Key and Peele is a sketch comedy show created by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. The show originally aired from 2012 to 2015. The two have been involved in many other productions, Keegan-Michael Key featured in many other comedy series, and Jordan Peele taking up writing and directing with his hit films Get Out, Us, and most recently, NOPE.
The show originally aired on Comedy Central, and used humor to address essential issues of race, American culture, and ethnic stereotypes. The show has won a Peabody award for entertainment, and two Emmys, one in the sketch comedy genre and another for its use of makeup in a multi-camera series. The show has great production value with a skillfully crafted set-design and wardrobe, which adds much to the already great performances of the duo. The two are known for their absurdist comedy, impeccable character acting, and sketches that are not only hilarious, but invoke serious discussions of race relations in America. Here are the very best Key and Peele sketches, ranked.
10 East/West College Bowl
This sketch takes the format of a college football player introduction interlude, in which a team of American football players introduces themselves. The sketch shows Key & Peele acting as a handful of different characters, all saying their names and where they are from. The short quick cuts of the different characters on screen are a perfect method of introducing a cast of very funny characters. As the introductions progress the names and archetypes of college athletes introduced become increasingly absurd.
9 Killing an African Warlord
This sketch depicts an African warlord and one of his underlings on the brink of capture. With enemy forces closing in, the warlord instructs his soldier to kill him to avoid being captured and tortured. The comedic nature of this sketch relies heavily on release theory, showing the warlord repeatedly injured by his ignorant soldier instead of escaping with a quick and painless death.
8 Insult Comic
This sketch depicts Key as a standup comedian who looks to his audience members for comedic relief. He makes his way around the crowd, making fun of their physical appearances, until he gets to Peele’s character, who is shown to have severe burns on his face, and speaks through a stoma. The character eggs on the comedian to make fun of him, ultimately forcing Key to be booed by the audience. This sketch is a great example of realistic set design and costuming, all with the aim of an immersive comedic situation.
7 Prepared for Terries
Here we see some of the most eccentric characters that Key and Peele have produced. This sketch takes place on a plane where two men with wildly stylized facial hair continue to harass a passenger in their row about their plans to confront terrorists. The men throw around phrases referring to how they are going to attack potential terrorists like, “That’s the combat seat... with great power, comes great reshpronsatrilatras.” and “You have to fireboard those mothajammers.” the witty dialogue and costuming make this quite the memorable sketch.
6 High On Potenuse
In another classic sketch, we find the two in a school setting acting as students. The teacher in the front of the room is explaining the parts of a triangle and points at the hypotenuse, which sparks Jordan Peele’s character to whisper “I wish I was high on potenuse”. Keegan’s character repeats the phrase louder, sparking the class into an uproar of laughter. The scene escalates from there, with Keegan’s character obtaining an increasing amount of attention for the joke. The sketch is both relatable and absurd, easily making it one of their best.
5 Das Negros
This sketch takes place in Nazi Germany and shows the two disguised as white men, while an SS officer interrogates them in an attempt to uncover two black men living in the area. The SS officer decides to test the two, using absurd and unfounded stereotypes, which ultimately lead Key and Peele to pass his examination. The sketch can be seen as a commentary on the stereotypes and ridicule of senseless Nazi ideology.
4 I Said B**ch
This sketch depicts a couple arriving at another couple's home and once alone, Key apologizes for their late arrival, blaming it on his wife. The sketch evolves into the two talking about problems with their wives, and showing them to be paranoid about being overheard. Scene cuts show the two moving further away from the home and upping the ante until the two are shown in space, where they are (hopefully) without the risk of being overheard.
3 Make-A-Wish
This sketch is a bit of a departure from other content on the show, as it depicts a both frightening and funny situation in which a sick child explains their last wishes. In retrospect, it is a good example of the skill Jordan Peele has for combining the two genres. Peele’s voice acting is unnerving, and Key responds to the creepy remarks of the child in a perfectly hilarious way.
2 Feminist Pirate Chantey
In another not-so-typical sketch, almost the entirety of the sketch is a song, specifically a sea shanty sung by pirates. The comedy here is simple but effective and plays off the sexist and crude archetype of pirates. Key and Peele switch things up by showing the singing pirates to have exceptionally progressive views on consent, personal autonomy, and discriminatory language.
1 Damn, Check That S**t Out
This sketch is the ultimate show of absurdism, as it depicts two men who are looking at a woman in the park. The character played by Jordan Peele repeatedly asks questions to Keegan-Michael Key’s character in reference to the women. At first, it sounds like Peele’s character is just referencing her looks and calling her attractive, but the situation turns out to be much more ludicrous. This sketch is short and sweet; it takes a relatively mundane moment of human interaction and throws it in a completely different direction; the exact type of comedy that makes the duo so incredibly successful.