December 15, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
John Goodman, Kings of Leon, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39
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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December 8, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Bill Brasky, One Direction, Paul Rudd, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39
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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November 24, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Haim, Josh Hutcherson, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39
He had a real peaceful look on his face before he exploded.
Piers Morgan Live
It would have been nice if in addition to showcasing whatever they wanted to showcase what was in the news this week, they also put Taran’s Piers Morgan to greater use. C
Josh Hutcherson’s Monologue
Having seen The Hunger Games made all the beats of this monologue super obvious. The key party business was interesting, though. C
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November 17, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Lady GaGa, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39
Death, please.
CBC News Toronto
I haven’t been following the Rob Ford circus very closely, so I don’t know how much this sketch was referring to actual moments or not. Either way, it all felt rather perfunctory. Where this sketch succeeded was when it fully embraced cheesy “Canadian” humor (a Boxing Day ham), which I guess is acceptable, because Rob Ford’s accent is about as thick as a Canuck’s can get. B-
Lady GaGa’s Monologue
Did they want it to be that obvious how fake the audience interactions were, even considering that it was cast members playing the audience? C+
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November 3, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Eminem, Kerry Washington, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39
But who will play Miley?
Oval Office
Good on SNL for addressing this issue and being essentially clever about it, but it was kind of a catch-22 if the show was going to be the one addressing it. So Al Sharpton’s assurance that nothing was learned was the only way to end it. B+
Kerry Washington’s Monologue
I didn’t even blink when Bobby called Kerry “Olivia.” Predictable. Amusing enough. B-
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October 27, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39
This time they’ll have to arrest me for generosity.
A Message from the Department of Health and Human Services
This was okay, I guess, but it was the same sort of “the Internet is confusing!” jokes that have been going around for the past 20 years, and that was only underscored by the Encarta and AOL gags. C+
Edward Norton’s Monologue
This was well-intentioned, but the good stuff was either small-scale (13-year Method preparation), familiar (training from a veteran host), or incomplete (Miley’s appearance). Good impressions, though. B-
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October 13, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Bruce Willis, Katy Perry, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39
NASA Shutdown
Clever and timely, on two counts. It unfortunately pales in comparison to last week’s “We Did Stop,” but that is a lofty standard. This solid track record so far suggests there will be plenty of laughs for SNL to wring out of the government shutdown. B+
Bruce Willis’ Monologue
Bizarrely unmemorable. I guess Bruce REALLY didn’t want to do anything else except play the harmonica, or Bobby REALLY wanted to play with him. C
24-Hour Energy for Dating Actresses
And with an absolutely (purposefully) awful gag, Kyle Mooney sneaks in the best line! B-
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October 6, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Miley Cyrus, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39
VMA’s Backstage
Some of the lines were perfectly obvious, but the apocalyptic framing device added cleverness. And, boy oh boy, do Vanessa!Miley and Real Miley have quite a nice rapport. B+
Miley Cyrus’s Monologue
Thank GOD that promise of no twerking turned out to be false. B-
50 Shades of Grey Screen Tests
It looks like Noël Wells is already well on our way to inheriting the prolific impressionist mantle from Phil Hartman and Bill Hader. But Taran’s Christoph Waltz won this round. Not as good as the Back to the Future screen tests, but better than Top Gun. B+
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September 29, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Arcade Fire, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 39, SNL, SNL Season 39, Tina Fey
They’re all just twerkin’ 9 to 5.
Obama Press Conference
With all the guests that Obama was bringing on to tell their stories, I thought this was going to be one of those every-cast-member-appears sketches, what with the huge cast and all. But it ended up only covering about 60%. There seemed to be a fair amount of applause for Beck Bennett – did people recognize him from the AT&T commercials? Or was that just premature applause for Aaron Paul? I had heard speculation that the cold opening would cover Ted Cruz, or maybe Breaking Bad – what do you know, they were both right! Cecily’s appearance here was the first of several times this episode I was upset we’ll never see her again as a guest on the Update desk, with the complaint of a broken iPhone 5S a rather Girl at a Party-esque problem. B-
Tina Fey’s Monologue
I like a well-crafted pun, delivered with conviction (or a terrible pun delivered with conviction), so Tina’s fake recurring characters were a quick delight. And I also like deconstruction, so Tina explaining that new cast members have to pay their dues as backup dancers to the host was better than just another plain old song and dance monologue. And those outfits made it clear that we are living in a post-Magic Mike world. B+
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May 19, 2013
jmunney
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television
Ben Affleck, Kanye West, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 38, SNL, SNL Season 38, Stefon
Cold Opening – Politics Nation
As far as I know, Al Sharpton has had only one recent major verbal gaffe, but that one gaffe has been enough to inspire a steady stream of malapropisms from Kenan Thompson’s Al Sharpton. That graph (or “grapha”) was ridiculous, but it was also kind of meaningful. Also, that Tea Party fellow deserved to be called out that way – the Founding Fathers don’t need people to dress up like them to honor them. B
Ben Affleck’s Monologue
The five-timers bit was essentially clever, but rather disappointing (for Ben’s sake). Ben and Jen really seem to love each other. B-
HBO First Look: Bengo F#*@ Yourself
“Pahk the cah in Hahvahd Yahd” – this is all so silly. B
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