The Kids in the Hall: The Kids in the Hall (full Amazon Prime season)
May 26, 2022 7:05 PM - Season 1, Episode 1 - Subscribe
The Kids in the Hall are back on Amazon Prime in an eight-episode season. A ton of new material with just a few callbacks to classic skits like "I'm crushing your head" and the staff at A.T. and Love. Oh, and a lovely return of Buddy, lamenting the disappearing gay bars of the past.
Some press:
Vulture: The Kids in the Hall Make a Head-Crushing Return
NY Times: The Kids in the Hall Have Gotten Old. Their Comedy Hasn’t.
There's at least one ranking of each sketch in the series, though everyone will disagree with at least some of the rankings.
All I know is Bellini is there wearing a towel. Bellini will have fish.
Some press:
Vulture: The Kids in the Hall Make a Head-Crushing Return
NY Times: The Kids in the Hall Have Gotten Old. Their Comedy Hasn’t.
There's at least one ranking of each sketch in the series, though everyone will disagree with at least some of the rankings.
All I know is Bellini is there wearing a towel. Bellini will have fish.
"This baby is evil. I don't care for it." My favorite sketch of the season, I think.
On the other hand, I JUST got that song out of my head dammit
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 7:31 PM on May 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
On the other hand, I JUST got that song out of my head dammit
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 7:31 PM on May 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
Having done the radio thing back in the day, Foley’s thousand-yard stare while the track plays is comedy nourishment I didn’t know my soul needed. His “what the *fuck*!?” rejoinder to the meth line in the hateful baby sketch might be my favorite moment of this season.
I enjoyed the hell out of this.
posted by hototogisu at 7:36 PM on May 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
I enjoyed the hell out of this.
posted by hototogisu at 7:36 PM on May 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
I have to say, it’s impressive how this just feels like they picked up and didn’t miss a beat. Tons of good stuff and even going on to full nudity doesn’t feel gratuitous here. Very KITH!
Although, the Friends of KITH segments are unnecessary. And Fred Armisen, more so.
posted by hijinx at 8:14 PM on May 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
Although, the Friends of KITH segments are unnecessary. And Fred Armisen, more so.
posted by hijinx at 8:14 PM on May 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
This is the only time in my life that I am sad that I no longer have Prime. 🍸
posted by sara is disenchanted at 8:16 PM on May 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by sara is disenchanted at 8:16 PM on May 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed the hell out of this!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 8:43 PM on May 26, 2022
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 8:43 PM on May 26, 2022
E R A D I C A T O R
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:45 PM on May 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:45 PM on May 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
Oh yay, I was waiting for someone to put this up. It's just... good? It reminds of a review I once read for Radiohead's In Rainbows, where the critic wrote, "Radiohead exceeded our expectations by meeting them." That feels apt here.
There's a lot of really solid sketches. Post-apocalypse DJ is indeed a stand out. Somehow the Hotel La Rut one had me giggling a lot. Also Dave Foley being stuck in a Kevin McDonald sketch felt like... nostalgia done right?
posted by Alex404 at 9:56 PM on May 26, 2022 [9 favorites]
There's a lot of really solid sketches. Post-apocalypse DJ is indeed a stand out. Somehow the Hotel La Rut one had me giggling a lot. Also Dave Foley being stuck in a Kevin McDonald sketch felt like... nostalgia done right?
posted by Alex404 at 9:56 PM on May 26, 2022 [9 favorites]
Before I get too excited about this can somebody tell me how many Helens have endorsed it?
Oh, hell, who am I kidding? They had me at "Eradicator."
posted by Nerd of the North at 1:40 AM on May 27, 2022
Oh, hell, who am I kidding? They had me at "Eradicator."
posted by Nerd of the North at 1:40 AM on May 27, 2022
I texted a bunch of my nearest and dearest about it saying "I bet you didn't expect to see *that*"
and all the responses were "no, but I laughed my ass off"
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:12 AM on May 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
and all the responses were "no, but I laughed my ass off"
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:12 AM on May 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Apocalypse DJ is one of the finest things they have ever done; they threaded the needle between gallows humour and horror. (I have to admit I thought they were going to have a knock on the bunker door as the genny ran down and left Dave shrouded in darkness, but obv no resolution for that.)
My other faves: Imaginary Girlfriend, Hateful Baby, "I like my water hot-hot! This is not hot-hot!", Shakespeare's Bust, Baby Drop Average, and of course, the Kathies.
posted by Kitteh at 6:13 AM on May 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
My other faves: Imaginary Girlfriend, Hateful Baby, "I like my water hot-hot! This is not hot-hot!", Shakespeare's Bust, Baby Drop Average, and of course, the Kathies.
posted by Kitteh at 6:13 AM on May 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I'll second the sentiment that it feels like the Kids haven't skipped a beat. I absolutely loved the Zoom Meeting sketch for reasons I can't quite articulate.
posted by SansPoint at 9:02 AM on May 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by SansPoint at 9:02 AM on May 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm only one episode in but it was fantastic. The opening was a great way to pick back up. I liked Brain Candy but the jabs at it were good.
Cathy and Kathie! AT&Love! Bellini! The hits just kept coming along with newer stuff that was also great.
One thing I was not expecting because I'm a little dead inside and not very nostalgic: When Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet came in with the first few notes of the theme song I got tingly. I was taken immediately back. In Minneapolis KITH came on at midnight after SNL (not sure if that was universal?) and while I was a huge SNL fan they were making fun of their characters. The Kids loved their characters. It was not ok to be a square peg in my small suburb and here were people who were cool and just didn't seem to care that it wouldn't fit in or play to certain people. Along with being hilarious it made me feel like it might be ok to be weird sometimes, somewhere.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 10:59 AM on May 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Cathy and Kathie! AT&Love! Bellini! The hits just kept coming along with newer stuff that was also great.
One thing I was not expecting because I'm a little dead inside and not very nostalgic: When Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet came in with the first few notes of the theme song I got tingly. I was taken immediately back. In Minneapolis KITH came on at midnight after SNL (not sure if that was universal?) and while I was a huge SNL fan they were making fun of their characters. The Kids loved their characters. It was not ok to be a square peg in my small suburb and here were people who were cool and just didn't seem to care that it wouldn't fit in or play to certain people. Along with being hilarious it made me feel like it might be ok to be weird sometimes, somewhere.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 10:59 AM on May 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
One thing I was not expecting because I'm a little dead inside and not very nostalgic: When Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet came in with the first few notes of the theme song I got tingly.
It's not just you! My Canadian husband, who was in university in Toronto around the time of KITH's popularity, said, "Is--is that Shadowy Men as they are now too??" We both wanted to cry because it was such a full circle feeling of youth and middle age.
posted by Kitteh at 11:23 AM on May 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
It's not just you! My Canadian husband, who was in university in Toronto around the time of KITH's popularity, said, "Is--is that Shadowy Men as they are now too??" We both wanted to cry because it was such a full circle feeling of youth and middle age.
posted by Kitteh at 11:23 AM on May 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
It's so interesting. I absolutely loathed the Shakespeare and Post-Apocalyptic DJ sketches, but I appear to be the outlier on those.
I think we can all agree the sketches about the murderous cats, the banana demons, and the "My Card" sketch guest-starring Colin Mocherie were high points, though.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 11:49 AM on May 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think we can all agree the sketches about the murderous cats, the banana demons, and the "My Card" sketch guest-starring Colin Mocherie were high points, though.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 11:49 AM on May 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Dipping Areas was often quoted in my house but not one of their bigger sketches. It was a nice surprise seeing them become recurring characters.
posted by Gary at 5:57 PM on May 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Gary at 5:57 PM on May 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Thirding (Thirding?) the "picked up and didn’t miss a beat" comments. It's rather astonishing. And my favorite so far is "Imaginary Girlfriend". So perfectly written and performed.
I really didn't know I needed a KITH reunion until I saw it. Those guys are just golden.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 4:13 AM on May 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
I really didn't know I needed a KITH reunion until I saw it. Those guys are just golden.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 4:13 AM on May 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
Bigger. Yeah, twice as big.
Not the doll’s penis, the entire doll.
Oh, gotcha. Smaller. Way smaller.
posted by Naberius at 8:21 PM on June 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
Not the doll’s penis, the entire doll.
Oh, gotcha. Smaller. Way smaller.
posted by Naberius at 8:21 PM on June 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
Dave Foley's "Bad Doctor" was always an excellent character, but I re-watched this sketch because his performance and timing was flawless.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 8:45 PM on June 1, 2022
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 8:45 PM on June 1, 2022
Watched the first few episodes with no spoilers - was not prepared for that level of nudity!!
My favorite sketch at the moment is Apocalypse DJ - Dave Foley's face every time the song started again was brilliant.
posted by Julnyes at 10:06 AM on June 2, 2022
My favorite sketch at the moment is Apocalypse DJ - Dave Foley's face every time the song started again was brilliant.
posted by Julnyes at 10:06 AM on June 2, 2022
Julnyes: Foley is a master of the Kubrick stare
posted by SansPoint at 12:41 PM on June 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by SansPoint at 12:41 PM on June 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
Okay, I've seen ep. 3 now, and since it seems to be getting a lot of mentions both positive and negative, I'll split the difference on Apocalypse DJ. It just left me kind of meh. It was obviously well crafted with a lot of thought put into it, and Foley's performance was great. But it just didn't make me laugh.
Standout for me from ep. 3 was actually Thad and Shakespeare, both for the sudden extreme bloodletting (a la my beloved Farewell Mr. Bunting) and for the way Shakespeare just turns out to be a dick, sitting around on the desk watching Jackass and cackling like a fool.
posted by Naberius at 5:21 AM on June 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
Standout for me from ep. 3 was actually Thad and Shakespeare, both for the sudden extreme bloodletting (a la my beloved Farewell Mr. Bunting) and for the way Shakespeare just turns out to be a dick, sitting around on the desk watching Jackass and cackling like a fool.
posted by Naberius at 5:21 AM on June 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
Apocalypse DJ is the funniest thing I've seen in ages. His micro expressions! THAT song! Amazing. They are all comedy genius.
What a gift they gave us. I hope they make a shitload of money.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:33 AM on June 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
What a gift they gave us. I hope they make a shitload of money.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:33 AM on June 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
On Episode 3 .. that Zoom Call is gonna haunt me for a while....
posted by Faintdreams at 10:06 AM on June 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Faintdreams at 10:06 AM on June 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
It's nice to have them come back after a while (hadn't realized that Death Comes to Town was a decade ago) and pretty much pick up where they left off.
I saw the Imaginary Girlfriend sketch on one of their tours years ago, and it became an instant favorite. I'm so glad there's a recorded version of it now.
The part that's going to stay with me a while is the bit where the boss has Marv roughed up, and asks him (while Marv is being beaten up per his orders), "Do you think this is a toxic workplace?" It's so close to my bosses / workplace that I can't decide if it's hilarious or depressing.
posted by creepygirl at 11:33 PM on June 13, 2022
I saw the Imaginary Girlfriend sketch on one of their tours years ago, and it became an instant favorite. I'm so glad there's a recorded version of it now.
The part that's going to stay with me a while is the bit where the boss has Marv roughed up, and asks him (while Marv is being beaten up per his orders), "Do you think this is a toxic workplace?" It's so close to my bosses / workplace that I can't decide if it's hilarious or depressing.
posted by creepygirl at 11:33 PM on June 13, 2022
Agree, agree, agree with everybody!!! They’ve still got it—that weird and sometimes bleak grace of understanding and human compassion. And I missed them. I missed them so, so much. I had a KITH-sized hole in my heart, and didn’t know it.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 6:01 AM on July 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 6:01 AM on July 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by hototogisu at 7:17 PM on May 26, 2022 [15 favorites]