SNL: 38.20 – Kristen Wiig & Vampire Weekend

She’s back! After 11 months and 30 days, Kristen Wiig returned the SNL stage for a show full of old friends!

The cold open was one of those that the moment it started you knew people were going to be up in arms. Whenever I see internet commenters (seriously what did people do in years past when they didn’t have a comment section to vent their rage?) complain about SNL it is usually that it isn’t as good as it was in some various point in time, or that SNL needs to “get back to being funny and stop trying to be political” which makes me wonder what show those people have been watching because it’s always been political.

Of course that being said, whoever wrote the cue cards and mixed up Ariel Castro and Charles Ramsey’s name probably feels like a heel today. I imagine they’ll double check from now on to make sure they don’t switch out the name of a kidnapper and rapist for that of the man who rescued the victims. Devil’s in the details.

The monologue was funny but nothing really all that earth-shattering. Actually it was very reminiscent of Jimmy Fallon’s monologue from 2011. I do have to say though, that dress was adorable and of course any time Maya Rudolph comes on screen I’m a happy woman (please note that I will take this back in just a moment).

Credit to: kentsu13

1-800-Flowers was equally hysterical and disturbing. There’s just something about Bill Hader in a wig and a robe talking about Asian porno that is rather unsettling. On the other hand, Kate McKinnon as the “I wish I was a lesbian so I didn’t have to carry a purse” over-sharing mom was awesome. She and Kristen Wiig seem to work really well together and I enjoyed watching it.

You know what I hate watching? The Californians. No Maya Rudolph, even your adorable and fabulous self couldn’t make me like this sketch. Much like Roger Ebert’s review of North (which former SNL writer and author of North, Alan Zwiebel carries a copy of in his wallet to this day), I hate hate hate hate hate The Californians.

What the hell is happening here? That is pretty much what everyone who happened to catch the dude in his underwear in the background of ‘Aw Nuts! Mom’s a Ghost!’ was asking. As far as I know, SNL has not even mentioned it. Outside of that creepiness, the sketch was spot on when it comes to Disney Channel shows. Not only that but it was written by Bobby Moynihan and Cecily Strong who have become quite the team this season.

In the biggest non-surprise of the night, The Lawrence Welk show sketch came back!

No matter how many times they do this, I will still laugh each and every time. Licking the sand squirrel turds? I’m a 13 year old boy. Getting crabs? Dying. Creepy doll hands grabbing at Jason Sudeikis’ junk? Yep, still funny.

Weekend Update had a few great stories and I’m a big fan of Anthony Crispino and of course Garth and Kat made an appearance but let’s just revel in this shall we?

So Seth Meyers will be leaving SNL as head writer and of course as the Weekend Update anchor likely after the first part of next season so he can take over Late Night with Seth Meyers in January 2014. Part of me is really excited for him because that’s a huge move and he’s been behind that desk for a long time so it’s probably about time. The other part of me really hates to see him go because I enjoy his WU self and of course the looming question – who takes over?

Taran Killam? It’s hard to say given that he’s such an anchor in the sketch part of the show. Vanessa Bayer? Really, I could see her taking over. I’m inclined to think she’s a bit too much of the straight guy to pull it off by herself but perhaps this is their opportunity to bring out another writer (John Mulaney now that his show wasn’t picked up?) to co-host, that worked out pretty well last time. People have been throwing around Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon’s names but I can’t see a rookie taking that over plus those two have shown to be great WU guest characters so I’d hate to lose that. All that being said, I’m sure there will be enough speculation in the coming months so we have plenty of time to discuss it, let’s move on!

Credit to: Leslie-Lemon

I love the Target lady!!! It’s sort of funny that while the first part of the show was all Kristen Wiig recurring characters, the second half was just Target lady and new sketches. I feel like I’m going to end up with my head on a pike (don’t forget to check out our Game of Thrones reviews!) but I have to say it – I liked the second half of the show exponentially more than the first. I know, it’s weird, especially since the second half sketches are always the odd ones but this week it just worked. For me at least.

From Aidy Bryant’s Instagram

Without a doubt, the best sketch of the night, and perhaps even the season, was the acupuncture one. Very reminiscent of Dan Aykroyd and Julia Child. Everything from Fred Armisen as the dr. jumping out the window to Aidy Bryant saying “It may sound like we’re going to Mexico, but we’re not.” was damn near perfect. Whoever was manning the rogue artery deserves a special shout out because I about soiled myself when “blood” was flying through the air with specific targets in mind.

I want to find the person who thought to have Tim Robinson play an awkward sixth grader on an even more awkward double date with two grown women and shake their hand. I mean there was no doubt that Bobby Moynihan could pull that off but I thought Tim did a great job as the ‘out of his element and really how did he even end up there’ pre-teen who can’t swim yet.

As for the last sketch of the night, well let’s just say I’ve had “an apple a day keeps the haters away” stuck in my head all day and I feel as if I need to go find a copy of ‘Classy Sexy Elegance’ as soon as possible.

Overall? A great episode. There was a bit for everyone – old Kristen Wiig plus some new sketches and a great commercial and pre-recorded bit. Easily one of the best shows of the season. Next week’s season finale doesn’t look to be slowing down any with host Ben Affleck!

Until next time SNL fans!

SNL: 38.3 – Daniel Craig/Muse

Well I’m really glad that the last episode of SNL, hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, was good because this week it was just awful. I don’t know that awful is even strong enough a word for how bad this episode was. Usually I make two lists; one of good sketches, and another of bad sketches. This week there was not even an entire sketch in the good category, just one name. And it certainly wasn’t Daniel Craig’s.

Obviously, the cold open had to do with the debate. It was nice to see Chris Parnell back as the ineffective Jim Lehrer, but man alive this sketch was weak. Jay Pharaoh’s Obama impression is getting better but if the material and sketches don’t improve, I’d rather have Fred Armisen back as Commander-in-Chief. The monologue was just bad. Dear writers; if the phrase “I love this song but don’t know the name, can someone Shazaam it for me?” is what passes as a good joke these days, there is a problem. The catcalling construction workers wasn’t bad. It wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad. It was just there and what seems to be a trend this season so far, it didn’t know when to quit. The “Bond Girls” fauxmercial was okay. I did enjoy Diane Keaton and Taran Killam in bed together. There was a moment where I was  wondering how many people out there watching would remember Lea Salonga and then was really confused when they kept going back to her. I’m ashamed to admit I even wondered out loud, “has Lea Salonga even done anything on tv or been in a movie recently?” Well as a matter of fact the last tv/movie thing she did was the 25th Anniversary concert of Les Miserables in 2010. My confusion only increased.

All that said- I’m an idiot. For it wasn’t Lea Salonga they were talking about at all. Rather it was that chick from Glee, Lea Michele. Once I realized that, those parts of the sketch made a lot more sense. They weren’t any better, but they made sense at least. Another sketch about the debate in which Jason Sudeikis was hysterical as a sleep deprived Chris Matthews.  Keenan Thompson is always fun as Al Sharpton but overall the sketch was a bore.

The happy Republican girl who said nothing but how happy she was this week was amusing in her simplicity. Next up was the pre-recorded “Long Island Medium” sketch and if there was a highlight of the night, this was probably it. That’s saying a lot. Kate McKinnon played the reality tv “star” who makes a living going up to random people and telling them about their loved ones who died. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen the show so I don’t know how spot on it was, but it was funny. Bobby Moynihan as the subject of one of the medium’s not-quite-so-accurate readings was the first time I laughed.

Unfortunately Bobby went from making me laugh to making me unintentionally impersonate my dog when he cocks his head to the side and gives me that “what the hell have you been smoking woman?” look. Seriously, what on earth was up with that space station sketch? It was just awkward and weird and I’m usually a fan of awkward and weird but it was not working for me. At all. It was interesting to hear an entire audience simultaneously let out an “awwww” when Fuzz Aldrin appeared. Thank god there was a cute cat because otherwise that sketch was a goner.

Musical Guest Time! It was Muse and they were good. During the first song though I could not get past the fact the dude was playing an ipad. Seriously.

I don’t know why I was surprised, hell you can damn near perform brain surgery nowadays after watching a few YouTube videos but this guitar/bass/iPad thing he had going was just fascinating to me. If I learned nothing else on Saturday Night it was this- America still loves Big Bird. I mean, who can blame us? Follow That Bird was one of the greatest movies of its time. Put Big Bird on Weekend Update? The tv watching nation will go nuts.

Did you know that Big Bird is on twitter? Well he sort of is, he just tweets through the general Sesame Street account though. Sharing is a big thing on Sesame Street. Did you also know that Grizzly Bomb is on twitter? Of course we are!  After Weekend Update I’m pretty sure Lorne Michaels spontaneously burst into flames and the entire cast was too distracted by it to actually put forth the effort to make the rest of the show watchable.

“Sorry Lot We Are” was just horrendous. When you are making references to movies that have been dead and gone for quite some time (The Full Monty and the even more obscure, Waking Ned Divine) people are going to start to think you are phoning it in. Even more aggravating was this was the first time we got to see Aidy Bryant do more than one short line. I had started to wonder if she was even on the show anymore because we’ve seen plenty of Cecily Strong and Tim Robinson but unfortunately not much of Ms. Bryant. If “man in drag awkwardly rubbing themselves against other cast member” hadn’t been done in the last episode, it might have been better received this week. Then again, there is only so much of Fred Armisen’s crotchtal region that I want to see, so maybe not.

Apparently Fred’s crotch was the last straw because after another performance by Muse, it was a repeat of the “Undecided Voters” sketch from last week and that was all she wrote. Thank the angels and saints in heaven above. So all that was in my bad/not good column. The only thing in my good column? Kate McKinnon. She was all over this episode and even though it looked as if Vanessa McBrayer was being groomed as the next Kristin Wiig, Ms. McKinnon seems ready for that role. Despite the entire episode sucking as a whole, she had some bright moments. I’m looking forward to see her performances as the season goes on.

To sum up: episode was bad, Daniel Craig is pretty but should stay away from sketch comedy, Big Bird is a fan favorite, and I’m trying to forget this show happened and just look forward to October 13th when Christina Applegate hosts with musical guest Passion Pit.

SNL: 38.2 – Joseph Gordon-Levitt/Mumford & Sons

After last week’s strong premiere, I was looking forward to this week’s episode of Saturday Night Live, and thankfully it did not disappoint. This week’s host was a man having a very busy year- Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

The cold open featured Jay Pharoah again, but surprisingly, not as Obama, but rather Michael Strahan, Kelly Ripa’s new cohost. Can’t say it was good. I suppose it wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t good. Bill Hader as a brooding Robert Pattinson was funny, just not funny enough to save the sketch. I will say though, as a fan, it is really fun to see when featured players become full cast members. You would think I had birthed some of them given how proud I get when they make that leap.

When the monologue first started, I’ll admit to getting a little nervous. It was very rushed and the jokes just fell flat.

And then this happened. Oh yes, apparently Mr. Gordon-Levitt’s favorite movie of the summer was none other than Magic Mike. The dance/strip scene came out of nowhere and was appreciated by womenfolk/some menfolk all across the country. Bobby Moynihan and his second vest literally made me laugh out loud.

With the first “commercial”, I began to wonder if we are ever going to see Aidy Bryant for more than a few seconds. The “Undecided Voters” featured both Cecily Strong and Tim Robinson. It wasn’t as funny as it was sad- we all know there are people out there who could fit perfectly in this sketch.

The real question everyone (okay maybe not everyone, but I certainly was) is who is Albert? Some random guy was in the sketch as Albert who wondered where his power cord was. Random guy is random.

Next up was the first of two, “Son of the Most Interesting Man in the World”. I so desperately wanted to like this and it had its moments but overall it just got old. The premise was strong, the execution was a little tired.

Bill Hader as a caricature drawing P.I. was all right, a little odd but then again, this is Bill Hader we are talking about.

Next up was my favorite sketch of the night- “The Hypnotist”. There are many times when I’m watching tv that I’ll look away/do something else and just continue with the show by listening. I am so glad I did not do that with this sketch because I would have completely missed it.  Set up was Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a two-bit hypnotist doing a show in some small hotel. It reminded me of Kevin Kline at the beginning of Soapdish.

The moment that Taran Killam lifted his head to tell the audience that he was not hypnotized, I was sold. And thankfully they found the right length of time to let that one go and it was just gold. Killam in his tighty whitey’s  as a hot lady dinosaur dry humping Keenan Thompson? Yes, please.

Another commercial this time for the GOB tampons featuring Vanessa McBrayer. Predictable, but amusing.

Musical guest this week was Mumford and Sons and thank you sweet jesus they were a thousand times better than Frank Ocean. This could be simply because I am a fan of Mumford and Sons and not Frank Ocean but I didn’t fall asleep this week, so who knows.

Weekend Update was on fire this week. The best friends of the “evil dictator of the week” were on and they are entertaining but featured player, Kate McKinnon stole the show with her Ann Romney impression. I think my new favorite line is “Apple Picking: It’s like Mormon Mardi Gras.”

Who would have thought that Ann Romney was such a big fan of Beyonce?

Mumford and Sons returned, this time as a Beatles cover band called “Hey Dudes”. This was one of those sketches where you fully expected Andy Samberg to jump in at any moment. Outside of a forced Jerry Sandusky joke, it was all right. The real fun of the sketch for me was just watching the actors enjoy it. The “walk out into the audience while singing” was a bit hokey, but I like hokey so I was all over it.

The last three sketches of the night were sadly not very good. Remember last week when I was so excited that the last sketch didn’t suck? The same can not be said of this week. “The Finer Things” was the winner of the bunch- mainly due to Bobby Moynihan as “Teddy Graham” and Jay Pharoah modeling with a Hermes purse. The singing parents sketch was only saved from complete failure by the fact that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a surprisingly good-looking woman. There was no saving “Powers Realty”. Flying wangs drawn on real estate ads is far from new, creative, or funny.

The goodbye’s were cut short, which is annoying, but it’s live tv so what can you do?

Overall? Even though there were some sketches that just did not work for me, I actually enjoyed this episode much more than the premiere. Why? I really like it when the host appears to just be another cast member. Seth MacFarlane was always reading cue cards and was obviously out of his element. Joseph Gordon-Levitt however, fit right into sketches like he does it every week. Perhaps he picked up some tips from the fabulous Jane Curtin while on 3rd Rock from the Sun.

Next week is a rerun of the season 37 finale (with Mick Jagger and Kristin Wiig’s farewell) but will return on October 6th with host Daniel Craig and musical guest Muse.

SNL: 38.1 – “Seth MacFarlane/Frank Ocean” Review

There’s a crisp note in the air (actually here in south Georgia there is no such thing but I like to pretend) which means fall is back and so is Saturday Night Live! Saturday’s premiere was hosted by a man known more for his voice than his face, Seth MacFarlane. I feel the need to be honest here, I actually can not stand Seth MacFarlane. I know, I know… it’s incredibly hard to believe, but it’s true. There is a very good chance my hatred stems from the fact that my husband watches two categories of television:

‘Community’ in Danger! Chevy Chase vs Dan Harmon

Okay, now that title might be a bit of a freak out. Community isn’t necessarily in danger of being cancelled, but it certainly is in danger of losing Chevy Chase, who plays Pierce Hawthorne on the show. Some problems have arisen between Chase and Dan Harmon, who created and executive produces Community. Little known fact, he also wrote some of Scud: The Disposable Assassin, which has nothing to do with any of this. Anyways, lets get to what went down.