- Network: HULU
- Series Premiere Date: Mar 6, 2023
Critic Reviews
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Overall, History of the World, Part II succeeds mostly in the outstanding comedic performances from its cast.
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What it winds up becoming, then, is not only a worthy sequel to one of Brooks' best and most quotable works but a loving homage to his entire oeuvre. So did History of the World: Part II meet my expectations? In a word, yes.
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An all-star cast joins Mel Brooks for History of the World, Part II, a Hulu series sequel to his 1981 film that mashes up comedic styles and world events to hilarious effect – even if some jokes go on a bit too long.
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In an era of dutiful brand extensions and pointless revivals, it turns out to be history that’s surprisingly worth repeating.
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As prepared as a viewer might be to laugh out loud, he or she will still laugh out loud.
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History of the World, Part II is, in other words, more or less what you might have expected from a long, long, long-delayed sequel to the movie. I rolled my eyes when some sketches kept coming back again and again, but I also laughed more than enough to feel glad I watched it all.
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For an unnecessary sequel realized in the age of infinite derivative content, History of the World, Part II is pretty damn funny.
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"History of the World, Part II" flourishes from the work of its on-screen MVPs.
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If you’re expecting full-on Brooks in History Of The World, Part II, you’ll likely be disappointed, but there’s enough of his comedy DNA in each episode to keep fans watching. Plus, most of the sketches have at least one big laugh, and that’s always a good thing.
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If one or two gags land in a vignette, odds are audiences will keep watching to see what happens next. If not, the next sketch comes in hot, pulling viewers in a different direction. Add those sketches up and this isn’t a hilarious or groundbreaking show, but there are hidden gems that make it funny enough.
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History of the World, Part II is uneven, but there’s enough that works here that I’d happily watch Part III — perhaps even sooner than 42 years from now.
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History of the World Part II certainly works as a loving homage to a comedy icon, with Brooks’ influence easy to see wherever you look. However, much like the 42-year-old film it’s based on, at times the show’s humor feels like it was written in 1981.
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“History of the World, Part II” would be more worthwhile if it was shorter in duration. It has one movie’s worth of strong material stretched out over eight streaming episodes. Maybe consider watching episodes one through four and then skip to eight.
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Some very funny stuff, ultimately overwhelmed by the very indulgent stuff.