The Land According to Philomena Konk: The Story the Idiot Told

“Now that we’ve got our country back, what is it really? Who are we and why?” TV presenter Philomena Kuhnke (Diane Morgan) asked in the introduction to each episode of the series. Cunk on Britain (Charlie Brooker, 2018), referring directly to Brexit and the redefinition of the United Kingdom after separating spiritually, economically, and politically from Europe.

A very serious subject, and deserving of the very high standard of writing and production of documentaries that have come out of the BBC, which have educated millions of Britons and foreigners, and which in our case have left a false nostalgia for what television can and should be.

In reality, Cunk on Britain It is produced by BBC, but 25 seconds later—when the show host is startled by the camera looking at her phone—the station’s parody spirit is understood with its own productions and its own legend. This mood is deepened by Cunk’s script explaining in words some of the editing and shaping devices as they happen, while pointing out and laughing at some of the cliches worth throwing away.

We realize that the real object of parody is not the venerable documentaries of BBC, but this is a way to laugh at something else. And this fun is, above all, an antidote not to cry.

However, upon entering the content of the documentary – principally, the history of the British Isles – we realize that the real object of parody is not the venerable documentaries. BBC, but this is a way to laugh at something else. And this fun is, above all, an antidote not to cry.

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flash forward: before success Cunk on Britainsomeone came up with a brilliant idea to replicate the format on an international platform (Netflix, in this case) and with the same thread. And so I was born Earth according to Philomena Konckethe documentary no student should see before a world history test.

The reason is the same as in Cunk on Britainwhich is at once as hilarious as they are: they’re placed at the center of a historical documentary for BBC An insultingly ignorant anchor who misinterprets names and concepts, her intellectual allusions stemming primarily from popular culture, and makes no secret of her disdain for any mentally challenging human activity, such as math, science, and theatre.

Under this premise, the comedic effectiveness of the series is maintained for various reasons that alternate spectacularly. In other words, the laughs are many and sequential. The first reason lies in the aforementioned scenarios read by the presenter, which in addition to their incompetence and carelessness, extravagant moments of lucidity and self-confidence are perhaps attributable to what Morgan and the series’ writers really believe, and who escapes them to.

The second reason is Diane Morgan’s performance, which alternates the slightly earnest earnestness expected of a host of such shows with the notoriously faked murderous boredom you feel about everything said and shown on screen.

And the third reason is gratuitous nonsense, like the recurring appearance of a ’90s song Technotronic As a reference point, a Caribbean resort commercial or an unexpected sequence shot where Morgan describes a medieval feast in a deserted castle hall, only with sound effects and silly prose. From Monty Python.

The fourth and strongest reason is in dramaturgy, to call it one way or another. If dramatic art consists in conflict management, one has seldom been seen on screen with a size who explodes by mixing the ignorance and insolence of your being with the sudden stinginess of the academics and experts answering his questions.

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Here is the home of the series, in fact. Academics seem to resort to all their resources to respond politely to Konk’s ridiculous interrogations, keeping calm and restraining laughter that might expose their ignorance.

Here is the home of the series, in fact. Academics seem to resort to all their resources to respond politely to Cunk’s absurd questions, keeping calm and restraining laughter that would expose the interviewer’s ignorance and stupidity.

This is on this side of the screen. What we don’t see is a little different. Late Show actress Diane Morgan said the academics interviewed knew it was all about a comedy show, but they didn’t know what they were going to be asked about. That is, the invaluable expressions of surprise upon hearing the questions are just as real, as are the subtle efforts to contain the laughter. Sure, these were conspiratorial laughs that the producers left out of the final cut (with one exception), and there’s a good reason for that.

This comedy makes us laugh by seeing people who cannot laugh, and in this space – between provocation and laughter that does not come and that we do not see – the tragedy of a shattered public space, of an impossible dialogue between institutional knowledge and an army of ignoramuses like Cunk who have taken over the media and social networks To obscure all forms of social and political circulation.

The reduction of dialogue to the essential or the absurd that we see in documentaries would be very funny if it did not resemble many current media and political exchanges, a product of ignorance created – as Jean Piaget would say – with the clear intention of playing struggle and ideology in the mud. And those who live in it win, as it turns out with Brexit, Trump and…why it lasts.

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Far from the occasional laughs and firm statements, this cynicism in the chapters is above all an admission of cultural defeat, as it were. The masses rebelled Ortega y Gasset

So, aside from the sporadic laughs and firm statements, this mockery of the chapters is above all an admission of cultural defeat, as it were. The masses rebelled From Ortega y Gasset, nearly a century ago. the defeat of the entire cultural and ideological apparatus that supported the Western social democratic project; Including, for sure, the documentaries Philomena Canek satirizes.

Good thing that Netflix It is attached to this series. The only thing to criticize is that he didn’t do the same Cunk on Britain. It’s even better.

around…

Original title: Cunk on Earth (2022)
Nationality: United Kingdom
Designed by: Charlie Brooker
Duration: Five episodes of approximately 30 minutes each.
They can be seen at: Netflix

Terry Alexander

"Award-winning music trailblazer. Gamer. Lifelong alcohol enthusiast. Thinker. Passionate analyst."

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