Trust Keke Palmer to do what needs to be done. In last night’s episode of Saturday Night Live, she brought Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell back together to reboot Kenan & Kel. The reunion sketch sees Thompson and Mitchell reprising their original Nickelodeon roles. But the show is now called Kenan & Kelly, because, duh, Palmer needed a part. (Devon Walker’s take on Ed from Good Burger is unfortunately turned down.) Palmer is clearly gunning for an Emmy, making excellent use of her freshly-revealed pregnancy by adding some baby daddy drama into her reimagining of the teen sitcom. When the sketch ends with a fatal robbery attempt, it’s clear that the ‘90s teen show has had a substantial shift in tone. But hey, no matter how much things change, at least Kel’s love for orange soda doesn’t.
Update 4:00 p.m.: The Kenan & Kel reunion meant as much to host Keke Palmer as it did to the rest of us. Posting on Instagram, the Nope star gushed about her fellow Illinoisans, and what their stardom meant to her back in the day. “Highlight of my life. You guys have been so influential, in so many ways and especially in comedy. So much of it what I think is good or funny or want to BE is because of you BOTH!†she wrote. “Kenan and Kel being from Illinois only made it even more real for me as a fellow Illinois-er haha. And the fact the Kel’s birthday is just a day before makes me feel like it was just meant to be. But seriously. So grateful to be a part of this reunion.â€