Fans of Key and Peele might need an anger translator after today’s news: Comedy Central’s Peabody-Award winning, Emmy-nominated sketch series will end a five-season run with its final episodes in September.
“Don’t miss the last 8 episodes!,” tweeted Jordan Peele Saturday. The comics, who spent six seasons together on Fox’s MadTV before creating their self-titled program for Comedy Central in 2012, are among Comedy Central’s buzziest non-talk-show stars, second perhaps only to Amy Schumer.
The show’s 2013 Peabody Award cited the “racially charged” issues addressed with humor on the show, noting that Key and Peele “break new ground even as they lay claim to all of comedy’s traditions.” The show is currently Emmy-nominated in seven categories, including best variety sketch series and, for Keegan-Michael Key, best supporting actor in a comedy series.
Comedy Central confirmed the news to Deadline. The decision to end the series reportedly came from the stars, not Comedy Central.
The series has spawned any number of watercooler characters, perhaps most notably Luther, President Obama’s “anger translator” (played by Key, to Peele’s Obama) who turns the president’s ultra-cool comments into pure heat and vitriol. The skit even drew the attention (and approval) of Obama himself, who appeared with “Luther” at the White House Correspondents’ dinner in April.
Another character, Key’s irate if clueless substitute teacher Mr. Garvey, is set to get his own movie, with Peele costarring.
The current 11-episode season kicked off July 8, and with all filming in the can, the series will continue into September before its finale.
Source: Deadline
