SNL Recap January 25, 2014: Jonah Hill/Bastille

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Heterosexual Men’s Figure Skating Championships
Comedy based on stereotypes can work, but if it isn’t subversive, then it tends to perpetuate those stereotypes, intentionally or not.  It’s also just difficult to make it work as far as funny goes, because it tends to lack the element of surprise.  You have to do a really good job of playing the stereotype straight.  The performances were decent, but not spectacular.  The last routine was a little bit better than the others, in that it went beyond “stereotypical straight guy” material into “creepy guy” territory. C+

Jonah Hill’s Monologue
I was just thinking of how, in light of his Golden Globe win for Best Actor in a “Comedy,” Leo DiCaprio would make a great SNL host.  He would follow in a distinguished line of primarily dramatic actors whose dramatic chops can be effectively parlayed into comedy.  But he’s never seemed like he would be interested.  So, when everyone was asking Jonah about him, it was weird to be thinking, “So, Leo is here, right?”  This ended up being solid way of addressing an aspect of Jonah Hill’s personality – his self-seriousness as an AC-TOR – which is, I would argue, generally a better approach than addressing a single moment of the host’s life.  (Why does Taran keep making those noises at the end of his sentences as Brad Pitt?) B

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SNL Video Recap January 18, 2014: Drake

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SNL Recap January 18, 2014: Drake

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Interesting fact: That’s So 2 Chainz still holds the record for the Disney show with the most bleeps.

Piers Morgan Live
Opening sketches like these tend to really not quite work out, because there’s no good reason that Chris Christie, A. Rod, and Justin Bieber should all be covered in the same sketch beyond “they would all be covered by a news program.”  There’s no flow to it, just a sense of checking items off a list.  There were some funny moments (“What I lack in journalistic integrity…,” suing Jackie Robinson), but no cohesive whole. C+

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SNL Video Recap December 21, 2013: Jimmy Fallon/Justin Timberlake

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SNL Recap December 21, 2013: Jimmy Fallon/Justin Timberlake

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Wrappinville
I’m fine that we’re seeing JT again in less than a year, but not so much that we’re seeing another -ville sketch again so soon. I would have been fine with it if this edition were really good, but it wasn’t so much.  I had trouble making out all the lyrics.  Although maybe that was because I was tired. B-

Jimmy Fallon’s Monologue
Oh boy, here comes another musical monologue.  At least Jimmy is up to the task.  I liked the concept, but I think I would have preferred it if Jimmy had kept going on with his impressions in an increasingly difficult manner.  It was fine that Paul showed up, I suppose, but I think it would have worked better if that appearance had come later. B

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SNL Video Recap 12/14/13 John Goodman/Kings of Leon

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SNL Recap December 14, 2013: John Goodman/Kings of Leon

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If Drunk Uncle says it, I guess we never will be royals.

A Message from the President
This sketch was exemplary of how SNL really hasn’t had much of a satirical edge towards politics lately.  But that wasn’t exactly what this was going for, and you should really judge sketches on what they’re attempting, so that’s what I’ll do.  This was kind of a funny idea, but it was obvious what it was right away, and then it wasn’t anything more.  Doing the “Thriller” dance to mean “thrilled” was amusing, but other than that, not much of note happened. C+

John Goodman’s Monologue
Another musical monologue can be worth it if you do something unusual, and this was somewhat different, indeed different enough to not be predicted.  But it was reminiscent of David Alan Grier singing “let’s get butt naked in the White House,” which this wasn’t as good as. B-

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SNL Video Recap 12/7/13 Paul Rudd/One Direction

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SNL Recap December 7, 2013: Paul Rudd/One Direction

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The Sound of Music – Live and Condensed
Okay, SNL, you got me.  I was not expecting Dooneese to show up, nor indeed would I have been expecting to like her to show up if I thought she might. B+

Paul Rudd’s Monologue
Interesting to see Paul acknowledge how much he was overshadowed by the previous MG’s.  I guess it really was that obvious.  Oh, and most importantly, David Koechner has finally returned to the SNL stage!  He’s one of the best – if not the best – one-season cast members of all time.  “Why don’t you beat it, Menudo” was fairly well-trod territory, but Will Ferrell delivered it with such conviction. B

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SNL Video Recap 11/23/13 Josh Hutcherson/Haim

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