David Kendall's appeal lies in his care for young sitcom performers. We value the warmth in the programmes he helped make, though we are less persuaded by their jokes and stories.
Fi1m perspective
In Victorious (2010), Victoria Justice supplies the warmth and musical energy that make the thin stories tolerable. The mock commercials bring welcome absurdity to a pop sitcom otherwise dependent on songs and quick jokes. Kendall directed episodes of the programme, one of many youth series in which he worked with young performers. We enjoy the company, but the writing gives us little reason to recommend it to anyone without a taste for this sort of thing.
He came to directing through writing and producing, beginning on Growing Pains (1985) before moving to Boy Meets World (1993). On the latter, he wrote, directed and ran the second and third series. Cast accounts of his guidance credit him with helping young actors develop. That seems a more useful measure of his work than the sheer length of his credit list. Later directing jobs included iCarly (2007), continuing his concentration on youth comedy.
Girl Meets World (2014), on which he has a writing credit, makes the strengths and frustrations especially clear. We were moved by its friendship, helped by Rowan Blanchard's appealing lead performance. The sweetness becomes wearing, however, and the comedy struggles to distinguish itself from other family sitcoms. It is decent television for an audience already receptive to its good nature, but warmth cannot compensate indefinitely for jokes that feel familiar.
His feature work included the screenplay for The New Guy (2002) and his first feature as director, Dirty Deeds (2005). Television remained the centre of his career. With Melissa & Joey (2010), which he co-created and executive-produced, he again had a hand in shaping a programme as well as directing it. Melissa Joan Hart starred, and the combination of writing, production and directing duties was familiar from his earlier sitcom work.
We respect that practical experience, particularly when it helps inexperienced performers find their feet. We would not mistake it for a guarantee of good comedy: the two programmes we have reviewed both struggle when charm has to cover for the writing. Kendall's care for actors is the reason to take an interest. Try Victorious for the music, with modest expectations of what happens between the songs.
Biography
David Kendall was an American television and film director, producer and screenwriter. He was born on 4 October 1957 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Wesleyan University in 1979 with majors in film studies and government.
Kendall directed episodes of numerous series including Victorious (2010), iCarly (2007), Big Time Rush (2009), Henry Danger (2014), Zoey 101 (2005) and Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (2004). He wrote the screenplay for an episode of Girl Meets World (2014) and contributed writing and production to Boy Meets World and Growing Pains. His film credits include directing Dirty Deeds (2005) and writing The New Guy (2002).
He created the series Melissa & Joey (2010) and Kelly Kelly (1998). Kendall died on 2 May 2026.
