I haven’t written a review of Saturday Night Live this season since the Megan Fox season premiere. Mostly for no reason other than I haven’t been home on Saturday nights (sad face tonight). So with the Kristen Wiig Counter in full effect, let’s begin…
Back in the day, but not the Bronx days...
We Are the World 3 Benefit for We Are the World 2 Disaster (Cold Open)
By far, one of the best cold opens in a while, mostly because I agreed with it (and was equally late on the criticism). Wiig Counter: 1
Jennifer Lopez’s Monologue
I was surprised at how hot J-Lo looked. I wasn’t surprised that the audience response wasn’t that warm.
ESPN Classic – Ladies Curling
One of Will Forte’s best characters is Greg Stink. Come to think of it – it is his best, because I can’t think of any others. Wiig Counter: 2
Digital Short – Flags of the World
Awesome and requires repeated viewings. Especially to figure out the “I like to hit people with my car” subtitle. And also because of adorable Abby Elliott. Will post as soon as available.
Hollywood Dish
I’m not too into this bit normally, but this one had its moments. And none of those moments belonged to J-Lo. (Spit take was a win. Also, the “I like to hit people with my car” subtitle finally makes sense!) Wiig Counter: 3
Telemundo Olympic Coverage
For the record, Jenny Slate’s Spanish accent is muy terrible. Lopez and Fred Armison’s reaction to the “unfinished” ski jump was pretty funny, as was their reaction to people living in Vancouver, and curling not being shuffleboard. Bobby Moynihan as a man-child armed with a pie earns this skit bonus points.
Undercover Celebrity Boss
I love the original show, and this was a clever riff. Wiig Counter: 4
Lopez’s First Performance
Usually I approve of singers (and athletes and politicians) playing Actors! on SNL, but the other way is indulgent. Couple that with the fact that despite having a few “hits” under her belt, I will never consider Jenny from the Block an actual musician. She’s an Actor! that sings (pitchy on the high notes), and even though she was better than, say, Ashley Simpson, merely by singing live, that didn’t stop her label from dropping her… only two days ago.
(SIDENOTE: Kudos to her performing despite that fact. Double kudos to her ass hopefully keeping Kim Kardashian’s buxom behind as far away from this show as possible.)
BTW… fuck NBC for their Tonight Show with Jay Leno ads. This one, I approve:
Weekend Update
Some of the jokes were pretty easy, but aren’t they always? Something not as easy – for Armison’s (blind New York governor) David Patterson impersonation, they have to hold his cue cards off to the side to complete his “wonky eye” effect.
Univision’s Besos Y Lagrimas
Or in English, “Kisses and Tears” (don’t be impressed – I Babelfished it). It was as over-the-top as I would have expected, and did expect. As is the tradition with these type of skits. (It is a thirty-five year old show after all. Not that thirty-five is that old…) Wiig Counter: 5
Romance in the Copy Room
Despite being frowned upon by the masses – and even by me at times – Kenan Thompson has a few fun characters in his repertoire. This is his second best after What Up Wit’ Dat? The sliding in and out works quite well.
Lopez’s Second Performance
All I can think about during this performance is the fact that her comeback song was supposed to be Louboutins (a song about shoes) and how she fell during her first performance of it at the AMA’s. A weird feeling is coming over me while watching her sing. Is it pity? Is it compassion? I think it’s hunger.
Smashmouth Attacks!
Bravo! The best of the night, at least as far as ideas go. I have to wonder if Nasim Pedrad wrote this bit, and if she did, she needs to write more. Oops on the boom microphone in the shot.
Car Horns and More
When I was a kid, my sibs and I made an audio tape version of SNL (because we did not have a camcorder, you see). This is the type of skit we made. Doesn’t mean I didn’t smile.
Closet Organizer
Was this a new commercial? No. They showed it, like, an episode or two ago. Wiig Counter: 6 (barely)
FINAL DECISION: I’d rank this somewhere between January Jones and Charles Barkley’s appearances. And I’m surprised I didn’t hate on the Wedding Planner that much.
TV IS MY IV 