Let's be real. Nobody actually expected Mel Brooks to deliver on that title card from 1981. It was a gag. A classic Mel Brooks "screw you" to the concept of sequels. Then, out of nowhere, Hulu drops the news that we're actually getting History of the World Part II episodes, and the internet collectively lost its mind. It’s weird. It’s chaotic. It’s exactly what happens when you give a 96-year-old comedy legend a modern budget and a writers' room full of the funniest people on the planet.
Forty years. That is a long time to keep a bit going.
What’s Actually Happening in These History of the World Part II Episodes?
If you were expecting a single, linear story, you clearly haven't seen the first movie. The structure of the History of the World Part II episodes is essentially a sketch comedy fever dream. It’s a variety show wearing the skin of a historical documentary. Unlike the 1981 original, which stayed in the cinema format, the sequel series leverages its eight-episode run to let jokes breathe. Or, in some cases, to let jokes die a slow, agonizing, hilarious death.
The series is broken down into recurring segments. You’ve got the story of the Civil War, but it’s told through the lens of a gritty, prestige TV drama. Then there’s the Russian Revolution, which somehow morphs into a parody of Curb Your Enthusiasm. It’s jarring. It’s meant to be.
Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, and Ike Barinholtz are the heavy lifters here. They aren't just acting; they’re producing and writing, ensuring that the Brooksian DNA—the puns, the breaking of the fourth wall, the musical numbers—survives the transition to 2023 streaming sensibilities. One minute you’re watching a Shirley Chisholm sitcom parody, and the next, you’re witnessing the Council of Nicaea portrayed as a corporate branding meeting.
The Civil War and the "Ulysses S. Grant" Problem
Ike Barinholtz plays Ulysses S. Grant. He plays him as a man who desperately needs a drink but is stuck in a "buddy cop" dynamic with Abraham Lincoln (played by Timothy Simons). The writing here is sharp. It mocks the self-importance of historical biopics while hitting the actual beats of the Siege of Vicksburg.
It's a delicate balance.
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You have to know enough history to get why the joke is funny, but Brooks and company don't mind if you're just there for the slapstick. The recurring gag of Grant trying to find a drink while Lincoln breathes down his neck is a highlight of the earlier History of the World Part II episodes. It highlights the absurdity of Great Man Theory. These aren't statues; they're tired guys in itchy wool suits.
A Cast That Feels Like a "Who's Who" of Modern Comedy
The sheer volume of cameos is staggering. Honestly, it feels like they just stood outside a comedy club in LA and pulled everyone inside. You have:
- Johnny Knoxville as Rasputin (a pairing so perfect it feels like it should have happened decades ago).
- Zazie Beetz as Mary Magdalene.
- Kumail Nanjiani as a telephone operator during the invention of the phone.
- Seth Rogen as Noah (yes, he brings his signature laugh to the Ark).
- Danny DeVito as a czar.
The brilliance of the guest stars is that they don't overstay their welcome. In the third and fourth History of the World Part II episodes, the pacing picks up significantly because the sketches get shorter. We jump from the Harriet Tubman "Underground Railroad" (parodied as a literal, high-speed rail system) to a Jackass-style sketch involving Rasputin’s various attempts to stay alive. It's breathless.
The Russian Revolution: Shmuck Your Enthusiasm
This is probably the most "Mel Brooks" thing in the entire series. Taking the Bolshevik Revolution and filming it like a Larry David comedy is peak 20th-century Jewish humor meeting 21st-century cringe comedy. Nick Kroll plays "Mudman," a character who is constantly finding himself in social faux pas while Lenin and Trotsky are trying to overthrow the Romanovs.
It works because it highlights the pettiness of human nature in the middle of world-shifting events. While the world burns, Mudman is worried about the quality of the goat milk. This is the core of the History of the World Part II episodes: the realization that history is just a series of people being annoying to one another until someone starts a war.
Why the Format Shift Matters
The move from a 90-minute film to an eight-episode series was a smart play. Mel Brooks’ style of comedy is "hit or miss" by design. He throws a thousand jokes at the wall. In a movie, if a segment doesn't work, the whole film drags. In the History of the World Part II episodes, if you don't like the Jesus and Judas storyline (which is basically a parody of The Last Waltz), you only have to wait six minutes for something else to start.
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The episodic nature allows for "interstitial" bits. We get fake commercials, TikTok parodies, and even a "coming attractions" segment that mirrors the famous ending of the original film. It feels modular. It's built for the TikTok era, even if the man whose name is on the title was born before television was a household item.
Handling the Religious Sketches
Let's talk about the Jesus segments. Jay Ellis plays Jesus. The show treats the New Testament like a backstage rock documentary. It’s bold. It’s also exactly what Mel did with the Spanish Inquisition in the first movie. Some might find it "too much," but Brooks has always punched up at institutions of power and dogma.
The "Curb Your Judaism" and "The Last Supper" sketches are arguably the most polished parts of the middle History of the World Part II episodes. They lean heavily into the "Borscht Belt" humor that Brooks defined. If you don't like puns about apostles, you're going to have a rough time. But if you appreciate the craft of a well-timed "Look, I'm just saying..." in the middle of a divine miracle, it’s gold.
The Production Design is Weirdly Good
For a show that is essentially a series of fart jokes and puns, the costumes and sets are incredible. They didn't cheap out. When they are in the trenches of the Civil War or the palaces of Russia, it looks real. That visual groundedness makes the absurdity funnier. When a character pulls out a smartphone in 1917, the contrast only works because the 1917 part looks authentic.
Director Alice Mathias and the rest of the crew clearly understood that for the parody to land, the target had to be visible. You can't mock prestige TV if your show looks like a community theater play. The cinematography in the Shirley Chisholm segments captures the grainy, multicam sitcom feel of the 70s perfectly. It’s a love letter to the medium of television as much as it is a history lesson.
Critiques and the "Mel Brooks" Legacy
Is it as good as Blazing Saddles? No. Is it as tight as the original History of the World Part I? Probably not. The humor is more fragmented. Sometimes a sketch goes on for three minutes too long—a common complaint with modern sketch shows like Saturday Night Live.
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However, looking at the History of the World Part II episodes as a whole, it’s a miracle it exists at all. To have Mel Brooks narrating new material in the 2020s is a gift to comedy nerds. There’s a certain warmth to the show. You can tell the writers (like Quinta Brunson and David Stassen) have a deep reverence for the source material, even as they update the jokes to reflect current conversations about race, gender, and class.
How to Watch and What to Expect
If you're diving in now, don't binge it all at once. The "everything plus the kitchen sink" approach can be exhausting. Treat it like a nightly variety show.
- Episodes 1-2 set the stage with the big narrative arcs (Grant, Chisholm, and the Russian Revolution).
- Episodes 3-6 are where the weirdest, shortest sketches live.
- Episodes 7-8 bring the "historical" arcs to their ridiculous conclusions.
The show doesn't ask much of you. It just wants you to laugh at how stupid we’ve been as a species for the last two thousand years. It’s cynical, yes, but it’s also joyful.
Moving Forward With the History of the World Part II Episodes
If you’re looking to get the most out of your viewing experience, here is how to handle the series. Don't look for deep historical accuracy. Use the show as a jumping-off point to actually look up people like Shirley Chisholm or the real Robert E. Lee (who is portrayed with wonderful buffoonery).
The real value of History of the World Part II episodes isn't in the facts, but in the subversion of the "official" narrative. It reminds us that the people who made history were just as messy, horny, and confused as we are today.
Next Steps for the Viewer:
- Watch in small doses: Take two episodes at a time to avoid "gag fatigue."
- Check the credits: Half the fun is seeing which famous comedian was hiding under the prosthetic nose in a three-second bit.
- Revisit the 1981 original: If some of the callbacks (like the "Jews in Space" or "Hitler on Ice" references) don't land, the first film provides the necessary context for the long-running jokes.
- Look up the real Shirley Chisholm: Beyond the laughs, Wanda Sykes’ portrayal highlights a genuine American icon who often gets overlooked in standard history books.
History is a mess. Mel Brooks just decided to put a soundtrack to it.