Kids in the Hall Revival Ordered at Amazon

As if maple syrup and Wayne Gretzky weren’t enough, the Great White North has more gifts to deliver upon the world. 

Amazon Prime Video has announced that it has ordered an eight-episode revival of early ‘90s Canadian sketch and variety series The Kids in the Hall. All five Kids cast members will be returning for the new show including Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. There is no word on a release date yet but when the eight episodes premiere they will be available to Prime members in the U.S., Canada, and more than 200 other countries and territories.

“We’ve been investing in Canada for several years and are excited to add to that momentum by making The Kids in the Hall the first Canadian Amazon Original series. The Kids in the Hall is an iconic show with a deep-rooted fan base,” James Farrell, Vice President of International Originals for Amazon Studios, said in a statement. 

The Kids in the Hall is the name of both the five comedian’s comedy troupe and the popular series that they created. Premiering in 1989, The Kids in the Hall ran through 1995 on CBC in Canada and CBS, HBO, and Comedy Central in the United States. The series was considered a success at the time and has since become massively influential to comedy in North America. Popular recurring sketches and characters included “30 Helens agree,” The Chicken Lady, and of course, The Eradicator. 

Cast member Kevin McDonald had previously suggested a reunion was possible in 2017 and now it has come to pass.

All sketch and variety shows produced after 1970 invariably draw comparisons to Saturday Night Live. The Kids in the Hall is no exception, especially with SNL producer Lorne Michaels shepherding the series to television. But the show’s humor was more surreal, with frequent meta gags and the performers routinely operating in drag. 

“Even after 30 years, The Kids in the Hall has retained its brilliance and originality,” Lorne Michaels said in a statement. “We are happy to be bringing back all of the original ‘Kids’ for the new series.”

Since the series went off the air in 1995, the five “Kids” have remained in the pop cultural eye. Foley is best known for his starring role in NewsRadio and for his voice work in movies like A Bug’s Life. McCulloch has appeared in TV shows such as Arrested Development and Workaholics. McDonald has acted in That ‘70s Show and provided his voice for Invader Zim. McKinney co-created Canadian TV classic Slings & Arrows and has a regular role on Superstore. Thompson has guested in everything from Aqua Teen Hunger Force to American Gods.