Cunk on Earth premiered globally on Jan. 31, giving viewers a tour of the world through the eyes of host Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan). The presenter asks hard-hitting questions like “Has a mummy ever ridden a bicycle?” and “Is the Mona Lisa holding a balloon between her knees?” in an attempt to bring audiences closer to the truth of our history as a civilization. 

But her academic subjects often seem more bewildered than anything — and you might feel the same way while taking in Cunk on Earth Season 1’s five episodes, which initially aired on BBC Two. In the spirit of Philomena’s benevolent drive to demystify the greatest mysteries on Earth, we’re here to answer your biggest questions on Cunk.  

What is Cunk on Earth about? 

Cunk on Earth is a mockumentary in which a presenter, played by Morgan, asks real historians outlandish questions. The lovely, bumbling Philomena Cunk visits historical sites and sits down with leading academics in philosophy, science and ancient Mesopotamian script. While Philomena asks these big brains wildly uninformed questions like “Who are you?” and “Which episode are we on now?” her learned subjects attempt to engage in very real, factual conversations. Hilarity ensues, although Cunk may not register how silly these chats truly are. She’s too busy trying to talk about her mate Paul. 

Who is Philomena Cunk? 

Sadly — and, mercifully — someone as ridiculous as Philomena Cunk isn’t actually a real person or presenter. She’s a character portrayed by actor Diane Morgan, à la Stephen Colbert’s willfully ignorant satirical persona during his Colbert Report days. Morgan was nominated for a BAFTA in 2017 for her turn as Philomena in Cunk on Shakespeare. 

OK, then who is Diane Morgan? 

Morgan is a British actor who’s been popping up since 2002. She’s a staple of British Netflix comedies, co-starring in After Life, Death to 2020 and Death to 2021. But she  really made her mark as Philomena Cunk, a character she debuted back in 2013 on newsy Brit comedy series Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe. If the name Charlie Brooker sounds familiar, there’s a reason for that — which brings us to our next point. 

Who made Cunk on Earth? 

Cunk on Earth springs from the mind of British humorist Brooker, who you may just know as the creator of a little show called Black Mirror. Brooker has worked with Morgan for a decade on her various Cunk-tastic titles: 2016’s previously mentioned Cunk on Shakespeare, the series Cunk on Britain and now, Cunk on Earth. 

The pair also collaborated on Death to 2020 and Death to 2021, which were both co-created and executive-produced by Brooker. Morgan plays sweater-wearing Gemma Nerrick — “one of the five most average people in the world.” 

How much of Cunk on Earth is real? 

The interviews and technical facts of Cunk on Earth — such as the existence of people like Genghis Khan or the years of the Dark Ages — are completely real. However, you should take Cunk’s comedic narration with a grain of goofy salt. Early humans, for example, were never at war with cows. 

However, if you listen closely, you’ll also catch some biting satire. Keep your ears peeled for Brooker’s classic criticism of modern politics, capitalism and technology. The Greeks would be horrified to learn that their “invention” of olives outlived democracy.