Jeff "Jmunney" Malone's Self-Styled "Expert" Thoughts on Movies, TV, Music, and the Rest of Pop Culture
November 20, 2012
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Jeremy Renner, Maroon 5, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 38, SNL, SNL Season 38 Leave a comment
My feelings about erotic asphyxiation have always been complicated.
Cold Opening – Booknotes
Reading sexually explicit exploits in a matter-of-fact, calm tone – that’s how you do it. Also, thanks for the shit-faced grin on Fred Armisen’s face. B
Jeremy Renner’s Monologue
Wow. Most awkward monologue ever? Not bad considering. B-
November 11, 2012
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If you wanted a house of representatives, you built one yourself.
Cold Opening – Mitt Romney’s House
I chuckled at Mitt telling America that it hurt his feelings “very, very much.” What was up with the heart forming around the scene and then going away before the scene ended? B-
Anne Hathaway’s Monologue
Another singing monologue?! Well, Anne’s a good singer. And the entire cast was involved! That actually makes it all better. I couldn’t quite make out the lyrics while they were all singing at the end, but it definitely came together quite nicely. B+
November 4, 2012
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Cold Opening – Michael Bloomberg Press Conference
The SNL sketch about the response to Frankenstorm Sandy is about … Mayor Bloomberg’s vendetta against sugary sodas and trans fats? That’s kind of funny, in a bizarre way. Bobby’s Christie sounded like just a Joisey tough guy, which was disappointing because Christie does have a distinctive voice. But he did get the attitude right. B-
Louis C.K.’s Monologue
Louie in all black – the classic Louie getup. As far as I know, Louie is the best stand-up comedian working today, so he could have chosen any bit from his current material to make this monologue work. I don’t think the old lady at the airport was his best routine, but it did feature some classic moments, particularly Louie’s explanation that he “can’t switch” to not helping the old lady after he has already started helping her and the moment she points at him and declares, “I shall never forget you.” A-
October 21, 2012
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Bruno Mars, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 38, SNL, SNL Season 38 Leave a comment
Cold Opening – Town Hall Debate
Right from the get-go, everyone was rearing to go, and I could just feel that we were finally going to get a political sketch this year that hit all the right beats. The Romney-Obama sniping was palpable (“I am not your friend”, “Candy, is he bothering you?”, “I’m about to cut you”), Aidy Bryant delivered as Candy Crowley in the first big role of her SNL career, and the Long Island milieu was right in place (particularly Bobby as the ass-kicker in the Giants jacket). Then Obama dropped his mic and wiped dirt off his shoulders, and I just about lost it. A
Bruno Mars’ Monologue
Ignoring everything else for a moment, the song was all right, I guess, and of course Bruno Mars has a great voice. But this monologue was about Bruno Mars asking why he was chosen to host SNL. So he brought up that question, acted like he was going to answer t, and then … he didn’t answer it. (What was the point of Kenan’s appearance?) C
October 14, 2012
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Christina Applegate, Passion Pit, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 38, SNL, SNL Season 38 2 Comments
Cold Opening – Vice Presidential Debate
Couldn’t this have just been Biden saying, “Oh boy, here we go,” the whole time? B
Christina Applegate’s Monologue
I liked the part with the “Fruppets” and Dane Cook, though in general this was pretty stupid. C+
Gillette
I would have enjoyed this if it were just a shot-for-shot recreation of the actual Gillette commercials for the sake of seeing Taran, Fred, and Jay riff on being Adrien Brody, Gael García Bernal, and André 3000. And then Jerry Sandusky showed up. And it was … strange. B+
October 7, 2012
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Cold Opening – Debate
I admired the tactic that they chose of Obama being distracted by forgetting his anniversary and the elevation. But the execution didn’t match the premise. B
Daniel Craig’s Monologue
I admired this premise of an unusual monologue and appreciated Craig’s enthusiasm. But the pacing was bizarrely off. Didn’t he kill anyone in Layer Cake? B
Construction Workers
Oftentimes in scenes in which someone has trouble with saucy language, the joke is that he is unfamiliar with the subject. But Craig’s character seemed familiar with lady parts; it’s just that his phrases were so strangely arranged. It was something to make someone with a love of language swoon. Bobby’s face was hilariously frozen in response to one of Craig’s lines. The flashback to Dad getting shot was incredible. B+
September 26, 2012
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Cold Opening – Live! with Kelly and Michael
That was a solid Michael Strahan. Is it true that every era of Live! gets the SNL parody it deserves? B-
Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Monologue
A Magic Mike-based routine is timely-ish, I suppose. I am a straight male, but I still find something worth admiring in the beefcake. B-
Low-Information Voters of America
Random Asian person sighting! No, but seriously, this commercial went into full-on Winning[!] territory when it embraced the silly with questions like “What is oil?” and “Where’s my power cord?” B+
September 16, 2012
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I was saying TTYL to my innocence.
SNL returns for Season 38. It’s an election season (which should be good?). Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg, and Abby Elliott are out; Aidy Bryant, Tim Robinson, and Cecily Strong are in.
Cold Opening – Democratic Rally
Classy (and kind of funny) move from Fred handing off the Obama impression to Jay. (Let me just say I would love it if they both played Obama this season.) Jason has got to be thanking Mitt for providing him with all these gaffes to make up for the lack of an impressionable voice. The Paul Ryan numbers joke was so right on the money. B+
Montage
Still pictures?! I’ll have to get used to that. It was time for a change, and they do look cool.
May 20, 2012
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Cold Opening – The Lawrence Welk Show
I will usually make note – if not outright criticize – a recurring sketch when we know exactly where it is going, but I will often concede that there may be audience members who are seeing this sketch for the first time and will find it perfectly amusing, having no idea about the repetition. But the Lawrence Welk Show sketches are so popular by now that I think most viewers knew what was coming. Luckily, Jon Hamm was fully committed to his unusual character, and Wiig went even further than she usually does, getting a little too close for comfort with Hamm and that statue fountain. And it actually ended with Dooneese hooking up with the male singer, so that was different. B
Mick Jagger’s Monologue
It looks like Mick Jagger. Let’s not kick him to the curb. Simply put, Mick seemed to just be himself for the monologue. His answers to those FAQ’s weren’t hilarious, but they felt like a fun conversation. It’s nice to know that Mick’s cognitive faculties are still intact, as that has not always been clear during his performances the last few years. B+
May 14, 2012
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Cold Opening – Biden’s Room
Biden’s presence in political sketches the past few seasons has generally worked in SNL‘s favor, as he brings a silly energy that tends to mix up the staid formula that has set in for most recent political sketches. Biden’s starring role – along with Will’s goofy-at-a-Hall-of-Fame-level Dubya – set the tone for an episode that was at its best when it was seriously silly. B+
Will Ferrell’s Monologue
The cue card gag was on a par with Steve Martin saying, “Line?” at the end of the Not Gonna Phone It In Tonight cold open. Will Ferrell and Mom = Will Ferrell and emotions, which is always a formula for at least some success. B
One-a-Day Extra Strength Nasaflu
Well, one doesn’t really need any reason to listen to Will Ferrell scream-sneeze, but it would have been nice to have more of a sketch built around it. B
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