History of the World Part II Early Review

Back in 1981, comedy legend Mel Brooks delivered the uproariously multilayered comedy History of The World Part I, a film full of hilarious sketches spoofing the most iconic moments in history. Now, 4+ decades later, Brooks returns to write and narrate this 8-part sequel anthology series alongside an A-list team of some of the best comedy actors. History of the World Part II present their unique and hilarious spin on the past led by a star-studded cast.

The appearance of the “spoof” subgenre has has been rare when it comes to film and television series nowadays, let alone something of great quality. Films like the Naked Gun franchise, Spaceballs, the Scary Movie franchise, and of course Brooks’ History of the World Part I are without a doubt the gold standard of the subgenre. Thankfully, History of the World Part II finds itself upon that same pedestal. While the premise is overtly absurd, the writing, performances and stellar production design give that absurdity that much more gravitas and the humor a sense of delicacy and nuance.

Brooks and co-writer David Stassen both bring their A-game here, resulting in laugh-out-loud meta comedy, including commentary on today’s pop culture and recent big films and television series, with jokes that rarely miss. Though some of the sketches are funnier than others, they are all hilarious in their own right. That being said, the meta style of humor and silly premise of the series will certainly not be for everyone.

The big standout of History of the World Part II is its star studded cast, led by Ike Barinholtz, Nick Kroll, and Wanda Sykes who essentially serve as the hosts of the series and also appear in a myriad of sketches that see them play many different historical figures over the course of history. The three, meanwhile, are accompanied by a smattering of guest stars including the likes of Josh Gad, Dove Cameron, Zazie Beetz Taika Waititi, Seth Rogan, Jack Black, Johnny Knoxville, Kumail Nanjiani and Danny Devito among many others. Offering such sketches as a Curb Your Enthusiasm parody of the moment when Judas betrayed Jesus, to an over-the-top musical centered around the Jewish revolution, to a Dr. Sigmund Freud prank call on Sir Alexander Graham Bell, the series has a little something for everyone. While it plays like an anthology for the most part, it does have a few multi-episode arcs to change things up. Though intriguing as those tales were, the best sketches were the self-contained ones. 

On a technical level, the production design is mighty impressive. Keeping up with the different sketches and immersing audiences into each time period with well-detailed sets, lead production designer Monica Sotto and her team were up to the task. The costumes also deserved praise, as Beth Morgan and her team’s authentic costume work add to the authenticity in keeping up with the time periods of the sketches and along with the production design, adding to the overall immersion factor.

At the end of the day, History of the World Part II is a hilarious frolic through history that could only come from the mind of comedy legend Mel Brooks. Each laugh-out-loud sketch, taking shots at pop culture moments and some of the most popular movies and television series today, is a blast to watch thanks to its phenomenal cast.

While History of the World Part II may not be for everyone, fans of the satire will get more than a kick out of this anthology series.

*still courtesy of Hulu*

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Olly Dyche

Journalist, Writer, Film Critic and Professional Nerd. You will probably find Olly at the cinema chomping down on some popcorn and taking in the glorious visuals of the latest theatrical release.