How to with John Wilson (TV Series) How to Improve Your Memory (2020) User Reviews

Moving and thought provoking

[ATheoryOfJustice · 10/10 · 1 January 2021]

This show is obviously intended as a satire of humans and the segment on the Mandela Effect is humorous, however, the really incredible part to me was John's incredible archive of all of the events in his life. A simultaneously depressing (due to its monotony) and relatable exercise which I assume is actually real. I think as humans we have a tendency to exaggerate the variation in our lives in our mind but in reality vast swaths of our time are spent doing mundane repetitive activities that we like to forget (Not this show).

It's really great

[OftenCriticalGuy · 10/10 · 23 September 2023]

I'm pretty new to this series, and I've enjoyed what I've seen. I felt compelled to write a review of this particular episode because the ending is just an absolute masterpiece. The whole ep is great, it's fascinating to see people grapple with our human frailties and come up with extremely unlikely explanations simply to avoid thinking their minds are not steel traps of knowledge. It's a bit scary to think you can't trust your memories. It does seem that a LOT of these "Mandela Effect" memories are held by Gen Xers. Odd?

But my main purpose is to say the ending is so friggin funny that I would encourage everyone to watch at least this one episode.

Stupid, stupid, stupid

[billsoccer · 5/10 · 3 December 2021]

This was supposed to be on improving your memory but didn't do more than mention a practice. This guy goes out on several tangents. The long shots with people who think something was true when it wasn't was typical - not funny, just sad. You wonder how much of this was scripted. If so, they need a better writer.

I understand this guy was supposed to be funny, or perhaps tongue-in-cheek. Complete failure.

How to Improve Your Memory

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 11 September 2022]

John Wilson spent years writing down everything he did for years because his memory is so shocking. Although he never explains why it is important for him to remember what time he woke up and what he had for breakfast some random days 10 years ago.

Now he learns techniques about improving memory such as mind mapping.

John also discovers about the Mandela Effect, false memory syndrome. This is based on paranormal researcher Fiona Broome, who reported having detailed memories of news coverage of South African anti Apartheid leader Nelson Mandela dying in prison sometime in the 1980s.

Of course just about everyone in Britain in the 1980s knew that Mandela was in prison. Half the country thought he was a terrorist and should remain in Robben island. The other half felt he was unjustly dealt with. There were Free Nelson Mandela T shirts, songs wanting him to be released and even a concert for him in Wembley stadium.

I can see why this show is loved by most critics but will split the viewers. It stays on the right side of being an arty surreal mockumentary. A little bit like Philomena Cunk in Britain, deadpan but not always funny.

My mileage varied and in the end I was interested to know how much of it was a documentary and how much of it was set up.