Though he's done online shorts and acted as executive producer on I'm Dying Up Here, it's been years since Jim Carrey took a regular role on a TV show. He's ending that drought with new dark comedy Kidding.
The series, created by Weeds veteran Dave Holstein, finds Carrey as Jeff, who is known by children across America as the Mr. Rogers-esque Mr. Pickles. The beloved presenter hosts his show with the help of some loveable puppets. Yet the man behind the sunny persona is suffering one hell of a mid-life crisis with potential mental breakdown to boot.
His growing troubles start to affect those around him, including producer Seb (Frank Langella), head puppet creator Deidre (Catherine Keener) and Jeff's estranged wife Jill (Judy Greer).
Another key member of the creative team is director Michel Gondry, who worked with Carrey on Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and brings his particular brand of surrealism to the show, which features a scene where the leading man gets... well, how to say this sensitively... a sexual favour from a puppet. Between this and The Happytime Murders, we're approaching puppet porn overload.
Kidding will debut on Showtime in the States on 9 September, and should be arriving on Sky Atlantic here shortly after that.
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