While I admit after the first episode, I knew I liked it, but thought I could go either way depending on the next. I am now fully invested in this tremendous show. Jim Carrey doing TV again was the catalyst, obviously, but it has soared past any expectations I might've had. It is equally quirky, and shocking, and hilarious, and above all, supremely well-written. Never talks down or insults your intelligence. Why Frank Langella didn't become a superstar is beyond me. He is an absolutely stunning actor. I am glued to the screen when I watch "Kidding" every bit as much as I was to "Breaking Bad", but for obviously different reasons.
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MikeO_641 October 2018
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shanekraus4 January 2022This is one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen. Jim carrey delivers his best performance, and one of the greatest performances ever. This show is hilarious, but also exceedingly dark, which only makes it better. 2 great seasons. The ending of this show is a masterpiece. But still, the fact that this show got canceled is a tragedy.
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swordsnare14 March 2020'Kidding' approaches the subject of grief and loss that is commonly masked by comedy. From Executive Producer Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and Creator Dave Holstein (Weeds) you can get a sense of the handling of this show. Bit of dark/quirky comedy that is quite poignant and inevitably gets you in the 'feels'.
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sammiesoonj9 September 2018Jim's portrayal of Mr. Pickles is wonderful. He is so pure and loving, but is going through so much pain. Witnessing the breaks in that demeanor is very real and touching. Seeing someone who strives to be a role model for kids react in such a human way. A reaction that is so opposite of the on screen Mr. Pickles. I cannot wait for more episodes. I don't believe I've ever wanted to write a review for a tv show as badly as I did for this one.
Honestly, I feel as though I need this show. Strange how a piece of entertainment can feel therapeutic. I very much look forward to his continued development. Most people in his situation would crumble. I wonder what roads he will choose! -
Kirpianuscus16 September 2018After decades , he deserves the role of Jeff. As the summary of a career. And as proof of his skills , out of ordinaries categories, from drama to easy comedy. The serie has the virtue of an admirable director, great actors, a dark plot , using the humor as precise tool for describe a world in which to save the appearences is more important than to be yourself. The film reminds the force of Jim Carreys talent. And it does it in splendid manner. Short, a man, under pressure, in show world. And his answers to a profound grief. All using the shadows more than the performances itself, using appearences in a too familiar manner for many lives of public . So, Jim Carrey. And his great partners.
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UniqueParticle8 February 2020A charming adult version of Mr Rogers mixed with any of Michael Condry's films and the incredibly talented Jim Carrey; he's so beloved to me! I absolutely love all the generosity involved throughout, it's so sweet. Kidding would be cool on drugs I'm excited for season 2!
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thegreekmason27 February 2020Ok, any preconceived notion of who you thought was jim carrey should be thrown out the window. this is one seriously dark and odd show. you laugh at moments of complete cringe worthy moments. this isn't for the faint of heart. it is truly a weird show. I just wish each episode was longer. give it a go. first season is a little too weird, but it comes into its own. just give it a go if you want someone completely out of the ordinary and I mean completely out of the ordinary.
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rhmacl11 April 2020Just finished binging both seasons of kidding and I am humbled, moved, touched and grateful that this world has such warm hearts populating the community of comedians and dramatic artists.
Even more grateful for Mr.Rogers, the obvious premise of the series, the creative and enthusiastic minds that contributed to inserting macabre, real, honest life-events that define the realities the rest of us live.
Why haven't I heard of this before? I was especially moved by the performance of Judy Greer. What an amazingly restrained, mature, precise character she created who literally breaks your heart-in a good way-in the final episode. The series razzles and dazzles with amazing performances, art, sets; then nails each episode with a universal truth. You will not be disappointed with this cradle-to-grave life-lesson manifesto! -
henrycoles97 April 2021"Kidding" is fun, wry and dark. It's refreshing to see this side of Jim Carrey. Cole Allen is such a talented boy. Frank Langella's stern humor is amazing.
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harrylosborne8 August 2019Kidding seems to be a Jim Carrey passion product (his first venture on the small screen in over a decade), following the journey of a child entertainer (Jeff Pickles) in the midst of a breakdown. The role is cultivated for his ability: comics often demonstrate the best range of any actors, and Carrey navigates both the humour and the pathos brilliantly. The story is almost secondary to watching Pickles struggle with every changing element of life, mirroring exactly the same difficulties Carrey has been enduring in his own storied life.
The trailer for Kidding (arguably one of the best trailers to date) portrays the show in a far sadder tone - the back drop of the child entertainer merely a guise for a seriously depressed man - but in reality it is more of a family story, following the whole Pickle family through their tribulations. To some expecting all Carrey, this may feel like an injustice, but actually gives better colour to the show.
You feel like there's more to come with Kidding. It's a slow burner to begin, but as Jeff spirals into madness, the worlds begin to blur, the emotions get more powerful, and Kidding really comes into its own. Season 2 will be the definitive answer on whether Carrey's work has been well worth it - and I hope for his sake it's paid off. -
The bleakness of this show, the darkness in it, shows you the contrast in human behavior as you reel from a loss. Jim Carrey continues to hold on to the goodness in him while the rest just delve deeper into the pit of their suffering. All the characters find the usefulness and weaknessess of their choices. The show gives you enough perspectives to see through on what pain can do to one another and how you can choose to percieve it and deal with it.
Amazing show. Absolutely love it. -
IamJustTellingyouWhatIthink31 August 2018This is hard to review. Carreys personal life experiences shine through in this slightly bizarre look at tackling grief.
This is certainly a bleak comedy and the hardships of the protagonist and his family is put on ample display in the first episode. Its a little hard to discern where the series will go from here, but its certain that it is attempting to put forth some of the hardest issues of life in a dark comedy setting.
Its probably just a tad to bleak for my taste, but again he is trying to tackle some of the issues most of us prefer not tackling before its forced upon us. As such I commend this attempt of bringing tabued subjects into the spotlight and shining a light on how we all process grief in our different ways.
Myself; I am still in a place in life where I prefer to keep the blinders down. Healthy? Perhaps not. And maybe I will come back to this when there are more episodes and I feel like developing my person. -
MogwaiMovieReviews13 November 2019Some great little scenes here and there (the 'Allahu Akbar' payoff was very, very funny) but for the most part this series seemed like a meandering and overlong corporate attempt to make something that *appears* challenging and fresh (and award winning), without any solid story or characters at the center.
There's no sense or meaning to Carrey's saint/psycho flashes - they just feel like jump scares in a horror film: there only to keep people watching. None of the other characters - of which too many are introduced, to pad out the story length - feel fully fleshed out and real.
Tonally all over the place, Kidding feels like it was written by committee and so impossible to discern what it means or what it is trying to say. It never hangs together enough to get a sense of recognizable identity. Nothing builds to anything truly satisfying or emotionally true, even though that is clearly what the makers felt they were achieving.
For all that, it has its moments, and there are a number of clever and witty things to enjoy along the way to nowhere. -
I really cant tell if this show is good. Not yet at least, but it really got my attention. Very heavy show trying to touch some very heavy topics. Jim is really good and im afraid that he is trying to reveal some of his true emotions in this show. I can surely say one thing. You should give it a shot. I promise you that you wont get bored.
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If you were expecting an "In Living Color" Jim Carrey, you will be sorely disappointed with Kidding. This is an absolutely grand dark comedy with an amazing supporting cast with Catherine Keener and the incredible Frank Langella. Kidding explores the reality behind a children's television icon. The face portrayed on the kids show is starkly contrasted by the reality of a man whose life is in pieces. Carrey's portrayal of "Jeff", the man at the center of the chaos, grasps at things and makes decisions that might seen good ideas at the moment, but may well cause more destruction down the road. Carrey is masterful playing a very broken Jeff admidst a life that is on the trajectory of coming undone.
Just as a second warning, this is a dark comedy, and a very good one at that. I cannot wait to see where the season takes us. -
mageh28 September 2018It is a good show, very different from current TV junk. It is unique and definitely will not appeal for average audience. It may not be perfect, but has potential to be outstanding, hopefully writers will not disappoint. I think Jim Carrey is a perfect fit for it.
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pinocchietto23 May 2021Strange, particular, emotional, embarrassing, uncomfortable, modern TV series with twists! To be seen. As always, Jim Carrey's interpretation is successful. Recommended for those who want to see a TV series that is not boring and also makes you laugh!
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weho-401491 September 2018My rating may change depending on the whole season... I am just shocked of the many bad reviews and the unfair low rating 6.5!!!!
I am a huge fan of jim but why did people assume that the show is for kids ? It's not even comedy . It's a show on showtime ... how many kids show you watch on showtime ?? If this show was on nickelodeon , I would be surprised as you .
So it's a show about a griefing father who lost a son In a car crash and about his family dealing with that loss & grief ... the only issue is the father works as a kid show host & being played by jim Carrey so ppl assumed they will watch a Ace Ventura/ Sesame Street combo .... Again ppl this is a dark comedy/ drama at its best . Very promising new show & I think jim done a great job & the whole cast are amazing.
So please if this show isn't what you expected rate fairly ( not 1 or 2 ) or don't rate at all ... because even the worst shows in tv history has rating more than 1 & 2 & this is a good TV show ... if you can't handle sad drama don't watch it & watch something funny . -
thomaspaynejramazon22 February 2020Let me just say that I'm not a Jim Carrey fan. At least not until now. Don't get me wrong I think he's a great actor I just never liked the characters that much and in fact I still don't like this character. However the show is really strong, the supporting cast is great, the pacing is slow but patient etc. whilel watching Homeland I kept seeing these ads and decided I would give it a shot, honestly three or four episodes in I still didn't like it. But it just gets stronger and season two it looks to be really excellent
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bjchristian-835175 April 2020Here is a show that is different than most shows. Great characters and writing. There are lots of semi-hidden meanings throughout. Lots of unexpected events. Comedy sprinkled in with deep personal situations that most people can relate to. I laughed and cried and was shocked. I sure hope this series continues.
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bejahanam17 December 2019I watched it just for Jim Carrey. But I enjoyed the characters and the story. An unexpected bonus was the simplicity of the children's songs each of them I keep singing long after I finished watching an episode. The script also feels a bit personal from Carrey's point of view. Jeff Pickles is very intriguing.
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sanosito28 July 2020This show is so perfect. Very creative and unique. Reflects real life but in a funny and somewhat warped dark way. Makes one think deeply as to what is truly important in a totally new and different way. Jim Carrey is at his very best. The entire cast is great. In short, I am in awe of everything associated with this series. It should NEVER end.
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cochise292 December 2018Jim Carey is the real deal. Always was. And I wanted to see the man showcase his talent as he matured. And he was brilliant. But it was ruined by needless sexshock. Most Carey fans are in there 30s and 40s. The majority of whom I'd say don't need that element to enjoy great TV.
Why? Just tell the story. Where are we going with all this?? If you need all that to tell a great story then you're not telling it right, Shame. Carey brilliant, Langella too. Ruined by gross sex scenes. And let me be clear...I don't want to see Gay, Staight animal or Alien sex scenes as explicit as this. I know where I can find it!!! -
Let me first say, the acting in this show is fantastic. Jim Carrey, Judy Greer, the whole cast is great.
The writing is irresponsible crap. The main character is clearly suffering from severe mental health issues and, in spite of the fact that he has a hospital wing named for him, he never sees a doctor for his condition. His family controls him, and worry about him, but never seek help for him.
As he randomly flips from mild-mannered children-show host to an increasingly unwell person suffering from what might be PTSD, scizophrenia, or a severe personality disorder, we get meager hints of his violent past.
The acting carried me through to the end of season 1, where I was left horrified.