Black Mirror’s Netflix parody Streamberry has made a surprising return in a completely different show,Cunk on Life.This raises some interesting questions regarding Streamberry’s role in theBlack Mirroruniverse, one of thebest British shows on Netflix, and what this means for one of Brooker’s recurring characters, Philomena Cunk.
Cunk on Lifedebuted on BBC Two at 9 pm GMT on December 30th, 2024. UK viewers can stream it on BBC iPlayer, while international audiences can find it on Netflix starting January 2nd, 2025.Black Mirrorseason 7 is also one of themost exciting TV series returning in 2025. While they are very different projects, they share some similarities, the latest being the appearance of the Streamberry streaming service.
Black Mirror’s Streamberry Just Returned In Cunk On Life
Philomena Cunk Interviews A Streamberry Executive
Charlie Brooker is the creator of bothBlack MirrorandCunk On Life.In the latest installment of Philomena Cunk’s (Diane Morgan) mockumentary skits, the parody streaming platform “Streamberry” appeared. This was a meta moment as Streamberry first appeared in one of thebest episodes ofBlack Mirror.It is especially meta that Streamberry makes a mockery of our current TV culturebecause Philomena Cunk was a recurring character in Charlie Brooker’s previousScreenwipeseries, which was a scathing British TV retrospective. Brooker’s yearlyWipehas been on hiatus since 2017, so Cunk’s reappearance is a welcome callback.
Black Mirror 3 Biggest Connections Between the Seasons So Far
Screen Rant takes a deep dive into the three biggest connections between all six seasons of the sci-fi horror anthology series, Black Mirror.
Streamberry’s logo even has a font and color reminiscent of the Netflix logo. Remarkably,Netflix not only greenlit the reference on the show, but they made an effort to show they were in on the jokeby creating anactual Streamberry website. Netflix’s participation in the bit is one thing that provoked questioning of its role in the writing, whichCharlie Brooker has responded to. Its further appearance in Cunk’s hour-long special solidifies it as an enduring reference point. In the mockumentary, Cunk visits Streamberry’s headquarters to find out how they“help distract viewers from the bottomless misery of existence.”
So, Is Philomena Cunk Part Of The Black Mirror Universe Now?
Charlie Brooker Could Go The Chris Morris Route With Cunk
A standout segment sees Cunk squirm through a"promotional"interview with a Streamberry representative, highlighting shows designed for viewers grappling with"existential helplessness.“The absurdity peaks withBinko Says Don’t Jump,a Muppet-style program with an unsettlingly dark premise– a bit of a déjà vu of the British comedy horrorDon’t Hug Me I’m Scared. The segment is further elevated by the hilarious parody adverts, culminating in the striking image of a Cunk doll that lays bloody eggs. The segment shows the potential for Cunk to be technically part of Brooker’sBlack Mirroruniverse.
Connecting the Cunkverse toBlack Mirrorwould certainly further the longevity of Philomena’s gag.
Charlie Brooker has confirmed that he has considered having Cunk cover technology, which could fall under both shows as a theme (perChortle), but said he reserves the right to“revisit that thought”. Connecting the Cunkverse toBlack Mirrorwould certainly further the longevity of Philomena’s gag. This mock interview format having the experts play stern was previously pioneered by Chris Morris onThe Day Today,which evolved intoBrass Eye.This was responsible for developing key recurring characters, such as Alan Partridge. Brooker could take a similar approach with his absurd universe to broaden Cunk’s horizons.
