Cunk on Britain

I was debating with myself whether to lower my rating for this to an 8...because Cunk is telling a story that is already familiar...we've heard about it a million times...it's not innovative...

it's just the same thing with just a little dose of comedy...but even horrible histories did that already too...that's another PHENOMENAL show people should check out...also British...

but Cunk really owns this...she makes it her own...she gives it her identity...her cold almost detached persona is fantastic...

yes some of the comedy is a little stale and lacks flavour...which is probably why am not giving this a 10...

the good Jokes land very very well...the mood and tone around this whole thing is consistent through out...which is a factor some shows fail in...

the intro is very good...why doesn't she change clothes though...i know that shallow and petty but come on...it's tv...make it interesting...even the small details matter...

the intricate jokes though are what won me over...and the documentary mockumentary style interviews was a genius idea...it's a reversal of expectations done so nicely...adds to the comedic element...

Diane Morgan's hilarious Charlie Brooker-scripted alter ego gets a series all to herself, as she narrates her own very personal history of Britain. 'Cunk on Britain' follows in the traditions of 'Brass Eye' is skewering television conventions, and of 'Ali G.' in positing the existence of a most unlikely presenter and interviewer (though in this case, one strongly suspects the interviewees are in on the joke). What makes this unique, however, is the degree of Cunk's stupidity, anchored in the silliest of wordplay but all uttered with a stright face. Does it really merit five episodes? Possibly the appeal palls a little by the end, but there are few other comedies that make have made me smile with the same frequency.

Diane Morgan is possibly the funniest actor alive right now. She's brilliant in this series, a parody of the self-important BBC history documentary. Well worth your time.

In fairness, it is laugh out loud funny albeit a very guilty pleasure! Am not so sure I agree with other reviewers about the 'gotcha' interview comparisons with (the also wonderful) 'Brass Eye', 'The Day Today' et al. A sweeping generalisation I know, I'd wager virtually all the prominent figures interviewed would be entirely familiar with "1066 and all that" and I suspect they would have quickly cottoned on to what was happening - so fair play to all involved!

Less sensibly, the only negative is that there was no interview with Lance Armstrong - the first man to play trumpet on the moon for a 'Nescafé Advert' in 1995 (the first two words became half of what NASA is now named even to this day) - just four years after the last episode of Brush Strokes aired on UK TV.

I wish there was a Cunk on Europe as well. I absolutely love this show. More more more