Film

The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks

Name: The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks
Genre: Documentary, Comedy, Drama
Released: 2022
Cast: Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson

Comedy

A documentary love letter to Canada's most fearless sketch comedy troupe, from their scrappy 80s Toronto roots through decades of TV, film, and reunion tours. It's raucous, reverential, and packed with never-before-seen footage. Essential for fans; illuminating for anyone curious how a group of weirdos became comedy institutions.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you already love sketch comedy's odd, handmade weirdness and want to see how a scrappy Canadian troupe built its cult, with the archive footage doing much of the talking.

Skip it if you want a tight, polished showbiz exposé; this is loose, affectionate and happy to wander through old tapes and reunions rather than dig hard for drama.

What it asks of you: About ninety-five minutes of easy, conversational pacing, mostly the five performers reminiscing over clips, so it rewards relaxed attention more than rigid focus.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell2002

A curated collection of sketches from SNL's golden era shows how sketch comedy evolved into something sharper and more absurdist. Ferrell's anarchic energy echoes the Kids' willingness to break format.

But It's a greatest-hits package rather than a narrative, so it feels scattershot. Some sketches haven't aged well.

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell poster

Monty Python and the Holy Grail1975

The foundational text for sketch troupes going rogue. Surreal, crude, brilliantly constructed comedy that prioritized their own weirdness over commercial appeal—exactly what the Kids aspired to.

But It's more film than comedy special, and the pacing meanders. Some sketches are indulgent filler even for admirers.

Schitt's Creek2015

Created by Eugene Levy and his son, it inherited that Canadian sketch sensibility: character-driven, generous to oddness, willing to be deeply silly without losing emotional truth. A masterclass in finding humanity in absurdity.

But The first season is rough while it finds itself. It's also earnest in ways the Kids would've mocked, which isn't everyone's speed.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

WKRP in Cincinnati1978

Both showed that comedy could center on collections of damaged, brilliant people without needing a laugh track or a moral lesson. It's comedy as character study.

Not a sketch show—a sitcom—but it shares the Kids' DNA: ensemble-driven, character comedy built on genuine affection for weirdos. It's proof that Canadian and American comedy sensibilities could merge beautifully without losing edge.

But It's fundamentally a sitcom with a laugh track, so it feels stodgy if you're expecting something avant-garde. The pacing is antique.

The State1994

A 90s sketch show that captures the same fearless, anything-goes spirit. Fast-paced, weird, and uninterested in making things comfortable for the audience. Pure creative chaos.

But It's episodic with no through-line. The humor is dated in specific ways that make some sketches actively uncomfortable rather than funny.

Portlandia2011

Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's sketch series about absurd Portland culture. Character-based, sharply written, and genuinely committed to the bit even when it gets ridiculous.

But Its charm relies on recognizing specific cultural references. Without that context, many sketches just seem cutesy and slow.

Tales from the Hood1995

A documentary following the surviving members of The State reuniting to film sketches 25 years later. It's funny, touching, and explores what happens when comedians try to recapture their past selves.

But You need affection for The State going in. If their humor never clicked, this will feel like a private reunion you're not invited to.

What We Do in the Shadows2014

A mockumentary about vampire roommates in Wellington that combines sketch sensibility with character depth. Taika Waititi proves you can be genuinely weird and genuinely moving simultaneously.

But It's structured more like a traditional comedy film than a sketch show, so if you're craving that episodic chaos, you won't find it.

Noises Off...1992

Both understand that comedy is architecture—the collision of moving parts, timing, and character beats stacked perfectly to create eruption. Mechanics as artform.

A theatrical farce about a play falling apart, structured like a sketch show collapsing in real time. It's pure mechanics and timing, with moments that feel like sketch comedy built from silent film logic and British precision.

But It's a stage play adapted to film, so the energy is theatrical rather than cinematic. The humor is all structure; if slapstick doesn't move you, neither will this.