Ep 4. Severed Head Showcase
- TV14
- July 29, 2015
- 21 min
-
7.6 (187)
Key & Peele is an American sketch comedy television series starring Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. In the fifth season, the duo return with another hilarious episode, titled "Severed Head Showcase."
The episode starts with a sketch titled "Lorne Michaels," where Jordan Peele is portraying the creator and executive producer of Saturday Night Live. Keegan-Michael Key plays a hopeful comedian who wants to be a cast member on SNL. The sketch is a funny take on the audition process for SNL and the cutthroat competition among young comedians.
The next sketch is "Black Republicans," where Key and Peele play black Republicans who attend a GOP rally. They try to blend in and express their conservative views, but their efforts fall flat as the white Republicans are more interested in showing off their "token" black friends. The sketch is a satirical take on the challenges faced by people of color who support the Republican party.
The episode takes a darker turn with "Severed Head Showcase," where Key and Peele play two coroners who host a show that presents the most unusual and shocking severed heads they have come across in their line of work. The sketch is a macabre parody of reality shows that exploit gross-out content for entertainment purposes.
In "Continental Breakfast," Key and Peele take on the stereotypes associated with different ethnic groups and their breakfast preferences. Peele plays an Indian man who loves spicy food, while Key plays an African American who prefers fried chicken and waffles. The sketch is a witty critique of the way in which popular culture often reduces people of different backgrounds to simplistic caricatures.
The next sketch, "Job Interview," is a standout in the episode. Key and Peele play two Black men who are attending a job interview at a predominantly white office. They are put through an absurd and demeaning interview process that involves questions which are more focused on their cultural background than their actual qualifications. The sketch is a sharp commentary on the institutionalized racism that many people of color face in corporate America.
Finally, the episode ends with a sketch titled "Last-Minute Gift Ideas," where Key and Peele parody the way in which the media sensationalizes the holiday season and turns it into a consumerist spectacle. Key and Peele play two retail workers who present ridiculously overpriced and impractical gift ideas to a hapless customer. The sketch is a satirical take on the commercialization of Christmas and the pressure faced by people to buy expensive gifts.
Overall, "Severed Head Showcase" is a strong episode that showcases Key and Peele's trademark wit, humor, and social commentary. The sketches deal with a range of topics, from race and identity to pop culture and media, and are sure to leave viewers laughing, while also encouraging them to reflect on important issues facing society today.