You may remember, way back at the end of 2020, that Netflix came out with a mockumentary called Death to 2020. It featured a satirical look back at many of the major news events of 2020, as way for people to laugh at the extremely challenging year that the entire world had just gone through.
The show was delivered by the creators of Black Mirror, which should give you an idea of what to expect. Well if you enjoyed Death to 2020, you will be happy to know that Netflix came back with a sequel, Death to 2021 that is now available to stream.
What’s it About?
The same showrunners from the previous year come back to give us an unflinching and humorous look at 2021. It is shown as a series of interviews with many returning characters from the prior year, all discussing various aspects of 2021 and how it impacted their lives.
So, you get discussions of topics like the continuing pandemic, the January 6 riots, cancel culture, billionaires going to space, social media, racism, and just about anything else that caught attention in 2021.
The Cast of Characters
There are a number of very funny characters, including Hugh Grant’s snobbish old British professor, Tennyson Foss OBE; Tracy Ulman as conservative talk show host Madison Madison; Diane Morgan as average British citizen Gemma Nerrick; Joe Kerry as social media influencer, Duke Goolies; Cristin Milioti as housewife and conspiracy theory follower, Kathy Flowers; and William Jackson Harper as social media mogul, Zero Fournine.
The actors all jump in with both feet and embrace the absurdity of their roles, delivering some hilarious takes on everything from woke culture to pandemic dating. Every side of the political and cultural spectrum is fair game for a comedic take. So, it probably has something in it that will make just about anyone laugh and also maybe feel a bit picked on. But, that’s the point.
Some of the Funnier Bits
Kathy Flowers talking about her ankle monitor. Scientist Pyrex Flask admitting he was binging Bridgerton during lockdown when he maybe should have been researching the Covid vaccine. Gemma Nerrick’s take on just about anything, including being ghosted by her latest Covid Zoom date.
Watch it or Not?
It’s not as novel as Death to 2020, since it brings back many of the same characters, just with some new stories to tell. But, it’s still a pretty hilarious look back at yet another challenging year.
Personally, I think it can be very healthy to laugh, even when things are tough. So, if that’s your cup of tea, you should put Death to 2021 on your Netflix watch list. It’s funny, happily skewers hypocrisy and silliness from every side of the political or cultural spectrum, and is a nice way to put 2021 in the rear view mirror.
