The History of Comedy - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
F***ing Funny
The evolution of inappropriate humor throughout history is traced, showcasing the work of groundbreaking comics, including George Carlin, Dick Gregory, and Lenny Bruce, who embraced the risqué side of comedy and risked careers, prison, and even their lives to fight censorship.
The Funnier Sex
Exploring and celebrating the greatest female comedians of all time and how they were able to succeed in every genre where humor is found despite rampant sexism and prejudice.
Comedy in Real Life
Examining how comedians find humor in the simple daily experiences we all share to make us laugh.
One Nation, Under Comedy
An exploration of the evolution of racial humor and how comedy about shared experiences can cross cultural barriers to unite people in laughter.
Ripped from the Headlines
Tracing the origins of topical humor from the invention of the monologue to the "fake news" shows of today.
The Spark of Madness
Exploring the fascinating mind of the comedian and the difficult road that many seem destined to take -- where mental illness and substance abuse are remarkably common.
Making Fun
Demonstrating how effective and funny it can be when you look at something serious and just twist it ever so slightly.
Politics Aside
Examining the many different ways that comedy has lampooned and influenced politics over the years.
Recently Updated Shows
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is an Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase.
Since its inception in 1975, "SNL" has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. As The New York Times noted on the occasion of the show's Emmy-winning 25th Anniversary special in 1999, "in defiance of both time and show business convention, 'SNL' is still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture." At the close of the century, "Saturday Night Live" placed seventh on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 100 Entertainers of the past fifty years.
Lioness
Lioness, inspired by an actual U.S. Military program, follows the life of Joe while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA's spear in the war on terror. The Lioness Program, overseen by Kaitlyn Meade and Donald Westfield, enlists an aggressive Marine Raider named Cruz to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism in the CIA's efforts to thwart the next 9/11.
The Pitt
The Pitt is a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today's America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Each episode follows an hour of Dr. Robby's 15-hour shift as the chief attendant in Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital's emergency room.
Dark Matter
Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series follows Jason Dessen, a physicist, professor, and family man who – one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago – is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the multiverse of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of mind-bending realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.
