Okay, here’s my review. There seemed to be a number of odd
factors at play going into this show that ultimately made it the weakest
episode of the season thus far (and quite possibly the weakest pre-election
show in years). The presence of Benedict Cumberbatch certainly was one of them,
but not for the reasons you might think. Cumberbatch was a hard host to get a
read on. He didn’t display any burgeoning heretofore hidden sketch comedy
talents but he certainly seemed like he cared just enough to be there and do his
best in sketches. At the same time he didn’t seem to be giving 100%. It’s as if
his performances were purposely meant to convey a lack of confidence in the
material he was given. Even if the women were excited to work with him, it didn’t
come through at all! It looked like even HE realized the writers couldn’t unanimously
come together on how to best use Cumberbatch’s talents in their sketches. Host
related issues aside, the writers more burnt out than they did BEFORE they got
to take last week off. I don’t know if they were just burnt out on the election
or if they just wanted this week to be over with so they could just get to
working with Chappelle (!!!) already. Plus, it seemed like Beck, Kate, Kenan,
Aidy Cecily and Vanessa were the only ones even in the studio tonight. Hell,
the burnout on SNL can be sensed way outside the writers’ room as it seems the
show has completely dropped off the face of the earth. It’s almost like
everyone on the planet forgot the show even existed because they realized that
this WASN’T the week Chappelle was hosting. Anyway, let’s break it down…shall
we?
Outfront With Erin Burnett - The CNN cold open didn't
exactly shatter my expectations at first, but they pretty accurately captured
how the media was covering this election in the final stretch ending was very
sweet and therapeutic. The Twitter/possible N-word tape jabs were a little
predictable but were a highlight nonetheless. The FBI/Putin/KKK kissing gags
were funny even if they were really telegraphed by the second one. C+
Monologue - Benedict didn't exactly instill a ton on
confidence in the audience right out of the gate regarding his hosting
abilities and the premise was a little thin. However, it was a good idea for
them to make Leslie the main focus. Plus, the rest of the ladies looked pretty
dammed hot. C-
Kohler Koohl Toilet - I wasn't crazy about the premise of
the cool toilet when South Park did it four years ago, but the performances of
Benedict and Mikey paired with the Dire Straits soundtrack really made this for
me. I have a feeling Che/Kanin/Robinson wrote it, though. D+
Why Is Benedict Cumberbatch Hot? - Beck Bennett's game show
sketch is the funniest live piece of the night so far. He really stood out but
I really appreciated Benedicts' ease at poking fun at himself along with the
whole "breaking the fourth wall" vibe. B+
Office Hours - I didn't think Pete's character from the JLD
pool boy short needed to be recurring but kudos the writers for fleshing the
hell out of Benedicts character (and him too for acting the hell out of it)
plus Mikey's character was a nice touch. C-
Surprise Bachelorette Party – This seemed like it was going
to be much funnier than it actually was. It really just dragged on without an
ending but the performances were strong. Also, this was quite a strange sketch
for the Cubs to make their cameo in. D+
Update was largely forgettable aside from the Carvey/Murray
cameos (and even they seemed to be running on fumes). Plus, this was the spot
where a Cubs cameo made slightly more sense. Aside from that, Che had a few
great lines about the FBI/email/male birth control stories and I did like the
way Jose tied together the opening rant. C+
Gemma And Ricky - I really didn't think they needed to bring
back Cecily's Gemma character for a third time. That sketch only worked with
The Rock and Louis CK. Benedict Cumberbatch was just an awkward fit and Vanessa
really over acted here. I will say I liked the attempt at a magic trick and the
endearing semi-ending. Plus, Cecily was definitely looking right here. D+
Criminal Mastermind – This sketch was something I didn't
quite know what to make of. It seemed to take a little too long to get to where
it was going. On the plus side, they knew the exact right spot to end it and
this was the writers' best use of Benedict Cumberbatch all night. D+
Meeting Mr. Shaw - This bird sketch was one of the strangest
things I've seen on SNL in recent memory. I appreciate when SNL tries to go
that far outside the box and I can kind of see what this was going for but it
just didn't quite land with me. I did get a kick out of them placing the
bird/mannequin in the background of the goodnights. D+
Now, for my updated rankings for this season…
1. Tom Hanks/Lady Gaga
2. Lin Manuel Miranda/Twenty One Pilots
3. Emily Blunt/Bruno Mars
4. Margot Robbie/The Weeknd
5. Benedict Cumberbatch/Solange
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