We’re rolling through every episode of Key and Peele on Pop Thruster. Here we go with “Dubstep,” Season 2 Episode 2. Follow along on the journey!
Also: check out ALL 351 Key & Peele Sketches Ranked (In Painstakingly Funny Detail)!
Racist Dog
“Miscegenation will not be tolerated!” – Dog (and member of the KKK, apparently)
It’s incredible how fast K&P can pivot from a normal-ish set-up (two Black dudes out taking a walk, when a dog starts barking at them, white owner apologizes and says the dog isn’t racist), and then smash cut to “one year earlier,” where we see the same dog dressed up in a Klan outfit in front of a burning cross. Super short sketch, super funny.
Dubstep Move
“Dude, that’s the dubstep, man. That’s my jam.” – Peele
Peele is helping Key pack up his apartment and decides to play some dubstep to set the mood. When he hits play and the beat drops, things take a zany turn. This one is a little hard to explain, but there’s a lot in here that points to Jordan Peele’s future as an A List horror director.
The Reverend Robert Jones
“Dr King… actually covered a lot of what I wanted to say.” – Rev. Jones
This is the second time we’ve seen Peele as Martin Luther King. The first time he portrayed King as part of a sketch in which he was a community theater actor, but this time it’s the real deal. In fact, we see Peele in black and white footage of a relatively faithful attempt to recreate MLK’s iconic “free at last” speech at the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. We then cut to Key as “the Reverend Robert Jones,” who immediately puts his hand over the microphone and whispers, “How can I follow that?” From there we get an amusing riff on attempting to follow greatness. A few follow up segments push the concept a little further, but you get the drift.
The Annual East/West Bowl
“Jackmerius Tacktheritrix, Michigan State University.” – Jackmerius Tacktheritrix
A college football showcase game is about to begin, so it’s time for the player introductions. And thus we get a brilliant dose of hilarity that’s entirely built on K&P, in alternating intros, taking on increasingly outlandish and even bizarre names. The key (pardon the pun) is that they start off relatively “normal” names but then slide relentlessly off the rails. But there’s some cogent satire here too: what is a “normal” name, especially in an increasingly multicultural society.
Going Deep (With Dookie)
“Dolphins swim with my dookie?” – Peele
K&P are on their front stoop, enjoying a joint or two in the evening time. So naturally, their conversation will take on the influence of… what they’re under the influence of. Peele begins with, “Hey man, where my dookie go?” and pushes (pardon the pun) that conversation as far as he can into but where it go after that? territory. This is one of the gentler sketches in the K&P canon – it’s not hilarious but it’s very well acted and puts you in a pleasant and mellow state, if you will.
Luther, Obama’s Anger Translator #3
“Ooh, I been waiting for this!” – Luther
Obama (Peele) does his thing with Luther (Key), this time with an upcoming debate between (the real) Barack Obama and Mitt Romney during the 2012 presidential campaign. K&P are in top form, but two things become striking from a 2025 context: that 2012 was flat out tame in terms of politics then versus our current politics (in a great way!), and secondly, Obama and Luther tear up Romney’s core problem in going after Obama on his signature accomplish on health care with the following exchange: “I look forward to a fruitful and healthy debate on the Affordable Care Act,” Obama says, followed by this from Luther: “And since you already did it in Massachusetts, it’s gonna be real interesting to watch your flip-flopping ass argue me on that s— now!”
Some stats and info about Key & Peele, “Dubstep”
TV SHOW – Key and Peele
SEASON/EPISODE – Season 2, Episode 2
AIRED ON – October 3rd, 2012
NETWORK/STREAMING SERVICE – Comedy Central/Hulu
GENRE – Comedy, Sketch Comedy
CREATED BY – Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele