Scripted series · Showtime
Kidding
Hi. Cruel world.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Jim Carrey
Jeff Piccirillo
20 eps
Frank Langella
Sebastian Piccirillo
20 eps
Judy Greer
Jill Piccirillo
20 eps
Justin Kirk
Peter
18 eps
Cole Allen
William Piccirillo
20 eps
Juliet Morris
Maddy Perera
20 eps
Catherine Keener
Deirdre Perera
20 eps
Matt Gourley
Bobby Belongo
3 eps
Julitta Scheel
Cassidy
10 eps
Michael Yama
Dalai Lama
2 eps
Dorien Davies
Soap Scum/Puppeteer
2 eps
Brooke Fontana
Young Deirdre
2 eps
Zackary Arthur
Young Jeff
3 eps
Andy Milder
Gene Rhodes
2 eps
Johnny Kostrey
Josip
3 eps
Alex Barrios
Derrell
14 eps
Rich Fulcher
Clay
5 eps
Karen Huie
Marsha
3 eps
John Polite
Napoleon Casablancas
2 eps
Bernard White
Scott Perera
15 eps
Kelly Coffield Park
Joanne
4 eps
Juliocesar Chavez
Gigs
12 eps
Coda Boesel
B.D.
13 eps
Barry Rothbart
Bert
5 eps
Luca Bleu Darnell
James
2 eps
Nicole Marie Appleby
Stephanie Burns
3 eps
Frank Bond
Brad Marchand
2 eps
Elizabeth Tripp
Beth
2 eps
Mary Faber
Macy
7 eps
Grace Song
Eliza
2 eps
Mike Quinn
Secret Chef
7 eps
Tinpo Lee
Rex
3 eps
Jernard Burks
Denny
3 eps
Calah Lane
Denny's Little Girl
3 eps
Dan Garza
Ennui
8 eps
Maximus Birchmore
Tanner
2 eps
Tara Lipinski
Tara Lipinski
7 eps
Ginger Gonzaga
Vivian
5 eps
Riki Lindhome
Shaina
2 eps
Christon Blue
Camera Operator
3 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Kidding actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Kidding reads strongest on Character Depth, Bingeability and Humour.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
The story
What it's about
Jeff, aka Mr. Pickles, is an icon of children's TV. But when his family begins to implode, Jeff finds no fairy tale or fable or puppet will guide him through this crisis, which advances faster than his means to cope. The result: a kind man in a cruel world faces a slow leak of sanity as hilarious as it is heartbreaking.
The run
Seasons
2 seasons · 20 episodes.
Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
201810 episodes
7.6IMDbIn season 1, Jeff begins to push back against the limits of the well-oiled machine that is Mr. Pickles’ Puppet Time. Seb begins preparing the show for a life after Jeff. Deirdre grapples with her own personal and professional life issues.
Best episode · S01E04 Bye, Mom
Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
202010 episodes
7.8IMDbSeason two 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 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. As Jeff navigates the most complicated moral gray areas of his life, he discovers a new side of himself in a season full of music, magic, puppets and pathos.
Best episode · S02E10 The Puppet Dalai Lama
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S02E10 · Signature episode
The Puppet Dalai Lama
Jill asks Jeff a question he isn't sure if he can answer.
- Directed by Jake Schreier
- Written by Dave Holstein
S01E04 · Signature episode
Bye, Mom
Jeff deals with a one-night stand. Jill learns that Jeff has been sending money to someone behind her back and confronts him.
- Directed by Jake Schreier
- Written by Mike Vukadinovich
S01E07 · Signature episode
Kintsugi
Jeff goes off script and starts to speak more honestly to children on Puppet Time as Seb panics that Jeff will soon have to appear on live television for the National Tree Lighting Ceremony. Deirdre and Scott get a new visitor from Japan – Mr. Pickles-San. The Pickles have Thanksgiving as a family.
- Directed by Minkie Spiro
- Written by Jas Waters
S02E03 · Signature episode
I'm Listening
Jeff has an idea for how he can speak directly to the children of the world while Seb hands over the reins of the Pickle empire to Deirdre. After finding a book of magic spells, Will finds himself face to face with the past.
- Directed by Kimberly Peirce
- Written by Roberto Benabib
S01E05 · Signature episode
The New You
Jeff decides to step out of his comfort zone. Seb tries to get Jeff on board with new changes for Puppet Time, as well as his ice skating show – Pickles On Ice, starring Tara Lipinski.
- Directed by Michel Gondry
- Written by Cody Heller
S02E01
The Cleanest Liver in Columbus, Ohio
Jeff realizes that if he can tell a lie for the first time in his life he’ll get everything he’s ever wanted.
- Directed by Jake Schreier
- Written by Dave Holstein
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S02E10 · Signature episode
The Puppet Dalai Lama
- Directed by Jake Schreier
- Written by Dave Holstein
S02E09
The Nightingale Pledge
- Directed by Jake Schreier
- Written by Dave Holstein, Dylan Tanous
S02E07
The Acceptance Speech
- Directed by Bert, Bertie
- Written by Mike Vukadinovich
S02E08
A Seat on the Rocket
- Directed by Bert, Bertie
- Written by Jas Waters
S02E05
Episode 3101
- Directed by Michel Gondry
- Written by Joey Mazzarino
S02E06
The Death of Fil
- Directed by Michel Gondry
- Written by Dave Holstein
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Dave Holstein
Showrunner
- Photo unavailable
Jim Garavente
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
James Garavente
Executive producer
Michel Gondry
Executive producer
Jim Carrey
Executive producer
Jason Bateman
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Michael Aguilar
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Raffi Adlan
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Roberto Benabib
Executive producer
Cody Heller
Writer
Mike Vukadinovich
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Dylan Tanous
Writer
Halley Feiffer
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jas Waters
Writer
Joey Mazzarino
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Noah Haidle
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Hilary Weisman Graham
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Jim GaraventeExecutive Producer
- Dave HolsteinExecutive Producer
- James GaraventeExecutive Producer
- Michel GondryExecutive Producer
- Jim CarreyExecutive Producer
- Jason BatemanExecutive Producer
Writing
- Cody HellerWriter
- Dave HolsteinWriter
- Mike VukadinovichWriter
- Dylan TanousWriter
- Halley FeifferWriter
- Jas WatersWriter
Direction
- Michel GondryDirector
- BertDirector
- BertieDirector
- Minkie SpiroDirector
- Jake SchreierDirector
- Kimberly PeirceDirector
Cinematography
- Christopher SoosDirector of Photography
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
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Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
The Rookie
2018
Another morally complex epic for anyone who wanted more grey.
Rick and Morty
2013
Another invented world built with the same seriousness — start at episode one.
FROM
2022
If the world-building is what held you, this is the next map to walk.
Chicago Fire
2012
Another masterpiece of long-form storytelling, chosen to follow this one.
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Watch this next if you like protagonists you can't quite defend.
Never stop watching
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