Sophia Michaels
Variety is, as they say, the spice of life, and it’s important to ensure there are always some options available, especially when the only other thing going on is a funeral. That’s why Britain’s Channel 5 is doing its TV-watching constituents a true national service by broadcasting The Emoji Movie and other children’s flicks during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
As expected, there will be wall-to-wall coverage of the Queen’s funeral in England (and elsewhere) today, Sept. 19. Even stations that aren’t necessarily airing the funeral proceedings, such as Channel 4, are airing Queen-related documentaries and other content. But Channel 5 — a free-to-air station that just so happens to be a subsidiary of the American media conglomerate Paramount Global— is taking a far different approach.
The network’s counter-programming options were anchored by an airing of The Emoji Movie, the widely-panned 2017 animated comedy that took home Worst Picture at the 38th Golden Raspberry Awards. The broadcasting choice has, of course, inspired a slew of great memes, with comedian/actress Lucia Keskin quipping, “as her majesty is laid to rest, the nation pauses with upmost sorrow to pay respect by watching the emoji movie on channel 5.”
Luckily, Channel 5 isn’t just offering up The Emoji Movie and has an array of other options as it continues to dutifully serve those uninterested in elaborate state funerals for heads of outdated institutions. Subsequent palette cleansers include the much more respected kids flick, Stuart Little, and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Sing.
