# Mel Brooks History of the World Part 2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, disney-hulu\ **Created:** [March 7, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848 "2023-03-07T21:53:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/1 "2023-03-07T21:53:57Z")
Anyone watching it? I saw the first episode and it’s……ok? I’ve always felt Brooks lost a step or two comedically in _Dracula_, _Men In Tights_, and other more recent movies. Not a lot of laughs or even chuckles. I’m curious what others think. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/2 "2023-03-07T22:48:23Z")
I was underwhelmed. I’ve only watched the first episode, but the one joke and out format of short sketches reminded me more of _Drunk History_ than Mel Brooks. I’ll give it one more shot, but if it doesn’t improve, I’m out. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/3 "2023-03-07T22:52:16Z")
It was just what I expected. Many of Mel’s works have been hit and miss, and I’m just glad for the few hits (the Romanovs, for instance) in this series. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/4 "2023-03-07T22:54:24Z")
Well, so far I think the funniest bit was literally the first bit. “History of the World, Part 2, with all new material!” _\>immediately cuts to “Hitler on Ice”\<_ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/5 "2023-03-08T00:21:27Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > It was just what I expected. Many of Mel’s works have been hit and miss, and I’m just glad for the few hits (the Romanovs, for instance) in this series. I always thought that Mel benefitted greatly by having Gene Wilder in his productions. Gene sort of damped down Mel’s zaniness. And conversely, Mel got Gene to be rather more joyously ebullient in return. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/6 "2023-03-08T02:07:29Z")
I watched the first episode and can’t help wondering how much of this is Mel Brooks and how much of it is a Nick Kroll homage to Mel Brooks. It’s like they have some Ed Wood / Bela Lugosi thing going on. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/7 "2023-03-08T02:20:38Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > (the Romanovs, for instance) in this series. Sweet Jesus. I recall reading an article by a guy who was allowed to examine the remains of the Romanovs found a few years ago. Something rattled in the skull he was examining. The desiccated brain of Nicholas II. ---
**Author:** ![Kelby2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@Kelby2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelby2)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/8 "2023-03-08T02:29:11Z")
The old magic isn’t there. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/9 "2023-03-08T02:47:57Z")
we bailed 10 minutes in - just not funny. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeysBrother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@MonkeysBrother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeysBrother)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/10 "2023-03-08T03:26:13Z")
I started with high hopes. I made it through the first two episodes thinking, “It’s got to get better.” Nope. As Love\_Rhombus said, not a laugh or even a chuckle anywhere to be found. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/11 "2023-03-08T07:46:43Z")
no offense i didn’t think the first one was all that funny … ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/12 "2023-03-08T12:31:04Z")
I’ve seen three of them and they were painfully unfunny. Not a single laugh. I should tell you, though, that I just saw History of the World Part 1 and found it to be also unfunny. It’s a lot better than this show, though. I feel like Men in Tights was the last time Mel delivered something hugely funny. That’s OK; he had about 25 years of mostly solid movie making and comedy is much harder than drama. I don’t think he wrote almost anything for this show even if he is credited in part and does announce the titles of each section. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/13 "2023-03-08T13:20:18Z")
Three episodes in and yeah, “meh” would be my review too. Will probably keep watching though, if for no other reason than to see the amazing collection of comic actors who all seem like they’re having fun. It’s become a game between me and Mrs. solost to try to ID the actors under all the costumes, wigs, fake beards and makeup. Some are easier than others. Who’s playing Noah? That voice is so famil…Seth Rogen! Oh and, though I do not like like musicals in general, I like _ironic_ musical numbers, and I thought that made for some of the high points of HOTW P I. I enjoyed the musical soliloquy Jack Black did as Stalin. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/14 "2023-03-08T15:08:00Z")
I should say, I did laugh at the Jackass sketch, just for a moment. Cute idea, got a giggle from me. That’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/15 "2023-03-08T15:27:09Z")
There’s a few laughs but you really have to wait for them. I’m two episodes in and the best so far has been Judas _a la_ Curb Your Enthusiasm. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/16 "2023-03-08T16:14:00Z")
Yeah, I think so many of the skits are based on things people are familiar with that if you’re not that they fall flat. For example, I’ve never seen _Curb Your Enthusiasm_. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/17 "2023-03-08T18:50:34Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I watched the first episode and can’t help wondering how much of this is Mel Brooks and how much of it is a Nick Kroll homage to Mel Brooks. I saw Kroll on Colbert, and both he and the clip they showed of _History_ were damn near unwatchable. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/18 "2023-03-08T18:58:51Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Kroll [Nick Kroll](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1802209/) is driving me nuts. Every time I see him on screen, I think I’ve seen him before, but every time I look at a list of his credits, there’s nothing on there I’ve ever really watched. Is there some other semi-famous guy who looks and sounds just like him out there?!? ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/19 "2023-03-08T21:30:44Z")
I know him from Parks & Rec as Howard “The Douche” Tuttleman. > **[Nick Kroll](https://parksandrecreation.fandom.com/wiki/Nick_Kroll#:~:text=Nick%20Kroll%20is%20an%20American,Tuttleman%20on%20Parks%20and%20Recreation)** > > Nick Kroll is an American actor, writer, producer and director. He portrayed Howard "The Douche" Tuttleman on Parks and Recreation. I should clarify, I had the same reaction when I saw him in something else and it didn’t make sense until I saw he was in P&R. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848/20 "2023-03-09T01:52:26Z")
I like the mocking of _Footprints in the Sand_. _Footprints in the Sand_ deserves all the mocking. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mel-brooks-history-of-the-world-part-2/980848.md?page=2)