Kristen Wiig/The xx (11.19.2016)

Okay, here’s my review. While this episode WAS a considerable letdown from last week with Chappelle, it wasn’t quite as big a letdown as we were expecting. This was, by far, the most uneven show of the season thus far but only the second worst. By and large, this was comparatively better than Wiigs’ previous hosting stint from three-and-a-half years ago (which was surprisingly more recurring character heavy than this one). Two things this show did have going for it were a different cast and writing staff from that time and a few unexpected cameos from much beloved figures to at least front load the show with (however brief and underutilized they were). Plus, pretty much the entire cast got some airtime (even if the senior established players got more). Quality wise, this show started out fairly strong with some degree of promise but then started to sputter too soon and almost completely spun out well before the end. Let me show you what I mean…

Donald Trump Prepares - This cold open, if nothing else, does show us how nicely they bounced back from the election. Baldwin had good lines as Trump and Kate played off him brilliantly. Mikey didn't add much but Bobby and Beck each had great material. Nice to see how seamlessly they worked in some Hamilton material at the last minute. It was nice to see Sudekis as Romney again and he got his laughs and got out but that felt like a real wasted opportunity for him. Also, the bit with Googling Isis felt down the beaten path. C+

Monologue – This got off to a slow start but really picked up once they started working the entire cast (and some writers apparently) into the mix. The cameos from Steve Martin and Will Forte were also a welcome addition (at least they got more to do than Sudekis). C+

The Bubble - This was well written and executed but didn't feel entirely original. Still, it did a fine job of poking fun at the deep cultural divide and borderline ideological hypocrisy in this country that really decided this election. B-

Secret Word - This was the first truly unwelcome addition of the night. Kenan as the host was worth a few chuckles and I like that they tried to work in some backstory to Hader's character (along with a voice mail from the man himself). Thankfully, that's all they relegated his role to because if they did get him to travel to NY just for this, THAT would be the biggest waste of all. Cecily played a role well suited for her. Unsurprisingly, she played it way too big but she did look damn good doing so. The rest of this was just a carbon copy but at least they knew when to end it. D+

Anderson Cooper 360 - This had some shades of 04-05/09-10 Era writing to it but at least it built up to a worthwhile payoff and was well performed. It was also a decent jab at CNNs' reporting and the way they worked in the Westworld reference was clever. B-

Target - This was another clever piece that seemed to be well suited to Cecily and Aidys’ acting ranges and written from a fresh-for-SNL angle. I appreciated how they managed to wring some more topical humor from a rather unlikely place. It did remind me a lot of the Hometown Thanksgiving tourism ad from the Jeremy Renner 2012 episode but that was written in a COMPLETELY different time. B-

QVC Auditions – This piece was something I didn't quite know what to make of. It showcased the typical hammy Wiig/Cecily performances I don't typically care for but it seemed to go in different directions and build to something unexpected. It was more about the journey than the destination, regardless of how pointless the journey was. Plus, Wiig and Cecily seemed to have a lot of fun playing off each other as evidenced by how Wiig looked like she was going to break. C-

Update was pretty uneven as Jost, Che and Pete got in some great material on Breitbart (hey, someone in mainstream comedy has to take them down), the Trump transition and Pence/Hamilton gate but none of their individual short form jokes worked at all and Willie just buried whatever momentum this Update may have still had. B-

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade – This sketch was kinda lacking. They split too much of the focus between Mikey, Wiig and Bobby as baloons and Beck and Cecily bickering as a couple. Bobby as Pennywise and the Kristen Chenowith doll gag were funny but this sketch really failed to go anywhere. D+

Whiskers R We V - This is definitely something I shouldn't have been surprised they bought back with Wiig. Her mouthpiece in this sketch reminded me of her Clearbrite sketch from the 2008 Tim McGraw episode. Other than that and Bobby's walk on, nothing stood out to me. D+

Surprised Sue V - The only things that surprised me about Surprise Sue was that it was the final sketch of the night and that she really went from 0 to 60 in no time flat. D-

Now, for my updated rankings of this season...

1. Dave Chappelle/A Tribe Called Quest
2. Tom Hanks/Lady Gaga
3. Lin Manuel Miranda/Twenty One Pilots
4. Margot Robbie/The Weeknd
5. Emily Blunt/Bruno Mars
6. Kristen Wiig/The xx

7. Benedict Cumberbatch/Solange

Well, that was certainly unexpected any way you look at it. In two weeks, SNL returns from Thanksgiving break with Emma Stone returning to host for her third time. I think we can all agree what a strong host she was. Even if her first two shows weren’t filled with great material, she still performed the hell out of it and I think her great love and reverence for the show played a big part in that. I believe she can helm a great third show working with this rebuilt cast and writing staff. See you in two weeks!