Pardon My Icelandic

Ari Eldjárn plays the role of the bemused outsider from a tiny island, turning his sights on the cultural quirks of Scandinavia and the absurdities of European football. He is at his best when dismantling the subtle rivalries between Nordic neighbors, like mimicking the vocal inflections of Norwegian ski jumpers or mocking Danish pronunciation, finding the comedy in the petty differences of a region often lumped together by foreigners. He treats the rest of the world with the same bemusement, whether critiquing Marvel’s depiction of Thor or reliving the collective ecstasy of Iceland beating England at the Euro 2016 tournament.

Pardon My Icelandic was recorded at the National Theatre of Iceland in Reykjavík in 2017 but sat on a shelf for three years before Netflix picked it up for global distribution in late 2020. At the time of its release, the hour offered a quiet reprieve for viewers exhausted by political comedy, avoiding American partisan fatigue entirely. Instead, Eldjárn leans into high-energy physical act-outs, like a bit about a gym-goer struggling with Roman numerals and a wordless physical routine at a finicky automatic hand-dryer.

While some of his observations about British behavior rely on familiar tropes, the set succeeds on Eldjárn’s charisma and vocal flexibility. His transitions between Scottish, English, and regional Nordic accents keep the material moving, helping him establish a foothold in the UK comedy circuit.