Oscar Issac/Charli XCX (3.5.2022)

Okay, here's my review. This was another strong episode that showed promise for the remainder of this season being on a good trajectory. It was just as strong as last week's show but still, even without the hype from certain established "friends of the show" as guests it stood well on its own. Oscar Issac was as excellent of a host as everyone expected him to be and yet somehow, he still left the audience wanting more. He played his comedic parts all very well and even came across like he was blending in quite well with the vast. Still, it also felt like there were a few other things they could've done with him as host that they didn't getting that would show SNL using him as a host to his full potential. Still, I'd like to see him return as host some time just to see what else he is capable of. Aside from Pete (still off filming a movie), Punkie (still inexplicably missng) and Aristotle (in the background of the cold open with no lines) everyone got some airtime tonight. Let's get right into it? Shall we?

FOX News Ukrainian Invasion Extravaganza - Well, at least they're breaking standard format with these FOX News Cold Opens and finding different uses for stagnating impressions (Kate's Ingraham, Moffats' Tucker, JAJ & Mikeys' Father & Son Trump). Also, if they absolutely HAD to do an overly long cold open regarding the Russia/Ukraine conflict I can't say that funnelling it through FOX News/GOP responses to it is INappropriate. I'd like to say Bowen Segal ran away with this (he's no Will Sasso but he still provided my only genuine laughs in this) one but he wasn't on long enough and exited way too early. Good to see Aristotle is still on the show (even with no lines). I have to hand it to JAJ for being one of the few comedic performers for being able to take such a tired-ass premise like "Trump sings 'My Funny Valentine' and dedicated the song to Putin" (something that at once felt straight out of Anthony Atamanuiks' "President Show" on Comedy Central and feels like even he especially would fired the writer who pitched that for being too much of a hack) and make it at least watchable. C-

Monologue - Good to see a return to the sincere, personal monologue format for a charismatic first time host. Thankfully, his increasingly bizarre home movie (I wonder if young Oscar Issac and young Adam Goldberg ever met?) was the bulk of this because his riffing on what Hollywood considers "ethnically ambiguous" didn't do much for me. It's funny that they're doing this since I seem to remember people in the That Week In SNL Twitch Chat and Discord asking why SNL doesn't show home movies anymore. Well, careful what you wish for! Also, I couldn't help but notice that Oscar said he was originally asked to host in 2015. Did they originally want him to host the January 2016 Adam Driver episode? B+

Paw Patrol Attack Ad - I loved how committed everyone was to this and I love how you didn't need to have seen any real life Paw Patrol to appreciate since they were pretty much explaining the exact reason why the parents if the kids who watch this show would be unable to hold back their disbelief. I'm guessing Mikey cowrote this? He's prominently featured in it and I know he's one of the few SNL performers who has kids so he's one of the few people on this show I can imagine who regularly watches Paw Patrol. It was a little long and could've used some tightening but I guess they needed thar length to unpack a lot. B+

Inventing Chloe - Weird to see two pieces in a row based on TV shows I've seen so little of that I would need large chunks of the basic premise explained to me but it's good to see Chloe get another showcase (even if the impression may not have landed with me and even if she kinda repurposed Aidys' thing of "being inspired to be more confident by a random celebrity having a moment right now" as well as her own "Ooli" voice). I liked the brief clock punches with JAJ/Biden and Che at the Update desk but this could've used a trim as it started to kinda drag after that. Kate provided a sweet ending and did a strong enough variation on the Anna Delvy voice that I was left me wondering how much better this piece could have been if it were titled "Inventing Kate". Kudos to writing assistant Jacob Kaplan for managing to hold his own next to established cast members. C+

Harassment Seminar - This felt a little aimless and shapeless to me but the commitment from the cast really saved it. I suspect PDD wrote this as it followed their format of "incredulous reactions to increasing inappropriateness". C+

Little Meatball Men - Good to see SNL finally let Sarah Sherman break out and give us just a little bit of Squirm. This is a lot lighter and sillier and borderline nonsensical than a lot of her previous pre-SNL work so I doubt she'll be allowed to bring out the heavy blood and gore effects for a while but hey, baby steps. Oscar and Charli were terrific sports for being in this. B+

Update got off to a bit of a slow start (the opening run on US Ukranian support just kinda washed over me) but they really picked up joke-wise once they got to the Kamala/DeSantis/NYC Covid Restrictions jokes. Good to see Kate's commentary was more pointed, layered and just generally very different than other pieces where Kate essentially plays herself such as "What Still Works" and Dr. Wayne Weknowdis. Good to see Ego with another intriguing original character commentary (even if it just seems like she put her weary Disneyland mom and her woman who's been missing for 10 years in a blender). Good to see she really started acting the hell out of this once she revealed Che was her baby's daddy (because I kinda saw that twist coming). B-

The Sexual Woman - This started out just overstating itself way too much but it really started working once Aidy decided to really lean into the subtle meta clock punches of it. C+

In Over Your Head - This may have just been "How'd You Do That" if it aired on HGTV but it's still just so great to see what you think will just be a quiet low key sketch turn out to be so perfectly written, paced and acted. Oscar was pretty much expertly committed here and each escalation was better than the last. No notes. A+

Free Fiction Workshop - Ok, I strongly suspect one kf my Twitter mutuals actually wrote this (and if you're reafing this, I think you know exactly who you are..."Bill"...if that is in fact your REAL name) but this actually turned our to be the low key silly fun it promised to be but Oscar Issac turned out to be the absolute perfect host to keep this afloat. Aidy, Chris and JAJ played off him expertly. Good to see Melissa and Heidi having fun with this (and good to see them come into the show just before they got completely shut out). Weird choice of musical guest for this episode for this sketch to be in though. B+

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

1. Jason Sudeikis/Brandi Carlile (10.23.2021)
2. Keiran Culkin/Ed Sheeran (11.6.2021)
3. Simu Liu/Saweetie (11.20.2021)
4. Billie Eillish (12.11.2021)
5. John Mulaney/LCD Soundsystem (2.26.2022)
6. Oscar Issac/Charli XCX (3.5.2022)
7. Paul Rudd/Charli XCX (12.18.2021)
8. Jonathan Majors/Taylor Swift (11.13.2021)
9. Rami Malek/Young Thug (10.17.2021)
10. Willem Dafoe/Katy Perry (1.29.2022)
11. Will Forte/Måneskin (1.22.2022)
12. Ariana DeBose/Roddy RichBleachers (1.15.2022)
13. Owen Wilson/Kacey Musgraves (10.2.2021)
14. Kim Kardashian-West/Halsey (10.9.2021)

Well, that was fun but a little less than what I was expecting. Next week, Zoe Kravitz makes her hosting debut. Hmm, she's a first time host who's not exactly known for comedic performances so...unlike with Oscar Issac I'm once again flying blond and going into an episode with no expectations whatsoever. See you then!