The History of Comedy (Premieres Feb. 9 at 9 p.m. on CNN)

Having previously presented decade-by-decade histories of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s over the past three years, CNN now gets serious about the past, present, and future of comedy. Overseen by a team of directors that includes Will & Grace star Sean Hayes, the eight-chapter History of Comedy spans Ancient Greece to modern-day Hollywood and speaks with such luminaries as Larry David in its quest to answer the age-old question: “What’s so funny?” The Sundance premiere will consist of two episodes: “Spark of Madness,” devoted to comics who traffic in darker subject matter, and “Going Blue,” which explores the thin line between hilarious and offensive and profiles the comedians — like Lenny Bruce — who gleefully cross it.