View source for Kenan & Kel

{{short description|American sitcom}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Kenan and kel logo.png
| runtime              = 24–25 minutes<ref name=tales>{{cite web |url=https://m.imdb.com/pt/title/tt1989104/|title=Tales from the Clip|website=[[IMDb]]|access-date=2025-10-24}}</ref>
| genre                = [[Sitcom]]<ref name="Orlando" />
| camera               = [[Videotape]], [[Multiple-camera setup|multi-camera]]
| creator              = {{Plainlist|
* [[Kim Bass]]
}}
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Kenan Thompson]]
* [[Kel Mitchell]]
* [[Ken Foree]]
* [[Teal Marchande]]
* [[Vanessa Baden]]
* [[Dan Frischman]]
}}
| executive_producer   = {{Plainlist|
* [[Brian Robbins]]
* [[Mike Tollin]]
}}
| producer             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Dan Schneider]]
* Kevin Kopelow
* Heath Seifert
* [[Virgil L. Fabian]]
* Keiren Fisher
}}
| theme_music_composer = Victor Concepcion
| open_theme           = {{Theme song|"Aw, Here It Goes!"|[[Coolio]]}}
| composer             = Richard Tuttobene
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| company              = {{Plainlist|
* [[Tollin/Robbins Productions]]
* [[Nickelodeon Productions]]
}}
| network              = [[Nickelodeon]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1996|8|17}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|2000|5|3}}
| num_seasons          = 4
| num_episodes         = 65
| list_episodes        = List of Kenan & Kel episodes
| related              = ''[[All That]]''
}}
'''''Kenan & Kel''''' is an American [[sitcom]] created by [[Kim Bass]] that originally aired on [[Nickelodeon]] from August 17, 1996, to May 3, 2000. Set in [[Chicago]], the series follows mischievous Kenan Rockmore ([[Kenan Thompson]]) and his happy-go-lucky best friend Kel Kimble ([[Kel Mitchell]]), who get involved with zany hijinks on a number of misadventures.<ref name="Orlando">{{Cite news |last=Hinman |first=Catherine |date=August 17, 1996 |title=A 'Honeymooners' for Kids |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1996/08/17/a-honeymooners-for-kids/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522145350/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1996-08-17/lifestyle/9608150907_1_kenan-and-kel-kenan-thompson-kel-mitchell |archive-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref> The show was one of three spin-offs from ''[[All That]]'', in which Thompson and Mitchell had co-starred for several years.

The show features Kenan's family, which consists of his father Roger ([[Ken Foree]]), mother Sheryl ([[Teal Marchande]]), and younger sister Kyra ([[Vanessa Baden]]). The show also features Kenan's boss Chris Potter ([[Dan Frischman]]). ''Kenan & Kel'' features appearances from a number of guest stars, including game show host/radio disc jockey [[Bob Eubanks]], basketball player [[Ron Harper]], and singer [[Britney Spears]].

The first two seasons were taped at [[Nickelodeon Studios]] at [[Universal Studios Florida]]. The last two seasons were taped at the now closed theater [[Nickelodeon on Sunset]] in Los Angeles, California.

==Premise==
Set in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], ''Kenan & Kel'' follows Kenan Rockmore and Kel Kimble, a pair of high school students who go on various misadventures, which usually occur as a result of Kenan devising a scheme to get rich quick or avoid trouble with his elders. These schemes are often foiled as a result of Kel's aloof nature and clumsiness.

The show employs a number of running gags. Episodes open and close with Kenan and Kel breaking the [[fourth wall]] by interacting with a studio audience, standing in front of a red curtain that is placed in front of the main set while they are still in character. Usually, they do stuff that relates to the episode itself, for example, in the opening of "The Tainting of the Screw", Kel is seen wearing fishing gear and showing off a tuna he caught, and the episode is about Kenan choking on a screw that was in his tuna sandwich. A running gag of the openings is Kel never knowing what the night's episode would be about and Kenan refusing to tell him, while the closings frequently feature Kenan coming up with a new scheme, often asking Kel to get various assorted items and meet him somewhere. Frazzled both times, Kel exclaims his catchphrase, "Aww, here it goes!" (which both opens and closes the show).

==Production==
''Kenan & Kel'' was created by [[Kim Bass]], and stars [[Kenan Thompson]] and [[Kel Mitchell]] as the title characters. The actors previously starred in the [[Nickelodeon]] series ''[[All That]]''.<ref name=Orlando/><ref name=Video/> Mitchell and Thompson would frequently joke around on the set of ''All That'', which caught the attention of producers, including Bass, who wished to package Thompson and Mitchell in a series.<ref name=Video/> During a hiatus of ''All That'', the producers kept Thompson and Mitchell so they could tape the pilot for ''Kenan & Kel''. Mitchell later expressed fondness working with Thompson on the series.<ref name=Video/> ''Kenan & Kel'' was Mitchell's second professional acting performance, having only worked on ''All That'' and in amateur theater productions in Chicago beforehand. Thompson's previous experience included a role in ''[[D2: The Mighty Ducks]]'' (1994).<ref name=Orlando/><ref name="Video">{{Cite AV media |author=Comedy Hype |date=June 26, 2018 |title=Kel Mitchell on How 'Kenan & Kel' Started, First Time Meeting Kenan |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7ugwi8JuPg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211118/s7ugwi8JuPg |archive-date=2021-11-18 |access-date=June 19, 2019 |via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Kenan is the series' [[straight man]], and Kel is his comedic foil.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 13, 1996 |title=Kenen, Kel Get a Show |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/08/13/kenen-kel-get-a-show/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523074751/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-08-13/features/9608130309_1_smashing-pumpkins-nickelodeon-kenan-thompson |archive-date=May 23, 2013}}</ref> The series theme song, "Aw, Here It Goes", is performed by rapper [[Coolio]].

The first season contains 14 episodes, taped between April and August 9, 1996. The season was taped in front of a studio audience at [[Nickelodeon Studios]] in [[Universal Studios Florida]].<ref name=Orlando/> The characters of Kenan and Kel also make a crossover appearance on the Nickelodeon series ''[[Cousin Skeeter]]''.<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Hoo, I'm Wild Wild West: Part 1 |series=[[Cousin Skeeter]] |network=[[Nickelodeon]] |date=September 18, 1999}}</ref>

==Broadcast==
In the midst of the series' initial run, reruns of the series briefly aired on Nickelodeon's sister channel, [[Nick GAS]] in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 Nick GAS Schedule |url=http://www.tvschedulearchive.com/other/nick-gas/1999-030099.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305150108/http://tvschedulearchive.com/other/nick-gas/1999-030099.txt |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |website=TVScheduleArchive.com}}</ref> After the series finished its run in 2001, reruns continued to air on Nickelodeon from January 21, 2001, to February 15, 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 Nickelodeon Schedule |url=http://www.tvschedulearchive.com/nickelodeon/2004/020904.txt |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141212005537/http://www.tvschedulearchive.com/nickelodeon/2004/020904.txt |archive-date=December 12, 2014 |website=TVScheduleArchive.com}}</ref>

The series then reran daily on [[The N]] as part of the "TEENick on The N" block from October 13, 2007, to August 2, 2009. Reruns started airing on the successor channel [[TeenNick]] from July 25, 2011, to February 3, 2013, and again from March 4, 2013, to May 31, 2014, as part of its [[NickRewind|The '90s Are All That]] programming block (later called "The Splat", "NickSplat", and "NickRewind"). The series airs reruns frequently on Nickelodeon's [[Pluto TV]] channel and streams on [[Paramount+]] and [[Netflix]].

In the [[United Kingdom]], the series aired on [[Nickelodeon (British and Irish TV channel)|Nickelodeon]] from 1997 to 2012, and on both [[BBC One]] and [[BBC Two]] for several years in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as part of the [[CBBC]] programming block. The series now reruns on [[Trace Vault]].

==Characters==
{{Main|List of Kenan & Kel characters}}

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Kenan & Kel episodes}}

{{:List of Kenan & Kel episodes}}

==Home media==
''Kenan & Kel'' has been released on DVD in the compilations ''Best of Seasons 1 & 2'' and ''Best of Season 3 & 4''. Both are [[manufacture-on-demand]] releases through [[Amazon.com]]. Individual seasons are not available. The ''Best of Seasons 1 & 2'' DVD is missing 3 episodes ("In the Line of Kenan", "Baggin' Saggin Kel", and ""Safe and Sorry"; all from season 1) to complete the set, but season 2 is complete. The ''Best of Seasons 3 & 4'' DVD is also missing 3 episodes ("The Chicago Witch Trials", "Freezer Burned", and "Who Love Who-ooh?"; all from Season 3), but season 4 is complete. These DVD releases are absent of any bonus features.

{| class="wikitable"
! DVD
! Episodes
! Release date
! Disc 1
! Disc 2
! Disc 3
! Disc 4
|-
| ''The Best of Seasons 1 & 2''
| 23
| May 21, 2014<ref>{{Citation |title=Kenan & Kel: The Best of Seasons 1 & 2 |asin=B00KGJNL74}}</ref>
| "Pilot", "The Tainting of the Screw", "Doing Things the Heming-Way", "Mental Kel-Epathy", "Duh Bomb", "Mo' Sweater Blues", "Diamonds Are For Roger", "The Cold War"
| "Dial 0 for Oops", "Merry Christmas, Kenan", "Twizzles Fizzles", "Pair-Rental Guidance", "Turkey Day", "The Crush", "Ditch Day Afternoon", "Clownin' Around"
| "The Lottery", "Who Loves Orange Soda?", "Foul Bull", "A Star is Peeved", "Get the Kel Out of Here", "Bye-Bye, Kenan: Part 1", "Bye-Bye, Kenan: Part 2", "I Haven't Got Time for the Paint"
| {{n/a}}
|-
| ''The Best of Seasons 3 & 4''
| 35
| November 6, 2014<ref>{{Citation |title=Kenan & Kel: The Best of Seasons 3 & 4 |asin=B00PBGOZYA}}</ref>
| "Fenced In", "To Catch a Thief", "The Raffle", "Skunkator vs. Mothman", "The Contest", "Surprise, Surprise", "I.Q. Can Do Better", "You Dirty Rat", "Attack of the Bug Men"
| "We Are the Chimpions", "Happy B-Day Marc", "Poem Sweet Poem", "Present Tense", "Picture Imperfect", "Clothes Encounters", "Housesitter", "I'm Gonna Get You Kenan", "The Limo"
| "He Got Job", "Corporate Kenan", "The Honeymoon's Over", "Girl-Watchers", "Car Trouble", "Futurama", "Three Girls, a Guy, and a Cineplex", "Natural Born Kenan"
| "The Graduates", "Aw, Here It Goes To Hollywood : Part 1 & 2", "Oh, Brother", "The April Fools", "Tales from the Clip", "Two Heads Are Better Than None"
|-
|}

On July 28, 2011, the first season of ''Kenan & Kel'' was released on the [[iTunes Store]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 28, 2011 |title=Kenan & Kel, Season 1 |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/kenan-kel-season-1/id452109366 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630200803/https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/kenan-kel-season-1/id452109366 |archive-date=June 30, 2013 |access-date=July 28, 2011 |website=[[iTunes]] |publisher=Apple}}</ref>
On November 29, 2011, the second season was released. On February 13, 2012, the third season was released. On August 13, 2012, the fourth season was released.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 13, 2012 |title=Kenan & Kel, Season 3 |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/kenan-kel-season-3/id452109366 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702024819/https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/kenan-kel-season-3/id452109366 |archive-date=July 2, 2013 |access-date=March 13, 2012 |website=[[iTunes]] |publisher=Apple}}</ref> Seasons 1 and 2 were released on the UK iTunes store in September 2013. As of 2021, most of the series is available to watch on [[Paramount+]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kenan & Kel |url=https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/kenan-kel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510170310/https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/kenan-kel/ |archive-date=May 10, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2021 |website=[[Paramount+]]|date=August 17, 1996 }}</ref> Seasons 1 and 2 can be found on Netflix, except for "Baggin' Saggin' Kel", "Safe and Sorry", "Bye Bye, Kenan: Part 1" and "Bye Bye, Kenan: Part 2".

==Reception==
The series won the "Favorite TV Show" award at the [[1998 Kids' Choice Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kids' Choice Awards, USA (1998) |url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000386/1998/1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223200158/https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000386/1998/1/ |archive-date=December 23, 2021 |access-date=2021-12-22 |website=IMDb}}</ref>

==Legacy==
In a December 3, 2022, ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' comedy sketch, Kenan Thompson, a longtime SNL cast member, appears in a spoof of ''Kenan & Kel'' called ''Kenan & Kelly'' with guest host [[Keke Palmer]]. In the skit, Palmer explains her desire to reboot ''Kenan & Kel'' after meeting Thompson and expressing her fondness of him during his Nickelodeon years. The skit is intercut between pseudo-interviews and recreations of the Rigby's grocery store set from the original series featuring Thompson, Palmer, and Mitchell. The addition of elements such as Palmer's disapproval of the word "idiot" to describe her, her pregnancy reveal, the robbery of Rigby's, and the subsequent shooting death of Kel are played for dramatic effect, which Thompson concludes as a reason why the "reboot" failed.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Wang |first=Jessica |date=December 4, 2022 |title=Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell Reunite for Gritty Kenan & Kel Reboot on SNL |url=https://ew.com/tv/kenan-thompson-kel-mitchell-reunite-kenan-kel-reboot-saturday-night-live/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=2022-12-06}}</ref>

The series inspired a duo of funk DJs from [[Campinas]], [[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]], who share the same names as the protagonists and became known for mixing funk, hip hop and electronic sounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uol.com.br/splash/noticias/2024/07/09/kenan-e-kel-usam-o-funk-para-falar-em-musica-popular-periferica-brasileira.amp.htm|title=Kenan e Kel usam o funk para falar em Música Popular Periférica Brasileira|work=[[Universo Online|UOL]]|first=Béa|last=Jordan|location=São Paulo|date=2024-07-09|access-date=2024-07-09|language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://fotografia.folha.uol.com.br/galerias/1805935214511371-conheca-kenan-e-kel-dupla-de-djs-que-viralizou-no-tiktok|title=Conheça a dupla Kenan e Kel, DJs que viralizaram no TikTok|work=[[Folha de S.Paulo]]|date=2024-07-29|access-date=2024-07-29|language=pt-BR}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0115231}}

{{All That}}
{{Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite TV Show}}
{{Dan Schneider}}
{{Former Nickelodeon original series}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenan and Kel}}
[[Category:1996 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2000 American television series endings]]
[[Category:1990s American black sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s American teen sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s American workplace comedy television series]]
[[Category:1990s Nickelodeon original programming]]
[[Category:2000s American black sitcoms]]
[[Category:2000s American teen sitcoms]]
[[Category:2000s American workplace comedy television series]]
[[Category:2000s Nickelodeon original programming]]
[[Category:All That]]
[[Category:American television spinoffs]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Hip-hop television]]
[[Category:Television duos]]
[[Category:Television series about families]]
[[Category:American television series about teenagers]]
[[Category:Television series about television]]
[[Category:Television series by Tollin/Robbins Productions]]
[[Category:Television shows filmed in California]]
[[Category:Television shows filmed in Florida]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Chicago]]
[[Category:Mass media in Orlando, Florida]]
[[Category:Nickelodeon sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[Category:2000s American multi-camera sitcoms]]