INSIDE THE NFL: As expected, the show tackles the Patriots’ deflated footballs controversy right off the bat, and it’s a solid opening to the show. Bennett and Killam both do fine work as Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, respectively, but the real laughs are found in Bobby Moynihan’s Dougie Spoons; he goes on about Brady being the father of his child, he references A Few Good Men, and he’s the necessary energy in a pretty meh sketch otherwise. GRADE: B
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY: Pete Davidson and Kenan Thompson have a pretty great rapport, although there aren’t many jokes that land here. I did, however, enjoy the jab at the Academy for the Selma snubs. GRADE: B
MONOLOGUE: I’m far from the biggest Kevin Hart fan, but I always do enjoy when the hosts break out a standup routine rather than a generic song/questions from the audience bit. The audience loves him here, and the stuff about the driveway, raccoons, and mountain lions is funny. GRADE: B
A VERY SOMBER CHRISTMAS WITH SAM SMITH/DR. EVIL: First of all, Taran Killam’s Sam Smith impression is pitch perfect. Second of all, we get a huge surprise here with Mike Meyers’s Dr. Evil, and although the jabs at North Korea and Sony are pretty generic, it’s enjoyable watching the character yet again. GRADE: B-
MONOLOGUE: Okay, so as some of you may know, I love Amy Adams and will watch her in any movie…yes, even Man of Steel; she and Jessica Chastain are neck and neck for my favorite working actress today, with Marion Cotillard close behind. As for the monologue, she’s perfectly charming and all, but man, we seriously do not need Kristen Wiig back on the show. In addition, musical monologues are rarely good. GRADE: C+
CHARLIE ROSE: This is definitely a pretty clever twist on the CIA torture reports, and by the time the two clinical psychologists are going on about self checkout lines, one man shows, and auto correct, I’m pretty into it. Not the most polished sketch, but one that delivers some solid ideas. GRADE: B
MONOLOGUE: Martin Freeman–The Hobbit and Fargo star (meh to both, to be honest)–comes out and jokes about all British celebrities being friends, and we get some entertaining Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman impressions along with it. Freeman brings a pretty nice energy to the proceedings, so hopefully it’ll be a good show. GRADE: B-
POLITICS NATION WITH AL SHARPTON: This is a sketch in which Kenan Thompson is simply infectiously funny, from his mispronunciations to his picture with the cop to his quick interview with Jay Pharoah’s lawyer character. I really like the joke about all recordings having to be in HD and horizontal for a “more cinematic feel”. GRADE: B+
MONOLOGUE: That’s a pretty short monologue, but pictures of Rogen and Franco in embarrassing situations is only something that can last for a bit. I do enjoy the picture of Rogen teaching Franco how to read, and at the end, Franco even addresses all that Instagram controversy. GRADE: B-
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK: SNL seems to have a trend going of not really tackling the issue its political cold opens are really about, and that’s the case here with the subject matter of Obama’s immigration executive order. However, the cold open finds laughs with the physical comedy of Thompson and Moynihan, and the idea of bringing Schoolhouse Rock into things is pretty funny. GRADE: B-
MONOLOGUE: This is a pretty generic monologue, but I wasn’t expecting anything better, to be honest. The Shrek question is mildly entertaining. GRADE: C
OBAMA/MCCONNELL DRINK: It’s another political cold open, but there’s a ton of comedy to be mined from Pharoah and Killam getting drunker and drunker. It doesn’t really build to anything, but I like the Hillary Clinton phone call and McConnell’s “You’re black!” GRADE: B-
MONOLOGUE: Hey, it’s Jennifer Lawrence (and Hutcherson and Hemsworth)! I’m not a huge fan of singing monologues, but this one is just full of charm, especially when Lawrence messes up her line and is her usually adorable self. Unpolished, but fun, monologue. GRADE: B+
THE KELLY FILE: This isn’t a bad cold open, but it doesn’t really get going until Kate McKinnon’s Kaci Hickox starts talking about dishing out M&Ms to kids with her bare hands and until Moynihan’s Christie shows up at her house to have a slap fest. GRADE: C+
MONOLOGUE: Oh, how I love when the audience is uncomfortable. The monologue pushes all the buttons Rock intends to push as he goes on about the Boston Marathon, and he is absolutely fearless here; that’s what I like. He’s also very funny as well, and it’s clear that stand up routines make for the best monologues. GRADE: A-
EBOLA CZAR COLD OPEN: The sketch opens pretty weakly, but it gets better as it progresses. Taran Killam’s Ron Klain doesn’t truly bring the laughs until he starts talking about Latinos being immune to ebola and until he begins urging southern voters to stay away from polling booths. Thompson later gets in a good line with “All of New York is contaminated!” GRADE: B
MONOLOGUE: What the hell? (Ha). This is just weird, and not in a funny way. I think everyone was stoned when this was pitched. GRADE: D+
KIM JONG-UN COLD OPEN: Bobby Moynihan’s physical comedy makes this sketch much funnier than it should be, but at the end of it all–thankfully, only three minutes–it’s still pretty awful. There are no jokes here, and this seems like something the writers came up with in about 15 seconds. GRADE: D+
MONOLOGUE: Oh hi, Kristen Wiig. I never expected you to show up. Never. Anyway, the monologue is just perfectly average, with some pretty bland singing, a cameo by Harvey Fierstein, and a few middling jokes. GRADE: C+
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