Segments are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars
FISHING DOCK
George Bush (DAC) prepares Bob Dole (NOM) to lose to Bill Clinton (DAH)
— After hosting the preceding episode, Dana Carvey immediately returns as a credited special guest tonight, as he will be appearing in a few sketches. I’m certainly not complaining about more Dana, but why is he appearing as a special guest just one week after he hosted? Does it have anything to do with the then-recent cancellation of his ABC show?
— Many funny lines from Dana’s George Bush to Norm’s Dole about how badly he’s going to lose the election on the upcoming Tuesday. I especially like the line “Bill’s gonna spank ya just like he was your daddy.”
— Norm is showing some genuine amusement towards Dana’s performance, as you can see Norm stifling his laughter at times throughout this cold opening.
STARS: ****
MONOLOGUE
CSR does stand-up about Bill Clinton & sexual harassment
— Rock: “Every town’s got two malls: they got the white mall and the mall white people used to go to.”
— I love Rock detailing how he IS Bill Clinton because of how he can relate to Bill’s realistic problems.
— You can really see how much Rock has honed his act and onscreen persona after leaving the SNL cast. Throughout this monologue, he’s using what’s now known as his trademark loud, raspy stand-up voice, something that we almost never heard from him when he was an SNL cast member.
— Hoo, boy. Rock’s bit right now about how most sexual harassment claims are actually NOT sexual harassment will not sit well with a lot of people nowadays, especially in our current #MeToo climate. As I often do when reviewing old SNL things that would now be considered touchy by today’s standards, I’m trying to be fair by looking at this in the context of when it originally aired, so I won’t have my judgment clouded by changing PC standards. As I do that, I’m finding myself actually laughing at Rock’s sexual harassment material. It helps, though, that Rock had already been on such a roll in this monologue that nothing can ruin it for me.
— Hilarious bit from Rock about blind people being given seeing-eye dogs.
— Rock is a freakin’ riot in this monologue.
STARS: ****½
EXCEDRIL
to some, lack of medical evidence that Excedril relieves pain is a plus
— Very funny premise of there being no medical evidence to prove what Excedril can or can’t do.
— Stephen Colbert!
— Molly’s whole bit about using Excedril as a birth control is great, especially her line “I’m just glad I found a pain reliever that can kill the tiny babies living in my husband’s sperm.”
STARS: ****
I’M CHILLIN’
Onski plugs I Ain’t Tryin’ To Hear That home pregnancy test
— Oh, what are you doing, SNL? You know you can’t do this sketch without Farley.
— Jim seems like an odd choice to replace Chris Farley in this sketch.
— At least we get Rock’s usual funny long-winded rhyming intro to his co-host.
— A good laugh from the sponsor, “I Ain’t Tryin’ To Hear That” home pregnancy test for men.
— It’s mentioned that B-Fats, Chris Farley’s character from this recurring sketch, was killed in a rap war. I understand that they had to come up with a reason for B-Fats’ absence in tonight’s sketch, but was killing him off really necessary? After all, both Rock AND Farley would later end up appearing together on SNL again when Farley hosts in the following season.
— Boy, Jim’s performance in this is not good. Regardless of whether or not he’s convincing in his attempt to sound urban, his characterization isn’t remotely funny.
STARS: **½
WOMAN, BLACK GUY, GAY MAN
in Dole ad, woman (MOS), black guy (TIM), gay man (MAM) say “don’t vote”
— I like the characters casually referring to each other as the generic type of person they were each introduced as (e.g. black guy).
— Great twist at the end that this ad was paid for by the Dole/Kemp campaign.
STARS: ***½
THE DARK SIDE WITH NAT X
Jesse Jackson (DAH), Tori Spelling (CHO), Mike Tyson (TRM)
— Now we get the return of the only other big recurring sketch Rock had during his SNL tenure.
— Feels weird hearing somebody other than Phil Hartman do the voice-over during the Nat X opening title sequence. Mark takes over as the voice-over tonight, but he doesn’t have Phil’s great knack for voice-overs.
— In between all the familiar, obligatory Nat X beats (the White Man Cam, Top 5 list), we get an interesting topical segment with Nat X talking about O.J.
— As always, Darrell’s Jesse Jackson impression is cracking me up. I also love Nat X’s response to Jesse’s long-winded “x” spiel.
— When Cheri’s Tori Spelling tells Nat X that he looks like Dwayne from What’s Happenin’, I like Nat angrily responding “Don’t you talk about Heywood Nelson!”
— Tracy’s Mike Tyson impression is very funny.
STARS: ***½
MARK RUSSELL’S ELECTION YEAR COMEDY SPECIAL
Mark Russell’s (MAM) special features impish lyrics
— Mark McKinney FINALLY gets his first comedic lead role of the entire season. Jesus Christ, it’s about time.
— I don’t have much familiarity with Mark Russell, but I get the gist of him from this SNL parody.
— Mark’s performance in this is great, and he’s giving me some good laughs with his intentionally cheesy performance.
— I like the newspaper reviews, especially the one from Christian Science Monitor: “We’ve reconsidered our concept of God, and it just might be Mark Russell!”
STARS: ***½
CHARLES GRODIN
Abe Vigoda [real] & other celebrity guests opine
— Dana debuts a new SNL impression.
— I’ve been told that, much like the Tom Brokaw sketch from the preceding episode, this sketch was originally written for Dana’s ABC show.
— I’m not sure about the accuracy of Dana’s Charles Grodin impression, but it sure is funny, especially when he just freezes and stares blankly off-camera for a few seconds.
— I love Darrell-as-Richard-Dreyfuss’ angry ranting ending with “…until it swims up behind you and bites you IN THE ASS!!!”
— Rock’s Nipsey Russell impression is much funnier here than it was the one time he played him on Weekend Update during his SNL tenure.
— I love the camera briefly cutting to Abe Vigoda only to show him say “Clinton’s a schmuck!”
STARS: ***½
WEEKEND UPDATE
— I love the audience’s taken-aback, unsure reaction to Norm’s punchline “He’s the guy who killed Vince Foster.”
— Tonight’s overall Update had no guest commentaries at all, but I’ve noticed that those usually turn out to be among my favorite Norm Updates.
STARS: ****
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “One Headlight”
TV FUNHOUSE
“Queen of Terror” by RBS- The Ambiguously Gay Duo thwarts Serena’s scheme
— The Ambiguously Gay Duo officially become recurring.
— Mayor: “Ace and Gary are on it.” Cop: “When they’re not on each other.”
— I like Big Head being called out on how obsessed he is with Ace and Gary’s ambiguous gayness.
— Like last time, we get some hilarious suggestive homoerotic visuals from Ace and Gary, especially their penis-shaped car squeezing between two big boulders that collectively resemble a butt.
STARS: ****
SPEECH PREP
Bob Dole (NOM) rehearses his mean-spirited victory & concession speeches
LOM tells NOM it’s time to retire the Bob Dole impression
— I like Ana’s Elizabeth Dole telling Norm’s Dole, with a smile, “On Tuesday, you’re gonna get your ass handed to you on a silver platter.”
— Another funny line from Ana’s Elizabeth Dole: “This isn’t the man I halfway fell in love with.”
— The fourth wall has been broken with Lorne suddenly entering the scene and saying “It’s over, Norm”, letting Norm know that his services as a Dole impersonator will no longer be needed. I like Lorne saying “I got the call yesterday”, regarding the election results, when voting hasn’t even taken place yet.
— I love the clip show montage of Norm’s Dole impression, especially the random fake clips added in of Norm’s Dole doing insane things, such as running away from an elephant, getting whipped by a Nazi dominatrix, and biting off a chicken’s head.
— This sketch ends with Norm saying “At least I still got Update” and Lorne responding “Actually, Norm, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.” Yikes. I’m sure that was just intended as a throwaway joke, but it’s eerily prescient, considering what ends up happening to Norm in the middle of the following season.
STARS: ***½
COLLEGE GRADUATE
to his dad (CSR), college-educated (TIM)’s simple acts are affronts
— Feels weird that this is Rock’s first sketch appearance since the first half of the show.
— The premise started out a bit slow and repetitive, but it’s getting increasingly funnier when it gets to the point where Rock is surprised at Tim knowing how to use the phone, saying “We didn’t know what the hell that thing was, we let it ring for years and years.”
— Funny bit with Rock responding to Tim’s use of the word “thesaurus” by saying “Boy, you curse at me again, I’ll whoop your ass!”
STARS: ***
WEDDING TOAST
music teacher couple Marty (WIF) & Bobbi (ANG) sing a pseudo-soul medley
— Ladies and gentlemen, we have a major recurring character debut!
— You can tell this is the first Culps sketch, because the way they were introduced by Jim at the beginning of tonight’s sketch is different from how the Culps are usually introduced at the beginning of their sketches.
— Until now, Will has surprisingly been almost non-existent tonight. In fact, this has been a light night for quite a number of cast members. Hell, Chris Kattan doesn’t even appear AT ALL. He was almost non-existent in the last episode too. His airtime has surprisingly been in a slump lately. I guess I can’t complain about that, after how he annoyed me with his two big sketches (AT&T Operators and Hollywood Party) in the last episode he received a normal amount of airtime in (Bill Pullman). I generally like Chris in these early seasons of his, though. It’s his later seasons where I can’t stand him.
— A very funny detailed look for Will’s character.
— Right out of the gate, Will and Ana have such a good handle on their characters, and their delivery and low-key performances are tickling me. I wonder if Will and Ana already developed these characters at The Groundlings.
— This is the very first time on SNL where Ana gets to display her fantastic singing voice.
— I like hearing the Culps sing operatic-sounding versions of contemporary hit songs. Their medley tonight is increasingly fun, especially their “You’re Gonna Miss My Lovin’” number.
— Another amusing number from the Culps, with their operatic version of Sexual Healing.
— The Culps would go on to basically be to 90s SNL what the Sweeney Sisters were to 80s SNL and what Nick the Lounge Singer was to 70s SNL. I wonder why the 2000s and 2010s don’t have any recurring characters in that vein.
STARS: ***½
RUSSELL SIMMONS’ DEF EMERGENCY ROOM JAM
foul-mouthed physicians
— A sister sketch to the Def Magic Show Jam sketch from Rock’s years as a cast member.
— Rock’s bleep-filled lines are freakin’ priceless.
— Overall, brief but hilarious. I liked this even more than the Def Magic Show Jam sketch. The fast pacing of this worked, and something about the erratic camera work added to the humor.
STARS: ****½
PERSPECTIVES
Lionel Osbourne talks with Million Man Marcher (CSR)
— This is the first and only sketch all night where Rock uses his natural soft-spoken voice. Feels weird hearing it after a night full of him using his loud, raspy stand-up voice in every sketch.
— In Tim’s rarely-seen “Best Of” special, they show a snippet of the dress rehearsal version of this sketch, in which Tim and Rock keep uncontrollably cracking up, and their performances are much more loose. At one point during that, Rock even responds to Lionel Osborne’s question of how many men were at the Million Man March by saying “A million, ya dumb fuck!”, then looking into the camera and humorously saying in a mock-insincere voice “I’m sorry!”
— So far, this isn’t quite as funny as the usual Perspectives installments.
— A laugh from Rock saying “No Asians” when he and Lionel Osborne are talking about who can join Rock’s organization.
— When talking about his sons, Rock says in a straightforward manner “My other son, Trey, is dead.” In the aforementioned dress rehearsal version of this sketch shown in Tim’s “Best Of”, Rock delivers that line very differently, in a much more comedic manner: “And my other son, Trey…. well… TREY DEAD!”, the latter two words being delivered in Rock’s trademark raspy stand-up voice.
— I like Lionel Osborne’s constant confusion over the Million Man March.
— Funny ending with Lionel proudly announcing that his show will be airing in prime-time for the first time ever, only to immediately be handed a paper informing him that his show will instead be on at its regular time at 4:42 in the AM.
— Overall, a sketch with a slow first half, but a better second half. Still not quite as strong as the usual Perspectives installments.
STARS: ***½
GOODNIGHTS
IMMEDIATE POST-SHOW THOUGHTS
— A consistently good episode. I liked just about every sketch tonight (I gave a somewhat low rating to I’m Chillin’, but that was only because Jim Breuer’s lousy performance dragged it down for me). Much like Damon Wayans when he hosted in season 20, it was great to see SNL heavily utilizing Chris Rock to his full potential for once, after how underused he was as a cast member. It was also interesting seeing him come back to SNL with a more defined comedic persona.
MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF “BEST OF” MOMENTS FOR THIS EPISODE, REPRESENTED WITH SCREENCAPS
HOW THIS EPISODE STACKS UP AGAINST THE PRECEDING ONE (Dana Carvey)
a slight step down
My full set of screencaps for this episode is here
TOMORROW
The third of five consecutive episodes hosted by a former cast member. This time, it’s Robert Downey Jr.
Controversial take? I never really liked the Culps sketches. They are performed well by Ana and Will but they never really made me laugh
I believe Paula Pell wrote them
I don’t know if I’d say I disliked them, they were pleasant enough, but I never really found myself laughing during them. I guess I’d say they were more amusing than funny to me.
Like Nick and the Sweeneys, the Culps seemed more interested in nailing the hacky/schmaltzy style of acts like that than being “funny,” although all of them are funny and enjoyable (I agree, I never really found any of these laugh out loud funny).
The closest thing to the successor sketch in this vein I think is the various performances of Fred Armisen as a hacky comedian or singer. Fred especially is REALLY interested in replicating an awful style of comedy or performance.
I guess I’ve just never enjoyed sketches based on singing and dancing. Nothing against that style but it just doesn’t work for me
The closest I can think of would be Fred and Kristen Wiig as Garth and Kat.
For whatever reason (maybe music rights?), once we get into the ’00s they started to have more and more made-up songs rather than cheesy acts singing known songs. Deep House Dish. Maya’s routines.
We got that number with Cecily Strong last season in Matt Damon’s episode – I hope we might get one more before she leaves.
As for the Culps, I think it’s the absolute seriousness behind the raunchy songs they sing that makes me laugh. The performances are also pitched perfectly, which was not common in this era.
The best ever Perspectives is still to come.
Rock later used the “two different malls” joke in his 2001 film “Down to Earth”. A weird coincidence, although maybe it’s just part of his regular routine, for all I know.
Not sure what’s coincidental about a comedian using one of his jokes in his act and then later using the same joke in a film in which he stars. Seems like the the least coincidental thing possible.
Very good episode.
As someone whose fondness for Charles Grodin slowly slipped away while watching him lose his mind over OJ on his talk show, this sketch was a real treat. The Abe Vigoda cameo reminded me of how at this time the death rumors about Vigoda had started up yet again, leading various TV producers to book him as a sign of support.
Nat X was one of my favorite recurring characters of that era, and probably of any era, so I loved seeing him again, even if I missed Farley as the bouncer/clown. There really was no need to bring back I’m Chillin’, but Breuer didn’t bother me that much. Given the violence at the time the joke about B-Fatz being killed in a rap war may not have been the best idea…
The Dole sketches were pretty good, overall – a good way to bid the character adieu. I hadn’t realized how little we saw of Hammond’s Clinton during this campaign, but it’s for the best, as you get the same thing over and over and over with that persona.
I remember Molly’s monologue from the Excedril ad so well (and they did have commercials somewhat similar to this at the time).
I didn’t realize the Culps started so early. This one isn’t as slick as their later appearances, but was still pretty good.
The diminished role of some of the lesser performers like Kattan, along with the fresh blood of the Dana Carvey Show sketches, not to mention the lack of some of the more mind-numbing recurring characters – it all makes you wonder what might have been for this era.
Can we credit Paula Pell as the pioneer of the “socially awkward character that grates on everyone” character on the show? Even this early we have the Culps and Cheerleaders and there are tons more to come the next 15 years or so with Molly and Wiig, etc. She seems to have started this trend nearly 2 and a half decades ago.
It would make sense that her longtime close friend, James Anderson, would continue that trend till this day
She’s certainly one of the writers who cemented it into SNL’s bloodstream, but I’d credit Adam Sandler with starting the trend.
True with Sandler especially Canteen Boy.
But with Pell, look at Sheila Sovage with Kate. The idea is the audience is supposed to be revolted by her. Kenan represents the viewers in those sketches I guess. A good amount of Pell’s characters have those tendencies
Oh I absolutely agree Pell and Anderson made it more prominent and have dredged it up for an eternity now.
I enjoy Pell’s performances on SNL more than her sketches. Not really my type of humor and never will be.
Here–in poor video quality–is a different version of the “Charles Grodin” sketch that was a part of the Unaired episode of DCS. Same basic plot, but Different celebrities–I believe actor/comedian Elon Gold is portraying them.
Yup, that’s Elon. If I hadn’t been told he’s Jeff Goldblum, I’d have initially assumed Richard Lewis.
Wonder if Elon got the spot that Jimmy Fallon auditioned for
Just realized this episode has Norm doing one of my favorite jokes:
“At the Simpson civil trial this week, O.J. and Fred Goldman got into an explosive shouting match. Mr. Goldman belted at O.J. “Don’t give me that damn look!” While O.J. shouted back: “I wasn’t even looking at you! You’re just mad because I killed your son!”
The Best of Chris Rock DVD has an uncensored version of “Def Emergency Room Jam”. Quite a gem when I first watched it and was stunned they let it in!
Rock really came into his own after leaving SNL. As for what he said about sexual harassment, further problematic was his bit where he said that if your daughter’s a stripper, you failed as a parent. Also there was the sketch on his show where he dismisses a stripper’s claim of sexual harassment because apparently it doesn’t apply to sex-related work (some people close to me have the same mentality).
I mean, harsh but fair. Having a stripper for a child *should* be very shameful, and people understood that not too long ago.
I think it’s worth noting that this is the first TV Funhouse to be digitally-colored. Not too many cartoons used digital coloring just yet (PBS’ Arthur had just started, and The Simpsons had experimented with it a year before), but Hanna-Barbera had been doing it since the mid-80s.