Segments are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars
STAYIN’ ALIVE
“Stayin’ Alive” follows host as he wanders lost through the studio
— A very fun way to spoof an iconic scene in Saturday Night Fever.
— I love the subversions and variations on the joke, such as the song being sped-up when John is running, and the camera following the legs of someone who exits the bathroom, only to reveal it’s not John.
— This is starting to show signs of season 20’s terrible habit of running a single joke way too long, but there’s enough goodwill towards this fun idea that the repetition isn’t hurting it.
— One change I would’ve made is, when John took a few steps back to allow for scenery to come through, it would’ve been funnier if the Stayin’ Alive snippet that briefly played during that part was played in reverse.
STARS: ****
MONOLOGUE
host claims he wants to forget his old roles but relives them anyway
— A pretty corny but funny way for John to go through a succession of quick parodies of things from his career. He’s pulling this off well and is making the corny humor charming rather than groanworthy.
STARS: ***½
BATHROOM MONKEY
(JAG) talks glowingly about her Bathroom Monkey lavatory cleaner
— I love the very random concept of this, and it’s being executed very well.
— A particularly funny part about how when your bathroom monkey is used up, you can just throw it away and purchase another bathroom monkey in a box.
STARS: ****½
COFFEE TALK WITH LINDA RICHMAN
Linda welcomes a Barbra Streisand impersonator (host)
— Like I said about Stuart Smalley in my review of the preceding episode, it feels weird seeing a Coffee Talk sketch appearing this season. This (thankfully) ends up being the final installment during Mike’s tenure as a cast member (not counting when he hosts in season 22).
— Adding to the odd feeling of this Coffee Talk installment, Linda Richman’s wearing a completely different sweater for once. Even her hair looks longer than usual.
— Pretty fun performance from John.
— The whole Streisand impersonator premise is at least adding a bit of a different spin on the usual Coffee Talk concept.
— John’s performance is even making the Streisand medley somewhat more fun than it would normally be.
STARS: **½
DRACULA
Count Dracula (host) tries to convince (KEN) & (JAG) that he’s not gay
— I love John’s Dracula wheeling back into the scene to sneak up behind Kevin and Janeane, only to wheel right back out of the scene after hearing Kevin’s theory that Dracula is gay.
— This is the type of sketch that I would normally dismiss as typical groanworthy season 20 homophobia, but I feel this particular sketch is a fairly clever way for John to poke fun at rumors about his own sexuality. The reality subtext is making this sketch a lot more tolerable to me than it normally would be. It also helps that this sketch is airing in an episode that has put me in a very good mood so far.
— Dracula: “I am a man of many secrets, but humping a mental defective is not one of them.”
— The off-camera gay bat sex is another one of those gags that would normally be groanworthy to me, but something about Kevin’s delivery when he details the gay bat sex is cracking me up.
— Michael steals the sketch with his walk-on as a flamboyant wolfman.
STARS: ***½
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “Prayer For The Dying”
WEEKEND UPDATE
to CHF, the baseball strike is tragic because he can’t run on the field
Two Guys From A Religious Cult (DAS) & (ADS) give the weather report
— Oh my god at that insane chipper loud laugh heard from a female audience member in response to Norm’s joke about “the guy who attacked Monica Seles”.
— Feels odd seeing Farley do a commentary as himself at this point of his tenure.
— Farley’s straitlaced reminiscing of ridiculous things he’s done at baseball games is pretty funny.
— Not caring at all for this Two Guys From a Religious Cult commentary. Yet another tired “Sandler does a voice” bit this season, and the voice he’s using here is PARTICULARLY grating to me.
— We get our very first Weekend Update occurrence of Norm uttering the word “whore”, a word that he never fails to make hilarious with his delivery.
STARS: ***½
QUENTIN TARANTINO’S WELCOME BACK, KOTTER
Squiggy (David L. Lander) & Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) vs. brutal Sweathogs
— An absolutely fantastic concept.
— I love the opening title sequence.
— All of the impressions are very fun, especially David’s Horshack.
— Excellent Reservoir Dogs reference with Barbarino dancing with a knife.
— Lenny and Squiggy!
— Ha, now this has gotten even better with a Steve freakin’ Buscemi walk-on.
— Great ending.
— Overall, a classic and by far one of the top 3 best sketches of the entire season.
STARS: *****
WOMAN’S SELF DEFENSE CLASS
women’s self-defense class participants kick unprepared (CSE)’s genitals
— This is the first time we’re seeing most of the female cast members tonight, though considering this is season 20, that’s no surprise.
— Not caring for this at all. Just a one-joke bit to me.
— Terrible punchline with Elliott saying that after a while, he’s started to enjoy the crotch beatings.
— Overall, a poor waste of Chris Elliott.
STARS: *½
LARRY KING LIVE
Marlon Brando (host) exploits indulgent interview
— Hilarious initial visual of John as a bare-footed Marlon Brando.
— John’s Brando impression is very funny, and I’m loving all the weird things he’s having Kevin’s Larry King do during the interview.
— The “cookie-eating grin on your face” part gave me a huge laugh.
— I love Kevin’s Larry King still conducing the interview in a normal manner while so many ridiculous things are going on.
— Very funny culmination with Brando riding King, who’s on all fours.
STARS: ****½
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “Crazy”
OFFICE MATES
a small office causes co-workers (CHF) & (TIM) to yell at everybody
— Our first of MANY sketches this season centered entirely around Chris Farley screaming his dialogue for five damn minutes.
— Odd casting of Tim here, who seems out of place getting into a screaming match with the Screaming King of this season’s cast. Then again, maybe I should be happy Tim’s the one cast in this role, as I can’t imagine how even more unbearable Sandler would’ve made this sketch with his yelling had he played Tim’s role.
— I did get a laugh from Tim telling David “Get out, bitch!” and David immediately exiting the office in a hurry.
— Funny cutaway to Farley and Tim in a ridiculously gigantic office, but even THAT culminates in a dumb drawn-out ending with Farley and Tim just fighting for no reason for an extended amount of time.
STARS: *½
HEARING PROBLEM
a drug dealer’s (host) hearing difficulties lead to miscommunications
— Another example tonight of season 20’s habit of running a joke into the ground, but I’m actually finding this sketch funny. I know I’m in the minority in liking this sketch, but I can’t help cracking up at the various odd sentences that John thinks he hears, and I find this to be a pretty funny parody of when mobsters say variations of “Something must be wrong with my hearing” when they’re told something unacceptable.
— Even Adam getting into the hard-of-hearing thing is making me laugh.
— Hmm, Adam’s sudden loud goofy-voiced outburst before leaving (which was completely unnecessary for the tone of this sketch) was done in the exact same manner as his “I AM GONNA KICK THE CRAP OUT OF YOU!” outburst before leaving in the first Total Bastard Airlines sketch. His outburst was a lot funnier and more fitting there.
— I love John’s line “Did you just say I look like the black guy from Forrest Gump?!?”
STARS: ***
GOODNIGHTS
cast sings “We Go Together” as host drives off in Greased Lightnin’
— An incredible deviation from normal goodnights. This is fun as hell, as the perfect way to end this particular episode.
— I love the superimposed effect of John and a blonde wig-wearing Seal riding off into the sky in a car.
— The upbeat and uplifting nature of these goodnights is such a great contrast to the typical atmosphere we’ll be seeing this season.
IMMEDIATE POST-SHOW THOUGHTS
— A strong episode, and a ray of light in this infamous season. As pointed out throughout the review, this episode had a very fun atmosphere, which was thankfully backed up by some solid writing and a few sketches that would end up being among the best of the entire season. John Travolta was a more-than-game host who added a lot to the episode’s great vibe. Some of the material he nailed would’ve come off very hacky under a different host.
MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF “BEST OF” MOMENTS FOR THIS EPISODE, REPRESENTED WITH SCREENCAPS
HOW THIS EPISODE STACKS UP AGAINST THE PRECEDING ONE (Marisa Tomei)
a step up
My full set of screencaps for this episode is here
TOMORROW
Dana Carvey