GENERAL MOTORS IGNITION SWITCH RECALL: There really isn’t much to this sketch, but Kate McKinnon does her best to make it entertaining. The premise seems half-baked, though, and the laughs are sparse. GRADE: C+
MONOLOGUE: Man, I love Anna Kendrick so much. I usually am not fond of musical monologues, but her energy and excitement is off the charts. The whole segment is exciting, visually appealing (Anna Kendrick is the focal point, of course), and catchy. This should be a good show…I hope. GRADE: A-
FOX AND FRIENDS: “Game of Thrones is not an adult version of musical chairs.” This sketch isn’t very memorable, and as usual, the guests–in this case, Kendrick as an “Obamacare survivor” and Kenan Thompson as Neil deGrasse Tyson–don’t make much of an impression. However, the corrections are enough to boost the grade a few notches. GRADE: B
DONGS ALL OVER THE WORLD: Well, this is fun…right? Eh. There isn’t much comedy to this sketch, and while the song is catchy, the lyrics are mediocre. I like the idea of the pre-recorded music, but this is an uncharacteristically bad one. And yet…I sort of like it? I’m not sure. GRADE: C+
LITTLE MERMAID: First of all, I like the idea of Anna Kendrick as a mermaid; nice outfit there. Second, she’s very entertaining in this sketch, and she sure can rap (“It was Iggie Azalea, and she’s white.”). Aidy Bryant’s even better as Ursula, and the entire sketch is so fun to watch unfold; I mean, you got Jay Pharoah as a crab at the end. I think the main problem with this is its first half. GRADE: B
NERVOUS NEIGHBORS: The sketch starts out on an average note, but it’s quickly revealed that that’s exactly the point. This escalates from a sweet, awkward sketch into a flat-out hilarious one when Beck Bennett shows up, and Bayer going “I’ll just go fuck this guy, and we’ll go on our date” is hilarious. GRADE: B+
WEEKEND UPDATE: Well, the memory loss segment is cute; at least we’re getting some Jost-Strong interplay. As for the guests, McKinnon is fantastic as Angela Merkel (“I want to talk off this man’s blazer and put on a man’s Hawaiian shirt”), Brooks Wheelan gets some good stuff in there about a butter-STD story, and Moynihan is fairly entertaining as George RR Martin. I’d say the quality of the guests decreases with each one, though. GRADE: B-
LES JEUNES DE PARIS: Awesome. You can tell everyone’s having a great time, and that’s the very definition of Anna Kendrick, anyhow: fun. The references are great, the choreography is stellar, and the sketch’s energy is infectious. GRADE: A-
NORFOLK ZOO: Principal Frye’s way past the point of being hilarious, but he can still deliver some comedy gems: most notably the monkey-Snapchat line. In addition, Anna Kendrick is adorable in that mouse costume. GRADE: B
PHARRELL: Well, Pharrell’s great. His energy’s fantastic as well, and I’m still not tired of “Happy”. “Marilyn Monroe” has a catchy beat as well, and the production of the performances themselves are sublime. GRADE: B+
BIG JOE: This is funny for all of about 20 seconds. The first time he says he can’t pick up the rock, we’re done. The sketch drags on for way too long, and it isn’t particularly funny. GRADE: C
PHARRELL AUDITION: By now, I should’ve gotten tired with Kendrick breaking out into song all the time, but I haven’t. Then again, this particular sketch doesn’t really go anywhere, and it seems like it’s two different ideas mashed into one: the hats and the audition. GRADE: B-
NCAA TOURNEY–BEST OF THE WHITE GUYS: First of all, give it up for #7 UConn and #8 Kentucky! This is why I love March Madness. As for this sketch, it’s nothing hilarious, but it’s also far from bad. Decent way to close out the night. GRADE: B-
OVERALL: B
ANNA KENDRICK: A (Okay, you’re probably sick and tired of me gushing over her by now.)
To be a little more verbose, I do wish the show allowed her to show her wider range of comedy talents, aside from singing (trust me, she has them). However, as expected, she was an endearing, entertaining host.
NEXT WEEK: Seth Rogen.
Photo credit: NBC, Saturday Night Live
I would love to show my acting and dancing for pharrell because i love his energy and motivational ways besides i think he is on the other side can make me laugh i know he would be someone great to work with!