“Murder Laughs” (Season 1, Episode 8)Ī profoundly dark sketch that asks the question: What’s funny about shooting someone?Ģ94. Peele meets his real father (Key), who at first is dismissive, but when Peele says he “has his own show,” this gets Dad more interested. Paint splotches can also look like titties.Ģ96. Here they try their hand at picking up ladies at the gym.Ģ97. Unfortunately, K&P’s Middle Eastern catcalling guys always rubbed me the wrong way. “Karim and Jahar at the Gym” (Season 3, Episode 11) So, with that: Let’s set off on a journey that spanned well over 10,000 words!Ģ98.

But, hey, this is the internet: a sea of lists and rankings that pepper our lives with opinions we didn’t even know we wanted! To settle on a ranking, I tried to combine multiple factors - subversive qualities, good, old-fashioned LOLs, and viral success - into each decision. Not only because so many K&P bits were stunningly shot, hilariously funny, utterly prescient, or all of the above (even the least-successful sketches still hold up better than most on other shows), but also because comedy is completely subjective in every way, and what I, a single person in this crazy world, find funny is bound to differ from what you, a different person, find funny. Also, while we’re here: The props and production design and costumes were consistently at the toppest notch, too.)īefore our rankings begin, let’s get this out of the way: Ranking every Key & Peele sketch is a ridiculous, near-futile endeavor. (And speaking of combs, we can’t forget hair and makeup with K&P ending, The Americans and Drag Race are left to hold down TV’s wig game. What Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key accomplished as comedic performers will be recognized for years to come, as will the directing talents of Peter Atencio, who turned even the silliest ideas into memorable short films and the writers, who picked through both the absurd and the topical (oftentimes simultaneously) with a fine-tooth comb. Insane, right?īut also not that surprising, considering the level of care and attention that seemed to go into every sketch from the top down - from the subversive, racially aware sketches that gave the show its edge, to the many others about farts. Truly an internet juggernaut, K&P sketches racked up more than a billion views on YouTube over the course of five seasons, which culminated last week with a two-episode series finale.

Key & Peele will go down in history as one of the greatest sketch shows of all time, one that redefined the “filmic” sketch and established such a strong viral presence that many people didn’t even know it was a show that aired on actual television. Photo: Illustration: Maya Robinson and Photos by Comedy Central

Sketch trial key