Key & Peele, “Telemarketer”

Jordan Peele’s star ascends with his amazing work making excellent genre films and Keegan-Michael Key has turned in fantastic performances in movies and various TV shows, so it’s easy to overlook just how brilliant their sketch show was on Comedy Central. Running from 2012-2015, Key & Peele found ways to innovate sketch comedies with clever premises and exceptional execution.

The following sketch, “Telemarketer,” features Key playing to apoplectic strengths and great voice work by Peele. It also continues a tradition in the show where horror techniques are incorporated to really sell the humor—using smart sound design, an increasingly tense score (and that ominous stress toy), and changes in mood lighting between the telemarketing office and the home.