So this is the beginning of the five-season run of the “Kids in the Hall.” Let’s do this! The first thing that needs to be established is how the show immediately begins with men dressed as women. This sketch is not really funny but is an embellishment of the small quirks in life that every one experiences. After the girls stop screaming we are taken to the first meeting we see from KITH’s fake corporate company A T & Love. The Eradicator, a masked squash player who tries to intimidate his opposites by scare tactics before the match, interrupts the meeting-trying scare his next victim. Another silly premise but this sketch has Bruce all over it. This is also the first filmed sketch from the troupe and a great example of a full circle plot from the guys.
“I think it was your serve.”
I crush your head! The first mention of one of KITH’s reoccurring characters in the series. This is not the first time the head crusher made his appearance, the character was first done in the TV special the troupe made for HBO. This sketch is the beginning of a theme that will immerge which is ridiculing the yuppie society that dominated in the 80’s. (This was even admitted on the commentary of season one favorites.) When the character re-immerges later in the episode we see an interesting turn when the head crusher feels remorse for what he did. In later episodes we see that the head crusher is not sympathetic to anyone who falls victim to his fingers so it is interesting to see some insight into the Head Crushers id.
Mark shines again with another character that is revisited later with his take on southern blues musician “Mississippi Gary”. In this sketch Mississippi Gary talks about a relationship he had with a woman named “Kathy”, played by Bruce McCullah. Kathy later becomes a developed character in her own right and Bruce’s portrayal establishes KITH’s stance on women characters too. The Kid’s never give a wink to the audience to let them know that there is really a man under the dress. Every character is played with such intensity with no regard to if it’s a man or a woman. Our own “It’s a Fact!” reporter Amy will talk about this in later blog postings, but the KITH portray women with a real honesty about them and never for just a gag. This is what separates KITH from a variety of sketch shows. With the troupe experimenting with characters instead of form we see a whole new insight into women, the corporate world, dating, and anything else they wish to discuss. By exploring these universal themes and not creating material based on the time period these sketches still remain fresh to this day.
The highlight of the pilot episode for me was the “Pear” sketch. Although layered and completely ridiculous this sketch shows the other side of the troupe’s sense of character development, which is full on experimentation. Every member of the troupe is involved in this scene, this represents to me how the troupe was willing to support each other even if the sketch was ridiculous. This is KITH’s first attempt at absurdist comedy which comes back later throughout the course of the show. With a pilot episode it is crucial to establish a sense of tone for the audience so that they know what to expect. Right out the gate we see that this show is guided by understanding of character and willingness to experiment with form. I think it was a brave move by the troupe to say, “This is what our show is about. You either love it or you don’t.” Also, something else to point out is that in this sketch the first mention of homosexuality is seen when Scott wakes up from the dream next to Bruce.
Overall the pilot is a well-executed episode that is a great start for any new KITH fan. The episode shows a lot of potential for what lies ahead for the show and still feels as fresh today as it did almost twenty years ago.
Notes:
The order of KITH members who were in drag first: Mark, Scott, Kevin, Dave, and Bruce.
-De Blenniss
