‘Kidding’ Season 2 Trailer: Jim Carrey and Michel Gondry Go Even Further

Jude Dry

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Showtime has released the trailer for the second season of “Kidding,” their anti-comedy starring Jim Carrey and executive produced by Michel Gondry. Created by “Weeds” writer Dave Holstein, the first season of the half-hour series received largely positive reviews for its poignant examination of grief as told through a famous children’s television star, played by Carrey. The moving second season trailer promises plenty of creatively rendered heartache, an evocative score, whimsical cut-out animation and puppetry, and a few choice Frank Langella zingers.

Per the official synopsis: “‘Kidding’ Season 2 picks up moments after season one’s cliffhanger, and with his beloved ‘Mr. Pickles’ Puppet Time’ off the air for the first time in 30 years, Jeff Pickles (Carrey) must find a way to communicate with his many fans who still need him. Jeff creates a new and controversial method to talk directly to children across the world only to become the target of animosity for the first time in his career.”

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In his B+ review of the first season, IndieWire’s Ben Travers wrote: “Carrey’s committed turn as Jeff Pickles, a children’s television host whose son recently died, is immediately convincing and endearing. Gondry crafts dueling universes in Jeff’s vivid TV playground and stark real-life existence, while series creator Dave Holstein delivers sharp commentary on corrupted innocence and toxic cynicism. The half-hour non-comedy is fixated on death enough to make even the most morbid fan uncomfortable, but through four episodes, it shows signs of a lighter, broader scope and is buoyed by unrelenting optimism.”

In addition to Carrey and Langella, who plays Jeff’s father and producer, “Kidding” features a powerhouse cast that includes Catherine Keener as Jeff’s sister and puppet maker, Judy Greer as his estranged ex-wife, and Justin Kirk as her new boyfriend.

Langella’s character sums up the season’s major tension with this ominous line: “To give Jeff that kind of unfettered reach, it’s ludicrously unsafe.”

“Kidding” Season 2 will premiere on Showtime on November 3. Check out the trailer — (including Langella’s pitch-perfect delivery of: “Our research shows that children who enjoy this toy are 20 percent more likely to eat a dick”) — below:

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