They used to say there's nothing funny about analyzing what makes something funny. The reviews seem to indicate that's not the case in CNN's eight part "History of Comedy" which starts Thursday night at 10 PM on the all-news network. (That is providing there's no breaking news that would delay it.) This is just the latest in CNN's attempts to move away from non-stop headlines. 

The documentary series is divided by topic, including ribald humour, women in comedy, political satire and even the tortured souls of comedians like Robin Williams and John Belushi. Reviews have been good and if you're into this kind of thing, it could be DVR-worthy. 

NYT Review: CNN’s ‘History of Comedy’ Has Good Timing

CNN Show Trailer