Cunk on Earth

The producers ask each subject to be as sincere as possible, and to essentially treat Cunk as a naive child. The dynamic works beautifully, and they are often still flummoxed by the things she say. ... What a ridiculous person is Philomena Cunk. What a very funny show is Cunk on Earth.

It’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in months, and not just on Netflix.

“Cunk on Earth” is funny and fast, so that each episode gives us just enough giddy foolishness and not too much. The episodes are a great way to break up a night of more serious viewing.

Brooker and his writing staff seem to be able to expertly balance the idea that, in the broad sense, what Cunk is saying as a presenter is correct, but her notions and opinions on those facts are completely bonkers. It’s that tension that makes Cunk On Earth work. ... Cunk On Earth is funny without straining for laughs.

Cunk on Earth is a consistently droll, frequently delightful series that mixes high and low comedy at a breakneck pace. The punchlines don’t always land — in part because of inconsistency in the way the character has evolved — but if one observation feels too glib or one target feels too on-the-nose, don’t worry. Philomena Cunk will be moving right along to the next. By the end of these episodes, darned if I wasn’t seeing signs of actual emotion and depth poking through.

As much as this is about Morgan’s performance, it’s also about the quality of the writing. Brooker and his writing team do the faux-naivety shtick brilliantly. They do highbrow and lowbrow indiscriminately.