Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Taylor Swift Sketch-by-Sketch Review
This week saw country starlet Taylor Swift take to the stage as both host & musical guest. Let's see how she fared.
Cold Open - Finally! A Fox News sketch! How the folks at Fox News aren't the subject of the cold open every week is beyond me, but we did get to see them this week & it was fitfully hilarious! Kristen Wiig played Greta Van Susteren impeccably well, while Bobby Moynihan, Will Forte, Bill Hader & Fred Armisen played Karl Rove, Britt Hume, Shepard Smith and the lone Democrat respectively. The topic for discussion? The end of the Obama era, of course. It was all very funny, but what really upped the ante of hilarity was Jason Sudeikis as Glenn Beck. The resemblance is almost uncanny and Jason does a terrific job as Beck particularly the walking off camera while nodding incessantly bit. Great start to the show.
8/10
Monologue - So, the adorable Taylor Swift opened her show with an adorable monologue song entitled "Monologue Song (La La La)". So, while it wasn't hilarious, it was so ridiculously catchy that all is forgiven. I did like the mentions of Joe Jonas and Taylor Lautner, and rejoiced at the fact that Kanye West was barely mentioned at all. Nice start.
8/10
Swine Fever - Finally, a commercial parody that made me laugh. I really liked the premise of the sketch and I thought that it was realistic yet ridiculous enough to laugh at (unlike say the ghetto champagne thing from a few weeks ago).
7.5/10
The View - So, this was yet another installment of The View starring Taylor Swift as Kate Gosselin and introducing Nasim Pedrad's impression of Barbara Walters. Not a lot to say on this one. I usually enjoy these ones, but the presence of Kate Gosselin kinda ruined it for me and the fact that Taylor's impression was pretty weak only served to further stilt it. However, props to Nasim who along with Kenan anchored the sketch. Was her Walters as good as Michaela Watkins'? No, but she did a decent enough job and had some of the best lines.
6/10
SNL Digital Short - Loved it! Best Twilight parody yet? I think so. Shot brilliantly and the make-up was terrific. Bill Hader did an awesome job (first of many awesome jobs tonight) and I definitely think this was the best digital short of the season.
8/10
Hollywood Dish - So this was sort of a take-off of shows like E! and Access Hollywood, and starred Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as vapid celebrity reporters chatting to Taylor Swift. As someone who lists these shows as a guilty pleasure, I thought this sketch was dead-on. Bill Hader, in particular was hilarious and his spit-take was perhaps the best spit-take I've ever borne witness to. I can testify that Ellen joining the judging panel of American Idol is at the epicentre of these presenters' minds. Taylor did a good job here, and I particularly loved the end where they showed her laughing maniacally.
8/10
TRAAAPD - So this was another commercial or PSA, this time about dangerous parent drivers. Taylor Swift played a headgear-wearing teenager Samantha Samuels who wants to raise awareness about irresponsible drivers. The sketch basically featured tons of scenarios in which parents can drive dangerously i.e driving while lecturing, driving while getting a tissue from the back seat. While I could relate to some of the scenarios, I thought that the sketch was a little lame on the whole.
6/10
Weekend Update - So here's something weird. I don't remember a single joke from Weekend Update. Usually I remember like three ones that made me laugh a lot. Maybe it's because it's Monday or maybe it's the calibre of the jokes, but I remember exactly zero. I remember laughing, but I don't remember at what. The one thing that really stands out for me is Abby Elliott's appearance as the insufferable Sarah McLachlan, and of course Really!?!, which by Really?!?'s standards was kinda weak. Not good WU. Not good.
6/10
Penelope - So here's a Wiig character that I am over. Penelope's at a wedding reception, Penelope gets uber-competitive, turns out Penelope is telling the truth - you get the gist. One moment I did laugh at was when Penelope ran in between the groom and bride and held both their hands. Other than that, pretty weak.
5.5/10
Scared Straight - So this was a complete deja-vu for me, down to the cast breaking at the end. They broke at all the same moments as the Tracy Morgan one (which was funnier), and the jokes were all pretty much the same. ("I'm pretty sure that's a movie!" "Sit yo' ass down!") This was probably the worst sketch for Taylor in that she could not play a man. The jail rape innuendos are kinda growing old now too. I will say that Kenan always does a great job here, but maybe it's time to put this sketch to sleep?
5.5/10
Roommates - So this was nice and refreshing, and a really nice vehicle for Nasim & Taylor. They played roommates who are pretty much obsessed with one another, much to the detriment of Nasim's boyfriend, played by Andy Samberg. The thing I loved was the big spiel that the word "hey" inspired. "BRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACK". The girls did really well here, particularly Nasim, and Andy did well as the exasperated boyfriend.
7.5/10
Bunny Business - Is it weird that this was my absolute favourite of the night? I love impression-oriented sketches and this made my night. From Fred Armisen's Randy Newman, to Taylor Swift's Shakira (high-larious!), to Abby Elliott's Christina Aguilera and Bill Hader's Eddie Vedder (which actually made me howl! Anyone with an Into The Wild soundtrack will no how uncanny it was!) to Samberg's Adam Duritz to Kenan's Jennifer Hudson - everyone brought their a-game and for a final sketch, this one was pretty darned good.
9/10
Overall -
So, do I think that Taylor Swift is a terrifically talented comic actress? No. But do I think she did the best job of anyone this season? Yes! She brought an infectious enthusiasm and overall game-ness which has been absent from the other hosts this season, and which improved the quality of the show and the cast's performances. One thing I have to remember is that Taylor Swift is NINETEEN and NOT an actress by day, and she fit in so seamlessly with the cast and was a complete pro.
I feel like all the cast did a great job, but MVP of the episode has to go to Bill Hader who was just hysterical in all the sketches and elevated them to a higher level. More of this every week, writers!
Props to Nasim Pedrad too, who showed me why she's there. After her Charlyne Yi impression sounded the exact same as her Kathy Griffin impression, I was beginning to have my doubts, but girl proved me wrong!
A conspicuous lack of Jenny Slate here - was she sick or just not included?
Overall, best show of the season thus far (just ahead of Ryan Reynolds') and hopefully it signals an improvement for the rest of the season to come.
7.5/10
NEXT WEEK - Mad Men's January Jones takes to the stage. Should be interesting!
Cold Open - Finally! A Fox News sketch! How the folks at Fox News aren't the subject of the cold open every week is beyond me, but we did get to see them this week & it was fitfully hilarious! Kristen Wiig played Greta Van Susteren impeccably well, while Bobby Moynihan, Will Forte, Bill Hader & Fred Armisen played Karl Rove, Britt Hume, Shepard Smith and the lone Democrat respectively. The topic for discussion? The end of the Obama era, of course. It was all very funny, but what really upped the ante of hilarity was Jason Sudeikis as Glenn Beck. The resemblance is almost uncanny and Jason does a terrific job as Beck particularly the walking off camera while nodding incessantly bit. Great start to the show.
8/10
Monologue - So, the adorable Taylor Swift opened her show with an adorable monologue song entitled "Monologue Song (La La La)". So, while it wasn't hilarious, it was so ridiculously catchy that all is forgiven. I did like the mentions of Joe Jonas and Taylor Lautner, and rejoiced at the fact that Kanye West was barely mentioned at all. Nice start.
8/10
Swine Fever - Finally, a commercial parody that made me laugh. I really liked the premise of the sketch and I thought that it was realistic yet ridiculous enough to laugh at (unlike say the ghetto champagne thing from a few weeks ago).
7.5/10
The View - So, this was yet another installment of The View starring Taylor Swift as Kate Gosselin and introducing Nasim Pedrad's impression of Barbara Walters. Not a lot to say on this one. I usually enjoy these ones, but the presence of Kate Gosselin kinda ruined it for me and the fact that Taylor's impression was pretty weak only served to further stilt it. However, props to Nasim who along with Kenan anchored the sketch. Was her Walters as good as Michaela Watkins'? No, but she did a decent enough job and had some of the best lines.
6/10
SNL Digital Short - Loved it! Best Twilight parody yet? I think so. Shot brilliantly and the make-up was terrific. Bill Hader did an awesome job (first of many awesome jobs tonight) and I definitely think this was the best digital short of the season.
8/10
Hollywood Dish - So this was sort of a take-off of shows like E! and Access Hollywood, and starred Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as vapid celebrity reporters chatting to Taylor Swift. As someone who lists these shows as a guilty pleasure, I thought this sketch was dead-on. Bill Hader, in particular was hilarious and his spit-take was perhaps the best spit-take I've ever borne witness to. I can testify that Ellen joining the judging panel of American Idol is at the epicentre of these presenters' minds. Taylor did a good job here, and I particularly loved the end where they showed her laughing maniacally.
8/10
TRAAAPD - So this was another commercial or PSA, this time about dangerous parent drivers. Taylor Swift played a headgear-wearing teenager Samantha Samuels who wants to raise awareness about irresponsible drivers. The sketch basically featured tons of scenarios in which parents can drive dangerously i.e driving while lecturing, driving while getting a tissue from the back seat. While I could relate to some of the scenarios, I thought that the sketch was a little lame on the whole.
6/10
Weekend Update - So here's something weird. I don't remember a single joke from Weekend Update. Usually I remember like three ones that made me laugh a lot. Maybe it's because it's Monday or maybe it's the calibre of the jokes, but I remember exactly zero. I remember laughing, but I don't remember at what. The one thing that really stands out for me is Abby Elliott's appearance as the insufferable Sarah McLachlan, and of course Really!?!, which by Really?!?'s standards was kinda weak. Not good WU. Not good.
6/10
Penelope - So here's a Wiig character that I am over. Penelope's at a wedding reception, Penelope gets uber-competitive, turns out Penelope is telling the truth - you get the gist. One moment I did laugh at was when Penelope ran in between the groom and bride and held both their hands. Other than that, pretty weak.
5.5/10
Scared Straight - So this was a complete deja-vu for me, down to the cast breaking at the end. They broke at all the same moments as the Tracy Morgan one (which was funnier), and the jokes were all pretty much the same. ("I'm pretty sure that's a movie!" "Sit yo' ass down!") This was probably the worst sketch for Taylor in that she could not play a man. The jail rape innuendos are kinda growing old now too. I will say that Kenan always does a great job here, but maybe it's time to put this sketch to sleep?
5.5/10
Roommates - So this was nice and refreshing, and a really nice vehicle for Nasim & Taylor. They played roommates who are pretty much obsessed with one another, much to the detriment of Nasim's boyfriend, played by Andy Samberg. The thing I loved was the big spiel that the word "hey" inspired. "BRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACK". The girls did really well here, particularly Nasim, and Andy did well as the exasperated boyfriend.
7.5/10
Bunny Business - Is it weird that this was my absolute favourite of the night? I love impression-oriented sketches and this made my night. From Fred Armisen's Randy Newman, to Taylor Swift's Shakira (high-larious!), to Abby Elliott's Christina Aguilera and Bill Hader's Eddie Vedder (which actually made me howl! Anyone with an Into The Wild soundtrack will no how uncanny it was!) to Samberg's Adam Duritz to Kenan's Jennifer Hudson - everyone brought their a-game and for a final sketch, this one was pretty darned good.
9/10
Overall -
So, do I think that Taylor Swift is a terrifically talented comic actress? No. But do I think she did the best job of anyone this season? Yes! She brought an infectious enthusiasm and overall game-ness which has been absent from the other hosts this season, and which improved the quality of the show and the cast's performances. One thing I have to remember is that Taylor Swift is NINETEEN and NOT an actress by day, and she fit in so seamlessly with the cast and was a complete pro.
I feel like all the cast did a great job, but MVP of the episode has to go to Bill Hader who was just hysterical in all the sketches and elevated them to a higher level. More of this every week, writers!
Props to Nasim Pedrad too, who showed me why she's there. After her Charlyne Yi impression sounded the exact same as her Kathy Griffin impression, I was beginning to have my doubts, but girl proved me wrong!
A conspicuous lack of Jenny Slate here - was she sick or just not included?
Overall, best show of the season thus far (just ahead of Ryan Reynolds') and hopefully it signals an improvement for the rest of the season to come.
7.5/10
NEXT WEEK - Mad Men's January Jones takes to the stage. Should be interesting!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Thoughts on Tonight's SNL!
Please post your thoughts on the show right after it's aired!
Favourite sketch, least favourite sketch, surprise cameos, how the lovely Taylor fared - I want to hear it all!
Comment, comment, comment!
Favourite sketch, least favourite sketch, surprise cameos, how the lovely Taylor fared - I want to hear it all!
Comment, comment, comment!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Taylor Swift Promo with Kristen Wiig
How do you think Taylor is shaping up as a host? Do you have high/low expectations?
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Taylor Swift Promo
This week's promo for SNL!
I gotta say I'm pretty excited! BTW Taylor, diggin' the cute argyle cardigan!
I gotta say I'm pretty excited! BTW Taylor, diggin' the cute argyle cardigan!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner AND Kellan Lutz to Host SNL
Well, no. But it COULD have happened, and who knows, still could!
In a report about how Robert Pattinson is supposedly threatened by his co-stars' success, a source says that Robert Pattinson was approached to host SNL - but with his Twilight co-stars Kellan Lutz and Taylor Lautner. The source alleges that Pattinson was initially excited at the prospect of hosting SNL but refused upon hearing that he would have to share the spotlight.
I don't know whether to believe this or not, but if true, I think it was kind of a smart ploy on behalf of the SNL producers. They probably anticipated each of the Twilight dudes being kinda horrible on their own, and wanted to cover their bases by having three of them host - an idea that greatly interests me.
What do you think? Would you like to see all three Twilight dudes host? Do you think this is true? What do you think the possibilities of it happening are?
In a report about how Robert Pattinson is supposedly threatened by his co-stars' success, a source says that Robert Pattinson was approached to host SNL - but with his Twilight co-stars Kellan Lutz and Taylor Lautner. The source alleges that Pattinson was initially excited at the prospect of hosting SNL but refused upon hearing that he would have to share the spotlight.
I don't know whether to believe this or not, but if true, I think it was kind of a smart ploy on behalf of the SNL producers. They probably anticipated each of the Twilight dudes being kinda horrible on their own, and wanted to cover their bases by having three of them host - an idea that greatly interests me.
What do you think? Would you like to see all three Twilight dudes host? Do you think this is true? What do you think the possibilities of it happening are?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Joseph Gordon Levitt Video
Check out how super-excited Joseph Gordon Levitt is to be hosting SNL!
!! SNL 11/21 !! from hitRECord Joe on Vimeo.
Friday, October 30, 2009
January Jones & Joseph Gordon Levitt To Host!
Firstly - Robert Pattinson's not hosting SNL, at least in November! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Yes, the November hosts for SNL have being revealed and they're kinda shocking choices.
Thoughts? January Jones is a terrific actress as anyone who watches Mad Men will know. Betty Draper has displayed basically no sense of humour throughout the series so it's hard to know how January Jones will fare. But I don't remember thinking Jon Hamm would be a barrel of laughs & look how that turned out!
Joseph Gordon Levitt is an excellent choice. The guy looks like he could be a lot of fun and a JGL and Hall & Oates sketch is surely in the works (anyone who has seen (500) Days of Summer will know what I'm talking about!)
Black Eyed Peas - yay! I'm really feeling their latest album. I mean, Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling are some of the songs of '09, love 'em or hate 'em.
http://www.thewrap.com/article/saturday-night-live-announces-november-hosts-9438
What do you think about these hosting choices? Overwhelmed or underwhelmed? How do you think Jones & Levitt will fare in the world of sketch comedy?
Comment, comment, comment!
Yes, the November hosts for SNL have being revealed and they're kinda shocking choices.
- November 7 sees Taylor Swift take to the stage as host and musical guest.
- November 14 sees Mad Men star January Jones host with musical guests Black Eyed Peas.
- Finally, November 21 sees the adorable Joseph Gordon Levitt hosting with musical guest Dave Matthews Band.
Thoughts? January Jones is a terrific actress as anyone who watches Mad Men will know. Betty Draper has displayed basically no sense of humour throughout the series so it's hard to know how January Jones will fare. But I don't remember thinking Jon Hamm would be a barrel of laughs & look how that turned out!
Joseph Gordon Levitt is an excellent choice. The guy looks like he could be a lot of fun and a JGL and Hall & Oates sketch is surely in the works (anyone who has seen (500) Days of Summer will know what I'm talking about!)
Black Eyed Peas - yay! I'm really feeling their latest album. I mean, Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling are some of the songs of '09, love 'em or hate 'em.
http://www.thewrap.com/article/saturday-night-live-announces-november-hosts-9438
What do you think about these hosting choices? Overwhelmed or underwhelmed? How do you think Jones & Levitt will fare in the world of sketch comedy?
Comment, comment, comment!
Fred's Blog Updated!
Fred's Blog has been updated on the NBC SNL website. The blogs feature photos from behind-the-scenes at SNL - this week, the blogs discuss the Drew Barrymore/Regina Spektor episode and the Gerard Butler/Shakira episode.
There's even a short video of Akiva Schaffer playing those magic thumb things that were the subject of Drew Barrymore's digital short!
Check it out here -
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/backstage/
There's even a short video of Akiva Schaffer playing those magic thumb things that were the subject of Drew Barrymore's digital short!
Check it out here -
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/backstage/
Monday, October 26, 2009
Kenan Thompson on Jenny Slate Post-F-Word Fiasco
Check out this short & sweet article on what Kenan Thompson had to say about his co-star's slip-up during her first ever show, and how Andy Samberg delicately broached the topic during a Monday pitch meeting.
http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/10/26/snl_s_jenny_slate_doing_fine_after_f_bom
http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/10/26/snl_s_jenny_slate_doing_fine_after_f_bom
Fred Armisen Marries Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Moss' rep has confirmed that she & Fred Armisen exchanged nuptials yesterday at The Foundry in Long Island City. Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Jon Hamm's hosting stint, the day the pair first met.
Congratulations to the newly married couple!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Gerard Butler/Shakira - Review
Cold Open - Vast improvement on the last few weeks. Here Dwayne Johnson reprised his The Rock Obama character & finally we saw a semblance of comedy in the cold open. Of course the premise was that Obama was very mad with the Senators namely Olympia Snowe, Max Baucus & someone else. I liked seeing Jenny Slate with a starring role - note the resemblance between Senator Snow & Slate is uncanny. Perhaps the caveman shtick got a little old, but nice open.
8/10
Monologue - Nice open. Love seeing an old song & dance in the monologue. Lot of fun & Gerard Butler really highlighted his lack of singing ability!
7.5/10
Grand Hoochie Skank Rose - Oh dear, are we in 1995? Because if we're not, then a sketch called Grand Hoochie Skank Rose has no place on the show.
4/10
ESPN: Randy & Greg -So I know a lot of people really liked the character of Greg. I'm not really feeling this one, but nobody can deny what a tour-de-force performance Bill Hader gives as Greg the sports host who so is an alien, no matter what his co-host Randy says. I did like the ending with Greg charging the camera, but overall not really my thing.
6/10
Beauty And The Beast - I liked this one a lot & thought it was far better and funnier than the Aladdin/Jasmine sketch from the Rosario Dawson-hosted show. The premise was that The Beast (Butler) thought that he was the Beauty because Belle (Wiig) didn't have a big enough booty. I loved Belle's nasally singing voice and the household objects, particularly Lumiere who despite being a candelabra does menorahs sometimes. Nicely executed & original.
7.5/10
Weekend Update - I loved WU if only for Two Gays Guys from New Jersey which killed. Major kudos to Fred Armisen & Bill Hader who are naturally stationed at Fort Dix - oh! I have to admit that I did like the Colorado Balloon talking to Seth, and the little bit with Gerard Butler speaking Scottish lingo was pretty well-done. With jokes this week, I thought they were really sharp and hilarious.
Favourites -
"I think we've finally reached the point in our society where 'celebrity' just means 'mammal.'"
"Jokes on them, we don't have $2 million."
Snow warned Thursday that while she crossed party lines to vote for the new health care bill in committee, that doesn't mean that she will vote for it when it reaches the Senate floor, adding 'Come on guys, chase me!'"
Kristen Wiig's bit made me laugh but the premise was a little too thin. Also, did she lose it about half way through when she was turning her head? And "Thanks for coming." Yeah, I'm immature.
8/10
300 - Don't Ask, Don't Tell - Wow SNL really surprised me with a sketch suggesting how truly gay 300 was. (In case you can't tell I'm being sarcastic). The only words that spring to mind are "obvious" and "easy". Only person who made me laugh at all was Jason Sudeikis and that was down to his delivery not what he was saying.
Best line - "Are you asking for yourself or a friend?"
5.5/10
What Up With That? - So this was hilarious if only for Jason Sudeikis dancing (boy has some major dancing skills - anyone else remember The First Person in The History of The World to Dance?) The premise was that Kenan Thompson was the host of a current affairs/issues show but he was a soul singer that could not stop singing - ooh wee! Now that song is one of the most catchy songs I've ever heard and has been in my head ever since. Jenny Slate & Nasim Pedrad were back-up singers while Bill Hader, Abby Elliott & James Franco (OMG, hi James Franco - those pants are weird but your hair is mighty fine!) were the guests. Gerard Butler played Kenan's white counterpart and Kristen Wiig came in dancing with a tennis racket, I think? But this was all about Jason Sudeikis & his fly dancing, and Kenan Thompson for a tour-de-force musical performance.
8/10
"Thomas!" - I don't know what this was. Admittedly, something about the way Wiig says "Thomas" as she's exiting a room is hilarious to me but this sketch must have been written at 4am. The cottage cheese. the bit with the pen? I don't even know.
4/10
Daveheart - Wow, really playing up to Butler's Scottishness. Typical last sketch of the night. This was Braveheart's cowardly brother Daveheart who is basically a major wuss. And that's hilarious? I don't know.
5/10
OVERALL -
Gerard Butler exceeded my expectations, and he seemed like a really good sport. I would have liked to have seen him as the star of more sketches - kinda felt like a Ryan Reynolds situation again. I feel the show was more grounded this week and so I'm hoping that this means the writers are getting back into the flow of things. Glad to see Bill Hader get more airtime this week as with and I have to give credit to Kenan Thompson who successfully anchored two of the better sketches of the night. People complain about Kenan - indeed I have - but he is a consummate performer and a career in hosting surely awaits after his tenure on SNL.
Not seeing enough of Slate, Pedrad & Elliott, so I'm really hoping that they get their chance to shine sometime soon.
Better show than last week's but still a way to go until we reach the heights of last season.
7/10
Stray Observations -
8/10
Monologue - Nice open. Love seeing an old song & dance in the monologue. Lot of fun & Gerard Butler really highlighted his lack of singing ability!
7.5/10
Grand Hoochie Skank Rose - Oh dear, are we in 1995? Because if we're not, then a sketch called Grand Hoochie Skank Rose has no place on the show.
4/10
ESPN: Randy & Greg -So I know a lot of people really liked the character of Greg. I'm not really feeling this one, but nobody can deny what a tour-de-force performance Bill Hader gives as Greg the sports host who so is an alien, no matter what his co-host Randy says. I did like the ending with Greg charging the camera, but overall not really my thing.
6/10
Beauty And The Beast - I liked this one a lot & thought it was far better and funnier than the Aladdin/Jasmine sketch from the Rosario Dawson-hosted show. The premise was that The Beast (Butler) thought that he was the Beauty because Belle (Wiig) didn't have a big enough booty. I loved Belle's nasally singing voice and the household objects, particularly Lumiere who despite being a candelabra does menorahs sometimes. Nicely executed & original.
7.5/10
Weekend Update - I loved WU if only for Two Gays Guys from New Jersey which killed. Major kudos to Fred Armisen & Bill Hader who are naturally stationed at Fort Dix - oh! I have to admit that I did like the Colorado Balloon talking to Seth, and the little bit with Gerard Butler speaking Scottish lingo was pretty well-done. With jokes this week, I thought they were really sharp and hilarious.
Favourites -
"I think we've finally reached the point in our society where 'celebrity' just means 'mammal.'"
"Jokes on them, we don't have $2 million."
Snow warned Thursday that while she crossed party lines to vote for the new health care bill in committee, that doesn't mean that she will vote for it when it reaches the Senate floor, adding 'Come on guys, chase me!'"
Kristen Wiig's bit made me laugh but the premise was a little too thin. Also, did she lose it about half way through when she was turning her head? And "Thanks for coming." Yeah, I'm immature.
8/10
300 - Don't Ask, Don't Tell - Wow SNL really surprised me with a sketch suggesting how truly gay 300 was. (In case you can't tell I'm being sarcastic). The only words that spring to mind are "obvious" and "easy". Only person who made me laugh at all was Jason Sudeikis and that was down to his delivery not what he was saying.
Best line - "Are you asking for yourself or a friend?"
5.5/10
What Up With That? - So this was hilarious if only for Jason Sudeikis dancing (boy has some major dancing skills - anyone else remember The First Person in The History of The World to Dance?) The premise was that Kenan Thompson was the host of a current affairs/issues show but he was a soul singer that could not stop singing - ooh wee! Now that song is one of the most catchy songs I've ever heard and has been in my head ever since. Jenny Slate & Nasim Pedrad were back-up singers while Bill Hader, Abby Elliott & James Franco (OMG, hi James Franco - those pants are weird but your hair is mighty fine!) were the guests. Gerard Butler played Kenan's white counterpart and Kristen Wiig came in dancing with a tennis racket, I think? But this was all about Jason Sudeikis & his fly dancing, and Kenan Thompson for a tour-de-force musical performance.
8/10
"Thomas!" - I don't know what this was. Admittedly, something about the way Wiig says "Thomas" as she's exiting a room is hilarious to me but this sketch must have been written at 4am. The cottage cheese. the bit with the pen? I don't even know.
4/10
Daveheart - Wow, really playing up to Butler's Scottishness. Typical last sketch of the night. This was Braveheart's cowardly brother Daveheart who is basically a major wuss. And that's hilarious? I don't know.
5/10
OVERALL -
Gerard Butler exceeded my expectations, and he seemed like a really good sport. I would have liked to have seen him as the star of more sketches - kinda felt like a Ryan Reynolds situation again. I feel the show was more grounded this week and so I'm hoping that this means the writers are getting back into the flow of things. Glad to see Bill Hader get more airtime this week as with and I have to give credit to Kenan Thompson who successfully anchored two of the better sketches of the night. People complain about Kenan - indeed I have - but he is a consummate performer and a career in hosting surely awaits after his tenure on SNL.
Not seeing enough of Slate, Pedrad & Elliott, so I'm really hoping that they get their chance to shine sometime soon.
Better show than last week's but still a way to go until we reach the heights of last season.
7/10
Stray Observations -
- It's really great seeing you James Franco, but umm, why are you here?
- The blooper with Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon & Sean Hayes - hilarious! Bloopers every week!
- No Andy Samberg!
- If Beauty and The Beast is ever revived on Broadway, Bill Hader needs to play Lumiere.
- Umm, you've got some enormous man thighs Gerard Butler.
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