Zac Efron/Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Review

Cold Open : Sudeikis really saved this sketch. Though it was running on a pretty thin concept, his Biden impression elevated it. Not a whole lot to say on this one, except that I'm ready to see non-political cold opens again.
6/10

Monologue: Firstly, I loved Efron's entrance. Had to put that out there. I enjoyed his monologue, and his acknowledgement of his fanbase. Fred was hilarious here, and "Twifty" killed me. Nice opening which thankfully did not resort to an "ask the audience" theme.
8/10

The Today Show: So, I love these sketches even though I believe they are not the most popular. I just about died when Kathie Lee opened with a tasteless deaf impersonation. The sketch was well-written, but I thought that there was too much incessant talking at times, which made some funny lines go unnoticed. Zac Efron did a good job as Kathie Lee's attention seeking son, and Michaela Watkins was great as the exasperated Hoda Kotb.
7.5/10

Gilly : There's something about this character that just does not work. And it's not Wiig. Wiig was so animated as Gilly, and I could not fault her for the performance she gave. There's something demented and hilarious about Gilly, and the way she says "Sorry", but it's not enough to merit a recurring character. This sketch was better executed than the previous one, but it is not a character that needs to return. Props to all the cast members who did a good job, particularly Efron & Moynihan.
5/10

The Alliance of Direct Mail Marketers: I liked this sketch a lot. Honestly, it made me both laugh & think. It featured man-of-the-night Jason Sudeikis as the head of the alliance of direct mail marketers, explaining how the whole "junk mail" -or rather surprise mail -thing works. Funnier than expected, and Sudeikis deserves the credit.
8/10

Underage Drinking: This featured Zac Efron & Andy Samberg as minors in a bar. To Efron's horror, he discovers that the bar is filled with children drinking, proving that anyone can get served in there. The sketch ended with disgraced NY governor Eliot Spitzer (Bill Hader) walking on and announcing that underage drinking was a problem, with the caption being "Eliot Spitzer - one issue at a time." Funny sketch anyway with a great pay-off.
8/10

Weekend Update : Weekend Update was once again on top of its game, with funny jokes and good guest commentators. My favourite joke of the night was one where the punchline was a Chinese politican named Cowboy Baseball. The gay couple from New Jersey stopped by to comment on the recent legalisation of gay marriage in Vermont. Favourite line? "We like you better without the beard." "I never had a beard." "We meant Amy Poehler."
Next "Bitch, Please!" blogger Angie Tempora stopped by to deliver snarky comments on the latest movies. "The Haunting in Connecticut. What's scary about Connecticut, losing your tennis racket in Pottery Barn?" One of my favourite WU characters. So seedy, so hilarious.
Finally, Bon Jovi opposite band Jon Bovi stopped by. It is such a dumb concept when you think about it, but Forte and Sudeikis' dedication and enjoyment makes it so fun to watch.
9/10

High School Musical : Loved it! This was the only sketch that Efron really fronted all night, but he did a great job. Here Efron reprised his role of Troy Bolton, to explain to the graduating class that the outside world isn't like East High, and that people don't ordinarily sing and dance. The sketch also featured Walt Disney as an anti-semite. Yes, you read correctly.
9/10

Running Next To The Train: It was an odd concept, but I was glad to see Casey Wilson get to play a prominent role in a sketch. I thought she did an awesome job at playing the farmer's daughter desperate to keep up with her beau as he boarded a train. Bobby Moynihan also made a funny appearance as her mother. Well-written & well-executed.
8/10

Gino's Pizza Rolls Commercials : I really enjoyed this one. It featured Fred Armisen as an actress overacting as a mother in a pizza rolls commercial, screaming "I AM YOUR MOTHER!" when Efron's character suggested she was ordinarily a bad cook. Funnier than it sounds. Props to everyone involved, especially Fred who gave a great performance that only he could do.
8/10

Foot Rub : This once again featured Sudeikis as Efron's seedy older brother who is giving Efron some love advice. He suggests getting his girlfriend in the mood by giving her a foot massage. All this results in Sudeikis attempting to lick Efron's toes. Usually I don't like this sort of humour, but Sudeikis really brought it, and by the end I was dying with the laughter.
9/10

Overall:
Efron was left to play the straight man mostly tonight, but he played his straight characters with a sort of disdain and disgust that was quite funny. The cast really brought it tonight, but I think the credit really goes to Sudeikis who proved what an asset he is to the cast. While he may not be as versatile as Bill Hader or Fred Armisen, he plays the everyman with great skill and humour. While he is capable of doing impressions, he does not have to change his voice to change character, which is a skill in itself. So major kudos to Jason. I was disappointed at the conspicuous lack of Bill Hader, but he had a good show last week so I can't complain too much.
Overall, this was a major improvement on last week's show and while Efron may not have been hilarious, he was dedicated & up for virtually anything and I think he surpassed a lot of people's expectations.
7.5/10