Martin Carr reviews the eighth episode of Kidding…
Kidding has decided to take the gloves off with two episodes left to run giving us backstory without directly stating it, contentious content minus the forewarning and Jim Carrey to balance tone. ‘Philliam’ might be a clever way to tell a tale from both sides, giving us backstory and context, but it gets overshadowed by an overarching morality debate. Not quite the step too far which many had feared might happen but definitely close, ‘Philliam’ digs down into the details behind America’s death penalty. Not only throwing in a little foreshadowing of things to come but bringing it full circle and demonstrating karmic closure.
No one wants to know what goes into a lethal injection, nor how random people can snap and murder for want of a round cheeseburger but people do. ‘Philliam’ not only goes some way into trying to make sense of such events but also shows how small gestures make the largest difference. Like ripples on a pond one innocent act of kindness can spark a chain reaction of events which pay back precisely on time. This is the underlying point and as much as seeing people put to death might not seem entertaining, which it’s not, Kidding still has a point to prove.
Continuing to undermine commercialism, merchandising and other means of corporate profiteering we get more insight to Jeff’s sister Deidre. Free spirited and engaged in a relief effort in Belize Kenner has fun kicking back and enjoying local hospitality. This segue provides a distraction from the domino affect which finds us back in the present with one demolished office and one strung out Jeff. Whether watching a family before they hit freefall, divorce and separation classifies as entertainment is debatable, but it does happen and should not be ignored.
Morally speaking whether someone deserves forgiveness for bad choices irrespective of circumstance is a grey area worth exploring. If they express regret, seek penance or come out with three degrees and converted to Islam there is no escaping the facts. Society exists around rules and regulations. Democracy and dictatorships employ similar guidelines but the overall point remains the same. If you do this then that will happen, measures will be taken and consequences follow. Your ability to change after the fact bares little relation to the initial transgression and potential for rehabilitation.
People make choices for any number of reasons and they are not all supposed to make sense. Even individuals within a family make decisions independently convinced that this is for the benefit of everyone. More than anything this programme addresses that diversity and mind set painting a picture of reality few writers have attempted. Langella, Greer, Carrey and Kenner continue to embrace each curve ball, face down every awkward encounter and between them shape something which stands alone as uniquely intriguing.
Originally published October 30, 2018. Updated January 8, 2019.
