If you’re after a satirical review of the year, then you could do a lot worse than checking out Netflix comedy special Death to 2021 – a follow-up to last year’s Death to 2020.
Originally conceived by Charlie Brooker – who is not involved in writing this year’s show – the format sees various famous faces adopt exaggerated personas to look back on the big events of the last 12 months, with plenty of laughs along the way.
And this year returning stars such as Hugh Grant, Joe Keery, and Diane Morgan are joined by a couple of new faces – read on to find out who appears in the show and which characters they are playing.
Hugh Grant plays Tennyson Foss OBE
!["Hugh]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Hugh-Grant-plays-Tennyson-Foss-Obe-b4034b1.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Hugh")
Who is Tennyson Foss OBE? An uptight and rather politically incorrect historian. Foss also appeared in Death to 2020.
What else has Hugh Grant been in? One of the most acclaimed British actors of his generation, Hugh Grant rose to fame with a string of roles in costume dramas such as The Remains of the Day and Sense and Sensibility, and romcoms such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. Other career highlights include Love Actually, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Florence Foster Jenkins, A Very English Scandal, Paddington 2 and The Undoing.
Joe Keery plays Duke Goolies
!["Joe]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Joe-Keery-plays-Duke-Goolies-5302057.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Joe")
Who is Duke Goolies? A gig economy millennial and YouTuber. This character also appeared in Death to 2020.
What else has Joe Keery been in? Keery is best known as Steve in Stranger Things, while film credits include Molly’s Game, Spree and Free Guy.
William Jackson Harper plays Zero Fournine
!["Death]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Zero-Fournine-5393eb7.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Zero")
Who is Zero Fourmine? A tech entrepreneur and chief of a social media company. Zero is a new character for Death to 2021, replacing Kumail Nanjiani’s similar character Bark Multiverse from Death to 2020.
What else has William Jackson Harper been in? Harper is best known for his role as Chidi Anagonye in The Good Place, with other appearances including Paterson, Midsommar, and Dark Waters.
Lucy Liu plays Snook Austin
!["Lucy]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Lucy-Liu-plays-Snook-Austin-fbca87a.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Lucy")
Who is Snook Austin? A journalist who provides her takes on some of the big events of the year. Austin is a new character for Death to 2021, replacing Samuel L Jackson’s Death to 2020 character Dash Bracket in a similar role.
What else has Lucy Liu been in? Liu has a number of high profile film and TV credits to her name including Ally McBeal, Chicago, Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill and Elementary.
Tracey Ullman plays Madison Madison
!["Tracey]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Tracey-Ullman-plays-Madison-Madison-2359864.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Tracey")
Who is Madison Madison? A right-wing television news pundit who has her own late-night show. Ullman played a different character (Queen Elizabeth II) in Death to 2020; her new role fills a similar role to one played by Lisa Kudrow in Death to 2020.
What else has Tracey Ullman been in? Ullman is known for fronting various comedy shows including The Tracey Ullman Show, Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union and Tracey Breaks the News.
Samson Kayo plays Pyrex Flask
!["Death]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Pyrex-Flask-19e23b1.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Pyrex")
Who is Pyrex Flask? A scientist, who provides an expert look at events of the last 12 months. He returns from Death to 2020.
What else has Samson Kayo been in? Kayo starred in Nick Frost and Simon Pegg’s comedy series Truth Seekers and has also appeared in Bloods, Sliced, and Famalam.
Stockard Channing plays Penn Parker
!["Stockard]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Stockard-Channing-plays-Penn-Parker-c8eb728.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Stockard")
Who is Penn Parker? An American news reporter. New to Death to 2021, Parker (like Snook Austin) fills a similar role to Samuel L Jackson’s character in the previous Death to 2020.
What else has Stockard Channing been in? Highlights from Channing’s long and varied career include Jack, The Fortune, The Cheap Detective, Heartburn, Up Close & Personal, Practical Magic, Anything Else, and The Good Wife.
Cristin Milioti plays Kathy Flowers
!["Cristin]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Cristin-Milioti-plays-Kathy-Flowers-2944c1f.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Cristin")
Who is Kathy Flowers? A self-described soccer mom, who previously appeared in Death to 2020.
What else has Cristin Milioti been in? Milioti is known for playing the Mother Tracy McConnellin How I Met Your Mother, while other roles have included The Wolf of Wall Street, Fargo season 2, Black Mirror and Palm Springs.
Diane Morgan plays Gemma Nerrick
!["Diane]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Diane-Morgan-plays-Gemma-Nerrick-4f09a8b.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Diane")
Who is Gemma Nerrick? Described as “an average citizen”, Gemma gives the layman’s view of the year. She previously appeared in Death to 2020.
What else has Diane Morgan been in? Morgan is known for her appearances as Philomena Cunk in Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe and other programmes, while she also stars in Motherland, After Life and has her own sitcom titled Mandy.
Meanwhile, The Matrix star Laurence Fishburne narrates the special, and Ted Lasso’s Nick Mohammed also stars in a voice role as the director.
Death to 2021 is streaming on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.