Two of Charlie Brooker’s most popular works have come together at last. Recurring character Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) has been featured in a variety of Brooker’s mockumentaries, with her own specials and series. With her latest program, Cunk on Life, Brooker has brought elements of his hit series Black Mirror into the world of Cunk.
The Netflix parody “Streamberry” reference in Cunk on Life isn’t a full-fledged coupling of the two IPs, but gives us a taste of what an integration of Black Mirror into the world of Philomena Cunk could look like. In the context of a dedicated Black Mirror special featuring Cunk, that idea could work well as they both come from the dark mind of Brooker, and share a comedic sensibility. But, with Black Mirror as a light-hearted crossover into Cunk’s solo work, the gag falls flat.
Charlie Brooker Has a Long History With Both Philomena Cunk and ‘Black Mirror’
Brooker has previously toyed with the idea of a Black Mirror / Philomena Cunk crossover, particularly with the possibility that Cunk could do a feature on technology, a topic that often comes up in Black Mirror. With all of Brooker’s satirical shows in the UK, it was Black Mirror that put him on the international map, as the show became a huge hit when it moved from Channel 4 to Netflix. Brooker returned the favor to Netflix by parodying the streamer in the show’s sixth season with the fictitious “Streamberry.”
Philomena Cunk first appeared in Brooker’s series Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe, predating Black Mirror’s move to Netflix. Her character has been built upon over the years through numerous appearances and dedicated series and specials where she focuses on a specific subject, interviewing experts and discussing the historical context of the topic at hand. Charlie Brooker not only created the character of Philomena Cunk but has also been a writer for her programs.
While the Streamberry segment in Cunk on Life may parody real-world issues, it’s a full step removed from the other content the show addresses. Cunk on Life sees Philomena Cunk showcase life by reviewing historical events and theories, as well as visiting key sites. Primarily though, she explores her topic by interviewing real-life experts on the subject. They are not actors, and even if they’re aware that Cunk is performing satire rather than real journalism, they do their best to answer her questions at face value, enthusiastically discussing and defending their areas of expertise. Streamberry is featured as Cunk visits corporate headquarters to discuss how they “help distract viewers from the bottomless misery of existence.” Cunk is visibly uncomfortable throughout the interview, which finishes with a Muppet-style parody of one of Streamberry’s children’s programs. It’s a spoof, which is generally the idea of Cunk’s character, but it’s not presented in the usual style that we’re used to within the Cunk version of our current world.
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While Philomena Cunk Could Work in the World of ‘Black Mirror,’ ‘Black Mirror’ Doesn’t Work in the World of Philomena Cunk
Part of what makes the Cunk On… series work is how Philomena Cunk takes real-world expertise and facts, and uses blissful ignorance and blatant arrogance to poke fun at both the subject matter, and our modern-day lack of respect for expert authority. She’s confident in her uneducated opinions, and is always in control of her interviews, overtaking or comically belittling what the experts are trying to say. It’s a perfect satire and hilariously silly. By adding the fictionalized Streamberry into Cunk’s work, where she’s interviewing real-world experts and reviewing real-life history, it creates a clash in tone, and belittles the power of Cunk’s point of view.
Cunk’s take works because she twists reality, but adding a parody within the parody takes it a step too far. With the Streamberry segment, Cunk is not in control, as the actor who’s posing as the Streamberry expert leads the interview. With this fictional expert, Cunk is uncomfortable rather than her usual over-confident and ignorantly arrogant self. It doesn’t feel like Cunk but acts as a fan-service Easter Egg for Black Mirror. It disparages what Cunk does in her specials and takes away focus and authority from Cunk, who is usually in command of her segments. It’s very Black Mirror style, but not at all the witty and composed Philomena Cunk we’ve grown to know and love.
Philomena Cunk appearing in, or even hosting, an episode of Black Mirror could work better than how the Black Mirror reference is ham-fisted into Cunk on Life. As Brooker has touched upon, a crossover in the style of a “Cunk On Technology” in a completely satirized world would allow for Philomena Cunk’s irreverent nature to fit in perfectly. However, putting Black Mirror into the Cunk world doesn’t have the same satirical success.
Cunk on Life is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
Watch on Netflix
Cunk on Life
Pioneering documentary maker Philomena Cunk returns with her most ambitious quest to date: venturing right up the universe and everything to examine life and existence in an attempt to find out the point of it all. Along the way, she interrogates experts on subjects from the big bang to biology and art to artificial intelligence. Really get to the nub of it.
- Release Date
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January 2, 2025
