A tv show review written by: Lee Sonogan
30mins (2012-2015) Comedy
Key & Peele was an American sketch comedy television series created by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele for Comedy Central. In front of a live studio audience bantering about a topic, the show is weaved between filmed shorts and sketches. The sketches cover a variety of societal topics, often with a focus on American popular culture, ethnic stereotypes and race relations. Each skit of comedy shows multiple layers and levels of acting, comedic timing and many philosophy topics/themes.
Most of the sketches of this show are very re-watchable. The first two seasons of Key & Peele received positive reviews, maintaining a score 74 of 100 by the review aggregator site Metacritic. The third season of Key & Peele received critical acclaim, receiving a score of 82 on Metacritic. Comedian, Dave Chappelle has accused the show of copying the format he established years prior for Chappelle’s Show, but states that he is still a fan of the show.
Recurring characters and sketches
- Barack Obama – The 44th President of the United States, who often has difficulty expressing his true feelings.
- Luther – President Obama’s “anger translator,” who works to interpret the President’s low-key statements into raging tirades.
- Wendell Sanders – Wendell is a nerdy, extremely overweight, friendless man who loves sci-fi and fantasy. He often comes up with elaborate stories to convince others that he is not a stereotypical nerd.
- Mr. Garvey – Mr. Garvey is an angry and intimidating substitute teacher and 20-year veteran of urban education.
- Meegan – Meegan is a young woman angry at her boyfriend, André, who always pursues her from a club, but she won’t let him near enough to make up.
- André – André is Meegan’s equally loud, but far more intelligent and polite boyfriend who tends to take the fall for the conflicts she starts with others.
- DeVon – DeVon is the shady and weird landlord who’s often suspicious of what goes on in his tenant’s apartments,
- Rafi Benitez – Rafi is a baseball player who makes all his teammates uncomfortable in the locker room, because of his “slap-ass” addiction.
- Brock Favors – Brock Favors is a news reporter who’s always ill-prepared for his assignments. He always responds to unexpected and sudden events with loud, excited swearing.
- Col. Hans Muller – A Nazi Colonel who is ignorant to the truth. He uses “very scientific” methods to find black people
- Levi and Cedric – Two inner-city friends who often get in rifts because of Levi constantly joining new trends such as going steam-punk or getting his own Ratatouille.
- Carlito – Carlito is a Mexican gangster who believes that very normal or minor acts are “for pussies”, and believes himself to be above doing such acts.
- The Valets – Two valets who love discussing their favorite movie stars and characters – despite mangling their names and films.
- Karim and Jahar – Two Middle Eastern men on the lookout for beautiful women. Though they claim to dislike homosexuals, they often act in a vaguely exaggerated homosexual manner.
- LaShawn and Samuel – A gay couple with very differing personalities and views on marriage.
- East/West Bowl Football Players – A series of college football players whose names become increasingly ridiculous as the list progresses.
- Metta World News – NBA player Metta World Peace delivers the “news,” which usually takes the form of presenting bizarre hypothetical scenarios to the audience and his imagined approach to them.
- The Black Republicans – A group of outside-of-the-box thinking black men who try to convert other black voters to join the Republican party.
- Joseph – Joseph is a crude con man who attempts to deceive others into helping him financially by making up hardships.
Thought provoking and appealing to a wide amount of audiences. It is unparalleled mixed with genuine ridiculousness. The duo of Key and Peele are obviously talented and continue to create years after this tv show finished. Also the production of the show and the writing is very consistent. The only thing this show does wrong is sometimes there is too much over them top black culture references in it. Some is all right, the other black culture jokes get a bit cringed. I recommend this sketch show to everyone who likes skits and interesting comedy
7.57/10
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