ROB FORD COLD OPEN: This is just another one of those generic political opens that goes on way too long; sure, it’s funny watching Moynihan jump on his podium and act out, but only for a little bit. I’ll admit, though, the 60 Minutes joke is the strongest part of the act. GRADE: B
MONOLOGUE: I get what she’s trying to do with this monologue; she wants to come across as more relatable while still maintaining that personality, but for me, this monologue comes across as awkward and forced. It’s not particularly funny, and only Gaga’s voice saves it; the woman can actually sing. GRADE: C
PAXIL: SECOND TERM STRENGTH: The design of this sketch is impeccable, but there isn’t much comedy beyond the Obamacare slam. It isn’t even much of a slam; it mainly consists of a “Hey, Obama did some bad stuff!” joke that wears thin. GRADE: C+
WAKING UP WITH KIMYE: So it looks like Pharoah is back to playing his normal impressions now; that’s too bad, because I loved him two weeks ago when he was just being normal. I like Pedrad’s Kardashian and there are some great lines, as always (I liked the one about dipping her MacBook in caramel), and Gaga’s fine for the most part; still, I loathe her referencing herself like that. There’s no need for that. GRADE: C+
WHAAAT? WORST COVER SONGS: I’m a sucker for impression sketches, and this one is pretty good. Rick Ross singing “Cups” is pretty much the best thing ever, and all the impressions are pretty great. Lana Del Rey/Nathan Ray singing “It Wasn’t Me” is awesome, and I like the idea of slapping Lil’ Wayne and Susan Boyle together. GRADE: B+
WEEKEND UPDATE: Okay, I love Mr. Senior. It’s not very subtle humor, but I really like the pre-recorded segments, and seeing Thompson freak out at everyone is a joy to watch. After that, Killam is his awkward and energetic self as Jebediah Atkinson, which is just delightfully weird. The jokes themselves are alright tonight, but the two guests are great. GRADE: B
CONDO CO-OP BOARD: There’s a fantastic premise here, but this sketch really stumbles. It’s just a bunch of random “jokes” thrown in that aren’t particularly funny, as weird as McKinnon chewing on broccoli is. GRADE: C-
SPOTLIGHTZ: This is easily Lady Gaga’s best sketch of the night; the best part of it for her is the segment in which she plays Forrest’s mom, and she’s good with the Training Day speech as well. Obviously, Bayer’s fantastic, and we get yet another Breaking Bad reference. GRADE: B+
BLOCKBUSTER: This is great. I’ve already stated my love of pre-recorded segments, and this is a very topical (ironic, eh?) segment that has the look and feel of some of my favorite sketches. There are great little touches thrown in there that only a pre-recorded segment could thrown in; the attention to detail and the ambience reminds me of Sad Mouse from last year. GRADE: A-
LADY GAGA: As I’ve said, she can sing. Her first song is a duet with R. Kelly, who pretty much takes the spotlight and starts doing pushups on top of Gaga for some reason. It’s a good enough song, as is the second one, but I can’t help but hate the style. It’s just my opinion of her, but she has a great voice, and all the theatrics aren’t endearing; she tones it down here, though. GRADE: B-
TALENT PAGEANT: I understand this sketch, but I’m not sure I like it. It’s got brevity and weird dancing going for it, but I don’t really care about seeing Gaga and Milhiser dance; it’s not a very funny sketch, as short and sweet as it is. GRADE: C+
FUTURE LADY GAGA, UPPER WEST SIDE 2063: Oh, spare us the self-indulgent crap. This sketch is just an excuse for her to spout off some of her songs and pat herself on the back. Thompson is the best part of the sketch, and he isn’t even that great. Still, I give kudos to the writers for that ending; it’s strangely dark and intriguing. GRADE: C-
ROSÉ ZONE: Eh, not a very good way to close out the night. Okay, women want to see other women fighting….okay? Is that a joke, much less a sketch? I get it’s a parody of RedZone, but it’s forgettable GRADE: C
OVERALL: C
BEST SKETCH: Blockbuster
WORST SKETCH: Condo Co-Op Board/Upper West Side
FINAL THOUGHTS: Lady Gaga doesn’t make much of an impression here–certainly not as much as she wanted to. For the most part, she’s mediocre, but she shines in sketches like “Spotlightz”. There are some great sketches thrown in there, but the show in general isn’t all that great.
Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.
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