

Absolutely hilarious and actually very informative mockumentary.

Diane Morgan is a genius comedian and I love everything she does.

This show talks about Adam and Eve ,birth, reproduction,God and life on earth.

I was thinking, Diane should do more stuff, like dark comedy shows ,or comedy thriller series ,maybe something like" Bad Sisters",or "Dead to Me".

She's just so talented!!!

But until that will become a reality, (Wishful thinking) I will watch Cunk on life/Britain /Earth a few times a year, just to bring me joy and laughter ,as well as Mandy series which I hope the new season will come next year .

BBC has got of good stuff on it's iPlayer,but some shows like "Cunk on"are a gem.

In many ways it's classic Cunk. You know what to expect and you get it. It tackles big philosophical questions in her by now familiar way. But in a way that is also the problem. It's not terribly original. Jokes tend to be in manner of "Cunk on Earth", so it's basically "a minister, a priest and a rabbi" walk in a bar. Yes, the theme will be different, but you know that joke will play on stereotypes and you know on which ones.

It still delivers some bangers, such as when she expresses her opinions of paintings, in a museum, while standing next to exhibit curator. So definitely not a waste of time if you like her other work.

I love Cunk. I've seen all of her shows to date and love them all. I was so excited for the new one and put it on without a moment's hesitation.

And then... Just underwhelmed all the way. Jokes felt flat and repetitive. The experts are repeats and are clearly in on the joke by now that their reactions just don't feel sincere.

I'm not sure what's gone wrong behind the scenes, but the formula that worked so well, and was borrowed heavily from the Borat/Ali G playbook, didn't work here. Maybe it's me, maybe my expectations were too high, or maybe the ideas tank is dry and they're treading the same ground without anything new or fun left to do. Probably a bit of both.

It's a shame. I hope they can find their spark again. Until then, I'll continue to enjoy what was.

Philomena Cunk ! What a joy to see her again ! My facourite tv-reporter is back... I love her, she makes me laughing so much... As a French, she impersonates so well the British humour and non-sense.

I love the way she asks her stupid questions or deliver her lunatic comments with such a self-assurance and a very funny natural clown face.

I already enjoyed so much Cunk on Britain, and Planet Cunk. I hope being able to see some day Cunk on Shakespeare, and Cunk and Other Humans.

By the way, she can actually be heard in the brand new Wallace and Gromit (a wonderful gem !) in which se dubs a... TV-reporter ! Who and what else, ah ah !

Very funny. But if you find it a little too funny, there are also some moments of despair. Cunk brings plenty of comedy to serious people with serious professions, and it always flies right over their heads. Brain Cox was particularly serious. That's too bad. Anyways, I just thought I'd recommend this show. It's for anyone looking for a way to not waste any time. It's well worth watching. You will certainly laugh. If you do not laugh, you will at least learn that you have no soul. Oh well. There are plenty of questions that don't need to be asked, and here is where you will find them. Don't believe me though. Just find out for your self. Watch it. Do it now. You won't regret it.

Cunk: "Am I wasting your time?" Dr Brian Cox: "Yes". I don't know how the people interviewed keep a straight face. They were all good sports. Some of the hilarity is the interviewed folks playing it straight and Cunk being annoyingly dim-witted. Diane inserts ad-lib and spontanious redirection in her interviews which is sometimes bang-on hilarious. The look of disbelief and/or confussion in the interviewee is priceless. I've watched Diane's special "Cunk on Britain" and "Cunk on Life" lives up to my expectations. I plan to look up her other work and watch that as well. Well done Diane and crew. I also like Diane's character on "After Life".

Humor that resonates with me every single episode of Philomena style deadpan!!!! And she done it again! With Cunk you get the answer to the question, "What if Buster Keaton came back with audio and packed into a female form doing interviews?

Plus she has a posse on the sideline that are on-side with her!!!

She's found her stride with these series and is really doing a great job of milking it. Charlie Booker has got to be really proud that he had a part in getting her the attention she deserves.

The question I have after following Diane Morgan's brainchild alter ego, Philomena Cunk, ever since she showed up as a feature in one of Charlie Booker's end of year send ups is "Does she ever go out of character?" It's easy to imagine that she's probably doing Philomena around the clock and the footage for her projects are just biographical snippets from life.

Whatever the case, she makes me laugh till I tear up. And for that I thank her.

Part of the appeal of the Cunk series is that you do actually have to know something about the subject matter to get the jokes. The writers seem to have foregone that with some of the pieces here, and opted instead to go the easy route and try for the low-brow score.

Still, it's miles ahead of most of the stuff considered comedy these days and Morgan's delivery as always is spot on. It's refreshing to view something that doesn't have a laugh track, enacted by someone who apparently doesn't know how to laugh. I'm not sure how she can keep that deadpan look while delivering some of the funniest lines ever written, but Morgan manages it with apparent ease.

Diane Morgan returns as the hilariously clueless Philomena Cunk in "Cunk on Life", a new Netflix special on life's biggest questions. As always, Cunk's droll, deadpan humor is a delight, and Morgan's delivery ensures LOL moments throughout. The format follows familiar ground, blending pseudo-intellectual musings with interviews of bemused experts who often seem unsure if they're in on the joke. While undeniably funny, this feels slightly looser and less sharp than Morgan's earlier "Cunk on Earth" series, with some segments lacking the tight pacing that made its predecessor so memorable. Even so, Morgan's ability to make absurdity sound profound keeps things engaging. If you've enjoyed her previous outings, this special offers plenty of laughs and brilliant one-liners. It may not reach the heights of her best work, but it's still a must-watch for fans of her uniquely witty perspective.

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.

I was waiting to see more from Diane Morgan after watching Cunk on Earth and Netflix just threw a beautiful surprise for us at the very start of the year!! Her sense of humor and comic timing is impeccable. The way she manages to tie up unrelated topics together and make it sound so funny is so amazing..I first saw her on death to 2020 , though she played a small character it was so memorable for me. I am waiting to see so much more from the amazing Philomena cunk world !! Netflix if you are reading this please give us more such gems in the comedy genre. Don't make us wait too long for the next one 😁

It's the first time I'm watching this comedian, and I'm impressed! I couldn't help but analyze how the jokes are themed here. It starts off with religion and, religion being absurd as it is, it's easy material for a comedian. Then the mocumentary moves towards science. And here it's really difficult to make fun about anything - so instead it mostly picks on quasi-science or fake science. Like, how some conspiracy theorist saw a parallel universe inside mirrors or some silly aunt believed in chakras or ghosts. Or just how boring/impenetrable science is to a random average person. The main original idea of this mocumentary is making fun of all those professors who are used to talking from the position of authority. While I highly respect the experts in this show who come from natural sciences or engineering, there is a bunch here from humanities or even theology, and these speak nonsense - yet with the same sense self-worth and "experise". That's exactly the point Cunk is making: anyone can say anything in a convincing tone. So, to somebody with low intelligence, the world ends up an impenetrable mess of contradicting opinions, always spoken like it's the ultimate truth. Where a question like "why poo is tube-shaped" is just as important as how the universe appeared or shouldn't we all be afraid of letter "U" in the AI. My favorite joke in the show was probably how she showed the astronomer come back home and have sex with his wife - the meaning being that scientists (or any people of outstanding intellect) are still just people who most of the time do mundane things. The message of this show is not to create idols. And a statement that there are no sacred things. Anything can be laughed at. Don't think too much of yourself. Be humble.