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!
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