A darkly whimsical dramedy with a strong central performance and a very specific emotional wavelength. It’s often moving and inventive, but its tonal swings and increasingly bleak trajectory make it more rewarding for viewers who like offbeat, melancholy prestige TV than for anyone seeking a consistently easy watch.
Kidding
Where to watch: Buy
TV Show · Drama · Comedy
Sun
Created by: Dave Holstein
Starring: Jim Carrey, Frank Langella, Judy Greer
Overview
Jeff, aka Mr. Pickles, is an icon of children's TV. But when his family begins to implode, Jeff finds no fairy tale or fable or puppet will guide him through this crisis, which advances faster than his means to cope. The result: a kind man in a cruel world faces a slow leak of sanity as hilarious as it is heartbreaking.
Created by
Dave Holstein
Cast
Jim Carrey, Frank Langella, Judy Greer, Justin Kirk, Cole Allen, Juliet Morris, Catherine Keener
Curator Review
Verdict
A darkly whimsical dramedy with a strong central performance and a very specific emotional wavelength. It’s often moving and inventive, but its tonal swings and increasingly bleak trajectory make it more rewarding for viewers who like offbeat, melancholy prestige TV than for anyone seeking a consistently easy watch.
Best for
Fans of surreal, emotionally bruising dramedies
Viewers who like tragicomedy with a strong auteur feel
People drawn to Jim Carrey’s more restrained, vulnerable work
Audiences who appreciate shows about grief, identity, and performance
Skip if
You want a straightforward comedy or feel-good series
You prefer tightly plotted, momentum-driven storytelling
You’re put off by shows that get darker and more emotionally punishing
You dislike surreal flourishes or tonal instability
Overview
Kidding is one of those series that feels like it was made to be both admired and argued over. It takes a high-concept premise — a beloved children’s-TV host whose life is collapsing — and uses it to explore grief, repression, and the gap between public persona and private pain. Jim Carrey gives the show its emotional center, playing Jeff with a fragile gentleness that keeps the material from tipping into pure self-consciousness.
Worth noting
The first season is the essential one: it’s the most focused, the most surprising, and the one that best balances absurdity with genuine sadness. The second season goes even darker and more fragmented, which will deepen the experience for some viewers and alienate others. If the show lands for you, it lands hard; if it doesn’t, the tonal whiplash can feel exhausting.
Bottom line
As a piece of prestige television, it’s distinctive rather than broadly satisfying. It’s best approached as a mood piece with sharp emotional ideas, not as a conventional comedy or drama. For the right viewer, it’s memorable and quietly devastating.