Drunk history isn’t just another historical reenactment.
The show is on Comedy Central and is hosted by Derek Waters along with a comedian narrator.
Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner co-created the show that has drunk narrators struggle to recount a historical event while actors reenact the event using the dialogue from the narrator. The show contains three stories that are told and reenacted in each episode. This works by having a narrator pick an event in history that they find most interesting. After getting to know the story pretty well the narrator sits down with Derek Waters to retell the story while drunk.
The shows narrators tell historical events fairly accurately, while the host and co-creator makes sure that the narrators correctly state the years and pronounce historical names accurately. The show does contain a fair bit of swearing thanks to the intoxication, but it is the fact that these narrators are drunk that makes this show even more comical.
The reenactments of the historical events are what really makes this show great. Although it is noticeable through the scenery and costumes that the show has a low budget like in some episodes instead of using real animals they use actors to play the animals or just have stuffed animals in their place, it’s those production choices that add comedic value to the show.
Because the reenactments are lip synced from the narrator’s dialogue it adds more comedic elements to the reenactment. Occasionally the narrators add references and objects that have not been introduce to that particular era like people in the 1800’s would call each other on a phone or referring to a painting as a Jimi-Hendrix poster and it’s those moments that are the most laughable.
Even though there are some noticeable budget limits in the shows prop and scenery department that does not stop the show from getting some of the industry’s best actors. Jack Black, Winona Ryder, Kristen Wiig, Jason Mamoa, Octavia Spencer, and Lin-Manuel Maranda are just some of the names that have made appearances on Drunk History.
Drunk History managed to make important historical events funny and is sure to remind audiences how important history is. Drunk History has 4 seasons currently streaming on Hulu and will return for its fifth season later this year on Comedy Central.