Okay, here’s my review. This episode still exhibits blatant
signs of the trouble SNL has been in for the past two years. Still, it was this
seasons’ strongest episode so far. This is mostly due to Haders’ presence and
not just for the instant nostalgia. While the writing hasn’t shown any real signs
of improvement since 2010, Bill has shown he hasn’t lost touch with his comedic
acting chops. He’s still just as solid of a sketch player as he ever was during
his time in the cast. It’s also nice to see Pete Davidson all over this show
after being completely shut out last week. I’m sure having the guy who recommended
him to Lorne hosting sure didn’t hurt matters there. Anyway, let’s get right to
it.
Kim Jon-Un - North Korea was an odd choice for cold open (as
it wasn't really dominating the headlines) but Bobby's rapid fire back and
forth between hobbling in pain and trying to prove his agility was funny. Also,
they knew the exact spot to end it before it got too old. Strangely enough, the
dated pop culture references (“Space Jam” and “The Fury”) turned out to be some
of the funniest moments in this sketch. C-
Monologue - Bill was good, Kristen killed any momentum this
monologue could’ve had. He was very funny and likable and even his singing was
played for great comedic effect. Thankfully, the whole music number didn't
focus on Wiig for once. I also liked how Bill told the story of Megan Mulally
discovering him. Harvey Firestien was an unexpected cameo but still, a nice
addition to this monologue. C+
Herb Welch VII - This felt pretty much like a carbon copy of
every other installment, but this sketch was a nice use of Pete and Bill's back
and forth with Taran as the news anchor was good (even though without Sudekis,
it’s not quite the same). C-
The Group Hopper – This was a nice bit of satire even if it
was missed on about 75% of SNl’s audience. Obviously, this might’ve landed better
with me had I read the books or seen the films they were referencing but it was
still enjoyable even if it had some pacing issues. Parts of it moved to fast
while other parts meandered a bit. It did a fine job of poking fun at all the
tropes of the YA dystopian fantasy lit/film craze taking the country by storm
right now. Even though Hader's character really made this sketch for me, it was
a nice use of Pete, Sasheer, Beck and Kyle and featured some of Pete’s
strongest acting on the show so far. B-
Hollywood Game Night - This was a fine showcase of
impressions. Hader's Pacino was a welcome addition. Beck's Nick Offerman was
uncanny. Kate did a fine job as Jane Lynch exposing the banality of the show. Cecily's
Sofia Vergara was accurate if not a little overbearing. Taran as Christoph
Waltz was alright if not a little underutilized. Jay's Morgan Freeman has
improved but there could've been less Wigg as Kathie Lee. Everyone's ridiculous
bad answers were fun. B+
HelpFund - This was another clever filmed piece even if it
was pretty one note and repetitive. Hader played a rather defensive role well.
It was nice to see them sneak in Leslie jones in there again. It was also a
nice use of Sasheer. Kenan and Jay added a lot to this, too. B-
Love Is A Dream - It was very touching of Bill and Kristen
to introduce this classic. I would say Jan got the tribute she truly deserved
tonight and this was Kristen's best moment in tonight's show.
Update is still the strongest segment of this SNL season.
Michael Che had some good moments (but not quite as good as the previous two
week and his gay marriage joke felt like something several other comedians have
done before). Even Jost had some decent jokes writing wise, not that his
delivery did anything to help them. Thankfully, this Update was lighter on
jokes than it was on commentaries. Pete's commentary was good, but his
commentary from the premiere was a little bit better. Still, it was nice to see
this make it to air after getting cut last week. Seeing Stefon back in his
element was nice. I especially liked his “human defibrillators” line. C+
Puppet Class II – It was nice seeing this again since it was
a classic one-off that wasn’t as run into the ground as much as some of Haders’
previous sketches from his time on the show. Still, it wasn’t as good as the
first one. Bill and Cecily performed well in their roles but Taran and Bobby
felt like they were trying too hard and didn’t service this sketch as well as
Kenan and Seth MacFarlane did. The puppet flashback was good, but they could’ve
played it up for bigger laughs. B+
Inside SoCal - I'm very glad they made Inside this recurring.
This one was so much better than the first one from Jonah Hill's episode in
January. The Pete/Kate/Taran segment was hilarious and Bill was a great
addition with his lost, rambling answer. Beck and Kyle were great in this with
their own segments. I especially liked Beck’s Vicodin line and Kyle’s red salsa
interview with Cecily. Still, the ending with Bobby didn’t quite work as well. This
sure beats another Californians sketch, huh? B+
Cat In The Hat – This sketch seemed quite unfocused and like
it had a very thin premise. Still, Bill's performance was the real high point.
His line at the end was funny even if it felt way out of place. C-
Well, that seemed to be a pretty polarizing show. Jim Carrey
hosts in two weeks. Let’s hope the writing doesn’t sink him. See you then!
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