Tina Fey & Amy Poehler/Bruce Springstien & E Street Band (12.19.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This episode was a lot of fun, inconsistencies and all, and was certainly the least disappointing Christmas episode in at least three years. Aside from most of the cameos we were predicting, this episode delivered exactly what it promised in a way consistent with the quality of the rest of this current season. Tina and Amy really carried the show as hosts and they both sweetly bought back many fond memories of what we liked about them as cast members and why they were so beloved during their time on the show. The cast is still uneven in terms of airtime but that’s okay as we pretty much expected Tina and Amy to dominate the show with their combined force. Having Springsteen perform Santas' Coming To Town was a great and fun way to close the show. Anyway, let’s get into it.

CNN GOP Debate - This cold open was great. Through sheer dumb luck, Jons' failed Anderson Cooper turned out to be a serviceable Wolf Blitzer. Good to see Darrells' Trump back in the spotlight as well as Becks' very animated Jeb Bush. Their back and forth was great. Tarans' Ted Cruz is still pretty underwhelming but he had some good lines about being the most hateable human being ever. Bobby and Jay hit it out of the park with their Carson and Christie. Pete as Marco Rubio was serviceable casting. His impression wasn’t quite there but he made up for it by delivering several funny lines. The only real dud here was Cecilys' Carly Fiorina when Kate could easily do better there. Kyle as Rand Paul was funny being briefly confused with an audience member. The only other thing that really disappointed me was casting Jost as Kasich with no lines rather than placing Chris Parnell in this role. B+

Monologue - This was just okay. It felt more like unused Golden Globe banter than a true SNL monologue. For once, a music number was enjoyable here as much as they ran it into the ground. C+

Ghost of Hillary Past And Present – This sketch was an instant classic and with Tinas' Palin shoehorned in was just the icing on the cake. The ladies played very well off each other and almost every line was pure gold. I also liked the dance party at the end. A+

Meet Your Second Wife – This game show was one of their more ambitious and dark game show sketches in recent memory. Only Tina and Amy could make this premise work as well as it did. Taran, Kenan, and Bobby did great reacting in horror at being confronted with children and Vanessa, Aidy and Leslie did a great job at reacting with a mix of disgust and bewilderment. Kudos to Bobby as well for playing off the huge technical error at the beginning like a pro. B-

Hoverboard - This ad was very funny. The sheer unfiltered cheesiness of Kyle and Pete reacting to minor catastrophes really made this for me. B+

Movie Set - I can't believe they bought back that acting coach sketch from Chris Hemsworths' first episode (and only one week after he inexplicably hosted again) but this was another instance where Amy and Tina are the only people who could make this watchable. C-

Update is still going strong. Even if this was a little inconsistent, I loved the slams at the GOP candidates as well as Maher and O'Reilly. Jays Kwanzaa mini rant was the funniest part of Update. While I appreciate Jost going after Martin Shkreli, his jokes fell a little flat there. Kates' mom character seemed to be another derivative go-nowhere bit, but her and Josh managed to somewhat salvage it with their breaking. It was very gracious of them to let Tina and Amy read the last two Update jokes of 2015. They both reminded of what SNL fans actually LIKED about them as Update anchors. B-

Chad And Mrs. Douglas Show DVD - This sketch worked well live even if Mayas' bit got it off to an obnoxious start and needed some serious editing but Amy, Tina and especially Kenan really saved it. Kenan Cosby really cracked me up here as did Taran and Vanessa odd interactions. C+

Dope Squad - This short was also quite fun. It was a dead on Bad Blood parody (albeit months too late but still FAR better than the original). Schumers' cameo was funny even if it was a bit too long and Aidy played quite well off them. C+

Bronx Beat IX - It's quite odd seeing this as the very last sketch of the night, but Tinas' Philly accent automatically made this the best Bronx Beat ever. I cracked up at her describing the absurd violence going on in her city. B-

Now, for my update rankings for the season…

1. Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato

2. Elizabeth Banks/Disclosure with Lorde & Sam Smith

3. Tina Fey & Amy Poehler/Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

4. Ryan Gosling/Leon Bridges

5. Chris Hemsworth/Chance The Rapper

6. Donald Trump/Sia

7. Miley Cyrus

8. Matthew McConaughey/Adele

9. Amy Schumer/The Weeknd

Well, that was a fine way to end a year and bring this season to an intermission. Next month, Adam Driver of “Girls” and just recently “Star Wars” fame makes his hosting debut. Well, if they had to get someone hot off the Star Wars promotion train I’d rather see them get Daisy Ridley or John Boyega. Still, I can’t say I know what to expect from him comedically so he could go either way as a host at this point. Can’t wait to see who they will have booked as the first musical guest of 2015! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Chris Hemsworth/Chance The Rapper (12.12.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. While this episode was much better than Chris Hemsworths’ last episode, it was pretty much on the same level as Goslings’ show from last week in terms of quality (except less consistent but not nearly as uneven). The host seemed more likable and showcased some charisma that seemed to evade him from his first outing. While airtime was still unbalanced in terms of the cast and it was one of the rare shows that started out strong but started to crumble around Update without really picking up from there, it still maintained the continued strong effort this season has been showing us. Anyway, here it is.

A Message from Our 43^rd President – This George W Bush opening was great! I loved all the slams at the current GOP candidates (especially Trump and Jeb!). If Ferrell couldn't find it in his schedule to actually host tonight, this is an excellent way to make it up to us. B-

Monologue - This was quite fun. I liked seeing Hemsworth interact with Beck, Pete, Jost/Che and the female cast. This episode is already miles better than his first. B-

Star Wars Action Figures – This commercial was a little one note and down the beaten path but the male cast members really sold it. C+

On The Record w/Greta Van Susteren  - This sketch was better than it had any right to be. Tarans' Ted Cruz is pretty lack luster compared to the sheer dopiness of Bobbys' but thankfully Bobby was there to hit it out of the park with his Chris Christie and Jay was there to pick up all the extra slack with his Ben Carson. Plus, Kates' Greta is much stronger than Wiigs. B-

Time To Bleed - This was one of the best short films this season. I loved the surreal darkness of this and Sasheer did very well with what had to be her biggest role on SNL to date. A-

Brother 2 Brother 2…Brother - I can't believe they tried to make Brother 2 Brother recurring but this was a little better than the first one. I did like Beck as the wrestling coach, the end with Tarans' "created by/not written by" credits (given Tarans' previous experience as a child actor it wouldn't surprise me to find out he had a hand in writing this) and I did like the small blooper of Hemsworth accidentally letting the door hit him on the way in. Also, I’m quite shocked to find out that a Taran Kilam has a chest tattoo and a Chris Hemsworth doesn’t C+

Debras' Song - This definitely killed any momentum this episode may have still had as Brother 2 Brother was still progressing. If Anderlette didn't write this, I'll be genuinely surprised. Plus, while I like seeing them give Sasheer more airtime, it feels strange that this was Cecily's first appearance of the night. D+

Update did beat some life back into the show with some great Trump slams right off the bat. Che and Josh several more great jokes. As expected, Kate bought out her Angela Merkel and it was fine and they even took more jabs at Trump. Leslie Jones also returned. Her commentary was just okay and worked best as a conceptual piece but the Breaking Bad references would’ve dated it somewhat if we hadn’t known she was binge watching and live tweeting the series very recently. B-

Brunch – This sketch featuring Hemsworth in drag surprisingly worked only because the female cast did more to sell it than Chris did. While the sketch lacked some structure, I did like the ending.

Fun Pirate Ship - This sketch felt odd. I don't quite know what to make of it. It was nice to see Jon Rudnitsky finally get a lead role in a sketch, but this doesn't exactly give us a sense of who he is as a comedian or a performer. Plus, in spite of itself, it wasn't as "fun" as it appeared to be. I gotta say Kenan and Taran seemed to be the only ones not phoning in their performances.

Hunk Junction - This sketch was another odd one that I wasn't too sure about. I could kind of see where it was going after about a millisecond and it seemed like it was cut too short abruptly. Still, Kenan was all right and I liked how the guys really sold us on the sheer cheesiness of it. The funniest parts were the “racist” portion of the guys routine and the ladies confused reactions with Leslie bring the most into it out of them. C+

Now, for my updated rankings of this season…

1. Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato

2. Elizabeth Banks/Disclosure

3. Ryan Gosling/Leon Bridges

4. Chris Hemsworth/Chance The Rapper

4. Donald Trump/Sia

5. Miley Cyrus

6. Matthew McConaughey/Adele

7. Amy Schumer/The Weeknd

Well, that was certainly a pleasant surprise. Next week is the big Christmas show with Tina and Amy returning as cohosts. This is the show we have all been looking forward to the most on paper since this month’s lineup was announced and I really hope they don’t disappoint. For my review of that one, I was thinking of doing a similar kind of ranking of all the shows Tina has hosted over the years, but looking back over them on the SNL archives, they all seem to run together quality wise so it might be kind of pointless. Oh well, maybe I can actually rewatch them again on Seeso since I did sign up for that free beta test and am thinking of keeping it just to see KITH/UCB Show and Funny As Hell. See you soon!

Ryan Gosling/Leon Bridges (12.5.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. I can’t exactly pinpoint what made this such an enjoyable episode, but it was greater than the sum of its parts. Everything that sounded like it shouldn’t have worked on paper actually worked more than it had any right to. On the surface, Ryan Gosling seemed like another in a long string of recent bland, forgettable Hollywood pretty boy actor hosts but as the show went on it became more obvious that he really gelled well with the whole cast all week (well, the whole female cast, anyway) and allowed everyone to bring the best performances out of each other. I would say bringing this cast together in that way was really the only thing he contributed to this show. It was almost enough to make you forget just how unbalanced the male cast was in terms of airtime. Anyway, let’s get right to it.

A Christmas Message From Donald And Melania Trump - The cold open was pretty mediocre and Tarans’ Trump seems to be getting worse, but still better than the Trump open from the season premiere. I did like the naughty/nice list concept and the “send me your names/banged a seven Hillary Clinton” lines and how they kept this shorter than the last one. C+

Monologue – This was too long but the Mike Meyers cameo was its saving grace. I did like how Ryan tried to poke fun at himself and broke the fourth wall but he seemed visibly nervous and just a little out of his comfort zone. He didn't exactly fill me with confidence that he would be a great host and the musical number was a bit gratuitous. Still, thankfully Mike Meyers was there to inject a little charisma into it. This was definitely better than the last shows' monologue. B+

Settl - This ad was a decent premise on paper and the cast did fine with it. The date between Kyle and Leslie was good but other than that something was lacking in execution. B-

Close Encounters - This sketch was worth watching just for Kate. Her character was a little one not but the sheer strangeness of her performance made me chuckle. I didn't even mind the blatant breaking from the cast because for once it seemed like it added something to the sketch especially since it's been such a rare sight since Fallon/Sanz and Hader/Armisen left the cast. C+

Santa Baby - At first glance, this sketch was something else that ran too long and meandered with little to no structure. On second glance, I discovered that Ryan and Vanessas’ intensity and commitment really made this. Still, the payoff was satisfying enough. I like Becks' exasperated reactions as Santa as well as the "real" Santa peering in through the window was funny. B-

Birthday Party - I never expected them to rehash the dad sketch from Drakes' episode but this was much better shockingly due to several of Aidy's lines (such as the ones about bathing, ringworm and carseats) and her Farleyesque tumble over the table at the end. Again, I didn't even mind Gosling visibly breaking because it seems to be the only non-dull as dishwasher thing he had done in this whole sketch. C+

Update was good tonight. I did love most of the jokes from Jost and Che. I especially loved "ISIS Cosby" and Ches' slams at Kobe and Kylie Jenner. The commentary on gun control/defunding planned parenthood wasn’t their best rant as a duo this season but it still worked and was poignant and funny like their other rants this season regardless. Even though Cecily's commentary seemed to (consciously or not) be a straight up rip off of a Kristen Wiig piece circa 2011, I enjoyed it on a strictly male level (WAY more so than the Wiig piece she lifted this from) and I also laughed out loud at the shot of Che rocking headphones and the popsicle jar. I thought Anthony Crispino should've stayed in mothballs but for some reason, I enjoyed seeing him interact with Colin Jost and Ryan Gosling more than an overly enthusiastic Seth. I also enjoyed the “slippery Gary” line and the Charlie Sheen/Adele/Star Wars Jabs. B-

Hometown Bar - This sketch was quite oddly structured but Kyles' bar trash Emo Phillips character made me laugh (especially when he took his shirt off) and Gosling song and dance talents (no doubt left over from his Mikey Mouse Club days) really added to this sketch as they countered Kyles character well. B-

Nespresso – This ad was well pulled off. It did seem a little too strange at first until I realized that the point was to highlight the sheer strangeness of the original ad this was parodying (which I have seen just barely enough times to be familiar with) I was expecting Gosling to play Clooney, but as I should've expected, Taran pulled it off quite well (and with barely any lines I might add) and Bobbys' Debit was finally utilized to its full comedic potential here. B+

The Wiz Live: Cut For Time - I was expecting SNL to do something on The Wiz Live (which from what I've heard was shockingly good) and I have to say this was much stronger than the previous two live NBC musical parodies they did the past two Decembers. Kudos to the makeup team as it must have taken me a full minute to realize Che was the scarecrow and Pharroh was the tin man. Kenan also channeled David Alan Grier quite well but I couldn't help but wonder who else would be better in the Ray Bolger scarecrow role than Ryan Gosling. Still, it was Gosling most committed performance of the night. B-

Santa’s Workshop - I never thought they would (or should have) recurred the BDSM elves from the Louis CK finale last season but I suppose it does make more sense to do this sketch at Christmas and place it in a Santas' workshop setting. Still, Aidy and Ryan didn't add much. C-

Now, for my update rankings for this season…

1. Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato

2. Elizabeth Banks/Disclosure

3. Ryan Gosling/Leon Bridges

4. Donald Trump/Sia

5. Miley Cyrus

6. Matthew McConaughey/Adele

7. Amy Schumer/The Weeknd

Well, they really came back strong from Thanksgiving break. Next week, Chris Hemsworth returns to host and given how his episode from last season turned out, I could not be less excited. Still, this season has made some great improvements over the previous season so maybe it will turn out better. Who knows? I think it all depends more on the writing than Chris’ ability as a host. See you guys then!

Matthew McConaughey/Adele (11.21.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This episode was consistently underwhelming. I mean, I had some pretty low expectations going in and while there were still some bright spots these shows had a pretty middle of the road feel to it. While it wasn’t outright bad, it was still pretty average for this season. The cast seemed just a little unbalanced in that Pete was barely in the show and Rudnitsky is still being used only in minor roles. I will say Adele turned in two solid performances as I can’t really think of anything else (good OR bad) to say about this episode right now. Anyway, here it is.

FOX And Friends VIII - They really need to space these out more if they're doing them multiple times a season like this. Nice to see they worked in Kates' Debbie Wasserman Schultz but she really seemed to be phoning it in. The only things that stood out here were Bobby "Happy birthday, Jesus" line and Jay's Ben Carson. It was still nice to see Leslie being used to break the format here. C-

Monologue - It was also nice to see a real monologue on SNL but while McConaughey's “Dazed And Confused” story wasn't totally uninteresting, it bordered on near Trump levels of self-indulgence. C+

Hello (Thanksgiving Miracle Edition) - This had a satisfying payoff what with the wigs and coats and nails and leaves in the end and all. I wish they had played up the family argumenta more, but that's an overdone trope on SNL as it is. B-

Blues Shack - This sketch was a little weak (especially the ending) but at least it was a little more than a band introduction sketch. C-

3D Printed Man - This sketch was the first truly funny thing of the night. McConaughey's robotic speech and movements made me chuckle as the sketch went on. B+

Star Wars Force Awakens Screen Tests - This seemed like a cheap excuse for some cameos but at least the Stone/Hamm/Boyega appearances were funny and Buble/Abrams/Ridley were good sports. As far as impressions went, Becks' Javier Bardem made me laugh as did Jays Shaq/Tucker. Bobbys' George Lucas was worth a chuckle and Rudnitskys' John Mayer was serviceable. Bobbys' Devito was a noble effort but at the same time it felt like a wasted opportunity. Leslie was a great addition to the Star Wars sketch and her cameo made for a great ending. Still, this can't really hold a candle to the classic '97 predecessor. B-

Update was probably the weakest it has been this season but that'should not Jose and Ches' fault as much it was the the commentators. Colin and Micheal played well off each other as they have been all season so far. The immigration debate started off slow but they really bought it home. The "telling jokes the other one wrote" bit was the highlight of Update. I really appreciate that they took Vanessas' child actress character into a new setting but it still was too much. I did like her HIV/Oh boy line. Kenans' David Ortiz also should not have come back either. I did like the ships/go outside lines. C+

Should I Chime In On This? - This was a solid premise on paper that could have been executed better. It had serious pacing issues and it didn't help that the audience was quiet for the first part but God bless Kenan and Mateo for trying. C+

Right Side Of The Bed III - This was only worth watching for Kates' Ed Sheeran and Taran and Cecily's horrified reactions to McConaughey's bizarre character. I don't mind so much that they bring this back since they keep changing little things about it. C+

Amtrak - This sketch took a while to get going and McConaughty r eally seemed miscast in it but I did chuckle at fake hand/bitten by a bat/nice rack lines as well as Tarans' reactions. Overall, the whole thing gave me major flashbacks to that "You Think You're Better Than Me" game show sketch from the 1994/95 finale w/David Duchovny. C-

Now, for my updated rankings for this season…

1. Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato

2. Elizabeth Banks/Disclosure

3. Donald Trump/Sia

4. Miley Cyrus

5. Matthew McConaughey/Adele

6. Amy Schumer/The Weeknd

Well, that was that. Now, we can all go back home to our families. Afterwards, Ryan Gosling and Leon Bridges will be on the show in two weeks’ time. While Gosling is certainly another big name for SNL right now and seems to be a decent actor, I really don’t know what to expect from him in terms of hosting as the only thing even resembling comedy he has done might be “Crazy Stupid Love” and even for a movie where his costars were Steve Carrell and Emma Stone (both friends of the show) that seems like a bit of a stretch. I don’t know much about Leon Bridges either, but I’ve heard good things and am cautiously optimistic based simply on the fact that the name “Leon Bridges” makes him sound like he could’ve been a musical guest in an episode hosted by Buck Henry in season one. See you then! Happy Thanksgiving!

Elizabeth Banks/Disclosure (11.14.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This episode was a fine palette cleanser from Trump hosting in addition to other, more important world events lately. Elizabeth Banks proved to be a fine host who meshed well with the cast and the writers knew exactly when and where to user her. Her previous experience in comedies such as “Zack And Miri Make A Porno” and “Role Models” served her well here. The cast was still just as balanced as ever with the exception of Jon Rudnitsky still getting nothing but several small bit roles. Anyway, let’s get right to it.

Paris - This cold open was fitting and very tasteful. Cecily spoke beautifully.

Monologue - This was nothing to write home about. Having the host direct didn't do much to salvage another musical number but it really picked up with the star wipes and green screen treadmill. I also loved the line "more diverse dancers" and Bobby's appearance. C+

Aron's List – Pete, Bobby and Beck were pretty funny in this. It was pretty clever for what it was. Otherwise, it felt like humor SNL has done before. C+

Black Jeopardy II - I never expected them to make this recurring but this was much better than the LCK 2014 installment. Elizabeth's character really added something to this and Kenan, Jay and Sasheer were very funny in it. I especially liked the ending as well as “long ass wire” being included as a prize. C+

First Got Horny 2 U - This video was much funnier than I expected it to be. Aidy and Vanessa were great in it and Taran's brief walk on made the whole thing for me. I think shooting it in the style of a late '90s boy band video really dovetailed well with the premise. B-

High School Theater III - I'm surprised they made three high school theater productions but this was the best one. Kenan, Vanessa, Aidy and Leslie had great lines and Elizabeth was a fine addition. B-

Update was really solid tonight. Virtually all of Jost and Che's jokes landed. The Yale protest commentary really stood out even though the gun control commentary was better. Pete's commentary was great and I loved seeing Che react to Bruce Chandling as he reveals a more unsavory backstory. It feels a little soon for Kate to bring back her Russian character (possibly because it'd so similar to her CBB character) but she really sold it this time even if some of her jokes felt a little telegraphed. B+

Young Ben Carson – This was brilliant. Jay pretty much nailed the impression and the rest of the cast played well off of him. Leslie as Mrs. Carson and Kenan as Black Jesus were great additions. This pretty much proves that anyone but Kenan should be impersonating Carson. I also have to wonder if this was going to be the cold open before they heard about what happened in Paris. B-

The Bureau - This sketch was pretty well written and really deviated from how one note and repetitive of a premise I was expecting from a walk on sketch. Bobby, Jay and Elizabeth were great. I wonder if whoever wrote the New Boyfriend talk show sketch from Jane Lynch’s’ show is still on staff because they could've written this. The only thing that this sketch didn’t have going for it was the glaring technical miscues. B+

Uber For Jen - This Mike O'Brien short felt like a real long walk with a few missed opportunities but the payoff was ultimately satisfying. B-

So Ghetto  - This sketch seemed like the closest thing to an Anderlette sketch have all night but for all we know it could've been a Sublette/Che or Sublette/Tucker collaboration. It did feel like a much superior version of that intern sketch from Dakota Johnsons' episode. Elizabeth Banks and Jay Pharaoh pretty much made the whole thing for me (although it does remind me quite a bit of the Dave Chappelle's projects/ghetto bit from "Killing Them Softly"). C+

Now, for my updated rankings of this season…

1. Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato

2. Elizabeth Banks/Disclosure

3. Donald Trump/Sia

4. Miley Cyrus

5. Amy Schumer/The Weeknd

Well, that episode was certainly refreshing. Next week, Matthew McConaughey returns to host. They sure got a big name for the Thanksgiving show and his 2003 episode wasn’t terrible in spite of him but now feels like sort of an awkward time to be hosting. Then again, 2003 would’ve also been an awkward time for him to host as well. This show could go either way, really but let’s hope the writing continues on it upswing. See you then!

Donald Trump/Sia (11.7.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. Like most of you, I had my reservations about this episode but fortunately (and even watching with extreme caution as I did) this episode defied most of them. Donald Trump performed exactly as I expected him to based on his 2004 appearance and barely played any roles that were different from Donald Trump. Thankfully, he let them refrain from making the show a 90 minute campaign spot and didn’t even try to make him appear likable or fun enough to be elected president. I think it’s safe to say at this point that SNL certainly didn’t do much to change peoples’ minds about Donald Trump (certainly not mine or yours if you happen to be reading this) but we may have to see how that plays out over the coming weeks as far as media coverage goes. Anyway, let’s get right to it.

MSNBC First In The South Democratic Candidates Forum - That cold open was pretty weak compared to the bulk of the previous shows debate sketch, but it was a decent way to ease us into what was to come. I did like Cecily’s “debate no one watches” line and the tight cuts to Kenan, Jay and Leslie. I also liked seeing Kates' Hillary again but the material felt a little down the beaten path for SNL. Thank God for Larry David. As expected, he was the only truly worthwhile part of this sketch. B-

Monologue – This was exactly as self-serving as expected (including Taran's walk on and Darrell's cameo) but Aidy, and again, Larry were the true highlights. C+

White House 2018 – This sketch was utterly pointless. It felt exactly like something Trump himself would've had a large hand in writing. I didn’t really see the point of having Trumps’ daughter cameo either. The big reveal I kept waiting for was pretty weak and just let this sketch end with a dull thump. D-

Bad Girls - This music video felt like a retread of the Brave sketch from Dakota Johnsons episode and the other female centric music videos from the past two years but it sure stood out in THIS episode. Kate, Aidy, Leslie sure stood out in a piece that would've died in any other episode. C+

Live Tweeting - This sketch actually turned out pretty funny and sure picked up when Kenan, Vanessa and Leslie entered the scene. The bare premise of the restaurant scene within the sketch felt exactly like a sketch MAD TV did 11 years ago, but I’m sure I’m just splitting hairs at this point. It was decent way for Trump to poke fun at his own boorish loudmouth image but it made me a little worried that this was the hardest they would be able to go after Trump. B-

Hotline Bing – Speaking of other things MAD TV would’ve been doing years ago, Hotline Bing jokes feel pretty dated after just two weeks but as much of a very, very very watered down Bart Baker/Key Of Awesome production this looked like it was a noble effort from the SNL cast. Martin Shorts' cameo as Ed Grimley made my entire night but Trumps appearance made me cringe. Thankfully, his cameo was all too brief near the end. B-

Update was a highlight. Thankfully Jose and Che were on point even if it took them a minute to get into their groove and had some pretty good material. Leslie's commentary wasn't great but her come-ons to Jost were funnier than usual. Also, I usually don't care that much for Drunk Uncle but his appearance in this episode was definitely clever and well placed. That had to be my favorite Drunk Uncle commentary ever. B+

Laser Harp - This sketch was quite odd. I chuckled at the first laser harp appearance as well as Becks manic bass playing but overall it felt like Anderlette tried to write a too subtle criticism of Trumps campaign that didn't quite land (at least I can HOPE that's what they were going for). C-

Mr. Crocker – This sketch was funny at first just for the sheer strangeness of it all. I chuckled at Becks autotuned singing, outbursts and hastily explaining his bad deal with a record guy but Trumps appearance almost ruined it for me. B-

Toots - Why was Kenan necessary to introduce Sias' second performance with Trump? F

Donald Tramp 2016 - I was wondering if there was a point to having the two former porn stars come back but it was a bit of a long walk to a somewhat satisfying ending. I did like Bobby's delightful strange conceptual character but I don't know what it says about SNL right now that he apparently has the best Trump impression in the cast. I also liked the lines about not having visited the White House since the '90s and Donalds' line at the end may be the only thing he did tonight that I can admit I was a fan of. I'll bet this was the one sketch they would've wanted him to cameo in had he not agreed to host. Also, I'm a bit surprised he agreed to do this given his comments about not alienating Iowa voters but I guess he figured it would be so late in the show that they would be asleep by now. B-

…and now for my updated season rankings.

1. Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato

2. Donald Trump/Sia

3. Miley Cyrus

4. Amy Schumer/The Weeknd

Next week, Elizabeth Banks hosts for the first time. I would say this seems long overdue considering she has been in her share of Appatow comedies over the years but if it took the Hunger Games to get her on so be it. Hopefully, the writing doesn’t sink her but with the way this season has been going so far I wouldn’t be too worried.

Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato (10.17.15)

Okay, here’s my review. This is hands down the best show of the season at this point. It was heartwarming to see Tracy back performing as much as he can in a live show and being as hilarious as ever. The cast seemed a little unbalanced but that’s no big deal as tonight was Tracy’s big night (as well as some other pleasantly surprising cameos) and it was all about him and his support system. The writers really played to his strengths as well. Anyway, let’s get right to it.

CNN Democratic Debate - That Democratic debate sketch was probably the best debate cold open they did since the last time Baldwin hosted four years ago. He and the rest of the cast were great but Latry pretty much blew every one out of the water. The only real flaw with this sketchange was how miscast Jon Rudnitsky was as Anderson Cooper. Also, I'm surprised they didn't make any mention of Jim Webbs' grenade comment from the real debate. B+

Monologue - Tracy was great here. I'm glad he worked in some actual jokes in brief moments of sincere reflection. The staged 30 Rock flashback was also good aside from the onscreen promos. It was nice to see his former cast mates support him on live TV. A-

Family Feud IV – This sketch seemed like low hanging fruit but it was well executed and it was a lot better than the impression showcases from the last two seasons. Tracy, Sasheer, Jay, Che and Leslie really hit it out of the park and that was the best Sasheer has looked in any sketch. B+

Brian Fellows’ Safari Planet XII - Tracy gave it his all and the camel pretty much upstaged everyone before the well done multiple fantasy sequence was over. Why they thought Pete and Aidy would be good fits for this sketch I may never know. B-

Fake Cocaine/Fake Poop Spray – This was pretty funny and mildly for what it was. Thankfully, it was short and it wasn't TOO stupid. C+

Update was still strong but not as much as previous weeks. The Huckabee slam and the qualified candidates rant were great. A lot of the jokes landed. Ches' alien rant was bizarrely funny. Tinas' Playboy commentary was well written and really built to a satisfying payoff but ultimately was a little derivative of her earlier work. Once again, Kenan really killed the momentum this had going but it was a clever way to work in Woodrow as much as I would've preferred a full sketch with Demi Lovato. B-

Clockmaker Bernard - This town square sketch seemed like it would've been a good excuse for Tracy to deliver his trademark outlandish one liners, but it seemed to veer off in too many different directions. Tracy, Jon and Sasheer did perform well here. C-

The Standoff - This short seemed like it telegraphed into its main joke too early but thankfully Tracy really performed the living hell out of it and writing wise it had a real endearing quality that really saved it. B-

Cool For The Cummer/Confident/Stone Cold - I usually don't comment on the musical performances but Demi Lovato seems like the strongest musical guest so far this season. She really can sing well and hold her own against the backup band she had (as much as they added to her performance).

Yo! Where Jackie Chan At Right Now? - This seems way more like a sketch Key and Peele would've done (they seemed to be channeling Vanda vein and Mike in particular) but I liked it for its sheer strangeness. The guest segments were funny despite Jay having the only accurate impression. B-

Astronaut Jones VI - Good to see they gave us the Astronaut Jones/Demi Lovato sketch we've been clamoring for. I liked the NASA/Martian fake out but if only Tracy hadn't stumbled over his last line. Hopefully, they can put the dress version of this up online soon. B+

Now, to deliver my first ranking of this season…

1. Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato
2. Amy Schumer/The Weeknd
3. Miley Cyrus

Well, that certainly kicked season 41 into high gear. I can’t believe they are seriously going to follow that up with candidate Donald Trump next month. I actually signed the petition circulating to get him kicked off the show, so that should show you where my head is at. Anyway, see you then!