"The Kids in the Hall" (1988) TV series 1988-1994

Directors:

John Fortenberry
Kevin McDonald

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

16 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The TV series of the Canadian sketch comedy troupe that, more often than not, puts bizarre, unique, and insane twists in their skits.

Plot Keywords:

Sketch Comedy | Bar | Secretary | Gay | Cross Dressing

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 9 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 5 of 11)

Dave Foley	...	Various Characters / ... (103 episodes, 1988-1995)
Bruce McCulloch	...	Various Characters / ... (103 episodes, 1988-1995)
Kevin McDonald	...	Various Characters / ... (103 episodes, 1988-1995)
Mark McKinney	...	Various Characters / ... (103 episodes, 1988-1995)
Scott Thompson	...	Various Characters / ... (103 episodes, 1988-1995)

Runtime:

USA:25 min (1989-1992) | USA:60 min (1992-1994) | USA:60 min (pilot)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

CBC Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Broadway Video International

Trivia:

Several of the cast's family members and friends have done guest spots or cameos on the show. Kevin McDonald’s ex-wife was in one sketch, playing his girlfriend. Scott Thompson old boyfriend appeared in the background of several first-season sketches. Mark McKinney's brother cameoed as a man reading a paper in one sketch. And Kevin's mom appeared as herself in the sketch "Sketch With Just A Middle."

Quotes:

Daddy: All right now, son, I want you to get a good night's rest. And remember, I could murder you while you sleep.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Monster A-Go-Go (#5.21)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Having An Average Weekend

The most original sketch comedy program on TV.

Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, you have to admit that there's never been anything like the KIDS IN THE HALL. Sure, sketch comedy shows are a dime a dozen, but these guys set themselves apart from all the rest with their unmatchable brand of bizarre, surreal, and often gender-defiant skits. The show is usually downright hilarious, although some of the jokes do miss their mark on occasion. But even the most unfunny sketches are entertaining, simply because of how insane they are.

The humor in KIDS IN THE HALL is, for the most part, purely unexplainable, and sometimes it's actually subtly disturbing--an experimental sort of comedy that best fits in the "either you get it or you don't" category. When watching KITH with a group, the viewer response will invariably be split: one half will be teary-eyed from laughter while the rest of the gang will be hopelessly confused or frustrated, making condescending statements like "I don't see how you think this is funny!"

It's clear that these lovable Canucks decided from the get-go that they were going to do exactly what they wanted, without too much concern for genre standards, formulas, or even success. And that, I think, is the secret to their success. Whether they intended to or not, these five KIDS succeeded in carving themselves a very distinct niche in the world of sketch comedy, towering above even SNL because of their fresh style and consistent hilarity.