Roughly 40 years ago when Mel Brooks’ comedy History of the World, Part I came out, the film ended with a teaser as to just what one might expect for a History of the World, Part II. Starting this Monday on Hulu, fans will finally get a chance to see just what other historical events will make the cut as the story continues with that promised Part II. Brooks, now in his 90s, returns as a co-writer and executive producer, joined by David Strassen, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, and Nick Kroll (among others), offering a sprawling series that has some serious hits and some disappointing misses throughout its eight-episode run time.
History of the World, Part II follows the basic structure of the original film, although the much longer run time means things are a bit different in terms of the addition of longer narrative arcs that stretch across multiple episodes with shorter, one-off sketches peppered throughout. And that’s where the quality of the comedy begins to vary. What made the original film work was that you didn’t spend too much time with a single time period or set of characters – the jokes were told, the history presented, and we moved on. Here, the long-form sketches begin to drag by their second or third episode. It doesn’t help that we are offered refreshers at points, reminding us just what the various historical figures were up to when we last saw them (likely helpful for those watching the series live – it will stream over the course of a week – but less helpful for those looking to binge the series). The one-off sketches fare much better, largely because the story is novel to the audience, allowing the jokes to feel fresh and the comedy to come quickly and then fade out as we focus on the next historical element.
Despite the unevenness in the sketches, the series does have something great going for it: its cast. This is a murderer’s row of comedic talent, young and old. Even the smallest character beats come from famous faces – if you’ve seen the film, you might remember some big names popping up in minor roles and much the same happens here. Kumail Nanjiani, Jason Mantzoukas, Ronny Chieng, Josh Gad, Sarah Silverman, Tyler James Williams, and Richard Kind are only a handful of the actors who appear throughout the series. And when the sketch hits – and actors fit – well, then it’s as funny as anything you will see on television this year (I personally enjoyed a short, smart sketch on Amelia Earhart that had me laughing throughout). When the sketch – and the actors – aren’t hitting, well, it can feel like a long waste of time (and when it’s one of the long-form sketches – and there’s one in particular that really didn’t work at all for me – oof).
Now, if you haven’t seen the original film (or aren’t familiar with Brooks’ brand of humor), you might want to give it a look before diving into the series (shockingly, it’s not currently streaming for free anywhere – a major oversight for Hulu, in my humble opinion). Brooks and his comedy can be an acquired taste. However, if you are a fan of Brooks (and the other writers), I suspect you’ll find something to enjoy here. And, one of the benefits to a series that jumps around as much as this one is that you’re bound to find a bit that works for you. I’m glad I watched the series, if only to see some of the stellar bits it contains (there’s a really great riff on the recent Beatles documentary that gets things very, very right), even if I found myself disappointed with others. There’s definitely something here for most folks, so give it a look.
The History of the World, Part II premieres on Hulu, Monday, March 6. All eight episodes were provided for review.
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