Kidding - General Discussion

[ElectricBoogaloo]

How they filmed the one shot scene in S1.E3:

[100Proof]

Never really cared or even watched except for maybe one... the one with Renee Zellweger... of his comedies. I did like him in the dark/fantasy/surreal movies he did though.... Cable Guy, Eternal Sunshine, Truman Show. So I would characterize this show as same.

[Lemons]

On 10/21/2018 at 1:52 PM, Maurina said:

Okay I get that these characters are fairly over the top sometimes, but it strains credulity that they would all scream "Fuck you, cunt!" at a CANCER SURVIVOR.  Especially Jeff's ex wife - she's an oncology nurse, for fuck's sake.

Why not?  She did a completely shitty thing and they knew how it would affect him so or course they were mad.  I went through cancer too and don’t remember a time where I was immune to criticism.  

I loved this last episode with the death row inmate.  Beautifully written.  

[Guest]

21 hours ago, Lemons said:

I loved this last episode with the death row inmate.  Beautifully written.  

Agreed, absolutely stunning. I don't know if it was the lack of music over the end credits or me just absorbing what I had just seen but I started crying as they scrolled.

[iMonrey]

The story just keeps getting more and more bizarre. I have no idea what they're trying to say with Deirdre and Mr. Pickles-San and the way they seem to communicate telepathically through puppets. WTF. But now that Seb has revealed to his granddaughter how his wife had mental health issues, I'm guessing maybe those issues were inherited by both his children. Maybe Jeff isn't the only one having a mental breakdown - his sister might be having one as well. That would explain a lot of the weird fantasy sequences, if that's what they are. 

I kind of laughed at Tara Lipinski getting her throat slashed by her sister's skate blade, but the problem now is that I can't tell what's supposed to be real in this story and what isn't. (Everything to do with Tara Lipinski has been highly fictionalized: she has no sister in real life and isn't performing as a skater anymore, let alone in childrens' ice shows.)

[NeenerNeener]

Wow. Just when I think this show can't get darker, it does.  I'm not sure where they go from this for season 2.

And that's all I'm going to say about this so I don't spoil it for those folks who don't have "Showtime Anytime".

Edited November 11, 2018 by NeenerNeener

[Guest]

Wow. Did NOT see that coming. 

This show is like a warm hug from a loving mother who punches you in the face after she's done. 

[CynicalGirl]

I totally saw it coming, it flashed in my  head and then it actually happened! yikes!

[iMonrey]

That would have been a crummy way to end the story if the show had not been renewed for another season. I wonder whether they knew that when they wrote it that way. 

The problem with this show remains the inability to tell what's real and what's imaginary, so we can't even be sure whether Jeff really ran that guy down or if it was just a fantasy in his mind. 

It would not surprise me if the series ended up with Jeff in a mental hospital and we find out nothing on the show has been real, it's all been in his mind.

[Happy Camper]

This show has intrigued me since the first episode. I absolutely love each character, even the youngsters. It's probably one of the deepest shows that I have ever seen. 

Jim Carey's eyes. So sad. So haunted. 

[NeenerNeener]

On 11/14/2018 at 10:38 PM, Happy Camper said:

I absolutely love each character, even the youngsters. It's probably one of the deepest shows that I have ever seen. 

Amen. Now contrast this with Camping, where I hate all the characters except long-suffering Walt, and the stories are about as deep as a beer puddle on the top of a bar.

[Happy Camper]

9 minutes ago, NeenerNeener said:

Amen. Now contrast this with Camping, where I hate all the characters except long-suffering Walt, and the stories are about as deep as a beer puddle on the top of a bar.

Haven't seen that one, thanks for saving me the trouble of wasting my time checking it out!

[Lemons]

On 11/14/2018 at 10:38 PM, Happy Camper said:

This show has intrigued me since the first episode. I absolutely love each character, even the youngsters. It's probably one of the deepest shows that I have ever seen. 

Jim Carey's eyes. So sad. So haunted. 

Is there going to be another season?  Based on the ending maybe not?

[car54]

Yes, it was renewed.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/kidding-renewed-jim-carreys-showtime-comedy-gets-season-2-1151162

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Golden Globe nominations!

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: Jim Carrey

[For Cereals]

Question answered...

I see why Jim Carrey is great for this.  He wasn’t Mister Rogers, but there was always an expectation of him of the type of comedy he should do with more mass appeal when there is a much more darker, serious side to him.  I remember reading an article about him in Details years ago (90’s) about him being a janitor and poverty in his youth.  Lots to draw on there...

Anywho, the show is weird AF, but something in my Harold and Maude addled brain loves it.

Edited December 26, 2018 by For Cereals

[Guest]

Season 2 trailer

[HC87]

Odd show, but in a good way. Bingewatched the last few days on a friend's suggestion.

I can't say I enjoyed watching it all the time but it was fascinating in many ways

[pasdetrois]

I binge-watched while traveling. I'll give anything different a chance and am glad I did. I love Keener and Greer. Pickles reminded me a bit of people I've known who have that saintly otherworldly demeanor but who have dead eyes and something scary simmering underneath the surface.

[msrachelj]

Yikes. Is no one watching? I'm all for strange and different shows like this. Such a wonderful departure from formulaic sitcoms and reality shit shows, literally. 

[Guest]

I'm watching and I am LOVING this season as much as I loved the last. This one is really low-key gut wrenching. 

[Broderbits]

I just started watching and think this show is amazing! Sitcoms leave me cold (and they usually presume low intelligence of the audience); this is so much more. Great job by everyone involved.

[Guest]

It seems like Showtime is dumping these episodes two at a time with the final two airing next Sunday which worries me for another season. 

This season is really, truly amazing -- the divorce episode of the Mr Pickles show was absolutely extraordinary and the follow up burying Mr Philippino Pickles was hysterical and awfully poignant. 

Deirdre's ex-husband is a scumbag but I'm wondering if what he did -- taking all of her patented puppets -- would actually have been legal? He could have taken 50% of the profits earned from the puppets but I don't know whether he could legally take the property away from her entirely for his sole profit. 

[Starchild]

Agree on the divorce episode of Mr. Pickles it was incredible. I expect Sesame Street or Mr. Rogers could have done better, but not by much.

[Ucross]

This series SO captures the struggle someone feels between their onscreen persona, and real, ugly life. The scene where Mr. Pickles' sisters' puppet designs and jerked away from her and show up in cheesy TV ads. How humiliating! Also living up to the character's image when his life is falling apart -- and then no one wants to hear it because they are acolytes worshipping at the Pickle altar. I know a similar kids' onscreen persona, and he will never be able to escape everyone viewing him as a caricature; it has devastated his life.

[iMonrey]

The show is just so damn bizarre yet strangely compelling. I bet it would be great to watch on acid.

[NeenerNeener]

That scene with Seb and Louise getting on the bus was so odd and yet so beautiful. This show is like a surreal version of This is Us.

[Guest]

Has Will ever confessed to anyone that he was the one who undid Phil's seat belt? (And I barely recognized him with his new haircut but thought it was sweet he did it in solidarity with Jeff.)

The last few episodes were absolutely heart-wrenching and touching and profound. I adore this show -- it really is one of the best series I've ever seen. 

[Starchild]

On 3/9/2020 at 9:10 AM, Giant Misfit said:

Has Will ever confessed to anyone that he was the one who undid Phil's seat belt?

He did? I don't recall that, is the scene on YT?

[Jamaraz]

I thought the last episode, especially when they were listening to the heartbeat, was beautifully done. 

 

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Starchild said:

He did? I don't recall that, is the scene on YT?

Well, I totally misremembered that! It was the other way around - Phil never had his seat belt on and it was Phil who tried to unbuckle Will's seat belt. Which now explains why the show never mentioned something that never happened. 😉

 

[marieYOTZ]

VERY beautiful show. I binge watched it all in the last 3 days. I found season 1 compelling, but appreciated that season 2 had a bit more of a hopeful note. 

The entire divorce episode brought me to tears, but Deirdre’s song most especially. And the duet between Peter and Jeff in episode 2 of season 2 was brilliant, but the sasquatch’s song took the day for me - as well as Jeff’s refrain in that song. “Up goes the barrel, Jeff feels anxious; down goes the barrel, Jeff feels free...” has been running through my head on a loop. I hope there will be another season! 

Edited March 17, 2020 by marieYOTZ

[Kiddvideo]

I just found this show and even activated my Showtime trial to watch season 2. I’m one of those people who can’t sit and only watch tv anymore, always reading something else or playing games online, but I found myself only focused on what was happening.

I’m up to the episode where Jeff and Jill got divorced, and they the characters. Will admit I’m furious at Diedre (and I don’t care if that’s spelled correctly or not.)

Off to finish the series before I get spoilered.

[rmontro]

Not as many comments here as I was expecting.

This show is very smart.  The divorce episode of Puppet Time was amazing.  And the way they revealed that Annette O'Toole was really Jeff's grandmother was very clever.  Also loved the scene with her and Seb getting on the bus.  Those last few episodes were literally magical.

That last episode felt like a series finale, but I hope it wasn't.  This is a lot higher quality than you get for most sitcoms.

[Robert Lynch]

It just got canceled!