The Kids In The Hall

"The Kids In The Hall" is a Canadian sketch comedy TV series that has become a cultural icon since its original run on CBC from 1988 to 1995. Created by the comedy troupe of the same name - Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson - the show, under the guidance of "Saturday Night Live" producer Lorne Michaels, injected the television landscape with a refreshing, alternatively quirky and subversive, comedic sensibility that still resonates with audiences today.

On the surface, "The Kids In The Hall" might appear as simply a series of comedy sketches. However, the show broke several conventions of its genre to give an entirely distinctive and absurd take on humor. The group’s commitment to creating memorable, often surreal, characters, combined with their tendency to eschew topicality for evergreen humor, laid the groundwork for a style of comedy that is still being aped by many sketch shows today.

The humor in "The Kids In The Hall" often stems from universal situations taken to the extreme or from the inversion of normality. In this distorted reality, businessmen are hearty pirates, cab drivers are ethereal philosophers, and head-crushing business men patrol the city streets. These bizarre situations, bizarre characters are brought to life by the adaptable performances of the troupe, who often cross-dress and use minimal prosthetics to play various characters.

The colorful cavalcade of unique characters, from the uptight and neurotic nervous wreck Simon to the monocled and boisterous socialite Buddy Cole, all contribute to the delightfully eccentric fabric of the show. Many of these characters became recurring fixtures throughout the show's run, each sketch broadening their fictional lives and making the audience look forward to their next appearance.

Despite the show’s propensity for the outlandish, it also packed a noteworthy knack for social commentary. Its takes on sexuality and gender, specifically, were ahead of their time. While some shows marginalized or sidelined gay characters, "The Kids In The Hall" brought these subjects out in the open, with characters like Buddy Cole and Francesca Fiore often at the centre of sketches. It parodied and challenged societal norms, stereotypes and everyday issues with a sharp, often biting wit.

Throughout its run, the series was well-known for pushing the boundaries of what was then considered television comedy, defying traditional humor norms and taking comedic risks. Its audaciously irreverent sketches often combine the simple with the absurd, and the mundane with the magical, resulting in a humor that is at once both relatable and distinctly unique.

The crafting of "The Kids In The Hall" comes from a place of unabashed creative freedom, where any idea, no matter how outlandish, could become a reality. It was a spot-on satire of both everyday human behavior and the most surreal corners of the human mind, holding up a funhouse mirror to society that reflected reality back in warped, exaggerated and hilarious ways.

Moreover, the show’s distinct aesthetic is hitched to an original rock-infused score that pairs perfectly with the uniquely rebellious and groundbreaking spirit of the show. The theme tune, "Having an Average Weekend" by Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, is fittingly quirky and memorable.

After its initial run, "The Kids In The Hall" had several revivals in various formats, including stage shows and a mini-series in 2010. In 2021, it was announced that they were returning for a new season on Amazon Prime, marking over three decades of culturally relevant comedy.

Overall, "The Kids In The Hall" remains a dynamic, inventively funny, and trendsetting series. It served, and continues to serve, as a beacon for comedic misfits who prefer their humor with a dash of the unconventional. It's a sketch comedy show that has truly stood the test of time, still inspiring and influencing comedians and writers years later. It is a snapshot of a specific era, yet its humor continues to prove timeless.