Key & Peele

“Little Homie”

Season 4, Episode 2

Chad White

Another week brings another Key & Peele for all to enjoy. My notes were deleted by Google Keep so thanks for that. As a result, I will have to type this from blind memory as well as quick glances at the episode. Bear with me; this is going to be a pretty unprofessional review. Then again, I’m never professional anyway.

The start of this episode included a lengthy sequence where a puppet tried to get a character played by Key back on drugs. Peele acted as the voice for the puppet as well as the patrol officer controlling him. The stakes grew as the puppet’s argument became very persuasive to a point where he faked suicide and Key started drugs again. But the crux of the episode, to me at least, was the staggering amount of dare they included this time around. Lighting all around varied from dark to very dark. Cinema was the main focal point. And there is that word again: cinematic. It’s going to be used a lot this season so deal with it.

One sketch that catches the cinematic approach well is the Nazi/Saving Private Ryan homage. Ty Burrell, as charming as ever, plays a Nazi with Peele as his second in command. He begins telling a story about how he met Hitler. Writing was on point as American soldier Key had to play dead as Burrell recanted his tale. As a “body,” he took various positions to get comfortable. Shots included a look from a few inches above the ground as the audience watched Key scoot back in a hurried pace. The setting captured what could really be seen during World War II. This was the most well put together sketch of the night.

Other sketches included a military man coming back to see his family only for him to run off with the one he loved most: their golden retriever. There was another that went on for a beat to long about a man in a headgear brace that was trying to have fun at a bar. Key screamed every time he moved but it got old quickly. It was funny to imagine a man like this in real pain trying to live life. I may be a psychopath. It ends, horribly, with the man trying to sneak in after being kicked out. He’s missing his brace and has to hold his head up with his hands. By this point, I grew tired of the man’s trials and wanted something new.

Enter the Steampunk Gangster. Peele shows up in a completely hilarious costume and an insane bike complete with oversized piping. The music playing in the background is just as stupidly whimsical. Peele informs Key that he is “just an ill-ass Lemony Snicket in this bitch” which I assume is a complete definition of steampunk. Add to the fact that even after Key’s no nonsense having character express “I’m telling you, Levi, if you put that piece of pipe up to your eye and use it as a telescope I cannot be your friend anymore,” only to have him do it a sentence later, this sketch took top honors tonight.

Should you watch “Lil Homie?”

It’s not as good as last week’s episode but, like I said, that’s going to be expected this season. These guys have all the right to experiment. With more cinematic sketches, we get more build up. More build up means a bigger pay off and that seems to be what these two are going for.