Key & Peele

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Key & Peele
Key & Peele.jpg
Genre Sketch comedy
Created by Keegan-Michael Key
Jordan Peele
Directed by Peter Atencio
StarringKeegan-Michael Key
Jordan Peele [1]
Theme music composer Reggie Watts
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes53 (and 1 special) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersKeegan-Michael Key
Jordan Peele
Ian Roberts
Jay Martel
Peter Principato
Paul Young
ProducerKeith Raskin
CinematographyCharles Papert
EditorsJustin Donaldson
Richard LaBrie
Camera setup Single-camera [2]
Multi-camera (stage segments)
Running time21–22 minutes [3]
Production companies Cindylou
Monkeypaw Productions
Comedy Partners
Martel & Roberts Productions
Principato-Young Entertainment (2014–15)
Original release
Network Comedy Central
ReleaseJanuary 31, 2012 (2012-01-31) 
September 9, 2015 (2015-09-09)
Related
Mad TV

Key & Peele (abbreviated to K&P) is an American sketch comedy television series created by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele for Comedy Central. Both Key and Peele previously worked on Mad TV. [4]

Contents

Each episode of the show consists mainly of several pre-taped skits starring the two actors. The sketches cover a variety of societal topics, often with a focus on American popular culture, ethnic stereotypes, social awkwardness and race relations. [5] Key & Peele premiered on January 31, 2012 [6] and ended on September 9, 2015, with a total of 53 episodes, over the course of five seasons. A special titled "Key & Peele's Super Bowl Special" aired on January 30, 2015.

Key & Peele won a Peabody Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards and has been nominated for various other awards, including Writers Guild Award, NAACP Image Award and 16 additional Primetime Emmy Awards in various categories.

Comedy Central also maintains an official YouTube channel for the series, which currently has over 5.6 million subscribers and 2.4 billion views, as of May 5, 2024.

Format

In the first three seasons, an episode would consist of a cold open, with a short sketch. After the intro plays, the two hosts introduce themselves to a studio audience and explain a possible situation, with the following sketch having a similar situation. The show then follows this pattern, with a number of sketches, each varying in length. However, not all the segments are introduced by a studio segment nor are they necessarily on a similar or connected theme. Many of the show's sketches follow a similar comedic form, specifically taking a comedic premise, situation, or turn of phrase, and repeat it in a more extreme fashion, thereby 'upping the ante' of comedic absurdity as the sketch unfolds. As an example, in popular sketch "Consequences", a guest speaker is brought to a school assembly to warn students about the consequences of their youthful misadventures. The speaker starts by telling a story of pattern of youthful misbehaviors and minor substance-use, such as smoking cigarettes and "hanging out on the street late at night" leading to misdemeanors and petty crime, through to "real crimes" which resulted in "being shot out of a catapult into the mouth of a dragon", and later being "sucked into a wormhole, consequences!". [7] Additionally, Key and Peele's sketches often poke fun at aspects of race relations in the modern-day United States, as well as Black American culture writ large.

In the last two seasons, the show eschewed a studio audience in favor of a pre-shot narrative, featuring the duo discussing a concept during a car ride, as the introduction to their sketches. In the last episode, it is revealed that the car ride is an extension of one of the first sketches from the first episode, as they finally stop the car in the middle of the road, look around, and utter "Bitch!" to one another.

Production

The series was first announced in June 2011 by Comedy Central. [1] In anticipation of the show, Key and Peele launched a web series in support of the program. [8] The series premiered in January 2012 on Comedy Central in the U.S. and on The Comedy Network in Canada. [9] [10] The first episode drew 2.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched Comedy Central launch since 2009. [11]

The series was renewed for four more seasons, beginning in September 2012, [12] September 2013, [13] September 2014, [14] and July 2015. [15] The last episode aired in September 2015. [16]

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 8January 31, 2012 (2012-01-31)March 20, 2012 (2012-03-20)
2 10September 26, 2012 (2012-09-26)November 28, 2012 (2012-11-28)
3 13September 18, 2013 (2013-09-18)December 18, 2013 (2013-12-18)
4 11September 24, 2014 (2014-09-24)December 10, 2014 (2014-12-10)
Special January 30, 2015 (2015-01-30)
5 11July 8, 2015 (2015-07-08)September 9, 2015 (2015-09-09)

Recurring characters and sketches

Key performing as Luther, President Obama's "anger translator", at the 2015 White House Correspondents Dinner. Barack Obama and Keegan-Michael Key at White House Correspondents' Association Dinner 2015.jpg
Key performing as Luther, President Obama's "anger translator", at the 2015 White House Correspondents Dinner.

Guest stars

Reception

Critical reception

Key (left) and Peele (right) attending the Peabody Awards in 2014 Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele 2014.jpg
Key (left) and Peele (right) attending the Peabody Awards in 2014

The first two seasons of Key & Peele received positive reviews, maintaining a score 74 of 100 by the review aggregator site Metacritic. [23] The third season of Key & Peele received critical acclaim, receiving a score of 82 on Metacritic. [24] The series won a Peabody Award in 2013 "for its stars and their creative team's inspired satirical riffs on our racially divided and racially conjoined culture". [25] On April 24, 2012, during an interview on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon , President Barack Obama told the story of how he had watched the Key & Peele sketch featuring himself with "Luther, his Anger Translator", saying that "It's pretty good stuff – it's good stuff." [26] Additionally, on April 25, 2015, during the White House Correspondents Dinner, Key reprised the role of Luther, President Obama's anger translator during the event. [27] 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. [28]

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryNominee(s)Result
2013 Writers Guild of America Awards [29] Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) Series Rebecca Drysdale, Colton Dunn, Keegan-Michael Key, Jay Martel, Jordan Peele, Ian Roberts, Alex Rubens, Charlie Sanders, and Rich Talarico Nominated
65th Primetime Emmy Awards [30] Outstanding Makeup for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)Scott Wheeler, Suzanne Diaz Nominated
2014 Peabody Award [31] Entertainment honoreeKey & Peele Won
66th Primetime Emmy Awards [30] Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics Episode: "Substitute Teacher #3; Joshua Funk, Rebecca Drysdale for "Les Mis"Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series Jay Martel, Ian Roberts, Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, Alex Rubens, Rebecca Drysdale, Colton Dunn, Rich Talarico, Charlie SandersNominated
Outstanding Makeup for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)Episode: "East/West Bowl RapNominated
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or SpecialEpisode: "Substitute Teacher #3"Nominated
2015 People's Choice Awards Favorite Sketch Comedy SeriesComedy CentralNominated
67th Primetime Emmy Awards [30] Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Comedy CentralNominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Keegan-Michael KeyNominated
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series Rebecca Drysdale, Colton Dunn, Keegan-Michael Key, Jay Martel, Jordan Peele, Ian Roberts, Alex Rubens, Charlie Sanders, and Rich TalaricoNominated
Outstanding Writing for a Variety SpecialBrendan Hunt, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, and Rich Talarico for Key & Peele's Super Bowl SpecialNominated
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety ProgrammingPhil Davis, Christian Hoffman, and Rich LaBrie (Segment: "Scariest Movie Ever")Nominated
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or SpecialEpisode: "Aerobics Meltdown"Nominated
Outstanding Makeup for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)Episode: "Episode 406"Nominated
Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment ProgramKey & Peele Presents Van and Mike: The AscensionNominated
2016 68th Primetime Emmy Awards [30] Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Comedy CentralWon
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Keegan-Michael KeyNominated
Outstanding Writing for a Variety SeriesComedy CentralNominated
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or SpecialEpisode: "Y'all Ready for This?"Nominated
Outstanding Make-up for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)Episode: "Y'all Ready for This?"Won
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety ProgrammingRich LaBrie, Neil Mahoney, Nicholas Monsour, and Stephen Waichulis for Episode: "The End"Nominated
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Reality, or Reality-Competition SeriesEpisodes: "Y'all Ready For This?"; "The End"Nominated

Vandaveon and Mike

Key & Peele have also created a YouTube commentary of their episodes under their alter-egos Vandaveon Huggins and Mike Taylor. [32] Vandaveon and Mike analyze an episode, and suggest that low brow humor would make it funnier. These videos were also added to On Demand offerings of Key & Peele episodes. On March 12, 2014, Comedy Central announced the network was developing an animated spinoff starring Vandaveon and Mike as 12-year-old hall monitors, in association with Key and Peele. [33]

Other film and television

Key and Peele have appeared as a comedic duo, usually in tribute to the show, in various film and television series. This includes the following:

Home media

On September 25, 2012, Comedy Central and Paramount Home Entertainment released "Key and Peele – Season 1" on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Both formats feature bloopers, outtakes, a "Poolside Interview," audio commentary with Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, "Backstage," "Split Their Pants," Key & Peele live at the South Beach Comedy Festival, and an easter egg of the show's theme song. [34]

Broadcast

The show generally airs on international localized versions of Comedy Central. It premiered in Australia on The Comedy Channel on August 9, 2012. [35]

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