Death to 2021: whenis Netflix black comedy on TV, and who is in the cast with Lucy Liu?

Hugh Grant as historian Tennyson Foss in Netflix special Death to 2020 (Credit: Keith Bernstein/Netflix)

Charlie Brooker has prepared another satirical reflection on the year gone by with Death to 2021.

Several of the Death to 2020 actors will appear, as will new characters portrayed by Lucy Liu and William Jackson Harper.

Here’s everything you need to know about Death to 2021, coming to Netflix on December 27.

What is it about?

Death to 2021 is a mockumentary style look back on the past twelve months. It mixes archive footage with cutaways to talking head interviews with a series of exaggerated characters and comic caricatures.

It’s produced by Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, who together created Black Mirror.

Who’s in it?

Diane Morgan as Gemma Nerrick in Charlie Brooker’s Death to 2020. Morgan will be returning for Death to 2021 (Credit: Netflix)

There are a number of new actors in Death to 2021, including Lucy Liu (Elementary, Shazam!), Stockard Channing (The West Wing), and William Jackson Harper (The Good Place).

Returning after their appearance in Death to 2020 are Hugh Grant (A Very English Scandal) as arrogant historian Tennyson Foss, Tracey Ullman as the Queen, Cristin Millioti (How I Met Your Mother) as a stereotypical “Karen”, and Joe Keery (Stranger Things) as struggling millennial Duke Goolies.

It’s not currently clear if Samuel L Jackson will return, or if Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) will once again narrate.

Where can I watch the trailer?

There’s no traditional trailer for Death to 2021 just yet, because the feature special is still being written and edited right now – Charlie Brooker and his team of writers keep working on jokes for the special right up until release, to keep it as relevant as possible.

They have however released this clip from the special. In it, you can see Diane Morgan’s (Motherland) character Gemma Nerrick – “the fifth most average person in the world” – reflect on her experience zoom dating in 2021.

When and where can I watch it?

You’ll be able to see Death to 2021 on Netflix on December 27.

Is there going to be a Black Mirror Series 6 on Netflix?

Charlie Brooker isn’t just the writer of Death to 2021, he’s also the creator of Black Mirror, so whenever he starts work on a new project an obvious question arises.

Brooker has said that he’s currently focusing on comedy projects (like Death to 2021), and has admitted to struggling to come up with new ideas for Black Mirror episodes, suggesting that the show has been outpaced by reality.

Why should I watch it?

If you like Charlie Brooker’s sense of humour – particular his BBC Screenwipe specials, and their annual Yearly Wipe spinoff – then you’ll likely enjoy this.

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