Josh Hutcherson/Haim (11.23.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. This show was just as uneven as last week, but unfortunately it relied too much on tires premises and some rather subpar writing. I guess that’s to be expected for a Thanksgiving show at the end of a three show streak. In the context of this season so far, everyone involved just seemed to be coasting but it may prove to not be the worst yet in time. Josh Hutcherson is proved to be a forgettable yet competent host. I don’t see him coming back any time soon at all. Still, it must have been a good night for Mike, Beck and Kyle as this has to be the most quality airtime they’ve gotten this season so far. Anyway, let’s get to it.

Piers Morgan Tonight V - This sketch may not have been the strongest way to open the show, but the highlights were Bobby's Florida cop, Beck's Men's Warehouse spokesman and Taran's LFNY delivery. C-

Monologue - This seemed pretty unambitious and on the beaten path so far, but I like the direction it's taking. That must've been one hell of a quick change for Kate, though and I did like the hint of self-referential humor. It was nice of them to throw Noel a bone and let her appear as herself briefly. C+

Girlfriends Talk Show IV - Although it feels much too soon to be bringing back, it is a little interesting to shake up the typical format and try it with a male host. Josh has to be wearing the worst wig they had. Aidy is, once again, proving to be the standout in these sketches. Still, I was hoping this version would be closer to the one that apparently got cut from the Zach Galifinakis episode in May. C+

Baby Boss - This Beck Bennett sketch turned out quite interesting. It's great to see them give him a lead and he's pretty much killed it with his commitment to physical comedy. B-

Matchbox 3 - This subway short film seems like a weak premise, but again, I admire the commitment and cinematography in it. Josh holding the flag was the only thing that stood out to me. D+

Update had its fair share of disappointing underwritten jokes tonight, but I did like Cecily's Rob Ford dart joke. As a Colorado resident, I was expecting to hate that Denver Post marijuana joke, but it wasn't actually that bad. Aidy as the worst woman on a plane was pretty inconsistent. The only things that I can say were that good about it were that she really gave it her all performance wise and that it was pretty different from Cecily's party girl in that this was more script and premise heavy and less with less of an improv feel. Seth's constant giggling was once again ruining an otherwise tolerable bit. Thankfully, Update was short tonight. C-

Josie - This '80s sketch felt way out of place. There already 30 second Comcast commercials with this exact premise so it’s got that demerit working against its favor. Still, I did like Kenan and Taran's appearances as well as the Jessie's Girl gag at the end. C+

Best Buy - This Cecily/Bobby employee sketch also feels too soon to bring back. Still, I never hated it that much. It was nice to see they tried some more elaborate stuff with it, but it led to some pacing problems. It was also nice to see them come up with a different ending now that Tim is no longer in the cast, but it felt a little under executed. C-

Dancing - This Good Neighbor short wasn't as strong as their previous outings but it still had its moments such as Kyle's dancing and the Instant VHS and newspaper gags. Wow, it felt really odd seeing two ‘80s themed sketches in a row. Anyway, this short ran a little too long compared to their others. While I like seeing more of Beck and Kyle on the show, they should realize that their strengths of their previous digital shorts lie in getting in, getting their laughs and getting out. They should pack a quicker punch and be a little more tightly packed with gags next time. C+

Southern Animal Hospital – At first, this sketch seemed to be meandering and then it just seemed to be trying too hard. It's clearly one joke being beaten in the cold, cold ground. Still, it actually made me chuckle a couple of times although I can't remember when. All I kept thinking about is how much worse it would've been if Wiig was in it. C-

Investigative Bug Reporter - This sketch was okay. Considering that it's another taped piece (which this show feels a little heavy on, oddly enough) it really feels to be playing to Mike and Josh's "strengths" as performers. This was probably, by default, the best performance O'Brien has turned in on the entire show so far. C-

Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner – This sketch feels a little played out and derivative. Bobby and Kyle did fine in it and Taran was trying his damndest here. Still, it seemed really oddly paced and Vanessa may be trying a bit too hard. D+

Now, I’d like to update my rankings for this season…

1. Kerry Washington/Eminem

2. Miley Cyrus

3. Lady Gaga

4. Bruce Willis/Katy Perry

5. Tina Fey/Arcade Fire

6. Josh Hutcherson/Haim

7. Edward Norton/Janelle Monae

Well, that show just came and went quietly. Next month, we have a pretty strong lineup of hosts starting with Paul Rudd. I hope he pulls a Galifinakis and hits his third show out of the park to make up for his first two being so forgettable. I also hope One Direction only really appears in a musical guest capacity even though they just now really have the US crossover fame to appear in sketches. Happy Thanksgiving!

Lady Gaga (11.16.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. Despite how wildly uneven this show was all night, it is definitely one of the better episodes this season. It started off fairly strong and then started to fall apart in the middle and then picked up some steam toward the end. Lady Gaga has displayed some real hosting talent tonight, but I thought it would translate better to musical performances than sketch acting. To me, this seemed truer for the monologue than her duet with R. Kelly. Something about that first MG spot seemed a little off to me and I think it was the dancing. Her second performance was a something a little unexpected, but just OK other than that. Usually, it would be a demerit to the show when they don’t use a particular host in many sketches but this actually worked in Lady Gaga’s favor. You may have noticed early on how she was basically shoehorned into sketches with rather small roles. This actually wasn’t a detriment to the show because as we saw the last two times she appeared on the show, she doesn’t quite have the acting chops for a lead role in any sketch. Thankfully, the writers seemed to remember this and figured out the exactly when and where to use her in just the right moments during the show. Otherwise, we’d have to sit through ninety minutes of Lady Gaga just trying too hard. I also liked how much they gave us a chance to see the featured players on air more and made great use of Taran and Bobby. Anyway, this might be my longest preamble ever so let’s just move on with the actual review.

CBC – This Toronto Mayor cold open was pretty funny, even though they probably could've gone without the stereotypical hosehead accents. Bobby was funny as Rob Ford (even though he probably didn't have the voice down) and the taped press conferences were a highlight. A-

Monologue - This musical monologue is pretty much exactly what I was expecting, but this jazzy Broadway version of "Applause" is quite an improvement over the original. Her interaction with Bobby was definitely the best part and the "tuck" line was a nice touch. Other than that, it reminded me a bit too much of Chevy Chases' monologue from his first hosting stint in 1978 but this was more enjoyable. B-

Paxil Second Term Strength - This was a clever and well executed ad, but something about this felt a little dated. It's like they really could've done this for any president. Taran's appearance as John Boehner was a nice touch but other than that nothing really stood out to me here. B-

Waking up with Kimye - This seemed to be meandering . Jay's Kanye is great (even if it's slipping a bit) but Kardashian impressions on SNL should've stayed retired. Still, I'd like to see a little more from Noel and Kate here and I did like Nassims' MJ and work lines. Gaga seemed to be trying too hard to create a stereotypical nerd character in a sketch that doesn't necessarily call for that type of "acting" and her not-so-subtle nod to camera toward the end kind of bugged me. Still, they did know exactly where to end this and I'd definitely rather see it than Vanessa's Gaga impression again. Also, I sure hope we don't have to read any fluff pieces about Kanye's reaction to this because I already know that's going to annoy the hell out of me. C+

Whaaat Cover Songs - This reminds me of something Ferrell would've done in 1997 for some reason. Taran and Kenan were great in it and Noel does great Britney. Aidy was good as well but I wish they didn't underuse her so much. Gaga did a better job of poking fun at herself here albeit maybe a couple of years too late. The Jay/Kate duet at the end was also great. Thankfully, this was different enough from those "Bunny Business" type soundtrack sketches that it was somewhat enjoyable. C+

Update had a long string of decent jokes. Nothing really bombed and as a whole, I'd say the entire segment got the audience reactions it deserved. I could already tell I wasn't going to like Kenan's commentary before he even came out. They lost me at "common sense". The pre-taped sketch reminded me of something Fred Armisen would've done in '04-'05. I liked the level of energy Kenan committed to, but not much else about it. The thing that bugged me the most was how it appeared to be the first use of most of the featured players the whole night. Taran's commentary was great and really breathed some life into the show here, but Seth and Cecily's constant giggling really bugged the hell out of me. B-

Co-Op Board - This sketch meandered worse than anything I've ever seen. I still don't know what to make of it even after its ending. Still, I have to say I liked how they used Aidy, Kyle and Kate. Gag's appearance was just all right. D+

Spotlightz Camp For Serious Child Actors - This was obviously recurred from the horrendous Scarlett Johansen 2010 shows. At first, I didn't think they needed to recur it again but then I noticed how well it utilized this cast and host. Gaga and Noel were very cute and definitely turned in their best performances of the night. Gaga's role seemed especially suited to her acting range very well. Kyle and Taran were also great additions to this sketch. The only real flaw with it was that it ran on a bit too long. C+

Blockbuster - This digishort was really saved by its ending. Something about it made it feel like it was missing something in execution. I can tell this is probably not a Good Neighbor short due to the lack of a title card and the fact that Beck appeared in it but not Kyle. C+

Fourth Grade Pageant - It was great to see John Milheiser finally have a breakout moment after being virtually invisible for two months and it played well to Gaga's talents as a dancer. I could see this as being Milheiser's equivalent of Farley's Chippendales sketch. Aidy played well off of him, too. B+

Upper East Side, NY 2065  - This sketch was probably the best thing Gaga could've done in terms of self-deprecation as this is probably how everyone already feels about her anyway. Hell, I sure didn't think we would still be talking about her in 2012 much less 2013 but she put out another album so...here we are. It was a little long, overly cutesy and not all there in terms of acting but it was nice other than that. I did like Kenan playing off her, especially his lines about One Direction and Willow and Jaden Smith being considered "classic rock" in the future. C+

The Roze Zone – This was another flimsy premise that felt less out of place had it been done in the Tina Fey era, but the girls made the most out of the material they were given. C+

And now, just because I haven’t done this in a while…I’m going to rank this seasons’ episodes from best to worst. After this and the Kerry Washington episode, I think it’s about damn time.

1. Kerry Washington/Eminem

2. Miley Cyrus

3. Lady Gaga

4. Bruce Willis/Katy Perry

5. Tina Fey/Arcade Fire

6. Edward Norton/Janelle Monae

Next week Josh Hutcherson of “Hunger Games” fame hosts just in time for Thanksgiving. This show could seriously go either way. See you then!

Kerry Washington/Eminem (11.2.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. I would say this episode was a strong contender for best of the season so far. For the first time in a long time, the writing felt fresh and relevant and the staff didn’t seem like they were relying on crutches and tired premises. Kerry Washington proved to be one of the most dynamic hosts the show has had in years. This episode might put the talk of SNL’s lack of diversity issue to rest…or it might just keep it going as people talk about how much more desperately the show needs a black actress with Kerry’s talent. Oh well, at least people will be talking differently about the show soon…which I guess is a good thing either way. Still, this episode could’ve used more airtime from certain new featured players but in the context of this particular episode, it’s understandable why they’d use people like Wells, Mooney, Beckett and Milheiser less. Anyway, here it is.

Cold Open – This was a perfect way for SNL to address its ongoing “lack of diversity” issue on air while still being funny, engaging and entertaining. Kerry Washington endeared herself well to the audience and proved to be an exciting host. I also liked there being an onscreen scroll and self-referential/self-deprecating humor as SNL hasn’t employed either of those in a long time. I also liked the “six Matthew McConagheys” gag with Bobby and Brooks playing two of them. Al Sharpton’s cameo felt quite useless, but other than that a solid opening. A-

Monologue – Kerry did a good job of maintaining her energy here. This was also a nice way to introduce Kerry to an audience who isn’t all that familiar with the show “Scandal”. Plus, it feels fresher and more relevant since SNL seems to be parodying the show while it’s under most people’s radar and hasn’t yet peaked in popularity. This seems like the first time in a LONG time they have successfully pulled that off. Vanessa and Kerry played well off each other and I liked her self-deprecating Miley/da club lines and Kenan’s absurd yet subtle performance made me laugh. B-

Career Week – It was good that they not only gave Nassim a lead off sketch at the top of the show, but also gave her the chance to showcase some rather dynamic performance skills we didn’t know she had. Although it got to be a bit much toward the last minute or so, it was okay. It didn’t feel as derivative as many of Nassim’s other sketches. Kerry was also a welcome addition, but O’Brien managed to bungle a role that seemed specifically designed to cater to him as a performer. Other than that, it wasn’t a terrible sketch. C-

How’s He Doing II? – I’m actually surprised that they’d recur THIS sketch from Maya Rudolph’s hosting stint (especially considering how lukewarmly it was received the first time) but considering this episode’s host, I should’ve seen it coming. Kerry was once again a real standout here. Her performance really shined considering the fact that they did rehash a lot of the same jokes. Still, I did like some of Jay’s lines like the ones about white people’s mail. In fact, I’d say I actually prefer this version of the sketch over the original. B+

What My Girl Say – For some reason, I was expecting SNL to do some sort of sketch based on the “What Does The Fox Say” video. Still, I was expecting it to be set in some kind of workplace much like they did with “Someone Like You” and “Gangnam Style” rather than a straight parody. They pulled it off just as well as they did “We Can’t Stop” and Kerry, Jay and Kate were fine in it, but the whole premise, again, seemed more geared toward MAD TV. If “The Fox” were a big hit about four or five years ago, I could easily see Keegan Micheal Key and Erica Ash doing it. Hell, I could see Aries Spears, Debra Wilson, Danielle Gaither or Jordan Peele doing this if it were out even earlier. If SNL wants to continue to venture into parody songs based on current hits, I think I’ll give them one more chance before I judge whether this venture is a success or not. B-

Miss Universe 2013 – This was very cute probably the best female cast showcase they’ve done in quite a while. Kerry, Kate, Nassim and Aidy each turned in their funniest performances of the night here. Vanessa and Noel were also great. Noel particularly made all she could out of her only appearance of the night. Strangely given the show’s supposed running theme and given the actual recent Miss America “controversy”, I was surprised at how little this sketch had to say about diversity issues. Still, I wouldn’t consider that a demerit. B+

Update was okay in terms of jokes. Not much seems to have changed with Cecily, but I did like her Kanye joke and Seth's vigilante joke. Kate as Chancellor Merkel was okay. She had the German accent down well and she was doing her damndest to sell the material, but it didn't really get funny until the Google lines. Kenan's Barkley is always welcome and he played off of Pharroh well as usual. He does do a fine Shaq and is really committing to it. They really had good lines to like the ones about groin spraining and neck injuries. Thankfully, they kept it from going on too long. C+

Cartoon Catchphrases - This game show sketch is pretty strange, but I like it. There may be a few too many conceptual layers to it and the joke almost got old, but it was pretty funny. It may have been a little too ambitious for its own good but it's nice to see the writers are still reaching for something. Also, Mike O'Brien continues to be an unremarkable sketch actor. B-

Fall Carnival - I don't think I should be surprised that they did another Principal Frye sketch in this particular episode, but even though they're usually pretty funny it does feel odd whenever they show up. Kerry is quite good and Jay is doing well here as is Kenan. B-

Date Or Diss - This seems like a sketch that they should've done 12 years ago (and even then it might've felt a little tired, but still less tired than poking fun at post 2000 era MTV in general) but the girls dark lines and Taran playing off them with mock horrified reactions made this sketch for me. Aidy and Kerry were really good here and I did like the “Bitch Apartment” still at the end. C+

Good Neighbor: Ice Cream - This short was a fun way to end the show. I liked the introspective vibe of it and it had a good ending. B-

Well, that was the show. In two weeks, Lady Gaga does double duty as host and musical guest. Based on some of her previous sketch appearances, I think she’ll be able to match Kerry’s level of energy but sadly, not her acting ability so I think this will be an interesting episode. I will watch with an open mind, but that shouldn’t take everything I have in me. I can kind of see some of the animosity toward her, but I can’t say that I share it with you. I’m not her biggest fan or anything; I’m just not inclined to viscerally hate her as much as some of you. See you then! Have a Happy Daylight Savings!

Edward Norton/Janelle Monae (10.26.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. This show was probably the most inconsistent that this season has been so far. I hesitate to say it was all bad because there were a few moments here and there that I genuinely liked but not as much as the previous episode looking back. I’m tempted to say it was the worst of the season…so far. I do have a feeling that an episode worse than this one will come along sometime but I just don’t see this one holding up so well later on. Edward Norton proved to be pretty much game for anything as a host, but unfortunately he was very underutilized (much like most of the new featured players, sadly). It's funny that Norton explicitly said how much fun he head because I wasn't able to tell from watching this episode. Anyway, here we go.

Obamacare Website - This got a little funnier as it went along. I do like the list of alternative websites and outdated program references. I especially liked Bobby as the bat wielding IT guy. It was a little better than the standard dry political open they usually do. C+

Monologue - This method acting bit feels like Norton really ran one joke in the ground. Most of his punch lines I could see coming from 2 miles away. Good thing Baldwin was there to give him a shot in the arm. His impressions went well...wait, why the hell is Miley here twice in the same month? C+

Autumn's Eve - This commercial was okay. Pumpkin spice jokes are played out but this was a clever and edgy take on the recent phenomenon. I did like the Shamrock/Peppermint douche lines. C-

Elementary School - This sketch started off a little slow. Nassim has played this type of character before but this is a little more amusing of a variation. This is like an edgier Bedelia, kind of. When it seemed like it was gone be one joke, Bobby, Kenan, John and Noel started to save it with their great supporting lines. Kate was funny as the teacher as well. Still, Norton was good in his role even if it was interchangeable and could’ve been played by virtually any host. B-

Steve Harvey - This sketch went nowhere. It's not quite as funny when Kenan plays him as an oblivious idiot. D-

Wes Anderson Horror Film - This trailer felt like an unoriginal trope that still had unreached potential. The execution was fine but I was expecting a little something different in terms of impressions. Still, I did like Norton as Owen Wilson and Kate as Tilda Swinton. C+

Possums  - This sketch had kind of a similar feel. I could pretty much tell where it was going from the get go, but it was good to see Brooks get an actual acting part. He didn't blow me away, but he didn't disappoint me either. C-

Rain Man – This turned out to be better than I expected. Norton was pretty funny in it, but O'Brien seemed a little miscast. Still, it's at least nice that they're finding some ways to use him. C+

Update was okay. Cecily's delivery isn't slipping that bad, but she should work on developing her own comedic voice a little more. I realize second hand news is a tired one note bit, but for some reason Bobby gave me some genuine laughs with the way he tried to sell it. C-

12 Days Not A Slave – This sketch was pretty mediocre. I haven't yet seen "12 Days A Slave" nor am I that familiar with it, but I can already tell this isn't a very well written parody. Aidy had a good line but Jay doesn't quite have the acting chops to venture that far out of the impression zone just yet. The bit about white girls dancing like black men at the end (especially Miley's second cameo) seemed way too forced. D+

Restaurant Virgins - This sketch is one of the most pointless things I've ever seen. Another sketch with a predictable joke. Some of Norton, Cecily and Mike's movements were good (I did like Mike's bloomers bit) but otherwise this sketch just kinda dragged on. D-

Halloween - This sketch was okay. It did feel like a less funny version of Steve Buscemi's Christmas sketch from two years ago, but Bobby made me laugh in it and it was the funniest and most committed Edward Norton has been all night. C-

Well, that was it. Next week Kerry Washington hosts. My review of that show may not be “live” or even complete or as prompt as this one. See you next week.

Bruce Willis/Katy Perry (10.12.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. This was probably the worst episode of the season so far, but this was more the fault of the writers than the host. Bruce Willis proved to be a capable sketch performer but the show was pretty reliant on tired recurring premises and characterizations. Good to see John, Beck, Brooks and Aidy are getting more chances to prove themselves. This episode could’ve really used more appearances from Noel and Kyle though. Thankfully, Taran, Bobby, Jay and Kenan were able to pick up some of the slack performance wise. Anyway, here it is.

NASA Cold Open – This was clever enough, but not really an effective commentary on the government shutdown. After they established the joke, they didn’t go anywhere with it. Kate and Taran had some good lines and Cecily did fine in a supporting role. C-

Monologue - This seemed to have promise but soon fell into tired SNL trope territory. Bruce's "six Die Hards" joke was actually OK but his delivery ruined it. His delivery felt way too stilted and awkward through the whole thing. Bobby's bit wishing he was Bruce's son was alright and it was nice to see him play himself for once, but it felt too predictable once they started playing harmonica. D+

24 Hour Energy for Dating Actresses  - This was alright, but it felt like something with too narrow appeal that only a very small fraction of SNL'S audience would get. Still, it had some energetic performances and it was nice seeing Noel and Kyle. I have to wonder who wrote this. I’ll bet it was probably Colin Jost. B-

Black Ops - This sketch was nice but like the airport sketch from Tina's episode, it felt like it could've been done in any season since the '90s. All it did was make fun of action movie tropes but in a fun way. Bruce was good in this, but he wasn't exactly playing against type or anything. Bobby and Kenan added some fun energy and it was nice seeing Beck get a big role. C+

Barbershop - This sketch was pretty lame. I did like Bruce's Robin egg line. Otherwise it had serious pacing and timing problems. It was also an obvious rip off of the scene from "Coming To America" because Pharrohh was doing a variation on his Eddie Murphy. Still, I gotta give Kenan and Jay credit for having a rapid fire back and forth and giving this some energy. C-

Boy Dance Party - This was fun but a little too silly for my tastes. The crowd seemed to love it but it didn't really go anywhere. Bruce and Jay were alright in it and I did laugh at the "shake that sack" line. This can't be a Good Neighbor short since Beck was in it but not Kyle (unless "yle wrote it which he probably didn't). B-

The Lady Gaga Show - This was pretty inferior to The Miley Cyrus Show. Vanessa had the impression down well enough at first, but it kinda slipped away from her. I don't think either of these should become recurring sketches. Bruce as Micheal Kors made me chuckle a couple of times, but he got old pretty quick. Kate's Penelope Cruz didn't do anything for me. I did like Taran as the DJ and Aidy was pretty funny. C-

Update hasn't made any progress backward or forward. Cecily's delivery is improving (and still has some room to do so) and the jokes are still at the same level. I did like Cecily's sexual harassment joke and Seth's police rats joke. The commentaries were pretty forgettable. Kenan as the chaplain was pretty grating and repetitive. Brooks' commentary had potential to be better than it was but he couldn't really save it in spite of himself. He had all right material but it was kinda bought down by Seth turning it into an interview. Still, it was nice to see a cast member play themselves on Update for the first time in years. C+

Centauri Vodka - This was probably the best live sketch of the night. The visual of Bruce and John as a Centaur was funny on its own and I liked how they added some broad physical comedy in there. B+

Kirby - I'm surprised they tried to bring this back. Aside from making this one an Armageddon parody, they changed nothing. The only thing I liked was when Bruce mentioned that Kirby was banging his daughter. D-

Chun - I'm also surprised they tried to bring back Taran's "Glice" character but I did like how they found a way to do it without Sudekis and change the format up a bit. Nassim had some good lines and I did like the chin jokes as well. C+

Good Neighbor: Sigma - This short was the funniest taped segment of the night. Beck and Kyle played well off of each other and I liked the building silliness of it. Still, I admit it seemed a bit derivative of the Lonely Island. While Good Neighbor has shown a very distinct and inventive style of humor on YouTube and I like what they’ve contributed to SNL so far, I think it might take them some time to fit that sensibility into the SNL mold effectively and find their real voices. B-

Well, that was that. Edward Norton hosts in two weeks. I think he may be the most interesting choice of host so far this season. He’s shown he can be a fine yet intense actor in small doses but I can’t accurately gauge his comedic skills based on what I’ve seen him in. This show could go either way but should be interesting to watch no matter what. See you soon!

Miley Cyrus (10.5.2013)

Okay, here’s my review. Overall, I can't help but think that while this show might be lame in terms of this season, it was a little better than her 2011 episode. Good to see some more of the new cast getting used but I wish the current featured players could’ve been more than glorified extras in the live show. Alright, let’s go.

New York, 2045 AD - This cold open felt a little dated and predictable, but I liked the whole dystopian take on it. The Kennedy ghost line was an odd reference and Kenan seemed to be overacting quite a bit. I liked Miley's "tiny strokes" line and Bobby as the traumatized teddy bear. Taran did a fine Robin Thicke and Jay actually had some good lines as Will Smith for once. C+

Monologue - This was classier than I expected. Good to see Miley wore something comparatively tasteful. The jokes weren't quite there, but I chuckled at Bobby on the wrecking ball. C+

Fifty Shades of Grey Auditions - These just had their moments. Good to see they utilized the more underused cast members for this, but these are becoming too much of an SNL standard at this point. Bobby's Seth Rogen and Miley's Scarlett weren't quite there but Noel's Emma Stone and Taran's Christoph Waltz were good. Too bad they didn’t give her any lines as Kristen Stewart. Bennett’s Phillip Seymour Hoffman wasn’t as good or as memorable as Jason’s though. I wish they'd given Aidy more lines but Nassim as Aziz Ansari was great (even if she didn't quite have the voice) and Vanessa’s one line as Mary Louise Parker was funny. Kenan as Steve Harvey had okay lines but was largely useless here. Jay did a fine Tracy Morgan even if he didn’t quite have the voice right away and Kate did a good Jane Lynch. John did an OK Cryer even though I wasn’t totally able to tell. Jay’s Shaq was okay and Nassim’s Kristen Chenowith was once again pointless. B-

Girlfirends Talk Show III - I don't really care for this, but it's good to see they're using Aidy more prominently. I still would’ve liked to have seen the version of this that got cut from the Zach Galifinakis show in May. Miley's character was annoying and just felt too played out conceptually but still had some OK lines here and there. I liked Aidy's "night crier" line and Cecily's odd boyfriend ramble at the end. Still, if I had to choose which of Cecily’s characters I’d rather keep seeing all season between this and the Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Talked To At A Party, I’d pick the latter. C-

We Did Stop (The Government) – I found myself having to seriously reevaluate my take on this music video. It was something I wanted to like at first and had unreached potential, but ultimately felt a little too MAD TV-ish at times. Also, while it may seem cool to get the artist of the original song to sing on your parody version it does kind of take away the impact of the joke. It seems like any jerkoff on YouTube could've done this exact same thing, but I did actually appreciate it more upon a second viewing as I caught and laughed at some of the jokes I missed. It is a well-constructed parody video in terms of both lyrics and visuals but I’m not sure if I want to see SNL attempt more of them. Still, I have to give Taran credit for making all he could out of it as he was truly funny at times. I guess my inner Weird Al fan got the better half of me after all. B-

Piers Morgan IV - This was all right for something that felt like another tired SNL trope. I'd say Kate did the best Hilary. Kenan seemed too stiff and awkward as Sway. Bennett did a fine Bill Clinton, but we've seen better obviously. I did like the saxophone bong and Taran's "village idiot" line at the end. C+

Wrecking Ball - I do appreciate the low key vibe of this performance.

Update is improving but is still pretty middle of the road tonight. Good to see that Cecily is coming into her own in terms of delivery at least. Winners and Losers is just too played out at this point. Kates' commentary was a little too Wiigish for my tastes but she had some decent lines. Jay's Shannon Sharpe makes me laugh even though I'm not totally paying attention to it. Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy was just more of the same. B-

Aliens and Cheerleaders - This may have been a great way to utilize the entire female cast, but didn’t quite go anywhere and appeared to have pacing problems. Too bad Taran didn't have a bigger part. This reminded me too much of that sketch from the last Lindsay Lohan episode where Fred kept getting hit by a car. Also, did anyone else get a serious Hannah Montana vibe from seeing Miley in a blonde wig again? D+

Morning, Miami - This news promo sketch was pretty good just for Kate and Bobby's ridiculous lines. It's definitely funnier than a lot of the other sketches tonight. I got kind of a Wake Up and Smile meets Taran and Bobby’s Minnesota DJs vibe from it. B-

We Can’t Stop - This acoustic version really weirded me out for some reason and it has nothing to do with the fact that she has a midget in her band. It's just that this one sounds so wrong acoustically and I thought she wasn't going to do this one based on the fact that they actually did a parody of it earlier...but then again Cee-Lo Green did the same thing with "Fuck You" when Gwenyth Paltrow hosted in 2011.

Poetry Class – This didn't seem to go anywhere either. Vanessa really dragged it down. Still, I liked Aidy and Kenan's poems as well as Mike's "thank Christ" line. D+

Good Neighbor: Kyle’s Office - This short was all right, but I can't help but think how much I would've liked it more if a different female host/mg took Miley's role. I liked how Kyle thought Bobby and Beck were 500/600 years old. Good to see they're getting stuff on. It’s a good way to introduce Kyle Mooney’s oddball magical surrealist humor to the SNL audience. I hope to see more Good Neighbor shorts in the future. B-

Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Stay tuned next week when Bruce Willis and Katy Perry will be on the show and I honestly have no clue how it might go down. See you guys then!

Tina Fey/Arcade Fire (9.28.2013)

Before I begin, I have to apologize for really slacking off on season 14 over the summer. A lot of stuff just came up for me and I got a pretty bad flu so I didn’t really have the time or the energy to invest in them. I will get around to reviewing those episodes sometime…whenever I can.

Okay, here’s my review. All in all, this was probably the most competent way they could've opened this season. There were some weak spots here and there but those are probably to be expected in a season like this. Kyle Mooney and Noel Wells seem to be hitting the ground running. Beck Bennett, Brooks Wheelan and Mike O’Brien snuck in there somewhere too. Good for them. Hopefully, John Milheiser will get a chance to prove himself next week. Good to see Aidy, Kate and Cecily getting to establish themselves more tonight. It’s also good to see they are getting a little more comfortable in taking some more chances on the show. Arcade Fire tried a little too hard performance wise. Well, let’s get started, shall we?

Obamacare Cold Open – This was just fine. It may not have been the best way to open this particular season, but it was pretty decent. Bobby, Taran and Kate had great lines. It was nice of them to give Bennett his first shot as well. The Aaron Paul cameo was definitely a highlight of the night so far. C+

Monologue - This was a better way to get the really get the season started. It was great of her to feature all six featured players front and center. I'd have to say Wells appears to be the best dancer. I also have to wonder if Milheiser's difficulty with the tear away pants was planned. The bit up front where Tina referred to her nonexistent recurring characters was done well for something that felt dated. Also, was that clip from the Bernie Mac monologue cut from dress rehearsal? I don’t remember that form his monologue and it isn’t in the SNL Archives. B+

Girls - This TV parody was pretty well done. Wells does a fine Lena Dunham and Tina and others were good at poking fun at what bugs me about that show. Tina and Taran were pretty funny here. B+

Airport - This sketch was pretty funny for something that seemed like it could've been done any time in the past fifteen seasons. Good for them to give two other new guys their first real sketch shot, too. My best guess is that they were Wheelan and Milhieser. Watching this sketch again on hulu confirms the accuracy of this sketch. C+

New Cast Member or Arcade Fire - As tired as Game Show sketches must seem, this was a good vehicle for SNL to poke fun at its own awkward rebuilding efforts. Mooney was pretty great in this. Tina had some good lines and I liked Kenan berating the new cast for trying to sneak lines. B-

E-Meth Cigarettes – This was executed well for such a flimsy premise. Wheelan did okay, but it's not a good sign when he has to play off Kenan as a straight man. I also liked how Taran and Kate delivered such goofy drug slang so stoically. Aaron Paul was great again. He felt a little odd here since it would've been a huge missed opportunity if he didn't show up here or deliver a "bitch" line but they did already use him. B-

Update has been surprisingly...Strong (pun not intended) tonight. Seriously though, I want to like Cecily as an anchor but her delivery is a little too close to Seth's for my liking and she's making him look funnier than he is. Neither of those are good signs but I'll give her some time to find her groove. Mooney as Bruce Chandling pretty much made my night. He was brilliantly funny and I'm psyched that they're actually using his characters. Drunk Uncle was just more of the same, but it feels pretty good being 2 for 4 in "Guess the Recurring Characters" (Hell, 3 for 4 if you count "Girls" the way I do). Aaron Paul was used great here again, but a third Jesse-like cameo was a little much. B-

PBS Cinema Classics - This felt stale, but it's a little preferable to TMC classics. Kenan was a surprisingly funny host and the whole thing with the animals made me chuckle despite getting off to a slow start. C+

Used Cars - This Model T lot commercial was only funny because of Tina. O'Brien added next to nothing, but I did like his one item "lists". C-

Manolo Blahniks - I think it was a little too early to bring back the porn models sketch but I liked Vanessa’s butt surgery lines, Cecily’s “glass blumpkin” line and Tina's "toeblasting" line. At least they tried something different by incorporating a female host into this sketch. C+

Well, SNL is getting back on its feet. It will surely be interesting to see how they work out the kinks. It should be enough to effectively take our minds of the fact that Miley Cyrus is pulling double duty next week. See you soon!