Reese Witherspoon/Florence + The Machine (5.9.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. While this show was rather inconsistent, it showed more signs of life than last week. Reese Witherspoon was just slightly more visible as a host this season as Amy Adams was in December, but I would say that really benefitted the show in this case. Good to see more of Beck, Kyle and Pete this week as they have been underused lately. Anyway, let’s get on with it.

Republican Leadership Conference - This has to be the second worst cold open this season. They really could’ve had something here if they hadn’t decided to give Cecily THE ONLY SPEAKING PART! Still, I liked how they included Beck, Kyle and Kate. Also, Taran’s greased up bare chest made me chuckle. D+

Monologue – Bringing out the casts’ real life mothers was something sweet and sentimental they haven’t done in at least a decade and got this episode off to a better start than that cold open did.

Beck, Kyle, Sasheer and especially Pete were the real stand outs here. I would say the same goes for the home movies portion (especially for Kyle given how he was almost unrecognizable) but I also liked seeing Aidy, Jay and Kenan’s clips. I can already tell this is going to be one of the top two monologues this season. A-

Scene In L.A. – Well, I did like Jay, Kyle and Petes’ parts in this sketch. Otherwise, it was pretty Juvenile and a rather dated and tired concept for SNL in 2015. D+

Picture Perfect - This seemed like an ambitious sketch that wasn’t executed to its full potential. Taran, Kenan and Bobby all performed well in it. I'd say they could've taken this further bur that's probably the furthest they could've taken this premise on network TV and within the bounds of good taste. Thankfully, they didn't try and drag it out too long. B-

Mr. Westerberg  - This was pretty one note but Beck, Bobby and Pete were funny in it and this being a short film really behooved it in terms of execution. Plus, it's nice to see Beck front and center in something. C+

Update was pretty inconsistent. Che seemed like he was really phoning it in but Just had a couple of good ones with his May whether and Hamburg large jokes (as much as he was channeling Seth there) Leslie commentary was okay. This one wasn't quite as good as her previous ones but at least she tried something different with that letter thing. Cecily's party girl continued the Update trope of hosts impersonating characters alongside the cast members who play them but this was the first time I genuinely enjoyed seeing it. Reese fit the mold pretty well here and helped Cecily break the format of this character just a bit. Thankfully, they also kept this short. Kenans old man character wasn't exactly a welcome return either but he did have some good lines about throwing tomatoes and batteris at his graduation and locking up his classmates. C+

High School Theater II – This sketch was something I Never expected to return either but I have to say Reese Witherspoon is more believable than Cameron Diaz was. Plus, Leslie was a welcome addition to this and Bobby played well off her and the "we were black" vignette was funny. B-

Southern Ladies – This was more genuinely funny than it had any right to be. Reeses story about her demonic ally possessed husband and Cecily's sperm prank were funny. Plus, it was nice to see Leslie playing someone other than herself for once. The only thing that bugged me about that one was that the ending made it seem like a ripoff of those singing memories sketches with Hader, Sudekis and Forte. B+

Water Slide – Much like the sketch that preceded it, this sketch was funny to me due to its sheer outlandishness. Bobby, Kenan and even Reese had plenty of good lines and performances. Kudos to Beck and Kyle for getting to be the leads in their own live sketch after getting shut out of the show lately. B-

Whiskers R We III - I did like how their descriptions of each cat got more outlandish (one was a set offender and one was a cult leader). Plus, Reese Witherspoon saying "little jag off" made me laugh. C+

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. J.K. Simmons/D’Angelo

6. Michael Keaton/Carly Rae Jepsen

7. Reese Witherspoon/Florence + The Machine

8. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson/George Ezra

9. Scarlett Johannson/Wiz Khalifa

10. Dakota Johnson/Alabama Shakes

11. Taraji P. Henson/Mumford And Sons

12. Bill Hader/Hozier

13. Blake Shelton

14. Kevin Hart/Sia

15. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

16. Amy Adams/One Direction

17. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

18. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

19. Chris Rock/Prince

20. Chris Hemsworth/Zac Brown Band

Well, that was certainly better than I was expecting. The writing is taking some baby steps in the right direction. Next week, Louis CK returns to host the finale and I sure am looking forward to the monologue the most of all. See you then

Scarlett Johannson/Wiz Khalifa (5.2.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. Whether you look at this show from the standards of just this season or all of this hosts’ previous episodes, this show was pretty middle of the road and forgettable. Still, given my lowered expectations for this one, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised in some spots. Anyway, here it is.

Maywheather vs Pacquiao - This cold open was one of the better ones this season. Aidy as Manny was clever stunt casting and Higgins voice over was funny. Glad they found a way to work in Kate's Justin Beiber. Even Kenan had a few good lines As the ref. I did like the ending with Kenan and Jay bailing on the sketch to watch the fight in Wiz Khalifa's dressing room. C+

Monologue - That fourth straight musologue from Scarlet (which is coincidentally also the fourth straight musologue in a row at this point in the season) was actually her funniest one thanks mostly to Kenan and Taran. They also kept it from being completely self-serving for Scarlett, too. C-

Right Side Of The Bed II - I never expected them to ever recurring that Taran and Cecily Atlanta morning show sketch from the Martin Freeman episode but this one was much better than it had any right to be. Scarlett somehow kept Taran and Cecil from chewing up ALL of the scenery by themselves. I also liked Kates' brief appearance At the end as Holier. Coincidentally, both instances of this sketch have now ended with Kate portraying a male foreign singer now. C+

Baltimore Orioles - I also never expected them to rewrite that cut Ferguson sketch from Francos' episode for the recent unrest in Baltimore but I guess I should know SNL much better than this by now. That said, Kenan and Taran played quite well off of each other and Bobby was also very funny in his brief role as the hot dog guy. This might be the strongest live sketch of the night. B+

Black Widow: Age Of Me – This was a little weak for the obligatory “host sketch” but they did blend the tropes of both romcom trailers and Marvel trailers seamlessly enough. Beck and Jay were almost criminally underused here but I did get a kick out of Cecily’s couple of lines as the reporter, the “fire apology” and Taran playing Thor as the stereotypically gay best friend (really gave me a flashback to Patton Oswalt’s “Finest Hour”). Other than that, I thought the basic underlying premise of Marvel not knowing how to write for female characters/audiences was a valid premise but they could’ve done much more with this premise. C-

Girlfriends Talk Show VIII – This sketch may be beyond run into the ground here. Scarletts over use of the word “ratchet” really bugged me and she really seemed disinterested and miscast here. Still, I have to say Aidy played quite well off of her as she usually does in these sketches. Honestly, I think this sketch might have gone over better if they held off on it until next week when Reese Witherspoon drops by. Also, was anyone reminded of that Super Sweet Sixteen sketch from Scarlett’s first show back in ’06? C-

Update was pretty middle of the road tonight. Jost and Che had some fairly good jokes even if none of them particularly stood out more than the mention of the Bruce Jenner interview. The commentaries were all pretty forgettable Kates’ Ruth Bader Ginsberg is a little stale by this point but I did like her grim reaper comment toward the end. The Game Of Thrones couple was something new at least but nothing really stood out there. Bobby’s British accent really reminded me of his performance in the office hobbit sort film also from Martin Freeman’s episode in December. Kenan and Jay as Shaq and Barkley were probably the strongest of the bunch. I did like the “Puerto Rican hickey” line and their constant back and forth insults to each other. B-

Museum Visit – This was probably the weakest most one note sketch of the night sketch of the night. Still, it was worth it just for Taran’s unintentional Mike Meyers impression (the hair and the movements specifically)  and his reaction to Kenans’ “wildin’”. Speaking of which, is it just me or is “FourFiveSeconds” not a big enough hit for SNL to reference right now? Seriously, how could the people involved in that song make something so bland and forgettable? Oh well, I guess time will tell. D+

Blazer – Although this felt like a long buildup to no payoff, I did like the frenetic wacky violence in this as well as the mislead at the end. Seeing Taran bound far out of his way to punch only black criminals was worth a chuckle. Was anyone else reminded of the “People Getting Punched Before Eating” digital short from 2007? C+

Virgin Airlines – While the acting, timing and physicality in this sketch seemed a little off, this was silly and fun as it also got more and more frenetic and physical. Somehow, Vanessa playing a robot seemed appropriate as well as Scarlett now that I think about it. After all, this sketch did remind me of her role in “Her.” C+

Jingle Writers – This sketch felt far too derivative of that hip hop/flute amp sketch from Lena Dunhams’ show, the new NBC new open sketch from Brian Williams episode and the much superior “Fly High Duluth” sketch from Scarlett’s ’06 episode coincidentally. It just felt really dull and uninspired. C-

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. J.K. Simmons/D’Angelo

6. Michael Keaton/Carly Rae Jepsen

7. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson/George Ezra

8. Scarlett Johannson/Wiz Khalifa

9. Dakota Johnson/Alabama Shakes

10. Taraji P. Henson/Mumford And Sons

11. Bill Hader/Hozier

12. Blake Shelton

13. Kevin Hart/Sia

14. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

15. Amy Adams/One Direction

16. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

17. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

18. Chris Rock/Prince

19. Chris Hemsworth/Zac Brown Band

Well, that was that. Next week, Reese Witherspoon returns to host after a 14 year hiatus. I don’t have as many expectations set as I did for this week given that she has only hosted once previously. Still, she seemed less of a bad host than a host who was strikingly out of place on SNL which was forgivable at the time for obvious reasons. Anyway, see you then. 

Taraji P Henson/Mumford And Sons (4.11.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This was one of the more frustrating episodes of this season. The writing got more reliant on recurring premises and the rest of the show became more reliant on filmed sketches. The show was taking two steps in the right directions the past two weeks but ended up taking three steps back tonight. Taraji P Henson was a promising host but she was just as underutilized as ever and even when she was used could come off as a little overbearing at times. Anyway, here it is.

Hillary’s Big Announcement – This cold open was pretty solid. Kate's Hillary has noticeably improved from last month. It still seems like they are taking some time to find an angle on her inevitable presidential run, though. Some of it felt like material they would've written For Sudekis as Romney, though. Good to see Hammond bring his Slick Willie out of mothballs although it still remains unclear as to whether he prerecords his announcements or not. B+

Monologue – This could've been so much better. I do appreciate the level of sheer commitment and enthusiasm she is bringing to the show but something was seriously lacking from this number. Plus, the fact that this is the third straight musical monologue in three weeks is quite troubling. Thankfully, the cast was able to save this one. C-

Depends Legends – This ad is certainly different. It's definitely the most tolerable fecal based ad I've ever seen on SNL. I'm not surprised this was cut from dress last week but I am surprised that they thought it was worth bringing back. C-

Teacher On Trial – This felt very derivative and played out but Pete's natural charisma carried this. His long list of nicknames made the whole sketch for me. Other than that, it's a little eerie how similar this is to a fan written sketch that was posted on the S-N-L.com forum. C+

Home Sequels – This ad was decent for just another cheap impression showcase. Taran's Jim Parsons was very funny and accurate and Taraji's Nicki Minaj was much better than Sasheers'. Good to see they found a way to work in Pete as one half of Die Antwoord. Jay's Kendrick Lamar was all right. It was the only other impression we haven't seen before. This is probably gonna hold up very poorly if Home turns out to be a flop. C+

QVC – This sketch has to be the biggest waste of Kate McKinnon ever. Speaking of which, did anyone get a serious Molly Shannon vibe from her? Also, why couldn't they just admit she was supposed to be playing Lisa Minelli in this? Anyway, this pretty much SCREAMS Anderlette to me. D+

John Singletons’ Game Of Thrones – This seemed like a real misfire to me. Maybe I'm just not familiar enough with Singletons' movies to get this but it barely seemed like it knew what it wanted to parody. It even made the QVC sketch look Focused. Still, I do appreciate them using Che in another sketch and Kenans attempt at Ice Cube. I am surprised the real Jon Snow got zero applause. I will admit, though, that it was a little better upon a second viewing. C-

Update was pretty inconsistent tonight. The jokes started out weak (I could see Josts' Hillary/Game Of Thrones punchline coming from two towns over) but they picked up after Kate's commentary. For some reason, Josts' grilled cheese/What? Magazine/7-11 joke mades me laugh as did Che's white people rioting joke. Speaking of Kate, that Italian lady of hers was a character that didn't need to come back but I did like the gargoyle bit. Jacob may not have needed to come back wither but Billy Crystal's cameo was certainly interesting. Namely, it was interesting in that it was the first time in 30 years Billy Crystal has been on SNL (outside of an anniversary special) and he came back to do some stealth plugging for a lame FX show. Still, for all the shit we give Crystal on this board, I found his cameo corny yet oddly endearing. I did like how he was able to mimic Vanessa rhythms and enthusiasm as well as the Fernando callback. However, when a cameo from Billy Crystal is a highpoint of an SNL episode in 2015 something may have gone horribly wrong. B+

Hollywood Game Night II – This was another sketch that was better the first time it was done. I did like the return of Beck's Nick Offerman and Taran's Vin Diesel (even if he just did it two weeks ago). Taraji's Wanda Sykes was a little dodgy and Jay's Common sounded more like his Drake. Still, I did like Kate's Jane Lynch, Aidy's Winona and Cecily's Marion Cotillard. C-

Dancing With Janelle II – This was surprisingly much better than the first installment. Mostly, because it was shorter and more succinct and Taraji and Kyle were far more committed to it than Chris Rock was. B+

Cinema Classics III – This latest Resse De’What sketch was probably the strongest one of these sketches in recent memory. I gotta hand it to SNL for attempting some kind of racial commentary and keeping this sketch quick, sharp and right to the point. Bobby’s out of nowhere drag appearance made me laugh. Thankfully, they went a different route than making THAT the sole focus of the sketch. My only real complaint here would be how they apparently felt the need to distance themselves from the source material they were parodying and how this was the second sketch of the night to do so. Still, Taran did a decent Tom Hanks whether he was supposed to or not. If I was wrong and THIS turned out to be tonight’s Anderlette sketch, than it was surprisingly good, even for their standards. C+

Cookie On Sesame Street - This Sesame Street/Empire mash up seemed like a half thought out premise but Taraji and the other performers really made the most of it. This seems like the type of thing Kelly and Schneider would have written. C+

Connectatron - This sketch had an overly long setup to too quick of a joke and seemed too close to a Key and Peele sketch for me to get into. Plus, it was the third or fourth sketch of the night to follow a certain trend. D+

Now, for my updated rankings…

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. Michael Keaton/Carly Rae Jepsen

7. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson/George Ezra

8. Dakota Johnson/Alabama Shakes

9. Taraji P. Henson/Mumford And Sons

10. Bill Hader/Hozier

11. Blake Shelton

12. Kevin Hart/Sia

13. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

14. Amy Adams/One Direction

15. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

16. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

17. Chris Rock/Prince

18. Chris Hemsworth/Zac Brown Band

Well, that was that. Next week, Scarlett Johansson returns to host. Given how this show as well as ScarJo’s previous three outings have turned out, it might just take a miracle for SNL to end it’s 40^th season on a high note at this point. See you soon!

Michael Keaton/Carly Ray Jepsen (4.4.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This show had pretty much the exact same vibe as last weeks’ episode but with just a little more effort put into it. Michael Keaton proved to be a game host and delivered in every sketch despite this being his second most underutilized outing as host. They did keep the recurring material to a minimum and that’s always a good sign. Anyway, here it is.

Road To The Final Four – This wasn’t a terribly strong cold open but it had some clever writing behind it and I'm pleased to see SNL tackle the student athlete issue. Kenan and Jay made the most of their small roles. Bobby made this entire sketch for me. C+

Monologue - It troubles me to see SNL do two singing monologs two weeks in a row but this one was a lot more fun than last weeks’ song-and-song-and-dance number with The Rock. This was mostly thanks to Taran, Bobby and Jay. Kudos to the wardrobe team for getting him through three costume changes in two sketches. I also loved the doctored backstage footage (Taran does a surprisingly good Catherine O’Hara) and the puppet of the Beetle juice shrunken head guy. B-

CNN Newsroom – This sketch was pretty funny. It kind of reminded me of what I read about that original cold open that got scrapped from Louis CK's dress rehearsal last year but thankfully it took on a different angle. I liked the puppet reenactment (was anyone else reminded of Crank Yankees or Spitting Image?) and the Money For Nothing animation (I have to give them props for beating me to that joke in this review). Also, the interpretive dance number with Keaton, Kenan and Aidy really made the sketch for me. Jay’s autotuned Don Lemon was also pretty funny. Kudos to whoever wrote this for managing to make Cecily that funny and likable. C+

A Mike O'Brien Film: Prom Queen - This is something I didn't know quite what to make of. It reminded me of a less homoerotic and way way WAY more watered down version of Adam McKay's Short Film "The Heat Is On" from the 99/00 Alan Cumming/JLo episode. Then, I liked  O'Briens’ brief back and forth with Davidson when he told him he “needed to graduate” and how he played subtly off all the tropes of "She's All That" and other 20th century teen films of that ilk. Then, I noticed how Keatons’ lack of real commitment to the whole thing was funny and that they knew exactly where to end this. C-

Easter Hotline – This really made the most out of a thin premise. Cecily was just okay but the rest of the cast and Keaton all really pulled their collective weight. Also, this is the best Sasheer has looked in any sketch. She played well off Leslie and they worked her into this sketch quite well. B-

Wallace Advertising - I will say that the sheer unapologetic obnoxiousness of Keatons' suggestions were really funny. I liked how that one had a rather unpredictable feel to it. Not a lot of hosts could add something to this kind of sketch like he did. C+

Church Of Neurotology – This was one of the more biting pieces of social satire SNL has done in years. All the captions made this sketch for me. I also liked how they worked Colin Jost into this film. B+

Update was very strong and well-paced tonight. There weren't a ton of jokes but all the ones that were there landed (even if Josts’ Israel/Lethal Weapon rant felt a little more like something Seth would do just as he was starting to step out of Seth’s shadow). Pete Davidsons Walking Dead commentary was very funny. He had a great back and forth with Colin and the Norman Reedus cameo was icing on the cake. Good to see Taran is just as animated playing Jebidiah Atkinson as he was last season. I liked how subtle their self deprecation was. Also, was anyone else reminded of that “Comedy Killers” sketch from Roseannes’ 90-91 episode when his Archduke Franz Ferdinand joke got total silence? B+

Smart House - All I can say about this sketch is that while I find the Southern accents are quite gratuitous for my liking I do appreciate the sheer sci-fi tech induced weirdness of it. For a Cecily accent showcase, it thankfully didn't feel like the most Anderlettey Anderlette sketch I’ve ever seen and Beck, Kyle, Kate and Vanessa reactions really made it for me. Keaton turned in an interesting performance as well. C-

Easter Candy - As soon as I saw Keaton pull out that Easter basket and sit down, I knew exactly where this was headed. The only things that separated this from the sketches like this from the Edward Norton and Steve Buscemi 2011 episodes were the length and Keatons' commitment to playing a creepy character (despite the later reveal that he was apparently playing himself). Kate was a welcome addition to this sketch. 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. J.K. Simmons/D’Angelo

6. Michael Keaton/Carly Rae Jepsen

7. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson/George Ezra

8. Dakota Johnson/Alabama Shakes

9. Bill Hader/Hozier

10. Blake Shelton

11. Kevin Hart/Sia

12. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

13. Amy Adams/One Direction

14. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

15. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

16. Chris Rock/Prince

17. Chris Hemsworth/Zac Brown Band

Well, that was just as much fun as I was expecting. Taraji P. Henson hosts next week. I haven’t seem much of Empire or Hustle and Flow so I don’t quite have a sense of how she will do as a host yet. Still, I have a feeling it could be a refreshing change of pace for this season. See you then!

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson/George Ezra (3.28.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This episode was pretty middle of the road of this season, but it was certainly a breath of fresh air from the last two episodes with Johnson and Hemsworth. The Rock certainly delivered as a host again. He still is a talented comedic performer with a strong presence that almost makes up for the continually uninspired writing this season. He also manages to bring out the best in the current cast as talented performers as they are. As far as musical guests go, I have to say George Ezra does have quite a similar voice to Ray Lamontange who was the MG during The Rocks' previous show in '09. They both seem like MGs that he specifically requested. He must have a real specific taste in music. Anyway, here it goes.

The Rock Obama III - I don't think anyone DIDN'T expect SNL to bring this out of mothballs but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how they were able to make it seem as fresh, topical and relevant as it did six years ago although Dwayne’s impression seems to be slipping a bit. Taran and Bobby played well off each other although since they have both now played Ted Cruz I have to wonder what they're gonna do with the election material over the next couple of seasons. The only real weak points in this sketch were how bad Kyle and Becks' fake limbs looked and how Sasheer and Leslie has such small parts were as clever of twists as they were. B-

Monologue - This was more enjoyable than it had any right to be. Dwaynes "franchise Viagra" lines were funny as well as his jabs at Smurfs/Theory Of Everything. All in all, The Rock and the girls had the charisma to make such a sliver of premise watchable. B-

Pep Boys - This was funny. Beck, Taran, Bobby and Andy all had great lines and Kate and Sasheer played off them well but Starbucks canceling their race discussion campaign kind of removes some topicality from it. C+

WWE Promo Shoot - This sketch felt like a derivative premise but Dwayne wrestling background helped him pull this off and Bobby played off him well. I did like the Family Guy porn and intricate catfish bits. B-

Bambi Remake - This felt like the first bit of clever writing all night. The makeup team really deserves some kudos. Jay, Dwayne and Taran performed really well here. B-

Dinner Date – This felt like a sketch premise that has been done before but The Rock turned in a funny performance and it was nice to see Cecily try a different type of accent for once. Also, The Rock’s character reminded me a bit of the character he played in his “Goombahs” sketch from his first show. C+

Escape From Jungle Island - This sketch seems like the most physically and scatalogically daring sketch SNL has done in years. It felt like a sketch that could've been cut from the dress rehearsal of The Rocks 99-00 show. In fact, it reminded me a lot of the “Today’s Lady” sketch from that show. As far as who could’ve wrote this, I also detect some traces of Anderlette but based on his Update commentaries from the Pratt/Rock episodes last fall it seems more to me like something Pete Davidson had a hand in writing. It seemed pretty one note but they kept it from going on too long at least. Again, Kate was an interesting casting choice. Speaking of which, did anyone else get some serious Ace and Gary flashbacks watching this? C+

Brogaine - This almost seemed like a premise that was beneath SNL but the Good Neighbor style of comedy really added something of value to it. Even Kenan and Sasheer gave us some laughs and I liked the OU/SAE racist chant jab. B-

Update was really strong tonight. A bunch of the jokes were really solid. Che's Ted Cruz jab was great as relatively toothless as it seemed. Josts' rant on The Jinx has to be the most animated we've seen him on SNL. Kates' Russian commentary was fun even if I saw some of the jokes coming from two towns over. Hell, I’m surprised she didn’t make a joke about how they just got Eminems’ “My Name Is” in Russia. Also, was anyone else reminded of Pete Holmes during the “Well Played, Devil” line? Still, I did like the Etta James/Hunger Games Jokes. They built up a lot of momentum until Kenan bough it all to a screeching halt. B-

Cooking With Paul - This was something a little different for Kenan. He played well off The Rock and even though they relied on that Internet gag a bit much I do like how they just got in, got its laughs and got right out. B-

Improv Team - I really enjoyed this. Kate as Robert Durst was clever stunt casting and I liked Cecily's part as well. What made me appreciate this sketch is how accurate it was to all the improve shows I have seen in college right down to the entrances and audience interview shtick. I also appreciate how they ended this sketch at just the right moment as well. B-

Interrogation - This sketch seemed like it's took a while to build to something. There wasn’t much more to it than The Rock playing against his tough guy/action star persona. Still, he may be the only host who can really pull it off. Also, it felt like Vanessa’s first appearance of the night although upon further examination, it was her third. Perhaps they’re phasing her out? C+

Kyles’ street interview was a good choice to cap off this episode. The reactions from all the kids really made this one for me. 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. J.K. Simmons/D’Angelo

6. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson/George Ezra

7. Dakota Johnson/Alabama Shakes

8. Bill Hader/Hozier

9. Blake Shelton

10. Kevin Hart/Sia

11. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

12. Amy Adams/One Direction

13. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

14. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

15. Chris Rock/Prince

16. Chris Hemsworth/Zac Brown Band

Well, that show was certainly a pleasant surprise at this point in the season. Next week, Michael Keaton returns to host and I sure hope he is still more of a host in the same vein as The Rock or Woody Harrelson or even Martin Freeman. See you soon!

Chris Hemsworth/Zac Brown Band (3.15.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. The sheer lifelessness of this show qualifies to replace Chris Rock/Prince as the worst of the season. Sure, Rock’s episode had its share of problems but at least it made some daring choices unlike this episode. Chris Hemsworth barely seemed like he wanted to be there all night. Kate and Sasheer were the only two cast members who had a standout night. That would be pretty par for Kate’s course at this point but when you can say that about Sasheer, something may have gone wrong. Also, I have to wonder aloud why Chris Cornell was playing with the Zac Brown band and covering what had to have been one of his own songs with them. He isn’t even touring with them (according to a local ad for the Zac Brown Bands’ latest tour I saw during the show). That wasn’t a bad moment in the show necessarily, but it was one of the most left field collaborations I have ever seen. Anyway, on to the sketches.

A Message From Hillary Clinton - I'm glad Kate has replaced Vanessa as SNL's resident Hillary Clinton impressionist. As expected, hers was a stronger and more engaging portrayal. Still, it could use some fine tuning if they’re grooming her for 2016. The only thing that really stood out to me was the email from Bill. C+

Monologue - Chris seems to be on the same level as Dakota Johnson as far as hosts go. He really seemed to be phoning in the monologue but I can't really blame him given how Kenan heavy it was. Yeah, his Australian accent was worth a couple of sketches but it was a lame uninspired premise. Thank god Kate was there to breathe some life into it. D+

American Express - This had some decent writing behind it but Hemsworths' performance really didn't do it any justice and it wasn’t a terribly creative spin on the Mindy Akling ad. C+

Brother 2 Brother – This was really a long setup to a rather obvious payoff. All the performances were strong (except for tonight's host) but it felt too much like a retread of that Kristen Wiig/Amy Adams school twins sketch. Also, I can't believe you can now say "my dick is bigger" on network TV with no bleep on but obviously that was the biggest laugh of the whole night so far. C+

Empire – This was a pretty one note parody. At least Che’s part was funny and Hemsworth played well off Sasheer and Leslie. Did anyone else think Hemsworth resembled Ike Barinholtz just a little in that wig? C-

Spaceship – This was a sketch revolving entirely around a chicken spaceship. It was just as unfocused as it sounds but I'll gladly take it over another Bobby kitty cat guy sketch. This seems like a sketch Tim Kazurinsky would've led during the Ebersol era. D-

The Iggy Azalea Show - Kate does a better Iggy Azalea than the real Iggy but this whole sketch just felt lifeless and like a big wasted opportunity for Kate. Jay's T.I. was all right but it sounded too much like a cross between his Eddie Murphy, Katt Williams and Shannon Sharpe impressions. While this sketch initially falls flat, it does get better upon a second viewing. For example, I first thought Chris Hemsworth was just playing Riff Raff which would have been the worst stunt casting in recent SNL history (unless he played Riff Raff in the same way that James Franco did in Spring Breakers). Then, I noticed Kate saying he was playing a different character who was supposedly her Australian rap “mentor” and suddenly he fit a lot better into this sketch. Honestly, the true highlight of this sketch was the good glimpse I got of Sasheer's great legs. C-

Update even felt pretty formulaic and forgettable tonight. I did like Che's police rant and Josts' plane and penis jokes. Also, their take on Seth and Amy’s one story/multiple jokes recurring gag was more interesting than the way either of them were accustomed to it. Leslie's commentary was fun but it was a little long and a lot like what we've previously seen from her. Ditto Cecily’s Party girl bit but I did like her HMO/progress jokes.

Avengers - This sketch somehow managed to be weaker than the one from Jeremy Renner's episode but at least it was Hemsworth's most animated performance of the night. Taran was all right but he doesn't do a great RDJ or anything. I did like Pete's take on Bruce Banner though. D+

Movie Set - I already didn't like where this was going Kenan just made his first entrance in the director sketch. Oh, I get it. It's a very meta sketch about broad mugging performances. Very subtly meta for Kenansville but not an admirable effort. D+

Good Neighbor: So You Think You Can Live With Jeff? – This parodied reality show tropes well enough and it had its moments such as the Survivor challenge and the ending freakout. Still, it’s not quite up there with GNs’ best SNL work. C+

Dolce And Gabanna – The former porn stars are beyond tired by this point. Strangely enough, Hemsworth’s bizarre character was the only time he was actually funny. Hey, good thing he managed to do it once before the show ended. C-

Now, for my updated rankings…

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. Dakota Johnson/Alabama Shakes

7. Bill Hader/Hozier

8. Blake Shelton

9. Kevin Hart/Sia

10. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

11. Amy Adams/One Direction

12. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

13. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

14. Chris Rock/Prince

15. Chris Hemsworth/Zac Brown Band

Well, we know the next live show will be on March 28. What we DON’T know is who will be hosting or why they didn’t bother to acknowledge that SNL will still be on after tonight during this show. That can’t be a good sign, but I’m sure we’ll find out in due time. See you then!

Dakota Johnson/Alabama Shakes (2.28.2015)

Okay, here’s my review. This show was pretty unremarkable and a bit of a let down from the JK Simmons episode and the 40^th Anniversary special. Still, only a couple of things stood out as really terrible rather than just overwrought and forgettable like the rest of the episode. Any episode where Kyle is more of a standout than Taran, Kate, and Bobby can’t be completely bad. Dakota Johnson delivered pretty much exactly what I expected of her as a host. She didn’t do much besides prove she was able to coast on weak material and take Amy Adams’ place as most underutilized SNL host this season. Also, is it just me or does Dakota Johnson look a lot like Noel Wells? I swear they added her back to the cast if I didn't know any better. Anyway, here it is.

Giuliani (Or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) - This was pretty creative and ambitious for this season. It was a strong showcase for Kilam, for sure. I liked how he was able to channel both Rudy Giuliani and Michael Keaton seamlessly. Sure, he didn't do the most accurate Giuliani but it was a grounded portrayal. Turning the Giuliani controversy into a Birdman parody was a clever angle. The pop culture references practically scream "Kelly and Schneider wrote this". Working Dakota into this sketch felt unnecessary even though it seemed to be her most committed performance of the whole show (and it was taped). B-

Monologue - Dakota did just as fine despite how little confidence she seemed to have in the material. Unfortunately, she is setting that tone for the whole rest of the show. Kyle and Kate were funny was audience members and it was pretty gracious of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson to show up. C+

ISIS – Well, at least this was better than whatever they attempted during the Chris Rock show. I liked how they didn't just beat us over the head with it and how this audience wasn't gasping and silent. C+

Cinderella - I can't believe they recurred Cecily's character from that awful James Franco bridge troll sketch. Hey, is it just me or is Cecily doing the exact same voice that Kyle used in that 420 sketch from Seth Rogen's episode last season? D+

Say What You Wanna Say - This was probably the strongest piece in the whole show so far even if it ran just a little long. Kate, Leslie, Dakota and Aidy did well in it although I can't help but notice how similar it was to a piece I saw the current Second City touring company do last year. This really made me think about those accusations of plagiarism that arose from the riverboat sketch in Sarah Silverman’s episode. B-

Press Junket – This sketch was fine if not a little unfocused. Kyle was great as a precocious reporter and Kate played off him well. Overall, it reminded me of the type of sketch Bobby would've done before Kyle joined the cast. I know a lot of people are reminded of Samberg, but the whole behind the scenes angle reminds me of a sketch Bobby did when Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro hosted. C+

I Can’t - This was all right if not a little obnoxious. Aidy really carried it. It could've benefitted from some editing, though. Did Bobby’s voice remind anyone else of Louis CK’s “one voice”/Obama “impression” from his monologue last season? C-

Update was pretty strong tonight. I liked the dress bit and Che's ISIS gentrification rant. The pope/Chris Brown jokes were great too and Jost is showing more signs of life than ever. Kate was good as Justice Ginsburg. She did the type of commentary she always excels at but they really ran the whole "Ginsburn" bit into the ground. Jay's Kanye was all right but it just goes to show Jay's Kanye doesn't work in a solo piece when the entire focus is on him. I think it's a little soon to bring back Riblet but his attempts at ghetto style Update jokes were great as were the suit reveal and mic delivery. B-

Worf M.D. - This sketch had potential but it kinda flailed around all over the place. Kenan started to turn in a real solid performance but it somehow got away from him. Vanessa and Pete each had great lines here. Also, I'd think Dakota was breaking character if she didn't look so blatantly disinterested in this whole sketch. D+

Net Neutrality - This sketch seemed to take a minute to find its real focus. The highlights were Bobby's porn speech, Pete and Leslie's back and forth, and Taran slapping everyone. Dakota's "harder" line was her only real contribution to this sketch. I'm surprised Pete's joke about racist YouTube comments didn't get a bigger laugh. I'd almost swear Leslie was wearing Hader's old Stefon wig if I wasn't so sure it wouldn't fit her. C-

Good Neighbor: Mr Riot Films – This short seems to be parodying a specific type of viral video that hasn't been popular in years, but I did like how Beck and Kyle incorporated real people off the street into it. B+

Now, for my updated rankings…

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. Dakota Johnson/Alabama Shakes

7. Bill Hader/Hozier

8. Blake Shelton

9. Kevin Hart/Sia

10. Cameron Diaz/Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

11. Amy Adams/One Direction

12. Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

13. Sarah Silverman/Maroon 5

14. Chris Rock/Prince

Well, another forgettable episode just came and went. Next week, Chris “Thor” Hemsworth hosts and I honestly think this could go any possible way as I have no idea what he can bring to the show. See you then!