40th Anniversary Special (2.15.2015)

Overall, I thought this anniversary special was quite good. The first hour was especially strong (except for the non T.Swift/B. White/L. Newman portions of The Californians & the McCarthy portion of Update).

Seriously, why couldn't Laraine Newman have cameoed in EVERY Californians sketch? 

The montages were quite well put together and creative compared to the previous anniversary specials. Even the big musical number led by Short and Rudolph was fun even (as awkwardly paced as it was). As the show went on, these are the things I couldn’t help but notice.

Loved seeing Jane Curtin do Weekend Update w/Tina &Amy but I can't tell from her facial expressions if she REALLY wanted to be there.

Chevy Chase looks like his cummerbund fell in the toilet.

Apparently, Martin Short doesn't remember the other two times he hosted either.

You'd think Eddie Murphy would do more than stall for time during a THREE AND A HALF HOUR SHOW if they hyped his appearance up so much. Then again, I suppose it’s best he didn’t do one of his old Dick Ebersol era bits. I mean, Mr Robinson’s Neighborhood is the only one that would even come CLOSE to holding up in 2015.

That brief clip of a Mike Meyers/Wayne Gretzky hockey match during the Jeter and Manning sports montage may be the first or second time it's ever been rebroadcast.

That may be the worst Paul Simon cover ever, but it is somehow the only worthwhile moment of Miley Cyrus' whole career.

Louis CK provided a great intro to the short film montage. It would’ve been great if he had a chance to do stand up and riff on the audience like Robin Williams did at the 15^th and Billy Crystal/Fernando did in the 25^th. The Digital Short that followed it was a hilarious way to begin closing out the show.

That was quite an awkward Q&A but fortunately for Jerry Seinfeld, NONE of it was his fault.

20 years ago, New York Magazine called the late “bad boys” era of SNL "embarrassing and poignant". 20 years later, I evoke those same words to describe Kanye's #SNL40 performance (especially since he opened it with “Jesus Walks” in 2015).

Apparently, you can say "dick" unbleeped at 8PM on NBC but god forbid you say "shit" or "goddamn" any time after that.

I really appreciate how that "In Memoriam" included both cast AND crew.

J.K. Simmons/D'Angelo (1.31.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. After those last two lethargic shows dragged in the New Year, this has to be the strongest SNL episode of 2015 so far. Still, we have seen better in terms of this season overall. Even though some of the problems that have been plaguing the writing are still present, the performances from the host and cast really carried this one. JK Simmons was certainly a welcome presence at studio 8H and he sure must have lit a fire under the casts’ collective asses this week. Also, they are still holding back on recurring sketches and characters (save for one) as they have been the past month which is always a sign that they’re at least taking baby steps in the right direction. My only real complaint about tonights’ show would be that Beck Bennett wasn’t in any sketches. He literally only showed up for the goodnights. Anyway, here it is.

Super Bowl Shut Down - This Marshawn Lynch/Richard Sherman open was good. It was a fine way for SNL to hit the topical stuff right out of the gate. Jay did a fine Sherman. His yelling and insulting people was funny (especially Mayor DiBlasio). Kenan didn't add much as Marshawn Lynch and his portrayal paled in comparison to that of Jordan Peele. Taran, Bobby and Sasheer had some funny lines, although their parts felt a little pointless. C+

Monologue - JK Simmons really delivered here. He had great delivery and poked fun at himself quite well. His yelling at the cast was great and Kyle, Pete, Leslie and Aidy all played quite well off him. Still, I suppose this was mostly aimed at people who have already seen Whiplash. The Fred Armisen cameo was wholly unnecessary (especially since it was at least his second cameo this season in the span of two months) but it was too brief and surrounded by too many solid performers to ruin the monologue. Also, it was thankfully his only appearance of the night. B-

Totinos Super Bowl Activity Kit  - This was something I didn't quite know what to make of but I do know it feels too early in the show for a Vanessa centered piece and I could definitely see some particularly dim but “well-meaning” comments calling it sexist (even though its intent was purely the opposite of that). D+

Miss Trash 2015  - This felt like a cross between the "Douchebag Of The Year" sketch from Seth Rogen's '07 episode and the Miss Universe sketch from Kerry Washington's episode last season. Srill, it was a decent example of an often used but not quite beaten into the ground yet SNL trope. JK Simmons was a very funny host. Aidy's performance was the true highlight of this sketch. Cecily and Kate played their parts well although something about Kate's character seem dated. Still, I couldn't help but feel like something was missing. This sketch could've made better use of this, but at least they kept this from running on too long. B-

Casablanca Alternate Ending - This sketch was well performed by JK and slightly overacted by Kate. Still, only Kate has the performance skills to make this watchable. It had several attempts at jokes throughout, but it seemed a little light on actual humor. Despite reminding me too much of something that might fall more into Wiig or Cecily’s or Anderlette’s wheelhouse it was the strongest Reese De'What involved sketch so far. C-

Teacher Snow Day - This seemed like a less funny retread of last month's Office Christmas Party from last month but damn if it wasn't fun and I'll be damned if the cast and JK didn't perform the hell out of it. B+

Update was pretty inconsistent. Aside from Josts' Romney/Disney Latine Princess jokes and Ches' rant and bat triaal line, most of it was forgettable. Cecily's One Dimensional Woman character was the absolute last thing I would expect to recur, but I did like the American Sniper reference. I was very excited to see the return of Jebediah Atkinson and while he had plenty of great lines even if I saw his jabs at Meghan Trainor/U2 jabs coming from two miles away, it made me realize that this bit doesn't work as well when the audience doesn't groan at his "edgier" jokes and leaves Taran to clutch at straws when they do. C+

Pushie - It seems far too late for SNL to do Microsoft Office Clippy jokes as they have already been beaten to the ground. Still, this sketch gets much more entertaining as it goes on and builds to something and reveals some actual writing. Bobby and JKs performances alone made me laugh and Aidy played well off both of them. To recap, surprisingly good sketch, odd use of green screen.

The Jay-Z Story - I wanted to check out of this as soon as I heard the name "Mike O'Brien" but I'm glad I gave it a chance because it turned out much better than I expected. I liked Mike's interactions w/Taran, Sasheer as Beyonce ;) and Jay slowly slipping into his actual Jay-Z impression. The scene with JK Simmons as Nas was funny and of course the surprise appearance of Jason Fucking Sudekis as "Kanye" made the whole night for me. B-

Japanese Messy Boy – This was possibly the strongest live segment of the night. JK pulled off a role that only an older distinguished male host w/lots of odd roles under his belt could do like a Walken or a Malkovich. His interactions with Leslie and Bobby really made the sketch for me and it was perfect to end the show on. I can't even remember the last time I saw a new episode of SNL end with a good old fashioned bizarre, experimental ten-to-one sketch like that. A-

Goodnights – These may have just earned second place behind Kirstie Alley’s ’91 show for longest goodnights ever. They would probably tie if they had shown this cast walking off stage and heading out for last night’s after party.

Now, for my updated rankings for this season…

1. Woody Harrelson/Kendrick Lamar

2. Martin Freeman/Charli XCX

3. Jim Carrey/Iggy Azalea

4. James Franco/Nicki Minaj

5. J.K. Simmons/D’Angelo

6. Bill Hader/Hozier

7. Blake Shelton

8. Kevin Hart/Sia

9. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

10. Amy Adams/One Direction

11. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

12. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

13. Chris Rock/Prince

Well, that show was a breath of fresh air. I guess it was too much to expect for SNL to have announced the host/MG lineup for its’ February 28 show by the end of tonight, but I’m looking forward to the 40^th anniversary special in two weeks and I’m sure they’ll release a press release soon enough after that. In fact, I’ve been thinking of reviewing the anniversary shows to fill the void, but I highly doubt I will have the time (or the energy) to do so with my new job starting tomorrow morning. See you soon!

Blake Shelton (1.24.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This show felt dull and listless throughout, but it was entertaining in some spots and not quite the worst we’ve seen this season. It started out promising and then fell into a considerable lull before picking up some steam here and there during and after Update. Blake Shelton may be one of the most forgettable hosts in recent SNL history but he certainly proved to be just barely capable enough of a choice. As far as the cast goes, Bobby, Leslie, Kate and Taran had particularly good nights. Anyway, let’s get right to it.

Inside The NFL – This cold open was fun. It was possibly the most energetic open this season. Beck was pretty funny as Bill Bellechick and Taran's portrayal of Tom Brady was pretty accurate to that press conference. Of course, Bobby and Kate doing "A Few Good Men" really closed this with a bang. B-

Monologue – This throwback to Hee Haw seemed much too out of place on SNL (even when someone with an actual connection to country music is hosting) but Leslie, Jay, Bobby and Pete made it worth watching. Also, Blake's opening lines seemed a little awkward but he recovered nicely once everyone else came in and took their places. C-

Farm Hunk - This sketch seemed REALLY repetitive and a little clumsily written. Still, I have to say Kate and Leslie's parts were the only true highlights. Aidy seemed like she was trying too hard and Blake barely added anything. If they were meaning to poke fun at “The Bachelor” tropes, that humor was completely lost on me as I’m proud to say I’ve never watched that show. D+

Wishing Boot - This was a well-produced music video. While it was a little light on laughs, it built up to a decent payoff and was just strange and surreal enough to work for me. C

Celebrity Family Feud III – This sketch was probably the weakest one of these they've done so far. Aside from Taran's Adam Levine and Kenan's Steve Harvey, everyone's impressions were a bit off. Sasheer's Nicki Minaj was all right but it was a rather dated portrayal (Nicki seems to have mellowed out and grew out of her pink hair phase a couple of years ago) and the same can probably be said for Jay's Pharrell (those hat jokes are pretty dated eve if he still wears them). Beck's Harry Connick Jr in particular stood out as the weakest. It's almmost as if he thought HE would be playing Keith Urban instead of Kate but no one told him. Kate's Keith Urban was pretty funny though just for the sheer visuals regardless of how accurate it was. Honestly, Kenan, Kate and Taran really held this together. Blake didn't add too much as a straight man, but I liked how he was willing to poke fun at his Miranda Lambert related troubles. That was really the only joke in this sketch that stood out to me. D+

Update was really inconsistent tonight. The commentaries really saved it from being the worst of the whole season, though. Jost was just kinda there and even Che was more awkward than usual. I did like his steroids/Santorum jokes as well as how gleefully they stuck by that twins/triplets joke. Bobby's “Riblet” character was possibly the funniest part of the whole show. Between this and the cold open, Bobby was really good at breathing some life into a rather dull and listless show. Pete was effortlessly funny with his latest commentary despite how similar it seemed to his one from the premiere. It's nice to see Sasheer break out with a new character piece of her own. Her piece was strong and well-acted even if it wasn't that funny. I liked how well she played off of Che and how they called back to Bobby's character from earlier. I also liked how they tried to work in some attempted chemistry between Che and Jost. C+

Prison Release - This sketch felt odd, but in a surprisingly good way. As Kenan did his weak Morgan Freeman, it built up to something better with the reveal that his character was a cannibal. Bobby, Cecily and Blake played well off him and they kept it from going on too long. It was probably the best one joke sketch I've seen on SNL in quite a long time. C+

Topeka Today – This sketch was much stronger than a lot of live pieces tonight. The buildup was much more subtle and gradual and it paid off brilliantly with the reveal through song that Kate's character was a stone cold monster to Taran. This was probably Blake's best moment in a sketch the whole night. The make-up job did a great job on Taran as well and all. The vintage looking photos looked funny and Bobby did well in his supporting role. B-

Magician - This sketch was a decent choice to end the show on. It did get a little funnier as Blakes' requests got increasingly absurd, but it was a little too repetitive. Blake did well with the lines he was given but I still can't help but think what this sketch would've been like with any different host. B-

Now, for my updated rankings of this season…

1. Woody Harrelson/Kendrick Lamar

2. Martin Freeman/Charli XCX

3. Jim Carrey/Iggy Azalea

4. James Franco/Nicki Minaj

5. Bill Hader/Hozier

6. Blake Shelton

7. Kevin Hart/Sia

8. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

9. Amy Adams/One Direction

10. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

11. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

12. Chris Rock/Prince

Well, that was that. Next week, J.K. Simmons makes his hosting debut on SNL. This, I am cautiously optimistic about. Simmons has to be one of the more inspired left-field hosting choices this season and is a dependable actor. I hope he does well and I hope the writing continues on the path it’s been on for the past two weeks. See you then!

Kevin Hart/Sia (1.17.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This episode was very middle of the road for this season, but much better than expected for a January episode. There wasn’t any reliance on recurring sketches whatsoever, but a lot of sketches felt unoriginal and underwritten at the same time. Kevin Hart proved to be a very capable host who provided the show with some much needed energy and nearly carried a lot of sketches. It’s a shame he shifted a lot of focus from the cast. While this show wasn't terrible, it can't be a good sign when the mime performing next to Sia is the funniest part of the whole show. I seriously forgot that real life mimes even existed. IT was an enjoyable episode, but a lot of times it felt lacking.

Martin Luther King – This cold open was OK. Pete was all right in it and I liked the Oscars/Macklemore jabs, but I'm a little bugged by the fact that this is the second time Kenan portrayed MLK in two years and the completely ignored any continuity from the first one. I mean, they took MLK from visiting Jay's Obama during his second inauguration to not even knowing he's the current president. Oh well. He's been dead for 50 years, so I should cut him a break. C-

Monologue – This wasn't that bad either, but not quite as fun as his detailing his audition from two years ago. The raccoon/sun/one shoulder bits are worth a few chuckles but the rest of it seems unfocused. C-

Justin Beiber for Calvin Klein - This fake ad was okay. Kate and Cecily played off each other well. Kate's Beiber is always good for an occasional laugh, but I hope they don't run it right into the ground. I've only seen the photos from his shoot. I didn't know they filmed an actual commercial too but I guess you wouldn't have had to see both to get this. B-

Why Did You Post That?  - This Instagram sketch was funny despite the two glaring technical/blocking screw-ups. Kevin Hart really carried this sketch and handled the technical difficulties better than Vanessa "Deer In Headlights" Bayer. Aidy and Kyle were funny too. Other than that, it played out like FMP's description of it from Chris Rock's dress rehearsal (except they rewrote the part w/Kate as Beiber to include a more topical reference...not to mention we just saw Kate's impression) and I imagine Kenan would've done more to heighten the awkward timing of this sketch than Rock did. B-

Corner Boys - This short film really meandered without a point or focus, but Kevin's dog walking business and Jay's wine tasting/art show were pretty funny. C-

Get On Up - This sketch seemed like a misuse of Kevin Hart’s James Brown impression which seems like it could be the only one he could actually do. The bits about capes and a wife taking her husband’s first name were funny. They also kept it from going on too long. Other than that, it kinda dragged. C-

Nancy - This soap opera sketch had to be one of the most one note sketches I've ever seen on SNL. Kevin Hart's role was really the only thing remotely funny about it. Aidy was all right in her role. Vanessa was better in this than she was in that Instagram sketch, but I think she played it up a little too big. C-

Justin Beiber for Calvin Klein II – This second ad was a little more fun than the first one. The Razor scooter bit was funny. I think I may have spoken too soon about SNL running Kate's Beiber into the ground. B-

Update was probably the strongest one this season so far. Che had a string of great jokes (even if his Oscar rant fell a little flat) and even Jost is starting to show some personality (I particularly liked his Idina Menzel/Rhode Island jokes). Kate's new character was very funny. It didn't even feel like a carbon copy of her Olya Povlastsky. B+

The Journey - This dragon-related sketch seems like a carbon copy of Norm MacDonalds' West Side Story/Evita sketches from '96-'97 but I'm sure it must've been unintentional. Hart packing while everyone else was singing was funny and this was a nice showcase of Taran, Cecily and Sasheer's singing talents although Leslie's part seemed a little tacked on. Seeing this sketch being set up during the commercial actually reminded me to DVR tomorrow's episode of "Galavant" on ABC because that is supposed to be the episode Weird Al guest stars in. D+

Kevin’s Illegitimate Son - This was funny. Jay had Kevin's rhythms and delivery down, but something about the voice seemed a little off. Leslie seemed to be playing it more subtle than usual, but her picking Kevin up off the ground was funny. C-

Listening Party - This rap sketch was the funniest live sketch of the night. Even if the ending was very predictable, Kevin's performance was just silly enough to work for me and the rest of the cast played very well off him (except for Taran and Cecily who had no lines for some reason...I'll bet if they had lines in dress they were cut). B+

Now, for my update season rankings…

1. Woody Harrelson/Kendrick Lamar

2. Martin Freeman/Charli XCX

3. Jim Carrey/Iggy Azalea

4. James Franco/Nicki Minaj

5. Bill Hader/Hozier

6. Kevin Hart/Sia

7. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

8. Amy Adams/One Direction

9. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

10. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

11. Chris Rock/Prince

Next week, Blake Shelton pulls double duty. Let’s hope his show doesn’t turn out to be the same 90 minute exercise in vanity his fellow “Voice” judge Adam Levine turned his show into. See you soon!

Amy Adams/One Direction (12.20.2014)

Okay, here’s my review. This has to be the most frustrating SNL episode of this season, but we have seen worse. For a Christmas episode especially, it was very inconsistent. This show started off showing some flickering promise here and there, but it started to take a serious nosedive right in the middle of Update. Amy Adams was completely overshadowed as a host by the frequently returning cast members as well as the musical guests, of course (but I guess this is to be expected whenever they still inexplicably book One Direction). It somehow managed to make last years’ big Christmas show with Fallon and Timberlake look less dreary and depressing. Anyway, let’s get on with it.

A Very Somber Xmas With Sam Smith/Message From Dr. Evil - This cold open was possibly the best one this season. Seeing Taran's Sam Smith again was a nice touch. Using Mike Meyers as Dr. Evil was a clever way for SNL to comment on the Sony hacking scandal. Meyers performance was a real return to form for him and his laserdisc joke and jabs at Franco/Walkman/The Love Guru were great but his GOP joke could be seen from two miles away. B+

Monologue – This started out charming until Kristen Wiig came in and bought it to a screeching halt. D-

Asian American Doll - This was another commercial mostly done in a similar vein to "The Dudleys" from Woody Harrelsons's show but lacking most of the bite of that one. It could've benefitted from being shortened a little. The chef/dog bit at the end was a true highlight. C-

Tenderfield Christmas 2014 – This was funnier than I expected it to be. I liked how such a seemingly innocuous premise took so many dark turns. The highlights were the description of the Today show interview, the Iron Man 4/HPV ad bit, Kyle thinking he was a dog and Kate being a sociopath. Kenan's part was fine even if it seemed a little tacked on. B+

Serial Christmas - This was a clever bit of parody. However, I'm sure it would be much funnier had I actually listened to the Serial podcast (and I honestly can’t decide whether or not this parody made me want check it out but some light YouTube/Google browsing indicates no evidence that it is a video podcast as SNL seems to suggest so I really don't know what the visuals here are based off of). My only familiarity with it comes from jokes about it on Twitter, Sarah Koenig's Colbert interview and Tom Scharpling talking about it on the return of "The Best Show on WMFU" (which from what I’ve heard is a little too dry for me). I can't really vouch for the verisimilitude of this but it looked like a labored yet well-constructed parody. I liked the courtroom artists' depictions of Aidy and Jay, Cecily and Kate building a sleigh, and Kyle as Kris Kringle (did anyone else think he slightly resembled Samberg in that hair and makeup?). I can't judge the accuracy of Cecily's Koening impression but she had the rhythms of a typical NPR host down pat. B-

Girlfriends Talk Show VII - I have to give SNL credit for holding off on this until now this whole season. I guess I should've expected it with Adams as host. I feel like her role was kind of wasted here but if 1D had to cameo in a sketch, this would be the safest one for them to appear in. They were pretty stiff and awkward here. Cecily was just kinda there, but as usual her “boyfriend” rant was the most interesting contribution. Aidy's performance was a strong and interesting choice. D+

Office Christmas Party – As much as this seemed heavily stylized after the Lonely Island, this was very fun. Jay and Pete carried this well. Leslie’s role seemed pretty awkward and Amy, Aidy, Beck/Kyle and Taran were funny in their roles. I also liked the increasingly wild and destructive tone it took toward the end. B-

Update started out fairly strong despite a couple of things weighing it down toward the end. Che was on another roll (especially with his Korea rants) and Jost even got a few good jokes in. Bobby's Kim Jong-Un commentary was possibly my favorite thing he has done on SNL all season. Kenan's commentary was nothing we haven't seen from him before. Garth and Kat was only worth sitting through to hear Che interact with them. C+

A Very Cuban Christmas - This special was something I don't quite know what to make of. I can't tell if it was poorly rushed together on purpose or if that was the "joke" behind it. Still, it felt like a premise that didn't quite reach its full potential. Taran's Pitbull was funny, while not particularly accurate. Cecily kinda went in and out with her Gloria Estefan and her timing seemed way off. Pete as Elian Gonzales was good stunt casting and Kate's Diana Nyad was the real highlight. We could've done without Kyle and Amy doing Scarface and Bobby doing Hurley, though. Kenan's Cuba Gooding Jr. was serviceable here seeing as Jay was being used well as Obama. Fred and Beck as the Castros were appropriate here. For once, a Fred cameo was actually welcome and relevant in a sketch. C-

A Magical Christmas - This sketch seemed like another premise with wasted potential. Every performer in this sketch tried their damndest despite sailing on weak material here. The raccoon ending was endearing at least. This seems like another Anderlette collabo to me. D-

Whiskers R’ We II - This retread isn't unwelcome at all. It was charming and unique enough the first time. I liked the string of British short hair/Sex And The City/Cat Stevens/textbook narcissist/alien gags at the beginning. I still have to wonder how much of this sketch was recycled from the edition of this sketch that was cut from Sarah Silverman’s dress rehearsal in October. C+

Now, for my updated rankings for this season so far…

1. Woody Harrelson/Kendrick Lamar

2. Martin Freeman/Charli XCX

3. Jim Carrey/Iggy Azalea

4. James Franco/Nicki Minaj

5. Bill Hader/Hozier

6. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

7. Amy Adams/One Direction

8. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

9. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

10. Chris Rock/Prince

Well, that was largely disappointing but there was some fun to be had in this episode if you were willing to look hard enough for it. Kevin Hart will be SNL’s first host of 2015. I like his acting more than I do his standup and his 2013 stint as host was rather fun, so I guess I could look forward to this one. I’m curious as to who the first musical guest will be (and when they will be announced). Happy holidays! See you in 2015! Until then, I would invite any Scharpling and Wurster/Best Show WMFU fans to discuss their appeal with me since I shared my views on them earlier in this review.

Martin Freeman/Charli XCX (12.13.14)

Okay, here’s my review. This show was rather quiet in most spots yet still thoroughly enjoyable. It is definitely in the top five of this season so far. Only two things stood out as being really bad among a string of mostly original writing and non-recurring premises. Martin Freeman proved a pleasant and capable host, if not a little underused. I wouldn’t mind seeing him return. I would just hope the writers knew how to play to his strengths a little more. Anyway, let’s get to it.

Charlie Rose - The Torture report was a nice topic for the cold open. Bobby and Kyle performed well in it. The jabs at Time Warner/see cashier/autocorrect were all right. Taran's Charlie Rose was pretty weak. Even though this felt like it was missing something, it was a better cold open than last week. C+

Monologue - Freeman delivered a charming monologue. I did like the self-deprecating tone to it. I have a good feeling about him as a host. Kate’s' Maggie Smith and Taran's throaty Alan Rickman were also welcome additions. B+

Sump'n Claus - This turned out to be more entertaining (and longer) than it had any right to be. I did like how Kenan turned in a rather subdued performance here and Cecily and Sasheer served the sketch well as backup singers. C-

Wedding Objections - This sketch was very fun. I did like how there were several different elements to it that built up and paid off at the end. Taran, Kate, Cecily, Aidy, Leslie and Martin were very funny in it. I especially like Taran’s “shattered penis/Jenga tower” lines. Also, did anyone else think Freeman resembled Martin Short in that wig? B+

The Office: Middle Earth – This was a fun taped piece. It did capture the aesthetic of the Office better than it did the Tolkien films. Taran was great as Gollum (much better than Kattan used to be) but Bobby did a rather weak Gandalf Gervais. He had Gervais's David Brent movements and facial expressions down pat and did a convincing accent but the voice was a little off. Kate did well in this, too. Also, who was that in the orc makeup. This was a clever way for the SNL writers to combine the two things American audiences will most easily recognize Martin Freeman from, but I can't help but think how it might have been improved if this sketch was done when Sudekis was still in the cast and he had played the Gervais role instead of Bobby. B+

Right Side Of The Bed – This sketch was possibly the worst segment of the night. It could've been better had the shifted more focus to Aidy's character. Martin's awkwardness was the best part of this sketch. Kate as Keith Urban was worth a chuckle. Otherwise, Cecily and Taran were trying too hard and this just SCREAMED "An Anderson/Sublette Joint". Did anyone else get flashbacks to that “Pageant Talk” sketch from the Zach Galifinakis 09-10 episode w/Slate, Hader and Wiig? I’ll bet they wrote THAT one, too! Also, what does it say about me that I saw some resemblance to “Chrisley Knows Best” without ever actually watching that show? C-

Christmas Mass Spectacular - This seemed a little dated and unfocused, but it was funny. Beck, Kyle, Jay and Kate were great in it. It did seem like it didn’t know what it was satirizing or who it wanted it’s audience to be, but I liked it nonetheless. I just think this was an odd outlet for Good Neighbors ‘90s slacker humor. C+

Update was a little inconsistent, but strong. Che had a long string of great jokes and even Jost got in a couple of good jabs. The commentaries were what weighed this down a bit, though. It was nice of them to give Sasheer a chance to be herself on Update. Her commentary was funny even if it took a while to get going and emoji narrative humor has kind of been done before. Che really added sommething to it. Cecily's "one dimensional female character in a male driven comedy" seems like something she had a hand in writing but it also seemed a little unfocused and meandering. It was different at least, but it didn't seem like a fully thought out idea. Jacob the Bar Mitvah Boy has really run its course and Che's interaction w/Vanessa was pretty much a carbon copy of Seth's script but at least Che managed to make it endearing. B-

Heinz Assembly Line - This sketch didn't seem to go anywhere, but it was still enjoyable. I was just expecting more from seeing an assembly line set with a Caution sign being put up during the commercial, I guess. Taran and Martin did the best they could with the material. The "blue light" ending was worth a chuckle. C+

Holiday Gig - This sketch seems like the most one note thing that has aired this season so far. It's a little interesting how Kenan's voice seemed to change at least twice through this sketch. Taran's brief appearance was worth a chuckle. D+

Waterbeds Are The Best - This was a decent piece to go out on. Aidy clearly gave it her all as did Martin. Taran and Jay's brief appearances were funny, too. I chuckled at the mattress with her face on it, but the joke of plastering Aidy's giant face everywhere got kinda old. For some reason, it felt like something that has been cut from several previous dress rehearsals. Martins’ accent was an interesting choice. Did he remind anyone else of Buck Henry in this sketch? B-

Here are my updated rankings for this season…

1. Woody Harrelson/Kendrick Lamar
2. Martin Freeman/Charli XCX
3. James Franco/Nicki Minaj
4. Jim Carrey/Iggy Azalea
5. Bill Hader/Hozier
6. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars
7. Chris Pratt/Arianna Grande
8. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5
9. Chris Rock/Prince

Next week, Amy Adams returns to host with One Direction as the musical guest. So far, I think this show has the potential to go either way. Amy Adams has the potential to really deliver as a host. Let’s hope the writing continues on the upswing its’ been on this month. See you then!

James Franco/Nicki Minaj (12.6.2014)

Okay, here’s my review. Good or bad, this episode delivered exactly what I was expecting given the lineup. It started off pretty slow but picked up some steam after Update. Franco gelled well with this cast and seems to have improved somewhat form his last two hosting stints (at least in terms of not squinting and spitting as much). Even the well placed Nicki Minaj sketch cameos worked (well, they better than her performances anyway) and I honestly enjoyed this episode more than the Diaz one two weeks ago even though they were both on the same level of inconsistency. Anyway, here we go.

Politics Nation - This isn't even a good cold open let alone a good way for SNL to address the Eric Garner story. Bobby was all right, but not even he could save it. D-

Monologue - I'd say it wasn't as good as his '08 college monologue w/Sudekis but better than his '09 Christmas monologue. Addressing the Sony hack was clever at least. The Rogen cameo was totally expected as was his using his physique to get laughs, but he breathed some life into this monologue. C-

Peter Pan Live - This parody worked on the whole. I never expected them to make Aidy's "Tonkerbell" recurring but using her to comment on the Peter Pan performance was clever on the writers' part. She and Cecily were the strongest parts of this sketch. Franco's Walken was pretty weak but I do appreciate his effort. Still, I would've preferred Kilam or another cast member doing their take on Walken and this sketch was much better than the Sound Of Music parody from the Paul Rudd episode last year. C+

Star Wars Trailer – This trailer was pretty weak. Taran, Leslie and Bobby were okay in it but the "elderly heroes returning for a sequel" comedy trope is beyond tired by now and wasn't even that relevant to the trailer it was supposedly parodying. D+

MTV’s Jingle Ballerz - The Hip-hop nativity was pretty inconsistent, but one of the more entertaining live pieces of the night. Pete was funny and seeing Taran's Eminem, Kate's Beiber and Jay's Kanye again was nice. Sasheer's Rhianna was way off and Franco's Riff Raff added nothing. Kenan's Rick Ross was okay. Nicki Minaj actually did a passable Beyonce. Her singing was off but she got Beyonce’s general speaking voice down. At least it was nice to see a different portrayal of Beyonce than Maya Rudolph's. C+

Mike O'Brien: Grow-A-Guy - This film was one of the stronger pieces of the night. It was great to see that level of surreal humor on SNL again. Mike, Beck, James and Pete turned in fine performances here. B-

Magic Bridge - This was pretty awkward. It was another showcase for Cecily to do an odd accent. In fact, her character sounded just like a cross between Molly Shannon and Amy Poehler's character from the Appalachain Emergency room sketches. Kyle and Aidy were just kinda there. D-

Update was pretty strong tonight. Che delivered some fine joke and even Jost is starting to show some personality. It seems like the only thing that didn't land with the audience was the opening grand jury commentaries. While they may not have gotten enough laughs, they were thoughtful commentaries and I did like how they broke up the usual Update format. Seeing Leslie Jones again was great but again, her previous commentaries were better. This one was allright, but seemed a little awkward. The only thing that felt out of place was bringing Anthony Crispino out of mothballs. I thought it would be worth seeing how Che would react to him but he just kind of phoned it in there. I did like the Drew Carey/Bing Crosby jokes though. Nicki Minaj pretty much just played Kim Kardashian as herself but the bit about the nude photos being placed against different backgrounds was clever enough. B-

Brain Space - This sketch worked pretty well. Franco didn't really need to shout all his lines, though. Having Nicki do the first two verses of Anaconda was a clever way to sneak that song onto the show without having to devote an entire MG slot to that ridiculous song (although her actual second performance still came off pretty awkward, though). All the brief walk ons by the cast were good, too. I especially liked Beck and Bobby in this. B+

Kid Mayor – This sketch was pretty funny in its mild immaturity. Even though Franco could have dialed it back, this was the one sketch where his shouting all his lines actually worked. B-

Sunseeker Yachts - I have to hand it to SNL for holding off on bringing back the former porn models until this point in the season. I did like Rogen and Franco's performances in this as well as the sit/stand on it and pull out lines. C+

Here are my updated rankings for this season…

1. Woody Harrelson/Kendrick Lamar

2. Jim Carrey/Iggy Azalea

3. Bill Hader/Hozier

4. James Franco/Nicki Minaj

5. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

6. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

7. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

8. Chris Rock/Prince

Next week, Martin Freeman hosts with musical guest Charli XCX. Anyway you look at it, this has to be the most promising SNL lineup this month. See you then!