SNL 41.4 Review - Donald Trump, Sia

Original Airdate - 11/7/15

Saturday Night Live has always been willing to be controversial.  They have always been willing to be a political platform.  They have always been willing to allow political candidates to make cameos on their show in the middle of campaigns, including Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton several times (including this year already).  They also have always been willing to allow political figures to host the show during a down time, including Ralph Nader in the show's earlier years, as well as John McCain and Al Gore after each lost presidential bids.  This week brought about a first in SNL history.  Lorne Michaels brought in a presidential candidate in the middle of a campaign to host the show.  This was not just your typical presidential candidate; it was Donald Trump, possibly the most polarizing presidential candidate in quite some time.  Trump has hosted before, but the circumstances are much different this time.  I was curious to see how far the writers were going to be willing to go with one of the best sources of material this year on set.  The good thing is they really didn't hold back.  The bad thing is Donald Trump isn't very funny.

Cold Opening

With SNL's last episode, they discovered a gold mine of comedy by bringing in Larry David to play Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.  They have decided to cash in on this as much as possible.  This week was a Democratic forum involving McKinnon's Hilary and David's Sanders.  This hasn't stopped being funny yet, and I hope it never does.

Monologue

What do you do for a presidential candidate that is a walking punchline to a joke?  Mimic him.  Taran Killam has put together a pretty good Donald Trump impression, but the best one is done by sophomore SNL announcer and longtime castmember Darrell Hammond.  So which one should they use?  Both!  It was actually scary to see just how much of a caricature Trump is when you see him next to impressions.  Add in Larry David's paid outburst at the end, and they successfully addressed almost every elephant in the room.

Weekend Update

Of all the places to have fun at the host's expense, Weekend Update would be the place.  Along with another one of Leslie Jones's rants, this Update was stolen by the by the first appearance in awhile by everyone's favorite Drunk Uncle.  This time, Drunk Uncle was very happy as the inebriated, racist, nostalgic, blubbering idiot is the biggest supporter of Mr. Trump.  While Trump made his appearance on the show to help promote his presidential campaign, he seemed to be okay with them ripping his political stances.  I guess if you are as controversial as Trump, you embrace all attention, positive or negative.

Best Sketch

As far as the sketches went, there was very little worth remembering.  Many of the sketches fell flat as the writers struggled with how to incorporate Trump into comedy without him just being himself.  Usually I write about the funniest sketch of the episode, but this one was the most interesting.  They gave a snapshot of the White House in 2018 with President Donald Trump.  I am not really sure what the purpose of this sketch was as they claimed everything Trump said he would do as president came true.  Trump had to think this would help his candidacy for president, but instead his actual policy stances became the punchlines of the sketch as you could hear the whole audience realize just how unrealistic his ideas are.  The sketch also made fun of his wife and how ridiculous it would be to have her as First Lady, as Cecily Strong's impression became a focal point.  The most telling point of the sketch was when Trump's actual daughter made a cameo.  Usually, cameos are met with applause and fanfare as the crowd realizes who just stepped on stage (see Larry David above).  When Ivanka Trump stepped on stage, she had a very intentional pause of applause, but there was nothing.  The crowd was silent.  The SNL crowd is never silent.  A sketch meant to have some fun at Trump's expense forced the audience to stop and reflect on just how silly a Trump presidency could be.  This parody just looked a little too much like a reality to get the laughs and may have single-handedly forced this hosting gig to backfire.

Worst Sketch

After having some fun letting Donald be Donald, they decided to test out his acting chops in the second half of the episode.  The result was some of the least inspiring sketches in some time.  Some worked okay, like when Trump was a sleezy record producer (again, a little too close to home).  The worst of these was a night club band doing their band introductions, and one member of the band was upset by his spotlight-hogging companions.  This jealous band member was Trump, who played the laser harp.  Yep, that was the premise, and yep, it was as bad as it sounds.  It could have been okay if Trump could actually act.  Instead, his acting made it even worse.

Dark Horse Sketch

I can't believe Donald let this sketch run during his episode.  I know he is priding himself as being a non-politician, but at some point you have to show you have some sort of moral compass and integrity.  On the other hand, I'm glad it ran because it was the best sketch of the night outside of the cold opening.  These sketches are always funny, but when the porn stars come out to make a campaign commercial for Donald Tramp, I can't imagine ever topping that.  Also, we had yet another Trump impression, this time from Bobby Moynihan.

Grade

This is an episode that really fell flat for the majority of the time.  It just wasn't funny.  Add in the odd musical performances of Sia, and I really don't know what to do with this episode.  However, that does not change the fact that this was a very important episode.  A presidential candidate, in the middle of his campaign, hosted Saturday Night Live.  I really don't know how I feel about this.  I guess only time will tell how America feels about this.  I will say the most interesting part of the episode was that something meant to promote his presidency really might have had the opposite effect.  It wasn't funny, but it sure was interesting and groundbreaking.

***C***

View the full episode here:

SNL 40.4 Review - Jim Carrey, Iggy Azalea

Original Airdate - 10/25/14

If you were to make a list of personalities that should have been castmembers at Saturday Night Live, Jim Carrey would be near the top of that list.  His brand of comedy, especially in his prime, was perfect for the sketch show as was evident in his breakout opportunity being on the sketch show In Living Color.  The fact that he is so perfect for this show led to my surprise that this was only the third time he had hosted the show.  This was just one of three things that made this an anticipated show entering Saturday night.  Second, it was the debut of Leslie Jones as a featured player.  After several successful guest spots at the Update desk, the writer was promoted to the newcomer cast.  Third, it was the Halloween episode which always brings something special.

Cold Opening

The cold opens this season so far have been quite uneventful.  This is usually where the show gets jumpstarted with a statement on today's pop culture or current events (or both).  It seems the writing staff has been trying so hard to find stories to address that they have created a series of flat, forgettable sketches.  This is the latest in this run as they make a use of Pharaoh's spot-on Obama as they discuss the questionable selection of the recently-appointed Ebola Czar.  I'm getting bored just talking about it.  At least Al Sharpton shows up at the end to talk about the Ebola Caesar.

Monologue

One thing that became apparent from the moment you spotted Jim Carrey in this episode was that he would definitely be bringing his special brand of silly to this episode.  This started with Helvis, Carrey's Devil/Elvis hybrid.  He then sang a song about pecan pie.  The host singing a song in the monologue is something that happens quite often, but this was more than just your average monologue song.  It was, like I said, just pure silliness, and I loved it.

Weekend Update

I don't know what happened this week at the Update desk, but all of a sudden everyone clicked.  Michael Che is continuing to improve every week, and Colin Jost seemed to relax for the first time at the Update desk.  This week reminded me of the hayday of Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey at the Update desk.  It was one of the highlights of the show.  The first guest was a clever take on the standard rom-com formula.  This was delivered to perfection by Vanessa Bayer, and received perfectly by Che.  It was one of the best original characters they have created recently.

Next, we have this season's first Drunk Uncle appearance.  Since Bill Hader left the cast, Drunk Uncle has definitely taken Stefon's place as the most popular Weekend Update guest.  The formula is the same sketch after sketch, but it never ceases to be funny.  This was definitely no exception as it takes advantage of the added dynamic of having a black Update anchor with one of the show's most racist characters.  It was also refreshing to see Bobby Moynihan have a pretty significant role in this episode.  He had been riding the bench for much of the season so far.

Best Sketch

This was an easy choice, as this sketch went viral in the days following the broadcast.  It's nice to know I am not the only one that finds the new Matthew McConaughey Lincoln car ads a little odd.  This led to Jim Carrey unleashing his beautiful McConaughey impression on the world as he recreates the ads, making light of just how ridiculous they are.  A series of three ads showed throughout the night, each more hilarious than the first.  If you haven't seen this yet, or even if you have, take a break and enjoy.

Honorable mention has to go out to the Carrey family reunion.  Although it wasn't the funniest sketch of the night, it was a wonderful tribute to the amazing career Jim Carrey has had, and the wide array of characters he has created.  It also allowed for Jeff Daniels to make an appearance to remind us all that Dumb and Dumber To is coming, ready or not.

Worst Sketch

There were a couple of clunkers that came out near the end of the episode.  The worst of these sketches was definitely this portrayal of the zombie apocalypse.  As a group hunkers down to fight off the oncoming onslaught, Carrey arrives wanting for him and his son, who has obviously already become a zombie.  Outside of watching Pete Davidson make a pretty convincing zombie (I'm telling you, future star!), this sketch really is without laughs.

Dark Horse Sketch

Just when you think this episode is winding down, this sketch pops up that redefines the entire episode.  A costume party at work turns into a ridiculous tour of the entire studio as Carrey and Kate McKinnon (and even Iggy Azalea for a moment) dance in the fashion of the girl in the music video for Sia's "Chandelier."  You know it's something special when Lorne Michaels can't even keep a straight face during his cameo.

Grade

As I said in the start, silliness was expected, and silliness is what we got.  Not all sketches were great, but the Lincoln ads and the dance routine created pretty spectacular book-ends as both are early candidates for a list of top sketches of the season.  Add that to a return to the glory days of Weekend Update, and you have a pretty spectacular episode that is definitely worth a watch or two.

***A-***

Watch the full episode here:

SNL 39.9 Review - John Goodman, Kings of Leon

Leg two of the three-episode series of Christmas episodes heading into the holidays featured an old favorite.  John Goodman hadn't hosted in awhile, but this was his 13th time hosting the show, making him one of the most loved hosts of all time.  Like the week before, we all knew this had the potential of being a special show with some guest appearances.  Although John Goodman once again shows that he could have been a cast member and will always give a great show, the episode fell short of iconic.

Cold Opening

The cold opening started off the show with President Obama for only the second time this year.  With everything that has been going on with the President, it was about time SNL gave their commentary on it.  However, stealing the show was Kenan playing the fake interpreter for the hearing impaired that popped up at Nelson Mandela's funeral.  The geeky, grinning Kenan made everything Pharaoh's Obama was saying even funnier.

Monologue

It takes a beloved host for them to give a completely random song to them and ask him to go out there and kill it.  That's what they did with John Goodman, and he did.  What does he really want for Christmas?  You will just have to listen to find out in this song that could have been the opportunity to do a Blues Brothers number.  Instead, Kenan fills in admirably.  By the way, John Goodman is a huge man.  You don't quite understand how big until he stands next to Kenan and makes him look short and skinny.

Weekend Update

In what seems to be the Seth Meyers farewell tour, all the favorite Weekend Update characters (that are left) have been coming by to pay their respects.  This week it was Drunk Uncle with John Goodman playing Drunk Uncle's Drunk Uncle.  It was so perfect of a union of character and character actor (much better than any of the others they have tried to guest star with Moynihan).  Once again, Goodman makes a big guy look tiny.  That dude is a giant!  The other guest was a response to the now infamous Megyn Kelly comment that Santa has to be white.  Enter the Black Santa trying to break as stereotypes as he can.  It served its purpose of making a statement on the topic.

Best Sketch

Outside of the greatness of the sketches already mentioned, there wasn't a lot that jumped off the screen.  Probably the best of the rest was the tour de force of impressions that came out of Guy Fieri's Christmas Bash.  Bobby Moynihan does a scary Fieri as the host of what he describes as "a party as random as the food he makes."  Here are a couple things we can take from this sketch: Aidy Bryant looks scarily like Mimi from the Drew Carey Show, anyone can look like Mini Me with a bald cap and a pinky, and Bobby Moynihan can simultaneously look like every member of the cast of Pawn Stars.  Honorable mention goes to the Dance of the Snowflake.  Something just makes me happy inside to see John Goodman wear a giant snowflake outfit.

Worst Sketch

Like I said, not much jumped off the screen, however not much missed either.  The closest thing to a miss was this Will Smith-esque impression and rap about H&M.  It just wasn't my thing.  Honorable mention  would have to be the shameless plug for the new holiday flop Grudge Match with Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro.  The two stars show up and form the Three Wise Guys with Goodman.  There were some pretty funny one-liners which kept it from being too painful.

Dark Horse Sketch

For some reason, and I don't know why, but when John Goodman is hosting, you expect to see him in drag at some point.  It just makes too much comedic sense to put a man of his size in a wig and a skirt.  This comedic gold comes out here as Goodman plays a woman suing her former employer for wrongful termination.  She claims she was fired for being too beautiful.  Let me repeat that.  John Goodman dressed as a woman was fired for being too beautiful.  I agree with Taran Killam's opening statement representing the company: "Really?!?"

Grade

As I said, this episode definitely was a disappointment from what it could be.  John Goodman is such an iconic host that it could have been something magical.  However, it was almost as if the writers were so focused on the final episode to come that they went into cruise control for the couple leading up to it.  With that said, John Goodman is hilarious.  He is so likable and lovable that it was hard to hate anything he did here.  It was a good episode, but much like the Paul Rudd episode the week before, it could have been so much more.

***B***

Watch the full episode here:

SNL Season 39.1 Review - Tina Fey, Arcade Fire

The new season of Saturday Night Live started a couple weeks ago, and being a big SNL fan I thought I would let you know how the season is going and give you the highlights of each episode.  This is really a transition year in the show as many of the stars of the last decade have moved on over the last couple seasons, like Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, and Jason Sudeikis.  To make up for the loss, the show added six new featured players this year, all but one of them guys.  This first episode of the season really became a showcase for the new cast to introduce them and show what they could do.  Having Tina Fey as host made this transition even smoother.  However, it also made for a slightly average show as they try and find their new way with new personalities on stage.

Cold Opening

The cold opening is always one of the most memorable moments of any SNL episode.  It sets the tone for the rest of the night.  If there is ever any political drama going on at the time, this is usually when it appears.  With the start of ObamaCare only a few days later, SNL thought they could spotlight that as well as one of their best impressions of the last decade.  Jay Pharoah's Obama is less an impression and more an embodiment.  As he explains (poorly) how ObamaCare works, they couldn't help but have a cameo mentioning the series finale of Breaking Bad as an example of what happens without ObamaCare.  Aaron Paul was great, as was every other bit.  This was one of the show's highlights, if for no other reason than to hear Pharoah's Obama say, "It's good to keep in mind our butts."

Monologue

As you prepare for a former cast member to host, you get excited to see all the former sketches they made regular come back, like Kristen Wiig's Target Lady and Will Ferrell's Alex Trebeck.  However, Tina brings light to a simple fact that all of us were thinking at the same time, she didn't have any recurring bits.  She had no characters.  As she says, she's just pleasant.  She then starts the shameless parade of the new cast members by indoctrinating them in true SNL fashion, dancing during the monologue.  This later appeared again in the game show, "New Cast Member or Arcade Fire."

Weekend Update

There are three standards to base any episode of SNL on: the cold opening, the monologue, and Weekend Update.  This Weekend Update had a lot going for it.  It was the start of the farewell to Seth Meyers as he moves on to Late Night later this year.  It also had the debut of Cecily Strong as co-anchor, definitely one of the show's breakout stars last year.  You also had one of the most loved Weekend Update hosts of all time hosting.  Still, it fell a little flat.  Cecily did great in her first time out, but using Tina only to give her some advice as a female Weekend Update anchor?  It was a waste.  They also tried letting a newby establish a new character of Bruce Chandling, an unfunny comic playing the crowd.  It didn't work.  Thank you Drunk Uncle and Aaron Paul, his Meth Nephew (or Meth-ew if you want) for saving the show).

Best Sketch

In a night of solid but not outstanding sketches, the best was probably the parody of the show Girls.  I have never watched the show personally, but I feel like I have after watching this.  I just wonder if they will actually introduce Tina Fey's Blerta to the show.  I think it would add a lot of depth.

Worst Sketch

There was definitely a clunker in that first episode.  This look at a classic film made by someone being blackmailed by a taxidermist just wasn't funny.  That's all there is to it.  It was weird, it was silly, and it wasn't funny.  At least we got to meet Kenan's Reese De'What.

Surprising Sketch

The surprising sketch of the night usually goes to one that comes after the first musical performance and Weekend Update.  This is usually saved for some lesser, weirder, more random sketches.  These can tank (like Reese De'What's classic movies) or it can become gold.  Either way, it's well after midnight by that point so they can do whatever they want.  This episode's surprising sketch features the only bit from a new cast member to work in that first episode.  Mike O'Brien's used car salesman from the 20's was perfect.  "We've got all the latest brands.  Model T..."  Then enter his wife that belongs in a looney bin, and you have some good laughs.

Grade

This is a hard episode to judge.  It was so different with the focus on the new group.  You also had a host that is very talented, yet still fairly one-dimensional (which she admitted herself).  There was nothing here that will go down in history as a classic bit, but it didn't suck (besides the stuffed animals).  It was a solid average show.

---"C"---

Watch the full episode here: