The History of the World Backwards

infobox television
show_name = The History of the World Backwards


genre = Comedy mockumentary
creator = Rob Newman
producer =
executive_producer =
caption =
runtime = 30 minutes
starring = Rob Newman, Anton Lesser, Richard McCabe, Colin McFarlane, Lucy Liemann, Jim Howick, Su-Lin Looi
opentheme =
theme_music_composer =
country = flagcountry|United Kingdom
picture_format =
network = BBC Four
first_aired = 30 October 2007
last_aired =
num_series = 1
num_episodes = 6
website =
imdb_id = 1132025
tv_com_id = |

"The History of the World Backwards" is a comedy sketch show written and starring Rob Newman. It is a mock history programme set in an alternative world, where time flows forwards, but history flows backwards. It is shown on BBC Four, and started on October 30, 2007. It is Newman's first television project for 14 years.cite news|last=Benedictus|first=Leo|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/oct/29/television.comedy|title=Blast from the past|publisher=The Guardian|date=2007-10-29|accessdate=2007-11-04]

Plot

"The History of the World Backwards" tells the story of the world, but in a world where time flows forwards whilst history told backwards. In other words, if you were born in 2007, you would be 60-years-old in 1947. All the major historical events happen backwards, so for example, Nelson Mandela enters jail a Spice Girls fan, and comes out as a terrorist intent in overthrowing the state. There are several recurring themes, such as the "Technology collapse", where scientific discoveries are lost, forgotten or made unworkable.

Reception

Most reviews of the show have been critical of it. One reviewer said, "Here, we are relying largely on Newman alone and he ends up being bogged down into too many sketches that fail to go anywhere and stretch far too long", and also said it was too similar to "Time Trumpet". [cite web|last=Donaldson|first=Brian|url=http://www.list.co.uk/article/5303-the-history-of-the-world-backwards/|title=The History of the World Backwards|publisher=The List|date=2007-10-18|accessdate=2007-11-04] Another claimed the show was too confusing and that, "The sketches are nonsensically unfunny, and any serious points get lost in the absurdity." [cite news|last=Buckley|first=Julia|url=http://www.thelondonpaper.com/cs/Satellite/london/tv/article/1157149523129?packedargs=suffix%3DArticleController|title=The history of the world backwards|publisher=The London Paper|date=2007-10-30|accessdate=2007-11-04] A. A. Gill said that, "It's a sketch show written by Stephen Hawking's wheelchair. It collapses under the weight and restrictions of its own concepts." [cite web|last=Gill|first=A. A.|authorlink=A. A. Gill|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article2785430.ece|title=Muslim drama with a fundamental flaw|publisher=The Times|language=English|date=2007-11-04|accessdate=2007-11-04]

References

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132025/ The History of the World Backwards] on the Internet Movie Database
* [http://www.robnewman.com/historyinreverse.html The History of the World Backwards] on Rob Newman's website