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Kim's Video

A second-tier ranking for Digital Shorts that aren't Criterion-level but still merit a closer look. Named after a legendary, now-closed NYC video store.

term catalogued by the Screen Beat fan dictionary

First heard Ep. 40 · 10:31 Listener Q&A Episode 2 53 mentions across 14 episodes, 2024-12-23 to 2026-10-01

Keeps company with: CriterionYormrighteous killQuaid ArmyKiv’s Peeveshit us in the tittus

Where it comes from

Coined in Ep. 39 'The Criterion Episode' while the hosts sort Digital Shorts into tiers. After 'syllabus' and 'additional reading' are floated, one host proposes Kim's Video for the cool, underground, cinephile-pleasing ones (Young Chuck Norris was an early candidate).

How the hosts use it

A verdict tier below Criterion. They say 'it's a Kim's Video', 'major Kim's Video', or 'hardcore Kim's Video' about a short, and debate Criterion vs Kim's Video vs 'no'. The excerpts say Kim's Video is 'a cool thing' someone slides across the counter, which is more affectionate than merely second-rate.

Why fans love it

The hosts apply film-snob rankings to goofy shorts with total mock-seriousness. It means pure to itself, with no cheap moves, rather than just 'lesser'.

Written by the AI from the transcripts. Every sentence was checked against them, one by one (the full episode transcript wherever a sentence names one); 4 sentences that failed the check are left out. How the check works.

Every time it comes up

Ep. 39 The Criterion Episode 2024-12-23

  • 23:35

    Kim's videos. Ooh, like cool underground.

    explained
  • 23:35

    Kim's videos. Ooh, like cool underground.

  • 23:37

    Like all Tim's videos was a video store in New York that like the cine files would go to.

  • 31:12

    I would put Harpoon Man in Kim's videos.

  • 31:23

    Criterion Collection named their better one Harpoon after Harpoon Man. So Citizen Kane is Harpoon.

  • 34:30

    I would say Kim's videos. Yeah, that's fair. That's a classic Kim's video.

  • 37:24

    Syllabus? Kim's videos. Yeah, I would agree to that.

  • 43:25

    A hardcore Kim's video for me. Excellent Kim's video.

  • 43:35

    Seth: Cool breeze tickling your knee pits is as good a line as they've ever written.

  • 43:58

    Kim's videos category was made for the best look in the world to me.

  • 57:22

    Seth: Laser Cats received over 75% of the vote. It got a yes from Jake. It got a no from Mike. It got a yes from Alan.

Ep. 40 Listener Q&A Episode 2 2024-12-30

  • 8:38

    Seth: I think Mirror very happily lands in Kim's video, right?

  • 10:31

    Kim's video just implies, hey, man, this is a cool thing.

    coined here
  • 10:31

    Seth: Kim's video just implies, hey, man, this is a cool thing.

Ep. 52 Everyone's a Critic 2025-03-25

  • 41:24

    Is it Criterion? I don't know. I'm going to say not.

  • 42:39

    Andy: It certainly would be in Kim's video. It's a real Kim's video.

Ep. 63 Party Guys 2025-06-10

  • 25:04

    this is Tracy Morgan's first time back hosting, so there's a lot of fun in the show.

  • 25:12

    because this is as Kim's video as a Kim's video can be.

  • 25:12

    because this is as Kim's video as a Kim's video can be.

  • 53:25

    Akiva: The debate on this is Kim's video or not.

  • 53:25

    Akiva: The debate on this is Kim's video or not.

Ep. 71 The Date & Megan's Roommate 2025-08-05

  • 30:45

    Seth: this is also a perfect example of Kim's video in that

  • 45:38

    Akiva: that Kim's video list, it's definitely on there

Ep. 80 Tizzle Wizzle Show 2025-10-07

  • 34:37

    Andy: it's not Criterion, but it's not exactly Kim's videos, or is it?

  • 34:40

    Andy: I think it's Kim's video. All right, Kim's video.

Ep. 90 Cherry Battle 2025-12-16

  • 32:20

    I would maybe I would maybe posit that it's like in the conversation for Kim's video.

  • 32:20

    But I would maybe I would maybe posit that it's like in the conversation for Kim's video.

Ep. 92 The Criterion Episode (2024 Re-release) 2025-12-30

  • 23:29

    There's another category. Okay. Kim's Videos. Ooh, like cool underground.

    explained
  • 23:30

    Yeah, like Tim's Videos was a video store in New York that like the cinephiles would go to.

  • 30:11

    I think laser cats is criterion. Really?

  • 31:19

    Seth: Criterion Collection named their better one Harpoon after Harpoon Man. So Citizen Kane is Harpoon.

  • 34:28

    I would say Kim's videos. Yeah, that's fair. That's a classic Kim's video.

  • 35:02

    Seth: I think it's ESPN Classic. Oh, new category. New category. ESPN Classic.

  • 39:51

    I think the issue is Act 1 is great, Act 2 is hilarious, and there isn't an Act 3.

  • 43:19

    Best look in the world. No. No. A hardcore Kim's video for me.

  • 52:17

    they're like pencil sketches, where you can see the future genius, but it doesn't quite fully realized on the page.

  • 57:34

    Seth: We have three maybes, and I also want to run down with the trio how they feel about our Kim's videos.

  • 57:40

    Seth: how they feel about our Kim's videos, how they feel about the additional reading selections as well.

Ep. 93 The 2025 Criterion Episode 2026-01-06

  • 9:11

    Space Olympics. I've got that in Kim's video.

    explained
  • 9:11

    Space Olympics. I've got that in Kim's video.

  • 30:05

    Lin-Manuel Miranda: I bumped this to Kim because it belongs in that category

  • 30:05

    Lin-Manuel Miranda: I bumped this to Kim because it belongs in that category of it starts with that one thing and ends with being about Will Forte being amazing.

  • 41:55

    Seth: I would resoundingly choose to put it in Kim's video.

Ep. 95 Golden Girls Theme 2026-01-13

  • 26:24

    Akiva: I think the curse deserved to go into Criterion.

  • 44:08

    Andy: I felt like they were kind of handing out Kim's video willy-nilly.

    explained
  • 45:29

    Kim's video, I think, implies a certain amount of coolness and style.

  • 46:12

    Seth: he said there should be a new category called laser cats.

Ep. 104 Boogerman Part 1&2 2026-03-26

  • 51:01

    Boogerman, Criterion or Kim's video?

Ep. 106 I Broke My Arm 2026-04-08

  • 1:10:30

    So I broke my arm, not Criterion, not Kim's video, but fine.

Ep. 125 Beastly 2026-08-18

  • 35:25

    Seth: Kim's videos. Oh, interesting. Like what is it for?

  • 49:41

    Akiva: Criterion, and you're wrong, Seth. Andy, I can tell you're on the fence

Ep. 131 Snuff Box: F**k You 2026-10-01

  • 17:52

    Akiva: Kim's videos for the cult classics, also normal.

  • 17:57

    Akiva: she suggests library for the shorts that are essential to the Lonely Island story.