Tag Archives: Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live “Jimmy Fallon/Justin Timberlake” Live Blog/Review (39×10)

21 Dec

jimmy_fallon_snl_a_lHey, guys, so I’m in LA today, meaning this live blog will begin at 11:30 Pacific time.

WRAPPINGVILLE: These are fun; there’s no question about that. The thing is, I’m already past the point of caring about them because they aren’t fun enough to scrape by on nostalgia. This specific one puts a nice spin on things with Fallon and Timberlake and has some pretty clever wordplay, but I just don’t enjoy it as much. GRADE: B-

MONOLOGUE: This is a perfectly good monologue that allows Fallon to sing, do some impressions of David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and Bob Dylan, and bring in Paul McCartney as our first guest of the night. It’s not anything original, but it’s absolutely enjoyable, and it allows Fallon to do what he does best. GRADE: B+

FAMILY FEUD: The “impressions” premise is fine enough, and I’m a sucker for these kinds of sketches. Fallon and Timberlake seem to have some kind of unique relationship that’s endearing to watch, and it’s no different when they crack up here. Taran Killam’s Ashton Kutcher is great and Fallon does a good Sheldon Cooper–Sheldon Cooper, not Jim Parsons. Thompson is also as enjoyable as ever, and oh, there’s something about Brooks Whelan not getting enough screen time. GRADE: B+

LET’S DO IT IN MY TWIN BED: And the pre-recorded segments strike again. My, this is fantastic, if only for allowing the women of SNL to shine. The song is catchy, the visual touches are amazing, and the premise is creative. Also, we get to see pictures of the cast members as seven year olds! GRADE: A-

THE BARRY GIBB TALK SHOW: Well, I’m surprised to see this sketch again. Still, it’s fairly enjoyable, and Fallon’s energy is what keeps it going; it’s also great to see Killam’s Paul Ryan back. Out of our two guests here, Barry Gibb makes more of an impression; Madonna is fairly superfluous, to be honest with you. Also, it seems like Timberlake’s a co-host. GRADE: B-

WEEKEND UPDATE: This is a nice send-off to Seth Meyers without being overly sentimental. Michael Bloomberg brings a nice dynamic to the Fallon-Meyers interactions, and I have to say, I will miss Meyers. He could get grating at times, but he was a solid weekend update host with some nice relationships with certain guests. As for the rest of the update, it’s fairly middling, even with McKinnon’s Billie Jean King, but hey, it’s solid. GRADE: B

WAKING UP WITH KIMYE: I like this sketch, and Pharoah’s Kanye is the highlight; the dynamic between him and Pedrad is fantastic, and there are some really hilarious lines in there. Oh, and of course we get a Bound 2 parody. GRADE: B-

NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL CHRISTMAS: Well, here’s another impression sketch, and it’s very solid; Fallon’s impressions are all very good, Cecily Strong is great as Alanis Morrisette, and Kate McKinnon nails Shakira. GRADE: B

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: This brings a string of good sketches to a screeching halt. The main takeaway is that Ebenezer Scrooge was gay, and I just don’t find any of it funny at all. Not even Killam’s energy can save this sketch. GRADE: D+

BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE: This is great. Fallon and Strong have amazing chemistry, and the concept is excellent; it’s a very sweet sketch that showcases some great singing voices and the ability of the writers to tell a whole story in such a short time. GRADE: A-

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: I like Justin Timberlake, but I feel like he got caught up by the visual aspect in the first performance. However, the second performance shows off his skill in a much more impressive way, and it’s a solid ending to the night. GRADE: B+

OVERALL: B+

This is a very good finisher to the year that utilizes Fallon and Timberlake very well, as well as incorporating some guest stars into the proceedings. It also manages to provide a send-off to Seth Meyers, and there really is only one dud in this episode. I’m impressed, SNL.

Anyway, that does it for SNL live blogs for the year. Have a safe and happy holiday season, everyone.

Photo credit: NBC, Saturday Night Live

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “John Goodman/Kings of Leon” Live Blog/Review (39×09)

14 Dec

John-GoodmanHere we go.

OBAMA COLD OPEN: So our weekly political cold open is poking fun at the sign language interpreter at the Mandela memorial service. Thompson is very entertaining here, and Kate McKinnon does a nice job, once again, as Angela Merkel; I love the “serious” and “fun” pictures they take. It’s a solid and silly cold open. GRADE: B

MONOLOGUE: “All I Want For Christmas Is Booty”. That’s great, guys, but this monologue isn’t all that entertaining. There isn’t much to the song, which I guess is the point, but come on; I expect a little more effort. Hey, it’s great seeing Goodman back, though. GRADE: C+

GUY FIERI’S FULL THROTTLE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: Even the audience doesn’t seem that into it. Kate McKinnon as Big Ang is absolutely brilliant, but the rest of the sketch is a dud. The impressions aren’t particularly great, and the production of the sketch is awkward and choppy. GRADE: C-

DEARBORN COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE HOLIDAY PAGEANT: Now, this is great. It’s a simple, creative sketch that combines some great movements and facial acting from the cast members with some increasingly absurd voice over. “On the way here, I hit a man with my car. I didn’t stop because I thought this was more important!” I love this. GRADE: A-

THREE WISE GUYS: Jeez, how awesome is it seeing Goodman, Stallone, and De Niro in the same sketch? They’re all fantastic, even given how awkward the sketch is; it’s way too choppy for the awkwardness to be endearing. Still, they do a great job, especially with a good amount of one-liners about camels and Jesus and whatever they want. GRADE: B

WEEKEND UPDATE: Well, it’s Seth’s penultimate episode here, and we’re finally seeing some transition to Cecily; I like her interactions with Black Santa Claus, and Meyers does some good work with Drunk Uncle, as always-““We got ‘Black Friday’ now? Wasn’t ‘February’ enough?” In addition, the jokes are pretty solid. GRADE: B+

Second “Inside Llewyn Davis” promo tonight. God, those are beautiful.

GENEVIEVE CIVIL SUIT: Okay, John Goodman’s outfit already makes this sketch. In addition, Killam’s toned-down character suits the sketch well, and Beck Bennett does some awesome dancing at the end of the sketch. The Goodman-Thompson dynamic in particular is brilliant. GRADE: B

FIRE SAFETY: I liked this well enough back in Norton’s episode, and this one is a step down, most likely due to the lack in novelty. Still, it takes a while to get going and doesn’t gel as great as it did a few weeks back. Pedrad’s energy is always great, though, and it’s fun watching the kids exasperate Goodman. GRADE: B-

HALLMARK CHANNEL COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS: Eh. Thankfully this is short, because the concept is just “Let’s roll out a bunch of funny titles and see which one sticks”. At best, some are mildly amusing, but this is a mediocre segment all around. GRADE: C-

KINGS OF LEON: I like the guys, but are they half asleep or something? Anyway, these are perfectly pleasant songs to listen to; they’re not great or anything, but they’re an enjoyable group of guys. GRADE: B

THE CHRISTMAS WHISTLE: Basically, this boils down to a bunch of people yelling at each other, and I’m not sure where the overarching humor is. For some reason, though, there’s something endearing about all the yelling; I can’t quite place it, but the sketch is good for a few laughs. GRADE: B-

H&M SHOPPER: Well, this is a catchy song. It’s not hilarious or anything, but it’s a good use of a few minutes; it’s really entertaining, and Pharoah does good work here. It’s a very well-done jab at H&M, and in addition, Wale drops by. GRADE: B+

DONNELLY’S: These are always great, and Goodman’s fantastic in this role. McKinnon, as always, is on fire, and to be honest with you, this is a scenario you could probably see happening in real life. Anyway, there are some awesome lines (“We could 66. That’s you and me upside down in bed watching TV”), and it’s really entertaining seeing the two and whipped cream and whatever the hell. GRADE: A-

GRADE: B

Next week, Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake, and Seth Meyers’ last night on the show. I’ll be on the west coast then, so my live blog will follow accordingly, which is on a three-hour delay. So, expect it to start at 2:30 Eastern/1:30 Central, although I don’t know why you would still be up by then.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “Paul Rudd/One Direction” Live Blog/Review (39×08)

7 Dec

screen_shot_2013-12-03_at_9.58.28_pmAll times central.

Sound of Music: Sorry, show, I didn’t really want to see Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig back, much less this character. Both had some good characters back in the day, but if they’re going to come back, it has to be better than the lameness here. I knew a Sound of Music parody would arise eventually, but not like this. GRADE: C-

Monologue: I also knew the Anchorman cast would show up, but this is great; the Nine Direction are a sight to see, and it’s hilarious watching all of them interact. “Why don’t you sit on Santa’s lap and ask for some balls?” says Steve Carell, and then they all burst into “Afternoon Delight”. It’s great. GRADE: B+

Al Sharpton: Well, here’s another tired ObamaCare spoof; Paul Rudd is criminally under-used here, and the main joke of this sketch is the inability of Sharpton to read. Some funny moments, but overall, it’s stale. GRADE: C+

One Direction’s Biggest Fan: So it’s a good, albeit very surface, concept here, and it’s worth it to see Paul Rudd as One Direction’s biggest fan. Many of the jokes don’t really land, though–it’s a purely sight gag sketch, I’ll give it that–and it goes on a bit too long. GRADE: B-

DIVORCE MEETING: Well, this is pretty fun. Paul Rudd and Vanessa Bayer break out dancing to Fleetwood Mac’s “I Don’t Want to Know”, and it’s just really entertaining. I liked the various interludes as well; the sketch could’ve been split up into two, honestly. GRADE: B

WEEKEND UPDATE: So the actual news jokes are pretty mediocre this week, but the guests are good. I know I’ll get tired of both of them at some point, so hopefully SNL doesn’t run them into the ground (nice quip about this very fact by Atkinson). Anyway, Killam and Bayer (it’ll be interesting to see Jacob’s interactions with Cecily) do great work, as always. “I probably shouldn’t do this after the audience went full bitch over the Snoopy joke!” “Charlie Brown, you have a pube on your forehead!” I love this guy, even if it wasn’t as crazy as last time, though. Edited to add: The show has Ron Burgundy in the studio; why not use him here? GRADE: B

MICHELANGELO: So, dick jokes; that’s all there is to this sketch, and the show knows it; Jay Pharoah pops in for a few seconds at a time to make tiny penis jokes, and this shouldn’t be funny at all. But hey, it isn’t AS bad as I was expecting. GRADE: C

WHITE CHRISTMAS: Okay, so we’re parodying “Best Man Holiday” and “Black Nativity” now; it’s a flimsy premise, but there are certainly some funny moments in there, even given the fact that everything’s too on-the-nose. Sadly, it’ll probably ignite a race discussion at some point tomorrow. GRADE: B-

SANTA’S WORKSHOP: So the cast is pretty good at playing elves, but the sketch never really gels; Kate McKinnon isn’t as funny as the concept suggests here, and while the general concept is pretty good, the jokes never land. GRADE: C

28 MILES AWAY: Although I wasn’t a fan of the sketch as a whole and it’s one-note premise, I’m glad about the attempt and the approach to it; Cecily Strong’s great, and Rudd’s Victor makes for a few laughs. It’s unique, I’ll give it that. GRADE: B-

ONE DIRECTION: So, these guys perform “Story of My Life and “Through the Dark”. These are some pretty generic pop songs here, but hey, I don’t have as much of a problem with them as a bunch of people I know. I’m not going to seek out their songs, but they aren’t terrible. GRADE: B-

BILL BRASKY: Well, I’m always a sucker for a five-minute workshop of spouting out one-liners. This hearkens back to the old days, which is something that it already has going for it, and although I would’ve liked to see the Anchorman cast utilized better (get in something, Carell. You and Rudd are my favorites.), I think this is a solid bookend to the night; it’s way too long, though. GRADE: B+

Now we’ll close out with whatever I could catch from the Brasky sketch:

“I actively worship the Devil.”

“Last night I made sweet, passionate love to a box of Kleenex.”

“Brasky’s ejaculate can cure leprosy.” “I wish I had leprosy.”

“Brasky gave AIDS back to the monkeys.”

“I like to sneak into hospitals and kiss coma patients.”

“Brasky once punched a bald eagle because it wasn’t patriotic enough.”

OVERALL GRADE: B-

NEXT WEEK: John Goodman, who is amazing. I was excited to see him in Inside Llewyn Davis, but alas, my theater didn’t carry the movie yet. That means I’ll have American Hustle, Inside Llewyn Davis, Anchorman, (hopefully) Her, and The Wolf of Wall Street to watch over the course of a week. It’s looking to be a good upcoming weeks for movies. Alright, that’s it for the movie talk for me; sorry.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “Josh Hutcherson/HAIM” Live Blog/Review (39×07)

23 Nov

Josh-Hutcherson-SNL-Saturday-Night-Live-Promo-Videos-590x331GEORGE ZIMMERMAN COLD OPEN: This is a fairly tame cold open, with a flimsy premise and some average interactions; everything seems like it was quickly shoved together without much thought going into the jokes. It’s not a very good sketch, even with the visual of Zimmerman’s tracker and “I’m a sucker for bad boys…and I like when a man’s features are being sucked into the middle of his face.” GRADE: C+

MONOLOGUE: So the blatant Hunger Games stuff is actually not bad; Cecily Strong is absolutely brilliant here (“It’s New York, baby. It’s a jungle out there.”), and Hutcherson isn’t bad; his “It’s a book?” is legitimately funny.  GRADE: B

GIRLFRIENDS TALK SHOW: I’m not a big fan of these sketches, although I have to say; this is the best one yet. Aidy Bryant kills it here, and the fact that half the time it looks like she’s about to lose it makes it even better. Great lines: “I love you. Oh, no what have I done?” and “I feel like I’m entering womanhood right now.” GRADE: B-

MR. PATTERSON’S OFFICE: Beck Bennett is really good at playing a baby. There’s not much to this sketch, but I laughed a lot just at the visual of it; I guess that’s the point. Anyway, it looks like Hutcherson’s just going to be standing around all night. GRADE: B

MATCHBOX 3: So here’s a sketch with a fantastic premise that went on a little too long. I’m a fan of the pre-recorded segments, and I do like this one; the thing is, the concept can’t really sustain a four-minute long sketch. Still, that’s my only complaint; I thought the dance moves were hilarious–stirring the espresso was a highlight–and there were some great lines in there: “I will be holding up a flag for your reference!” GRADE: B+

WEEKEND UPDATE: Aidy Bryant’s “Worst Lady On An Airplane” drops by, and it isn’t that great; there are some great lines in there–“I don’t know. Can you make Monsters University any less hilarious?” and “There’s nothing greater than the sound of unexplained human laughter.”–but this amounts to nothing. The update jokes are solid here, though. GRADE: B-

JOSIE-I’m not entirely sure what happened here, although it’s a simple-ish premise. Still, it’s a really fun sketch that allows the cast to just let loose and have a good time, even with the lack of jokes or a general cohesiveness. GRADE: B-

BEST BUY: I hated this before and I hate it now. There’s nothing funny about this sketch, save for Thompson’s red afro and Killam’s evil serial killer grin. You know what would be great? If this tied in somehow to that digital short from a few weeks back…because Best Buy, you know? GRADE: C-

DANCING: I was excited for this sketch going in, but it really didn’t amount to much; it felt way too awkward in a bad way; it felt really thrown together, which is surprising considering it’s a pre-recorded one. I like the concept of the dancer’s career; the execution’s shaky, though. Props for the Stefon reference! “It has the hottest nightclub in town….DJ’s.” GRADE: B-

HAIM: I’d never heard of them before, but I guess I like them, although I do think the vocals are a hell of a lot more interesting than the songs themselves. Still, this is a group that knows its style and is good at doing what it does. GRADE: B

ANIMAL HOSPITAL: Okay, so the animals all died. They really ran that joke straight into the ground, and this sketch is at least 3 minutes too long. Still, I admit it got a bunch of smiles out of me, and the energy of everyone here is fantastic. I feel bad about liking it, but it’s so weird, and I just do. GRADE: B

BUGS: This is strangely good in that “New Digital Short”-esque sense. It’s a childish premise, but that’s the point; those tuba sounds were fantastic, and yet again, it’s another sketch that takes a turn at the end. I really liked “I’m going to the supermarket!” GRADE: B

THANKSGIVING DINNER: I’m not sure what was going on this sketch, but I know I’m not that fond of it. It just feels like an obligatory Thanksgiving sketch tacked on the end that doesn’t say anything whatsoever. GRADE: C-

OVERALL: B-

FINAL THOUGHTS: Not bad. I wasn’t too excited about Hutcherson hosting, but he didn’t do a bad job. The thing is, he was pushed to the background while the main cast took center stage, and I’m fine with that. There were several digital shorts, which really shows the increased presence of the new guys in the cast; still, they were a bit shaky tonight. All in all, it was a solid show with few duds. In two weeks, Paul Rudd, who’s awesome.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “Lady Gaga” Live Blog/Review (39×06)

16 Nov

Lady-Gaga-SNL-PromoROB 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.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “Kerry Washington/Eminem” Live Blog/Review (39×05)

2 Nov

Saturday Night Live - Season 39

NO BLACK WOMEN IN OUR CAST: I’m not sure what to say about this. It’s hilarious watching SNL acknowledge its lack of black women (although come on, what about the other ethnicities? Get on that, SNL, please), but there isn’t much to the sketch. Still, Washington does great and Al Sharpton’s observation that “We have learned nothing.” is funny. GRADE: B

COLD OPEN: This isn’t all that funny, and Kenan Thompson covered in blood didn’t go to the places it could’ve. Bayer saying “da club” is funny, but there isn’t anything great about the monologue; it’s short, so that’s good. GRADE: C+

CAREER WEEK: This is nothing special, but it’s enjoyable enough; it’s also great to have Pedrad in a more starring role. The sound effects are really, really stupid, and Pedrad isn’t able to make them work; still, Washington is really great. “Respect my ability to assess a bucket!” GRADE: C+

WHAT DOES MY GIRL SAY?: This is absolute perfection. It perfectly details how many relationships go, as well as tells a story in just a few minutes. The song is catchy, Pharoah and Washington are brilliant, and it really goes to show you just how fantastic SNL pre-recorded segments are. GRADE: A

HOW’S HE DOING?: When this sketch started, I was expecting a bunch of black jokes and nothing more; instead, it turned into something so delightfully weird that I loved it at the end. Thompson, Washington, and Pharoah are all great here, and there are some truly hilarious moments. “What I wouldn’t give to get a white person’s mail for a day? Nothing but pre-approved credit cards and a Pottery Barn catalog!” Also, although “The Wire” references are tired, the sketch makes it something new with Thompson’s anger at TV recappers. I guess he’s mad at me. GRADE: A-

MISS UNIVERSE: Okay, so this is offensive, but it’s hilarious. Each woman was hilarious, and the best thing is that each one isn’t overplayed. Each has one fantastic “joke”, and it’s great. Miss Bolivia is fantastic (a good make out is always welcome), and Aidy Bryant knocking someone out is a fantastic sight gag. GRADE: B+

WEEKEND UPDATE: (More on Eminem later): Wow, this show is on a groove. Kate McKinnon is always a treat, and she’s perfect as Chancellor Angela Merkel, who’s not just a Chancellor, but a woman looking for anything to seem regular. As for O’Neal and Barkley…oh man, this is great. Pharoah’s (who’s been on fire tonight) eyes are already perfection, and everything that comes out of his mouth is comedy gold. Also, the news jokes are great, and I’m happy Strong got to interact with a guest. GRADE: A-

CARTOON CATCHPHRASE: This sketch got unfunny quick; it was very clear where the sketch was going right off the bat, and by the time we got to the third “Duane”, it was pretty bad. There are some funny moments in there, but overall, it’s a dud after a string of fantastic sketches. GRADE: C

PRINCIPAL FRYE: This sketch should really be retired; it’s good enough for some funny reaction shots, but it’s feeling tired now. Miss Cherry is alright and the gym coach is unfunny, and Pharoah is average here. I did like “The shark is crossing things off his to-do list.” GRADE: C+

EMINEM: I’ve listened to MMLP2, and there are some fantastic songs on there intermingled with some average ones. However, he sadly isn’t the best here; songs like “Rap God” and “Bad Guy” show off more of his range, but it’s unsurprising that he’d go with the more radio-friendly songs. I like Eminem, but the music drowns him out here and his flow isn’t up to his usual standards. GRADE: B-

DATE OR DISS: Okay, so there are some good MTV digs here, but all this amounts to is a bunch of sexual innuendo that isn’t all that funny. It’s pretty choppy and awkward, and hopefully we end the night better. GRADE: C

ICE CREAM: It’s not perfect, but it’s a good enough finisher. It’s an interesting premise, and while it isn’t uproariously funny, its dreamlike qualities are intriguing enough that I liked it. Not the best pre-recorded sketch, but still good. GRADE: B+

OVERALL: B+

BEST SKETCH: What Does My Girl Say?

WORST SKETCH: CARTOON CATCHPHRASE/DATE OR DISS

FINAL THOUGHTS: Kerry Washington bursts onto the SNL scene here with a couple fantastic performances right off the bat; she recedes a bit as the episode progresses, but she’s still great. Although I think the show relies too much on the racial humor here, it’s still prime for some hilarious sketches; Jay Pharoah is the MVP here.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “Edward Norton/Janelle Monáe” Live Blog/Review (39×04)

26 Oct

saturday-night-live-edward-norton-01HEALTH CARE WEBSITE: Kate McKinnon is always a joy to watch, and she delivers an above-average cold open that, while it runs long, has some great touches in the spoof on the healthcare.gov fiasco: the spinning ball of doom, a smashing of a computer, and funny zingers. GRADE: B

MONOLOGUE: This is a pretty bland monologue, and not even Alec Baldwin can salvage it. Most of the jokes don’t land, and for some reason, Miley Cyrus returns after only a few weeks after her episode. The three people up there don’t really mesh all that well, and it’s awkward and unfunny. Good Woody Allen, though, Norton. GRADE: C+

PUMPKIN SPICE: The sketch mainly relies on the sight gags of pumpkin spice smoke rising from a bunch of womens’ vaginas, and it works; Kate McKinnon shoveling a pumpkin near her vagina is always funny. GRADE: B

STRANGER SAFETY CLASS: The best part of this sketch is Bobby Moynihan screaming “YOU SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS!” Nasim Pedrad is also charming as the naive kid, and while the sketch starts out shaky, it improves a bit later when everyone starts yelling at Norton. GRADE: B

STEVE HARVEY: Okay, so this sketch is amusing enough at first, with Thompson’s Harvey not able to figure out the play on words in front of him, but there’s only so much you can do with that. Some of his misconstrued observations are funny, but ultimately, not enough to hold up a sketch. GRADE: C+

Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders: Now this is fantastic. The audience wasn’t laughing much due to the fact that most people haven’t seen a Wes Anderson movie, but this is a great parody that nails all the aspects of his techniques. GRADE: A-

POSSUM: Well, this isn’t funny. It consists of two guys fascinated with possums in a vent, and it doesn’t amount to anything at all. Usually, the weird reaction shots get laughs out of the audience, but when even that doesn’t do anything, you know the sketch sucks. GRADE: C-

RAIN MAN: So, the guy can count stuff. That’s the “joke”, and it’s elongated over a 3-4 minute sketch. It looks like we’re going downhill now. GRADE: C-

WEEKEND UPDATE: The show’s running long today, so a good 5 minutes are shaved off of Weekend Update. The actual jokes are average this week, and Anthony Crispino is getting old. I admit, though, he makes me laugh sometimes.. Anyway, again not much for Cecily this week; I’ll chalk that up to lack of time. GRADE: C+

12 DAYS NOT A SLAVE: I saw 12 Years A Slave today, and it was a masterpiece. My review will be up later. As for this sketch? Eh. Moynihan walking menacingly behind Pharoah is funny, but none of the other jokes land; I would’ve liked to see a more straight up parody of the movie, but that’s not to be, I guess. Also: it’s weird seeing Taran Killam here after seeing him in the movie. Oh, and go away, Miley Cyrus. GRADE: C-

VIRGIN WAITERS: Yeah, we’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel here. How in the hell is this funny? It’s just a bunch of people acting like idiots, and yes, I know that’s the point, but it really is just a bunch of actors making fools of themselves. The best part of the sketch, aside from when it ends, is “Where do you picture the other person?” GRADE: D

JANELLE MONÁE: I really like Monáe, and I think her second song, “Electric Lady”, shows off her talents a bit better than the first one does. She can rap, dance, and her beats are extremely catchy. Overall, two very enjoyable performances. GRADE: B+

HALLOWEEN CANDY: This started off as a sketch I thought I would hate, but it was surprisingly funny near the end; maybe it’s just because a lot of what came before this sketch was utter crap. Norton’s funny here in an awkward, weird way, and you know what? I like it; my favorite is him opening the Cars 2 DVD case and going, “No DVD. Look who’s in control now?” GRADE: B

OVERALL: C

BEST SKETCH: Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders

WORST SKETCH: Virgin Waiters

FINAL THOUGHTS: That got bad quickly. Everything started off fine enough, reaching its height with the Wes Anderson parody; however, it plummeted in quality afterwards. I do like the ending sketch, which uses Norton the best out of any sketch tonight. All in all, though, a mediocre show.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “Bruce Willis/Katy Perry” Live Blog/Review (39×03)

13 Oct

Bruce-WillisAs always, check back in every 10 minutes or so for live updates.

GRAVITY: It isn’t surprising that SNL would parody the number one movie in the country, and it’s a solid cold open. The premise is flimsy and the sketch is a bit empty, but Thompson and McKinnon are extremely entertaining as the janitors back in Houston. I enjoyed Thompson’s Willy Wonka suggestion, but another government shutdown joke? Sigh. GRADE: B

MONOLOGUE: I like Bruce Willis, but I couldn’t care less about his harmonica-playing or his daughters. There really isn’t anything funny here, and Moynihan isn’t terrible enough at the harmonica to be funny. GRADE: C

24 HOUR ENERGY: This is mainly an excuse for everyone to scream and exaggerate, and it’s alright. I’m not exactly sure about the accuracy of the scenarios depicted here, but it’s a creative enough premise. I just wish they had gone further with this, maybe exploring the 24-Hour Energy For Dating Actors? GRADE: B-

BLACK OPS: This plays off of Willis’ action background, but it ends up being disappointing; it could’ve been so much better if Willis was stronger. Moynihan’s excited reactions to the proceedings are priceless, but Willis seems a little too nonchalant for his own good. I couldn’t even understand half of what he was saying. GRADE: B-

BARBER SHOP: Once again, Willis is the weak link here, which sadly drags down the grade of the sketch a bit. He gets in some funny lines, but what really makes it work are Thompson’s and Pharoah’s reactions to everything. Their interactions with each other are comedy gold, and I’d watch a whole episode of that. GRADE: B-

BOY DANCE PARTY: Now this is some well-produced fun. It’s reminiscent of those fantastic digital shorts, and it’s catchy and silly. The freeze-frame of Taran Killam spraying silly string is priceless, and it’s the best sketch of the night so far. GRADE: B+

LADY GAGA TALK SHOW: Nothing here really works; Willis is awkward, and…that’s it. Bayer’s Gaga isn’t really anything special, McKinnon’s Cruz isn’t up to her other impressions, and Killam’s DJ gets old after a  while. The premise is bad in and of itself, so you’ll enjoy it if you’re not expecting much. GRADE: C

WEEKEND UPDATE: Strong seems to be getting better every week. She has tons of chemistry with Meyers, and the news jokes are pretty strong this week; the Jenner jokes are fantastic. Thompson is great as Chaplain Barry Black, and his rants are a thing of beauty. As for Wheelan, I’m glad he’s getting more screen time, but his turn as the tattoo guy here doesn’t work for me. GRADE: B

KIRBY: Yeah, this is love or hate, but I’m on the “hate” side. I just don’t get it. Yeah, he loves cats and he’s annoying as hell, but he steals the sketch without actually stealing the sketch. It’s overlong and unfunny, and they need to scrap this. GRADE: C-

CENTAURI VODKA: Well, this isn’t much. All the sketch contains is Willis in an awful centaur costume with Milhiser suffocating behind him, and it gets unfunny in a hurry, even though it’s an extremely short sketch. GRADE: C+

CHON, or CHUN, or whatever: This is an annoying sketch. Yes, it’s entertaining at first to watch Killam ham it up over a mix-up of two words, but this gets old fast. Also, Killam’s screaming becomes almost like nails on a chalkboard. I said they need to scrap Kirby, but this one needs to go first. No, it is not funny. Glice was not funny, either. GRADE: D+

SIGMA: This is a good, low key sketch that allows a couple of newcomers to shine. Their deadpan delivery makes everything all the more hilarious, and what they’re actually talking about is as well. It’s short, sweet, and a nice way to round out the evening. GRADE: B

KATY PERRY: I like Katy Perry’s personality and her voice at times, and these two songs are good enough for her. There’s a generic-ness to both of them, but they’re entertaining and deliver catchy beats. Like last week, we have two perfectly good pop songs. GRADE: B

Oh come on, repeat sketch already?

OVERALL GRADE: C

BEST SKETCH: BOY DANCE PARTY

WORST SKETCH: CHON/KIRBY

FINAL THOUGHTS: This episode ends up being as unmemorable as I was expecting. Willis is a mediocre host, Perry is a fine musical guest, and there are some truly awful sketches in there. The good sketches never cross over into great, though, but there are still some truly funny moments: Thompson/Pharoah in the barbershop, the new guys in Sigma (still can’t remember their names), and everyone in “Boy Dance Party.” In two weeks, Edward Norton/Janelle Monáe.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “Miley Cyrus” Live Blog/Review (39×02)

6 Oct

saturday-night-live-promo-miley-cyrus-02Here we go! Check in every 10 minutes or so for live updates.

VMA COLD OPEN: Alright, hopefully now we can put the whole necessary VMA nonsense behind us, as well as the expected Bayer Cyrus-regular Cyrus interaction. Also, this whole cold open isn’t all that funny. Pharoah is fantastic as Smith, but Killam’s Thicke and Monyihan’s Bear don’t really work; the two Cyruses are amusing, but not funny at all. GRADE: C+

MONOLOGUE: Well, that was short and sweet. I’m not sure what to think about it, but Cyrus did just fine there with what she had. Also, Hannah Montana is dead. GRADE: B-

50 SHADES OF GREY SCREEN TESTS: There’s not much to this sketch, but it’s always amusing to see a lineup of impressions. Taran Killam absolutely nails his Christoph Waltz, Pharoah nails Shaquille O’Neal, and McKinnon nails Lynch. Noel Wells is great as Deschanel, too. Of course, there are also some misfires: Pedrad as Ansari and Bryant’s Rebel Wilson not getting lines, to name a few. GRADE: B

GIRLFRIENDS TALK SHOW: Oh, jeez. I’ve always loved Bryant in this sketch, but I’ve always hated the sketch. There are some great lines (“I like a guy who’s in love with my confidence, and is gentleman enough to treat me to a hearty steak salad”), but most of the jokes don’t land. Also, the twerking…kill me now, please. GRADE: C-

WE DID STOP: Yeah, here’s our government shutdown sketch, and it’s terrible. It just relies on visual gags to keep itself going, but even that doesn’t work. The only good thing to come out of this sketch is Pharoah’s Obama’s terrified look through the window. Also, stop the twerking. Please. GRADE: C-

PIERS MORGAN: Yet another sketch that doesn’t work. None of the documentary titles are particularly funny, and the MTV doc is the absolute worst. Huffington’s great on Weekend Update, but that’s due to the dynamic between Pedrad and Meyers. Here, she’s annoying. I do like “Running Rodham”, though; McKinnon’s great in that, and the hashtag on the bottom of the screen is great. GRADE: C

WEEKEND UPDATE: Now this is great. It gets off to a shaky start with “Winners/Losers”, but every single guest is brilliant. Kate McKinnon is perfect as a mother who played GTA, and this role showcases exactly why I love her (“Then go to the grocery store and get it yourself, you whore!”….”I shot a stripper in the boob for sport.”….”My new motto is suck it or get shot dead but it doesn’t matter cause you’ll got shot dead anyway!”). Pharoah is perfect as Shannon Sharpe, and Bayer’s Jacob has always been great. Strong feels much more integrated into the Update this week. GRADE: B+

CHEERLEADERS: What the hell? The entire premise of the sketch revolves around aliens abducting cheerleaders, yet it’s dull and boring. I don’t even… GRADE: D

MORNIN’ MIAMI: This is funny. It’s random and insane, which is exactly what I like. The lines are fantastic, and the in-between take boredom shots are priceless (also, Cyrus is the best she’s been all night in this sketch) Bitch Fantastic, indeed. GRADE: B+

MILEY CYRUS MUSICAL PERFORMANCES: Now, these are perfectly fine pop songs. In fact, her musical performances are much better than her general awfulness as a host, and it’s a shame that the rest of the show portrays her as the idiot she’s become recently. She’s perfectly capable of being an adult. GRADE: B-

POETRY CLASS: Bayer is certainly fun to watch as the bumbling school teacher, and having Cyrus come on to her is interesting. Still, once again, a few great lines (“Haikus were the first tweets”), but pretty average as a whole. GRADE: B-

LAST NIGHT: Eh. I didn’t laugh much, and the sketch leads nowhere. Kyle Mooney is good here, and Cyrus is a bit more tolerable, but the promising premise doesn’t add up to anything particularly funny. I don’t know, maybe I’m just expecting more from pre-taped sketches. GRADE: C+

EPISODE GRADE: C-

Best sketch: Weekend Update Guests/Mornin’ Miami

Worst Sketch: Cheerleaders

Final thoughts: I guess Cyrus wants us to think of her as we’ve been doing the past few weeks. She doesn’t do much here except take off her clothes, and she twerks because everyone loves that, right? Her musical performances are much better. As for the rest of the cast, Bayer shines tonight, as well as the Weekend Update sans beginning. Strong fits in better this week, but I feel like the show suffers from having a way too large cast. Oh well, this is what I was expecting anyway.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday Night Live “Tina Fey/Arcade Fire” Live Blog/Review (39×01)

29 Sep

tina-Fey-SNLThis season of SNL brings new changes, as well my system of weekly live blogs and reviews. Check back in after every couple sketches, as I’ll have updates every 10 minutes or so.

OBAMA COLD OPEN: The SNL political cold opens have never been all that great, but this one is good enough to kick off the season. The fact that Aaron Paul shows up is amazing, and Kate McKinnon does wonderful work here. However, there’s also a lot of unfunny stuff. GRADE: B

TINA FEY MONOLOGUE: Tina Fey’s absolutely amazing. She gets in some good lines here, but the sight of everyone dancing around her doesn’t really work as well as it should have. Anyway, hi to all the new folks. GRADE: C+

“GIRLS” PARODY: Now here is where Fey shines. Blertha is a new character in “Girls”, and everything that she does and says is absolutely hilarious here. Not only that, but the other cast members’ impressions are spot on. Bayer’s Shoshanna and McKinnon’s Jessa are great. GRADE: A-

EXPRESS AIR: This doesn’t really amount to much, except to make fun of a bunch of people that aren’t all that funny. Thompson’s huge suitcase is a hilarious visual gag and Monyihan’s creepy foreigner are great, but the sketch ends up feeling a bit overlong. Still, I liked it. GRADE: B-

NEW CAST MEMBER OR ARCADE FIRE?: Thompson is who makes this sketch work. The premise isn’t all that great, but him screaming at all the cast members and Fey is a joy to watch. While I’m bummed out that Hader is gone, it’ll give guys like Thompson and Killam some more time in the spotlight. GRADE: B

EMETH: As soon as the sketch started, I knew Aaron Paul was going to factor in somewhere at the end. It’s a short sketch, but is just long enough to get in some fantastic meth-smoker shots from the cast. McKinnon is always a treat to watch, and the sight of Thompson trying to grab a naked guy in his living room is hilarious. Also, Aaron Paul. Why not? GRADE: B+

WEEKEND UPDATE: (I’ll take a look at the two musical performances later on) I’m not sure about this yet. Cecily Strong is great, but the first update segment is a bit shaky. I like the bit where Fey gives her advice, but the news stories themselves aren’t all that great (save for maybe the Low Winter Sun slam). Newcomer Kyle Mooney shows up in a not particularly funny guest spot, but Drunk Uncle is able to close off the update on somewhat of a good note. Also, Aaron Paul again. GRADE: C

UNWANTED WOMAN: What? In what world is this funny? I tuned out somewhere in that awfulness, because all I saw was a bunch of stupid stuffed animals. GRADE: D+

RICK’S MODEL T’S: Okay, that late show fatigue is setting in. Fey does what she can as a wife of a car salesman, but her role amounts to nothing but spewing out random lines. Granted, that doesn’t sound all that bad, but nothing really lands here. Hopefully the last sketches can pick up the show a bit. GRADE: C-

ARCADE FIRE: I’ll admit that I’ve never really paid much attention to these guys. I like their style and use of visuals, though, and their sound is very unique; I don’t think I’ll be buying their albums anytime soon, but their performances here are very enjoyable. GRADE: B

MANOLO BLAHNIK: This sketch is consistently hilarious, and I probably will never get tired of it (okay, I probably will). Fey fits in well (“I saw you on House Hunters, and you picked the wrong house, bitch!”), and the other two get in some amazing lines as well (“What’s that thing you put stuff in?” “Your mouth?”). It’s a random sketch, and it’s great. GRADE: B+

Episode Grade: C+

Best sketch: I’m going with “Girls”. I had the grade at B+ before, but I’m bumping it up. It really was a perfect parody, and Fey was wonderful alongside the other cast members.

Worst sketch: “Unwanted Salesman”/”Model T’s”

Final thoughts: I was expecting more out of the premiere, especially with a powerhouse of a host in Tina Fey. There were some great moments, but the whole thing dragged on near the end. Aaron Paul was great, and I felt that Cecily Strong fit in alright Weekend Update. She didn’t get any of the guests, though, which is something I’m hoping we’ll see next week.

Next week: Miley Cyrus. Oh well.

Credit to NBC and Saturday Night Live for all pictures. I own nothing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →