Key & Peele
“Terrorist Meeting”
Season 4, Episode 11
Chad White, Rating: Where are you Andre?
With a political focused opening, Key & Peele had officially stepped into SNL territory. The guys have been straddling the line between the common sketch series and web show. I heard someone mention that their videos would be perfect for just the internet. But these guys are doing more than providing us with moment to moment catchphrases or future outdated references. We’re getting quality ideas that are portrayed in cinematic angles that include some of the best comedy writing on cable right now. True, there are jokes, sketches or whole episodes that are duds but that’s bound to happen. Tonight was no indication that the guys and their team are running out of ideas during their prolonged season but there was a bit of trouble. The whole “Obama: Success or Failure” premise was nice but unneeded. Jokes were dated most of the time too.
The first sketch was about a group of Al Queda terrorists complaining about how the TSA is impeding their progress of taking down a plane. Like most of their other sketches, this one went on far too long. There was no connection between jokes. All of the references have been made before. Worse yet, those jokes had better execution. The setting was great and the direction was fine but the writing was underwhelming.
Almost everything I said about the terrorist sketch can be said about the one following it. Key and his gang members let another guy join. Peele disagrees saying that he is the crazy guy they’ve had all along. He tries to prove his worth but is ultimately more “zany than loco.” The sketch devolves to slapstick humor with Peele’s character doing multiple things to increase bodily harm. Again, no real comedy anywhere.
The real winner of the night comes in the form of the third sketch. Key returns home to his parents (mixed race couple!) to tell them he’s engaged. Older burnout brother Peele talks down to everyone and even does the clichéd slow clap at least five times. Some real good moments happen during this one and I love it more than other parts of the episode. Even the final sketch that follows Meegan getting disruptive during a movie is fun. There’s not much to say about it because it’s like the other Meegan centric sketches. She and Andre are on a date something happens. The end.
Should you watch “Terrorist Meeting?”
Skip the first half and watch the last parts. Oddly enough, with Key & Peele coming into SNL territory, their episode structure is different from the 40 year old series’. But really, who watches the last two SNL sketches? With the exception of the live audience and reviewers like me, I think it’s safe to say not many people do.