Josh Hutcherson/Haim (11.23.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. This show was just as uneven as last week, but unfortunately it relied too much on tires premises and some rather subpar writing. I guess that’s to be expected for a Thanksgiving show at the end of a three show streak. In the context of this season so far, everyone involved just seemed to be coasting but it may prove to not be the worst yet in time. Josh Hutcherson is proved to be a forgettable yet competent host. I don’t see him coming back any time soon at all. Still, it must have been a good night for Mike, Beck and Kyle as this has to be the most quality airtime they’ve gotten this season so far. Anyway, let’s get to it.

Piers Morgan Tonight V - This sketch may not have been the strongest way to open the show, but the highlights were Bobby's Florida cop, Beck's Men's Warehouse spokesman and Taran's LFNY delivery. C-

Monologue - This seemed pretty unambitious and on the beaten path so far, but I like the direction it's taking. That must've been one hell of a quick change for Kate, though and I did like the hint of self-referential humor. It was nice of them to throw Noel a bone and let her appear as herself briefly. C+

Girlfriends Talk Show IV - Although it feels much too soon to be bringing back, it is a little interesting to shake up the typical format and try it with a male host. Josh has to be wearing the worst wig they had. Aidy is, once again, proving to be the standout in these sketches. Still, I was hoping this version would be closer to the one that apparently got cut from the Zach Galifinakis episode in May. C+

Baby Boss - This Beck Bennett sketch turned out quite interesting. It's great to see them give him a lead and he's pretty much killed it with his commitment to physical comedy. B-

Matchbox 3 - This subway short film seems like a weak premise, but again, I admire the commitment and cinematography in it. Josh holding the flag was the only thing that stood out to me. D+

Update had its fair share of disappointing underwritten jokes tonight, but I did like Cecily's Rob Ford dart joke. As a Colorado resident, I was expecting to hate that Denver Post marijuana joke, but it wasn't actually that bad. Aidy as the worst woman on a plane was pretty inconsistent. The only things that I can say were that good about it were that she really gave it her all performance wise and that it was pretty different from Cecily's party girl in that this was more script and premise heavy and less with less of an improv feel. Seth's constant giggling was once again ruining an otherwise tolerable bit. Thankfully, Update was short tonight. C-

Josie - This '80s sketch felt way out of place. There already 30 second Comcast commercials with this exact premise so it’s got that demerit working against its favor. Still, I did like Kenan and Taran's appearances as well as the Jessie's Girl gag at the end. C+

Best Buy - This Cecily/Bobby employee sketch also feels too soon to bring back. Still, I never hated it that much. It was nice to see they tried some more elaborate stuff with it, but it led to some pacing problems. It was also nice to see them come up with a different ending now that Tim is no longer in the cast, but it felt a little under executed. C-

Dancing - This Good Neighbor short wasn't as strong as their previous outings but it still had its moments such as Kyle's dancing and the Instant VHS and newspaper gags. Wow, it felt really odd seeing two ‘80s themed sketches in a row. Anyway, this short ran a little too long compared to their others. While I like seeing more of Beck and Kyle on the show, they should realize that their strengths of their previous digital shorts lie in getting in, getting their laughs and getting out. They should pack a quicker punch and be a little more tightly packed with gags next time. C+

Southern Animal Hospital – At first, this sketch seemed to be meandering and then it just seemed to be trying too hard. It's clearly one joke being beaten in the cold, cold ground. Still, it actually made me chuckle a couple of times although I can't remember when. All I kept thinking about is how much worse it would've been if Wiig was in it. C-

Investigative Bug Reporter - This sketch was okay. Considering that it's another taped piece (which this show feels a little heavy on, oddly enough) it really feels to be playing to Mike and Josh's "strengths" as performers. This was probably, by default, the best performance O'Brien has turned in on the entire show so far. C-

Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner – This sketch feels a little played out and derivative. Bobby and Kyle did fine in it and Taran was trying his damndest here. Still, it seemed really oddly paced and Vanessa may be trying a bit too hard. D+

Now, I’d like to update my rankings for this season…

1. Kerry Washington/Eminem

2. Miley Cyrus

3. Lady Gaga

4. Bruce Willis/Katy Perry

5. Tina Fey/Arcade Fire

6. Josh Hutcherson/Haim

7. Edward Norton/Janelle Monae

Well, that show just came and went quietly. Next month, we have a pretty strong lineup of hosts starting with Paul Rudd. I hope he pulls a Galifinakis and hits his third show out of the park to make up for his first two being so forgettable. I also hope One Direction only really appears in a musical guest capacity even though they just now really have the US crossover fame to appear in sketches. Happy Thanksgiving!

Lady Gaga (11.16.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. Despite how wildly uneven this show was all night, it is definitely one of the better episodes this season. It started off fairly strong and then started to fall apart in the middle and then picked up some steam toward the end. Lady Gaga has displayed some real hosting talent tonight, but I thought it would translate better to musical performances than sketch acting. To me, this seemed truer for the monologue than her duet with R. Kelly. Something about that first MG spot seemed a little off to me and I think it was the dancing. Her second performance was a something a little unexpected, but just OK other than that. Usually, it would be a demerit to the show when they don’t use a particular host in many sketches but this actually worked in Lady Gaga’s favor. You may have noticed early on how she was basically shoehorned into sketches with rather small roles. This actually wasn’t a detriment to the show because as we saw the last two times she appeared on the show, she doesn’t quite have the acting chops for a lead role in any sketch. Thankfully, the writers seemed to remember this and figured out the exactly when and where to use her in just the right moments during the show. Otherwise, we’d have to sit through ninety minutes of Lady Gaga just trying too hard. I also liked how much they gave us a chance to see the featured players on air more and made great use of Taran and Bobby. Anyway, this might be my longest preamble ever so let’s just move on with the actual review.

CBC – This Toronto Mayor cold open was pretty funny, even though they probably could've gone without the stereotypical hosehead accents. Bobby was funny as Rob Ford (even though he probably didn't have the voice down) and the taped press conferences were a highlight. A-

Monologue - This musical monologue is pretty much exactly what I was expecting, but this jazzy Broadway version of "Applause" is quite an improvement over the original. Her interaction with Bobby was definitely the best part and the "tuck" line was a nice touch. Other than that, it reminded me a bit too much of Chevy Chases' monologue from his first hosting stint in 1978 but this was more enjoyable. B-

Paxil Second Term Strength - This was a clever and well executed ad, but something about this felt a little dated. It's like they really could've done this for any president. Taran's appearance as John Boehner was a nice touch but other than that nothing really stood out to me here. B-

Waking up with Kimye - This seemed to be meandering . Jay's Kanye is great (even if it's slipping a bit) but Kardashian impressions on SNL should've stayed retired. Still, I'd like to see a little more from Noel and Kate here and I did like Nassims' MJ and work lines. Gaga seemed to be trying too hard to create a stereotypical nerd character in a sketch that doesn't necessarily call for that type of "acting" and her not-so-subtle nod to camera toward the end kind of bugged me. Still, they did know exactly where to end this and I'd definitely rather see it than Vanessa's Gaga impression again. Also, I sure hope we don't have to read any fluff pieces about Kanye's reaction to this because I already know that's going to annoy the hell out of me. C+

Whaaat Cover Songs - This reminds me of something Ferrell would've done in 1997 for some reason. Taran and Kenan were great in it and Noel does great Britney. Aidy was good as well but I wish they didn't underuse her so much. Gaga did a better job of poking fun at herself here albeit maybe a couple of years too late. The Jay/Kate duet at the end was also great. Thankfully, this was different enough from those "Bunny Business" type soundtrack sketches that it was somewhat enjoyable. C+

Update had a long string of decent jokes. Nothing really bombed and as a whole, I'd say the entire segment got the audience reactions it deserved. I could already tell I wasn't going to like Kenan's commentary before he even came out. They lost me at "common sense". The pre-taped sketch reminded me of something Fred Armisen would've done in '04-'05. I liked the level of energy Kenan committed to, but not much else about it. The thing that bugged me the most was how it appeared to be the first use of most of the featured players the whole night. Taran's commentary was great and really breathed some life into the show here, but Seth and Cecily's constant giggling really bugged the hell out of me. B-

Co-Op Board - This sketch meandered worse than anything I've ever seen. I still don't know what to make of it even after its ending. Still, I have to say I liked how they used Aidy, Kyle and Kate. Gag's appearance was just all right. D+

Spotlightz Camp For Serious Child Actors - This was obviously recurred from the horrendous Scarlett Johansen 2010 shows. At first, I didn't think they needed to recur it again but then I noticed how well it utilized this cast and host. Gaga and Noel were very cute and definitely turned in their best performances of the night. Gaga's role seemed especially suited to her acting range very well. Kyle and Taran were also great additions to this sketch. The only real flaw with it was that it ran on a bit too long. C+

Blockbuster - This digishort was really saved by its ending. Something about it made it feel like it was missing something in execution. I can tell this is probably not a Good Neighbor short due to the lack of a title card and the fact that Beck appeared in it but not Kyle. C+

Fourth Grade Pageant - It was great to see John Milheiser finally have a breakout moment after being virtually invisible for two months and it played well to Gaga's talents as a dancer. I could see this as being Milheiser's equivalent of Farley's Chippendales sketch. Aidy played well off of him, too. B+

Upper East Side, NY 2065  - This sketch was probably the best thing Gaga could've done in terms of self-deprecation as this is probably how everyone already feels about her anyway. Hell, I sure didn't think we would still be talking about her in 2012 much less 2013 but she put out another album so...here we are. It was a little long, overly cutesy and not all there in terms of acting but it was nice other than that. I did like Kenan playing off her, especially his lines about One Direction and Willow and Jaden Smith being considered "classic rock" in the future. C+

The Roze Zone – This was another flimsy premise that felt less out of place had it been done in the Tina Fey era, but the girls made the most out of the material they were given. C+

And now, just because I haven’t done this in a while…I’m going to rank this seasons’ episodes from best to worst. After this and the Kerry Washington episode, I think it’s about damn time.

1. Kerry Washington/Eminem

2. Miley Cyrus

3. Lady Gaga

4. Bruce Willis/Katy Perry

5. Tina Fey/Arcade Fire

6. Edward Norton/Janelle Monae

Next week Josh Hutcherson of “Hunger Games” fame hosts just in time for Thanksgiving. This show could seriously go either way. See you then!

Kerry Washington/Eminem (11.2.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. I would say this episode was a strong contender for best of the season so far. For the first time in a long time, the writing felt fresh and relevant and the staff didn’t seem like they were relying on crutches and tired premises. Kerry Washington proved to be one of the most dynamic hosts the show has had in years. This episode might put the talk of SNL’s lack of diversity issue to rest…or it might just keep it going as people talk about how much more desperately the show needs a black actress with Kerry’s talent. Oh well, at least people will be talking differently about the show soon…which I guess is a good thing either way. Still, this episode could’ve used more airtime from certain new featured players but in the context of this particular episode, it’s understandable why they’d use people like Wells, Mooney, Beckett and Milheiser less. Anyway, here it is.

Cold Open – This was a perfect way for SNL to address its ongoing “lack of diversity” issue on air while still being funny, engaging and entertaining. Kerry Washington endeared herself well to the audience and proved to be an exciting host. I also liked there being an onscreen scroll and self-referential/self-deprecating humor as SNL hasn’t employed either of those in a long time. I also liked the “six Matthew McConagheys” gag with Bobby and Brooks playing two of them. Al Sharpton’s cameo felt quite useless, but other than that a solid opening. A-

Monologue – Kerry did a good job of maintaining her energy here. This was also a nice way to introduce Kerry to an audience who isn’t all that familiar with the show “Scandal”. Plus, it feels fresher and more relevant since SNL seems to be parodying the show while it’s under most people’s radar and hasn’t yet peaked in popularity. This seems like the first time in a LONG time they have successfully pulled that off. Vanessa and Kerry played well off each other and I liked her self-deprecating Miley/da club lines and Kenan’s absurd yet subtle performance made me laugh. B-

Career Week – It was good that they not only gave Nassim a lead off sketch at the top of the show, but also gave her the chance to showcase some rather dynamic performance skills we didn’t know she had. Although it got to be a bit much toward the last minute or so, it was okay. It didn’t feel as derivative as many of Nassim’s other sketches. Kerry was also a welcome addition, but O’Brien managed to bungle a role that seemed specifically designed to cater to him as a performer. Other than that, it wasn’t a terrible sketch. C-

How’s He Doing II? – I’m actually surprised that they’d recur THIS sketch from Maya Rudolph’s hosting stint (especially considering how lukewarmly it was received the first time) but considering this episode’s host, I should’ve seen it coming. Kerry was once again a real standout here. Her performance really shined considering the fact that they did rehash a lot of the same jokes. Still, I did like some of Jay’s lines like the ones about white people’s mail. In fact, I’d say I actually prefer this version of the sketch over the original. B+

What My Girl Say – For some reason, I was expecting SNL to do some sort of sketch based on the “What Does The Fox Say” video. Still, I was expecting it to be set in some kind of workplace much like they did with “Someone Like You” and “Gangnam Style” rather than a straight parody. They pulled it off just as well as they did “We Can’t Stop” and Kerry, Jay and Kate were fine in it, but the whole premise, again, seemed more geared toward MAD TV. If “The Fox” were a big hit about four or five years ago, I could easily see Keegan Micheal Key and Erica Ash doing it. Hell, I could see Aries Spears, Debra Wilson, Danielle Gaither or Jordan Peele doing this if it were out even earlier. If SNL wants to continue to venture into parody songs based on current hits, I think I’ll give them one more chance before I judge whether this venture is a success or not. B-

Miss Universe 2013 – This was very cute probably the best female cast showcase they’ve done in quite a while. Kerry, Kate, Nassim and Aidy each turned in their funniest performances of the night here. Vanessa and Noel were also great. Noel particularly made all she could out of her only appearance of the night. Strangely given the show’s supposed running theme and given the actual recent Miss America “controversy”, I was surprised at how little this sketch had to say about diversity issues. Still, I wouldn’t consider that a demerit. B+

Update was okay in terms of jokes. Not much seems to have changed with Cecily, but I did like her Kanye joke and Seth's vigilante joke. Kate as Chancellor Merkel was okay. She had the German accent down well and she was doing her damndest to sell the material, but it didn't really get funny until the Google lines. Kenan's Barkley is always welcome and he played off of Pharroh well as usual. He does do a fine Shaq and is really committing to it. They really had good lines to like the ones about groin spraining and neck injuries. Thankfully, they kept it from going on too long. C+

Cartoon Catchphrases - This game show sketch is pretty strange, but I like it. There may be a few too many conceptual layers to it and the joke almost got old, but it was pretty funny. It may have been a little too ambitious for its own good but it's nice to see the writers are still reaching for something. Also, Mike O'Brien continues to be an unremarkable sketch actor. B-

Fall Carnival - I don't think I should be surprised that they did another Principal Frye sketch in this particular episode, but even though they're usually pretty funny it does feel odd whenever they show up. Kerry is quite good and Jay is doing well here as is Kenan. B-

Date Or Diss - This seems like a sketch that they should've done 12 years ago (and even then it might've felt a little tired, but still less tired than poking fun at post 2000 era MTV in general) but the girls dark lines and Taran playing off them with mock horrified reactions made this sketch for me. Aidy and Kerry were really good here and I did like the “Bitch Apartment” still at the end. C+

Good Neighbor: Ice Cream - This short was a fun way to end the show. I liked the introspective vibe of it and it had a good ending. B-

Well, that was the show. In two weeks, Lady Gaga does double duty as host and musical guest. Based on some of her previous sketch appearances, I think she’ll be able to match Kerry’s level of energy but sadly, not her acting ability so I think this will be an interesting episode. I will watch with an open mind, but that shouldn’t take everything I have in me. I can kind of see some of the animosity toward her, but I can’t say that I share it with you. I’m not her biggest fan or anything; I’m just not inclined to viscerally hate her as much as some of you. See you then! Have a Happy Daylight Savings!