The SNL King Goes Suburban
For anyone who has watched Kenan Thompson on Saturday Night Live for the last two decades, seeing him in a lead sitcom role feels like a long-overdue promotion. In The Kenan Show, he plays a version of himself that many parents will recognize: the guy trying to keep it all together while the adults in his life (his brother and father-in-law) act more like children than his actual kids.
What makes this show stand out in a crowded field of family comedies is its refusal to ignore the 'widowed' part of the synopsis. Most sitcoms kill off a parent in the backstory and then never mention it again. Here, the grief is a character in the room. It’s handled with a light touch, but it adds a layer of sincerity that makes the jokes land better.
"While Kenan may not be groundbreaking comedy on its face, it provides much needed emotional comfort and laughs." — Rotten Tomatoes
The chemistry between Kenan and Chris Redd (who plays his brother/manager) is the secret sauce here. Their real-life friendship translates into a shorthand that makes the dialogue feel less scripted and more like a real family bickering. Don Johnson as the father-in-law is also a weird, inspired casting choice that works surprisingly well.
Is it a 'must-watch' in 2026? Maybe not if you're looking for the next big thing. But if you need 22 minutes of something that won't make you cringe or require a content warning, it’s a top-tier choice for the 'what should we watch tonight?' dilemma.