Saturday Night Live waxed nostalgic on Kenan Thompson's comedic origins with a parody reboot of Kenan & Kel featuring host Keke Palmer with a special guest cameo from Kel Mitchell.
The prerecorded sketch, entitled "Kenan & Kelly," saw SNL's host Palmer approach Thompson about a reboot of the fan-favorite Nickelodeon sitcom. As Kelly, Palmer stepped into the Kel role, guzzling orange soda and workshopping her own catchphrase: "Uh oh, here come the bus!" Palmer likewise incorporated her pregnancy, revealed live during her monologue earlier that evening, into the characterization of Kelly.
In a satire of the saturated reboot landscape, Palmer utilized her pregnancy and other dramatic beats to try to imbue her Kenan & Kel remake with an award-worthy edge. The sketch also included Thompson's unimpressed reactions to the material through mockumentary-style talking heads, as well as a recreation of the Rigby’s convenience store set. Notably, the sketch also saw Mitchell reprise his role as Kel, though the character quickly met his demise at the hands of an armed robber.
Kenan & Kel Reunite on SNL
While Mitchell had never before made a cameo on SNL, he and Thompson have a storied sketch comedy history together. Prior to Kenan & Kel, the two performed together on Nickelodeon's young adult sketch series All That of which the film Good Burger was a spin-off. The duo has previously reprised their Good Burger dynamic for The Tonight Show and the 2022 Emmy Awards. Originally airing on Nickelodeon, Kenan & Kel aired for four seasons between 1996 and 2000.
In 2019, All That was revived with both Thompson and Mitchell serving as executive producers, though Kenan & Kel itself has never been given the official reboot treatment. The reboot of All That ran for a single season on Nickelodeon that consisted of 35 episodes. While more episodes were ordered, filming never resumed due to complications caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In June 2022, Netflix added select seasons of Kenan & Kel to the streaming platform, along with other Nickelodeon classics such as All That and Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. Prior to that, the shows were only available to stream on Paramount+.
A cast member on SNL since 2003, Thompson holds the title of the longest-serving performer in the NBC comedy’s 48-year history. Saturday's Kenan & Kel reunion sketch marked Mitchell's first appearance on SNL. While the comedian still acts and has had recent roles in A Black Lady Sketch Show and Adventures in Christmasing, Mitchell has developed a secondary career as a youth pastor in Los Angeles.
The original four-season run of Kenan & Kel can be found across Netflix and Paramount+.
Source: YouTube