#cunk and other humans

[warningsine]

[guardianreadersofthegalaxy]

Twelve: Don't get me wrong, being grumpy is good fun but it's knackering after a while. All my frowning muscles are worn out and my throat's raw from shouting... I think I need a break, maybe spend the weekend just slightly resenting things. Twelve: I need to recharge my batteries, because in my next regeneration I'm hoping to hate fucking shit out of everything that moves. [from Cunk & Other Humans]

[transfemgeorgecostanza]

[moorishflower]

I'm watching Cunk on Earth and the image I got in my brain was one of retired Dream, new and fragile and trying to get his bearings, and Hob tells him "Let's put on something funny? I've been meaning to watch this one." And he puts on Cunk on Earth, and Hob finds it hilarious (especially when she gets to the medieval bits), right up until Dream, who has been -- unbeknownst to Hob -- getting himself well and truly lathered over the past 40-60 minutes, bursts into tears.

"Fuck," Hob says, and scrambles to get into a better position, the awkwardness of sitting beside someone on a sofa not the ideal way to comfort someone who is, by all indications, in the process of having some sort of horrific existential crisis. "Oh, fuck, Dream, sorry, sorry, I don't even know what I'm sorry for, please stop crying, why are we crying?"

(Hob has tried to cultivate a sense of empathy since the 1700s, and sometimes, like now, he thinks he might have overdone it a bit.)

And Dream, sniffling, red-eyed and tear tracks down his cheeks and snot glistening around his nostrils in a way that wouldn't be charming on any other human except for him, says, "All of the things she is saying are wrong."

[sylvienerevarine]

Sophrine Aulette's Skyrim Encyclopedia (Part 1)

Ok, an explanation: my brother bought me Philomena Cunk's hilarious reference book for Christmas, and it inspired me to write this goofy semi-fic. It's now Sylvieverse canon that Soph writes a humorous guide to Skyrim and it's a bestseller for years.

--

Atmora

Atmora is sometimes called the “old country,” largely because everyone from there had beards, which made them look quite a bit older. It’s also called that because the original Nords came from there thousands of years ago in search of better weather. Why they stopped at Skyrim is anyone’s guess. One of the most famous people from Atmora was Ysgramor, who was fond of killing elves and living in an upturned boat.

No one’s heard anything from the Atmorans in a while, which means they all either froze to death or their postal service is terrible.

Automatons

Dwemer Automatons are creatures made of metal that run on magic and steam. You can find them lurking around old Dwarven ruins waiting for treasure hunters to show up, and then slicing them to ribbons. This is the only game they seem to know.

There are four main types of automatons: spiders, spheres, ballistas, and centurions. Actually they’re all called centurions, but that’s confusing, so here we are. Spiders are the ones that look like spiders and are sort of cute. Spheres are the ones that look almost human on top, but roll around on a big metal ball, in which they possibly store lightning. Ballistas resemble an angry fish with legs and are horrible. Centurions look like metal giants and use a huge amount of energy, which is why they sleep in big magic arches that don’t look very comfortable.

Dwemer automatons don’t seem to work outside their ruins, which is a relief, because can you imagine running into one at the market? On the other hand, it would be very funny to have a mechanical butler.

Cheese

Cheese is basically milk, but solid. It’s also the best food to ever be invented, and features in all the best dishes: cheesecakes, cheese souffles, cheese straws, cheese omelets, and fondue. My aunt Sacha, who lives in the Shivering Isles, once taught me how to make a kind of cheese that turns all colors inside-out, but I don’t usually attempt that one.

Most cheese in Skyrim comes from goats or cows. Giants have been known to make mammoth cheese, but they’re not very good about sharing it. I swiped some once and it was remarkably chewy, but very good.

Dragonborn

A Dragonborn is a person who, through no fault of their own, was born with the wrong type of soul. Generally speaking, humans have human souls, elves have elf souls, Nords have alcohol, and so on. A Dragonborn, on the other hand, has a normal person-type body with a dragon’s soul stuffed inside.

The main job of a Dragonborn is to slay evil dragons and boss around the less evil ones. For a long time, though, there were very few dragons around, so Dragonborns had to occupy their time by becoming emperors. This lasted right up until the time Martin Septim exploded.

I am currently the only living Dragonborn, which is a very fun position to be in. There was another one hiding out in Oblivion named Miraak, but he tragically perished for reasons that were only partially my fault.

Things Dragonborns Can Do:

Absorb dragon souls

Use aforementioned souls to quickly learn Words of Power

Scream at things

Read dragon language without taking lessons

Get free garlic bread at the Frostfruit Inn in Rorikstead

Kyne

Kyne is the Nordic goddess of wind, sky, the outdoors, and probably camping. You might know her as Kynareth, Khenarthi, Tava, or Kenny (though I’ve only met one person who called her that, and he was very drunk). 

In Nord tradition, Kyne was married to Shor (aka Lorkhan) and rain is the result of her crying because her husband tragically died from having his heart stuck under a volcano. It follows that the best way to get rain for your crops is to shout things like: “Missus Kyne, remember how much you loved your husband? Wasn’t it tragic how badly he was murdered?” That usually does the trick.

Kyne is also supposedly the one who taught the Dragon Voice to humans, to which I would like to respond “thank you” and also “why.”

Mead

Mead is the primary beverage, export, and religion in Skyrim. It’s made out of honey, and is therefore sweet enough that you don’t realize for a while just how strong it is, and then you’re in a bar fight with a racist old man in Windhelm. Not that that’s ever happened to me.

My husband is something of an expert on mead, and it’s his most cherished belief that happy bees make the drink taste better. I’m not quite sure how you can tell a bee’s emotional state, but I’m sure there’s a knack to it.

[thewaywardcasgirl]

imagine spending your life studying a very niche subject about human history that you love and can shed a significant amount of light on and then having to talk to Philomena Cunk about it on camera

[squuote]

I love your ideas of your nonhuman narrator, the wires and faces are so cool :)).

Do you have any aesthetics you liked that you put in the narrator, and do you have any other hcs for narrator/anyone else?

CRACKS KNUCKLES soo glad you asked :-)c

I wouldn't rlly say I added any specific aesthetics to my design, I more of went with what I felt fit him best. Body horror and surrealism are definitely two themes I wanted to incorporate in my designs for sure though. I actually had the toughest time deciding on his design because there's so many concepts I rlly enjoyed that I wanted to add. I guess if I were to put it in a category or aesthetic of sorts, it would be 'I am quiet literally a metaphysical being that is essentially a subconscious without a physical form unless I want one' theme, if that makes any sense at all. Like, I did enjoy a lot of common interpretations of him but also I'm such a big sucker for monster and eldrich beings trying their best to be human.

Essentially, he is just a mash of nonhuman entity enjoying the concept of humans, even if he understands very little of them.

The face thing was a last minute idea I had which I just kinda rlly love, I'm rlly happy with that choice fr ^_^ and the wires were just a cool thing I enjoyed drawing, but they do actually connect to audio equipment n stuff! Funnily enough, he's supposed to have like a microphone attached that he carries but. i kept forgetting to draw it. so just pretend he still has one hehe

as for headcanons UMM. Stanley is trans. He also likes cooking. Mariella voiceclaim is philomena cunk. Spread my message to the world.

[youngandwild99-blog1]

What I mean by strong female characters is

I want a female action hero who comes away from her fights with sweaty armpits and messy hair. Not messy-chic, but actually messy. I want to see rough fights that give her chipped teeth and puffy broken noses and ugly dark shiners. I want to see actual cuts and scrapes that don’t exist to accentuate her cheekbones. I want injuries that aren’t used as makeup. I want to see a female action hero on the receiving end of a slow-motion face-punch. And then I want to see her get back up and try again.

I want a female comic relief. I want to see a woman who makes jokes, not just to be snarky or to put others down, but because she loves it. I want to see a woman who slips on banana peels, who falls down staircases, who puts on a hilarious disguise without hesitating, even though there were like 5 other options that would have worked just as well. I want a female comic relief who is socially awkward, but not because she’s shy or just needs to believe in herself.

I want to see a female character who is dumb. Not dumb in a “bimbo” way, but dumb like “not book smart”, the way Philomena Cunk is "dumb". I want to see a woman who can judo flip a mook with perfect technique, but doesn’t give a flying fuck about proper grammar. I want to see a woman who can scam people out of their lives’ fortunes without breaking a sweat, but always yells “Speak English, doc!” at the sound of sci-fi jargon.

I want a female protagonist who makes mistakes. The kind of mistakes that matter. I want her to get it wrong. I want her to fuck up, not because she’s worse than a man, but because she’s a human and that’s what we do. And then I want to see her own her fuckups, and work to fix them, and do better next time. Because that’s what heroes are supposed to do.

I want to see a strong female character. And by that, I mean I want to see a female character whose strength comes from her humanity.

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

“Why does humankind feel the need to invent killing machines like this? And could you keep your answer to a sort of soundbite length?”

“…Because we’re human, I suppose? It seems to be built into us to fight for resources, other humans.”

“Yeah.”

“Can’t seem to get away from it.”

“I know. I just think we’re mental.”

- Cunk on Earth

[alethiometry]

Rules: list eight shows for your followers to get to know you better.

Tagged by @aeide!

1. black sails. OBVIOUSLY. it's got everything. drama, intrigue, ocean gays, lying little wet rat twinks, anti-colonialist uprisings, caribbean history, grimy period-appropriate costumes, heartbreak, monologues, toby "saturday chillin don't fuckin @ me i'm chillin" schmitz calling himself daddy. everybody slays absolute cunt. it is THEEEE most perfect show ever created.

2. parks and recreation. rewatching p&r is an interesting experience because it was such a product of obama-era liberal america and the optimism just oozes out of every scene. also we don't like crisp ratt anymore. but it's also so genuinely funny and heartfelt and comforting! this show had a massive impact on my sense of humor, as well as i think framed failure in such a positive light: every character failed drastically at something over the course of the show, but through caring for each other were able to pick themselves back up and never let their shortcomings define them. i first watched it at a point in my life where i really needed that, so it has always stuck with me.

3. leverage. my comfort show to turn to when living in a post-capitalist hellscape that continues to reward billionaires for their moral bankruptcy while shitting on everybody else gets too depressing (so… like every day). is it campy and unrealistic? yes. do i care? no. sometimes you need escapism via direct action, heist hijinks, and extreme displays of bisexuality. also aldis hodge is one of the most beautiful human beings on planet earth.

4. supernatural. yeah yeah it's the hehe destiel meme show. but it was also tons of fun to watch every week, the worldbuilding started out fantastic (and then got progressively more and more insane), i think it's really the epitome of "really cool ideas with mostly lackluster execution". the bloody mary episode remains one of my favorite episodes of tv ever, and the fandom drama just keeps giving! i also met some of my dearest friends through the fandom, so maybe the real destiel love memes were the friends we made along the way.

5. twin peaks. the only show that made me so insane i went and got a tattoo of it. impeccable vibes, the experience of watching s3 and then memeing about it on reddit with everyone else who were all equally confused is an experience that will never be replicated.

6. love island uk. listen. fucking listen. i don't want this show to be listed here any more than any of you do, i'm sure. absolute bottom of the barrel brain rot that consumes my life and brings my workday to a grinding halt (thank you timezones) for the 2 months that each season is running. i absolutely have nothing good to say about love island uk other than it's sometimes really funny, usually unintentionally. but iain stirling's voice and those stupid neon pillows/beanbags and atrocious cursive font and catchphrases have wormed their way into my brain and nothing short of a complete lobotomy can remove it.

7. how to get away with murder. this wouldn't even be on here if saff and i didn't go on an insane binge of all six seasons last fall. but since we did… here we are. michaela pratt is an icon and has never done anything wrong ever in her life and i will die on this hill.

8. cunk on earth. this is probably recency bias speaking but oh my god i adore this show. it is exactly my brand of humor and i have so much respect for all the experts and miss diane morgan herself for making it through those interviews without breaking, because i would be fighting for my fucking life. this is the show that i will henceforth be recommending like a madwoman to all my friends.

honorable mentions: american vandal, derry girls, naruto, south park, dexter, elementary, orphan black.

i'm tagging: @winedark @seance @assassiyun @thatsouthernanthem @potsticker1234 @ciaramedba @doomcountry @thychesters <3

[horizonspurple]

Hi☺️

I knoww, it's really hard, I'm pretty indecisive as well. I've seen AND loved all of those series, other than Alice in Borderland, I actually haven't heard about it before. And all honestly those are all so different so how are you supposed to choosee. I don't think I can choose one at all, tho I will say that I enjoyed Atypical a lot as well, I feel like it has a very similar air as Sex Education, tho a very different plot. Amd a recent favourite of mina has been Cunk on Earth. I found it really funny. I don't know if you know it but it's a comedical documentary in a way. This character: Filomena Cunk goes around museums and good schools and asks experts questions on history. And the experts don't really know what she's gonna ask and some react very smartly and insightfully while some are just completelly stunned. She asks questions like (were humans from the same flesh as we are or were they made from pork or beef?). I like the humor in it a lot. And there's one point in which she asks one expert if the Romans invented anal bleaching. His reaction is priceless🤭.

I saw @lord-of-dice-and-kinks is taking a break from tumblr. Hope he's okay:) and social media can honestly be so draining.

Hm I guess the thing about fetlife that I don't like is that since you have to register to see how it is I don't really get to see if it's something I will like if that makes any sense. And I also don't like that you put in your city, I know it can still be anonymous but I don't know. As much as I know it's completelly okay I'm kinky and that if someone is on fetlife as well it's nothing that will shake the world, but I feel like in order for me to comfortably explor this side of me I just really like anonymity.

Hm🤭okay so maybeee I have a thing for Tom Riddle fanfictions. Well I haven't read one in a while but it was my thing. One of my favourite fanfictions in Unsphere the Stars. It's not necesarilly kinky but I enjoy Tom being a dark character and it's really well writen.

No spoilers, but there's definitely spicy scenes🤭I'm sure he's enjoying your research hihi.

I'm glad you have people around you that can help you with that, it has happened to me as well. And you're beautiful:) your personality absolutelly gorgeous.

Hm I like that I'm curious and I really like my hair:)

:)

Oh I knoww, starting to write is so hard. Hm random idea you're totally free to ignore but a story starting with "Make me," sounds like a lot of fun🤭

Oh and for the question which is from the list of questions you rebloged because I couldn't think of an original one🤭what's your favourite foreplay activity?

Hope you have fun:)

-your sleepy anon

Heyy

Ohhhh so fun that you like all of those!! You have good taste xD Alice in Borderland is really good but it's also pretty gorey and dark so it's not for everyone, but it's such a well thought out plot Oohh Atypical is a good one as well! Cunk on earth is on my watchlist, I've seen little blips come by and it looked really funny :) Oh my god that sounds very funny haha, I definitely need to watch it now!

He's doing okay! He just needed some time to focus on himself a bit more

I get that, that made me a little nervous at first as well, but it does make sense privacy wise People post nudes and sensitive images on there and it would not be ethical if just anyone without an account could see However, with the city thing you can choose who can see the city, state and country you live on For example, I have my city only visible for friends but I could also make it so only I can see it Same goes for state and country,a dn I guess if you wanna be very safe you can put in a fake country and city Mhm I get that anonimity part I'll just share that there are a lot of people that keep their profile really empty, you don't have to put a picture, you don't have to put in your legit age (although you should still be atleast 18+ before joining) and your legit country/city and you don't have to write a bio However it is just nicer if you decide to interact with people to have some stuff on your profile so others know you're not a creep or something But that is all up to you, I hope this information can help you make a choice about what you think is best for you 😊

Ohh Tom Riddle, nicee Mhmm well written dark characters can be so goodd!

Can't wait to read them 🤭

Thank youu 🥺☺ so sweet Ohh being curious is a very fun trait! And I'm sure you're hair is superpretty :)

Oohh that sounds like a very bratty start to a story xD I might do that 👀 would have tot hink of some bratty words and actions first tho hihi

Hihi that's okay! As foreplay I really like making out, playfighting/wrestling a little, dirty talk (although I am not good at it xD) And lots of touching/oral How about you?

Thank you for another fun message 😊 And hope you had a good day!

[warningsine]

[limowlee7389]

Currently Watching: July.

KOREAN.

+ Revenant (2023)(23 Jun-) ~ Airing. ★★★★★

I LOVE this show! This is easily the best thing I'm watching right now. Kim Tae Ri never disappoints. I am loving the dark tones that this drama has offered for its opening week.

+ King of the Land (2023)(17 Jun-) ~ Airing. ★★★☆☆

This is the fun watch of the season. It feels more like a 2000s drama. This feels like a nostalgia trip for me. It can come off as super cliche, but the banter between the two leads is fun. Lee JunHo is always a joy to watch. I am relieved to see that Im Yoo Ah seems to be keeping up with him.

+ See You in My 19th Life (2023)(17 Jun) ~ Airing. ★★★☆☆

This may not be great drama writing, but I'm finding it very watchable. My primary gripe is that the leads are a bit mismatched. Shin Hye Sun can run circles around Ahn Bo Hyun when it comes to acting chops. She just brings so much energy to her characters. Ahn Bo Hyun is more just to stand there and look depressed and a bit damaged. I do enjoy the setup and watching what aspects of Ban Ji Eum's 19 lives have made it into the present day.

JAPANESE.

+ Rikon Shiyou Yo (2023)(22 Jun-) ~ Airing. ★★★★☆

This show is shaping up to be everything I wanted in a new KudoKan project. I love our leads as dislikeable as they are. It was so funny to me how they could go from arguing one moment to hosting Shoji Family Relaxing Kitchen the next. The timing is so precise. My hope for this show is that our leads are actually successful in getting their divorce.

ANIME.

+ Hell’s Paradise:  Jigokuraku (2023)(3 Apr-1 Jul) ~ Airing. ★★☆☆☆

I wanted to love this, but I much prefer the source material. I still feel that the opening is GOLD, but overall this adaption feels like a product of Mappa's underinvestment.

+ Insomniacs after School (2023)(15 Apr-3 Jul) ~ Airing. ★★★☆☆

This show has so much charm, but it's sometimes too sleepy for me.

Plan to Watch.

D.P. 2 (2023)(28 Jul-)

Completed.

The Good Bad Mother (2023)(26 Apr-8 Jun)(2/10) ~

Mare (2015)(8 Jan-12 Jun)(7/10)

One Day Off (2023)(12 Jun-13 Jun)(6/10) 

Suga:  Road to D-Day (2023)(19 Jun)(6/10)

Other Things I Watched.

Heartbreak High (2022)(3 Jun)(8/10) ♥ 

The Lost City (2022)(9 Jun)(5/10)

Never Have I Ever (2023)(s4)(8 Jun-10 Jun)(5/10)

Human Resources (2023)(s2)(10 Jun-11 Jun)(5/10)

BTS:  PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE - LA (2022)(14 Jun)(6/10)

Taylor Swift:  Reputation Stadium Tour (2018)(17 Jun)(7/10)

Olivia Rodrigo:  Sour Prom (2021)(17 Jun)(8/10)

Homecoming:  A Film by Beyoncé (2019)(18 Jun)(8/10) ♥ 

ariana grande:  excuse me, i love you (2020)(19 Jun)(7/10)

Happier than Ever:  A Love Letter to Los Angeles (2021)(19 Jun)(5/10)

Folklore:  The Long Pond Studio Sessions (2020)(19 Jun)(8/10)

Skip and Loafer (2023)(15 Apr-20 Jun)(10/10) ♥ ~

Komi Can't Communicate (2022)(c1)(31 Oct 22-21 Jun 23)(8/10) ♥ 

Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru (2023)(1 Apr-24 Jun)(6/10) ~

Tengoku Daimakyou (2023)(15 Apr-24 Jun)(7/10) ~ 

Helluva Boss (2020)(s1)(16 Jun 22-24 Jun 23)(7/10) ~

Cunk on Earth (2022)(26 Jun-27 Jun)(7/10)

Cunk on Britain (2018)(27 Jun)(7/10)

Oshi no Ko (2023)(18 Apr-28 Jun)(5/10) ~ 

Normal People (2020)(20 Jun-30 Jun)(10/10) ♥

[grnolan]

A Non-Exhaustive List of Stuff to Watch During the Strike

Everybody has a backlog of things to watch, but for everyone who is like me and routinely looks at that backlog and goes "but none of those hundred things sound interesting right now", here are some recommendations.

If You Have…

NETFLIX

Avatar The Last Airbender: Animated/Fantasy; 3 seasons; A teenage chosen one reawakens 100 years into the war he’s meant to stop. If you somehow are on Tumblr and haven’t seen this show, give it a try now.

Cunk on Earth: Documentary; 1 season; A very serious documentary that very seriously tells the story of the history of human progress.

Glow Up (2019): Competition; 4 seasons; Aspiring makeup artists compete for opportunities in the industry.

Nailed It! (2018): Competition; 7 seasons; Nicole Byer and Jacques Torres laugh with people who are not bakers as they try to bake extremely complicated desserts in less time than professionals could do it.

Wynonna Earp (2016): Western Horror; 4 seasons; The cursed descendant of famous lawman Wyatt Earp hunts demons in a small Canadian town alongside her (canonically bisexual) little sister, a US Marshall, an immortal Doc Holliday, and a (canonically lesbian) local cop.

HULU

Domino Masters (2022): Competition; 1 season; A competition show where teams build Rube Goldberg devices primarily focusing on dominos.

Holey Moley (2019): Competition; 3 seasons; Increasingly ridiculous mini golf holes where the ball can go into a water hazard but the people go in much more frequently.

Lego Masters (2020): Competition; 3 seasons; Teams of two build complex Lego designs based on each week’s theme.

Primeval (2007): Sci-Fi; 5 seasons; British scientists and government officials discover fluctuating portals to various time periods, which release dinosaurs and other creatures into the modern day. You’ll watch the first season and go “idk why this is considered good” and then all the other seasons will happen.

DISNEY PLUS

DuckTales (2017): Animated/Adventure Comedy; 3 seasons; A reboot of the 80s show of the same name, but with better character development and better treatment of its female characters.

The Owl House (2020): Animated/Horror Comedy; 3 seasons; An Afro Latina human girl is on her way to summer camp to be taught “normalcy” when she goes through a portal and finds herself in the Demon Realm. She decides that it’s way better than camp and stays. Friendship, family, love, and PTSD ensue.

MAX

Baking Championships: The Baking Championships (Kids Baking Championship, Halloween Baking Championship, Holiday Baking Championship, Spring Baking Champion Championship) are all a nice heartwarming fun time.

The Great Pottery Throw Down (2015): Competition; 5 seasons; You know how chill and fun GBBO is? Imagine that but with pottery.

CRUNCHYROLL

RWBY (2013): Animated/Fantasy; 9 seasons; A group of girls join a school to train for hunting monsters and fighting crime with cool weapons that are usually some sort of melee weapon and also a gun. The animation gets better with every season.

NO STREAMING SERVICES

Board Game Club: An ongoing series on the No Rolls Barred YouTube page; a bunch of people get together and play board games. This probably sounds like it would be boring but it is absolutely fantastic.

Critical Role: YouTube; 2 completed campaigns, 1 ongoing; A group of voice actor friends get together to play Dungeons and Dragons. Increasingly well-produced over time.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: 100 episodes; An adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that takes place entirely over vlogs. Very funny, handles the confines of a vlog setting fairly well, and Ashley Clements (Lizzie) is fabulous.

Video Game YouTubers: Particularly Let’s Plays, speedruns, and challenges. I personally enjoy Pokemon challenges like by FlygonHG, and Super Mario Odyssey Hide and Seek by a bunch of different Mario streamers is great fun.

[cyarsk52-20]

10 of the best and 10 of the worst TV shows that came out this year

This year brought a new lineup of comedies, dramas, thrillers, and docuseries.

Some of the worst-reviewed shows of the year included "Queen Cleopatra" and "Saint X." 

But critics recommended "Drops of God," "A Small Light," and "Cunk on Earth."

Plenty of new series entertained fans this year. But according to critics, some were better than others.

Here are the best and worst TV shows of 2023, according to critic scores.

Critics loved the highbrow drama “Drops of God.”

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Summary: After a titan in the wine industry passes away, his estranged daughter Camille (Fleur Geffrier) is forced to compete against her father's greatest student (Tomohisa Yamashita) to earn her inheritance.

The Apple TV+ drama was received as an intelligent, fast-paced series with rewarding plotlines.

"The writing, acting, directing, and cinematography all hit the right notes," Randy Myers wrote for The Mercury News.

“A Small Light” added new layers to the legendary story of Anne Frank. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Summary: On the National Geographic series, Dutch woman Miep Gies (Bel Powley) takes in Anne Frank's (Billie Boullet) family at the height of World War II.

Critics admired "A Small Light" for handling a delicate subject with grace and faithfulness.

"'A Small Light' finds a fresh way into this tale of courage, resilience and tragedy and, in doing so, may well pass the story on to yet another generation," Rebecca Nicholson wrote for The Guardian.

The mockumentary “Cunk on Earth” had critics rolling with laughter. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Summary: Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) travels the world, speaking to experts about untold secrets as she investigates the history of the human race.

Morgan's dry humor kept critics laughing from start to finish.

Michael Phillips wrote for the Chicago Tribune, "It's the funniest thing I've seen in months, and not just on Netflix."

The Australian comedy “Deadloch” offered a refreshing change of pace for crime fans. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Summary: After a dead body washes ashore in their town, by-the-numbers Sergeant Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) is paired up with rough-and-tumble investigator Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami) to solve the case.

Critics said viewers who take a plunge into the oddball Amazon Prime series will find a refreshing take on crime procedurals.

"It might sound a little cliche to say you'll be guessing all the way to the end, but you really will, with unpredictable pace-propelling twists rolled out from go to whoa," Luke Buckmaster wrote for The Guardian.

Critics tore through “Beef” in a matter of days. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%

Summary: After a road-rage incident, art curator Amy Lau (Ali Wong) and struggling contractor Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) are caught in an escalating rivalry that threatens to spill over into their everyday lives.

Critics said Netflix's "Beef" was a binge-worthy drama with an explosive finale that will leave viewers hungry for more.

"With addictive performances, stellar writing, and an innovative tone throughout, 'Beef' will undoubtedly garner a dedicated viewership on Netflix due to its sheer originality," Anna Miller wrote for Discussing Film.

“Gen V” expands on the world of “The Boys” with dark wit. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 97%

Summary: On the Amazon Prime spin-off for "The Boys," young college students with superpowers compete to earn a spot in the coveted Seven.

In the age of reboots, sequels, and spin-offs, critics were genuinely charmed by the worldbuilding of "Gen V."

"'Gen V' has the same irreverent, iconoclastic sense of humor as 'The Boys,' and introduces a new cast of superheroes with creatively designed powers that capture the audience's attention right off the bat," Audrey Fox wrote for Looper.

Critics said “I’m A Virgo” was bursting with creativity. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Summary: On Amazon Prime's "I'm A Virgo," 13-foot-tall Cootie (Jharrel Jerome) leaves his sheltered home and tries to accept his larger-than-life self.

Critics agreed it was a charming, weird, and wonderful series from "Sorry to Bother You"(2018) director Boots Riley.

"'I'm a Virgo' is a whimsical 'Alice in Wonderland'-style fantasy," Jeanine T. Abraham wrote for Medium.

“Telemarketers” pulled back the curtain on a nationwide con. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Summary: On HBO's docuseries, Sam Lipman-Stern looks back on his time working as a telemarketer for a suspicious corporate conglomerate.

Critics said that the scrappy early-2000s footage grounded the series in realism and added a grittiness that's noteworthy among a sea of glossy docudramas.

"It feels like a rebellious artifact, realized in real-time and with a kind of earnestness and zeal that the endless stream of glossy true-crime docs peeling off the streaming-service presses lack," Alison Lanier wrote for Pajiba.

Critics said period drama “Transatlantic” had a classic Hollywood flair. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 95%

Summary: In 1940 Marseilles, France, Mary Jayne Gold (Gillian Jacobs) and Varian Fry (Cory Michael Smith) help European refugees fleeing from Nazi Germany to the US.

Critics praised the Netflix period drama — which was based on a true story — for blending several plotlines in a riveting, cohesive way.

"While the show isn't afraid to get as dark as its circumstances require, it's also not afraid to embrace the occasional moment of levity, from funny misunderstandings to romantic drama to even an unexpected musical number," Liz Shannon Miller wrote for Consequence.

The charm of “Platonic” was undeniable. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%

Summary: After a long rift, best friends Will (Seth Rogen) and Sylvia (Rose Byrne) reconnect when they need each other most.

Critics said Rogen and Byrne effortlessly carried their chemistry from the "Neighbors" film series over to the Apple TV+ show.

"'Platonic' works because Byrne and Rogen are such joys to watch together, and because viewers want to spend ten half-hour episodes watching them spend time together," Sarah Ward wrote for Concrete Playground.

On the other hand, critics were completely split on “Digman!”

Rotten Tomatoes: 57%

Summary: In a world where archaeologists are worshiped like heroes, Rip Digman (voiced by Andy Samberg) tries to reclaim his former glory a decade after being fired by the Smithsonian.

Critics were split on Comedy Central's "Digman!" Some called it a funny Saturday-afternoon cartoon, but others felt it was something to skip.

"'Digman' misses the mark in essentially every department," Brittany Vincent wrote for Decider. "Its jokes fall flat, its premise can't hold up an entire series, and the word 'arky' is overused to a maddening degree."

Critics felt like a great cast was wasted on “Secret Invasion.”

Rotten Tomatoes: 53%

Summary: On the Disney+ Marvel series, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) teams up with old friend Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) to stop rogue aliens from taking over Earth.

The phenomenal cast — Jackson, Mendelsohn, Olivia Colman, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke — was commendable, even if critics were weary of franchise fatigue.

"'Secret Invasion' is the epitome of the Marvel TV and film franchise," Richard Ferguson wrote for The Australian. "Even an armed chase through the streets of Moscow seems stunted, fake and without life."

“Citadel” had high ambitions but felt clunky to critics. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 50%

Summary: Former spies and lovers Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Smith (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) reunite after learning that a syndicate of adversaries wiped their memories.

Critics wanted to let their guard down and let the Amazon Prime series take them on a fun adventure ride. But its overstuffed plot and rushed CGI proved too distracting to ignore.

"Audiences for action movies are willing to suspend disbelief if the payoff is worth the cost, but 'Citadel' never closes the sale," Brian Tallerico wrote for The Playlist.

Critics were left unimpressed by the “True Lies” reboot. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 42%

Summary: On CBS' reboot of "True Lies," secret agent Harry Tasker (Steve Howey) tries to balance work and marriage when he invites his wife Helen (Ginger Gonzaga) to Paris on a spy mission.

Reviewers agreed that the series failed to translate any of the fun and spark of the 1994 movie that inspired it.

"Your eyes would be well advised to look for something better too," Pat Stacey wrote for the Irish Independent. "'True Lies' is truly dire — and that's no lie."

Bad reviews rolled in left and right for “Velma.” 

Rotten Tomatoes: 39%

Summary: On Max's reimagining of "Scooby-Doo," high-school-age Velma Dinkley (voiced by Mindy Kaling) is forced to prove her innocence after a murder is pinned on her.

Critics came to a consensus that "Velma" reworked "Scooby-Doo" so radically that it lost all its most lovable ingredients.

"It's an empty shell of a farce that's not clever or engrossing. Just gross," Erin Maxwell wrote for LA Weekly.

Critics called “Florida Man” an overstuffed crime drama. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 22%

Summary: Ex-cop Mike Valentine (Edgar Ramírez) promises to track down a mobster's girlfriend in Florida. But the gig spirals into something more sinister.

Critics said Netflix's "Florida Man" tacked way too many ideas to its storyboard, and lost a strong throughline in the process.

"'Florida Man' is a muddled show that has some interesting characters and story points, but they're lost in a show that's far too crowded," Joel Keller wrote for Decider.

With countless superhero shows on the market, “Gotham Knights” fell to the bottom rung. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 21%

Summary: After Bruce Wayne dies, his adopted son Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan) is framed for his murder and forced to go on the lam with the children of Batman's greatest enemies.

"Gotham Knights" earned poor reception, with critics agreeing that there were much better superhero offerings than the CW show.

"There's too much other quality content based on comic book universes populating the broadcast and streaming landscape to make this feel like anything other than an embarrassing afterthought," Zaki Hasan wrote for The Wrap.

Critics said “The Idol” lacked any semblance of self-awareness. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 19%

Summary: After her last tour ended in disaster, pop star Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) tries to piece her fame back together with self-help guru Tedros (Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye).

Critics felt like the Max drama was desperately trying to be edgy — and ultimately fell short of anything boundary-pushing or fresh.

"'The Idol' tries so hard to be edgy and coolly shocking that you start to feel sorry for the show," Craig Mathieson wrote for The Age.

“Saint X” left critics unsatisfied on many levels. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 19%

Summary: Based on the book by Alexis Schaitkin, "Saint X" follows Emily Thomas (Alycia Debnam-Carey) as she tries to solve the mystery of her sister's (West Duchovny) brutal death in the Caribbean 20 years prior.

Reviewers pointed to clunky dialogue and head-spinning plotlines while giving the Hulu thriller low marks.

"Unfortunately, its execution muddles the message on almost all levels," Adrian Horton wrote for The Guardian. "The timeline-switching is chaotic, the acting wooden, the pace doleful and the aesthetic cheap-looking."

Critics didn't know what to make of “Queen Cleopatra.”

Rotten Tomatoes: 18%

Summary: On Netflix's dramatic miniseries, narrated by Jada Pinkett Smith, the legacy of Queen Cleopatra is brought to life through reenactments and expert interviews.

Across the board, "Queen Cleopatra" received poor reviews from critics who said the series suffered from an identity crisis.

"With no distinctive aesthetic point of view on offer and nothing intellectually novel to engage with, 'Cleopatra' swiftly becomes a test of patience before it even reaches episode two," Joseph Fahim wrote for Middle East Eye.

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