Segments are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars
BACKSTAGE
COQ tries to get overly-dramatic host to return to his NYC roots
— I know a lot of readers are probably expecting me to feel awkward reviewing a Giuliani-hosted episode, but I can separate the Giuliani of 1997 from the Giuliani of today. It also helps that I’m aware Giuliani is a good host in this episode. I’m not all that hesitant to review episodes hosted by people who would later go on to have a notorious reputation. After all, I recently covered a Kevin Spacey-hosted episode with no problem. Plus, I have four Louis C.K. episodes to eventually cover, and I’m not worried about that. However, God help me when I eventually have to cover the notorious Donald Trump episode from 2015. Yikes.
— Very funny entrance from Rudy, dressed and acting like an eccentric fop.
— Rudy, in a dignified voice: “Call me Rudolph.” Colin: “……….No.”
— Colin: “You probably don’t know this, but I’m from Brooklyn.” Rudy: “How could I not know? It’s half your act.”
— A good mock-inspirational speech from Colin.
— Nice variation of the typical “Live from New York…” sign-on, with Rudy replacing “New York” with “the capital of the world”.
STARS: ***½
MONOLOGUE
drifter Sid (NOM) is happy host has declared NYC safe for hitch-hiking
— Rudy is handling himself well here for a non-actor.
— Great use of Norm as a creepy hitchhiker, who is killing in this role.
— Rudy even managed to make his flub of the “Borrowing police horses” line charming.
— Funny bit with Rudy eating gum off of the bottom of his shoe and saying “Yum! New York-y!”
STARS: ***½
NIGHTLINE
host spurns, Ted Koppel (DAH) befriends Saddam Hussein (WIF)
— The debut of Will’s Saddam Hussein impression.
— A big laugh from Saddam randomly giving a shoutout to his “friend” Rudy Giuliani, which is followed by a cutaway to Rudy watching this on his TV and going “What the hell?!?”
— Saddam: “(threateningly) I’ll kill anything that moves!….. (pleasantly) and I think Giuliani has a great smile.”
— I love Saddam’s friendly nickname for Rudy: Roods.
— Will’s characterization of Saddam is great. Will has a strong knack for giving famous madmen a likable personality (e.g. the Unabomber, Marshall Applewhite).
— A big laugh from Darrell’s Ted Koppel joining in on Saddam’s singing of “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
— Fun pre-taped montage of Saddam and Ted Koppel frolicking together in the park.
STARS: ****
THANKSGIVING
Rita Delvecchio & her mother (host) banter & prepare Thanksgiving dinner
— I believe this ends up being the final Rita Delvecchio sketch.
— A wild visual of Rudy dressed as an old lady.
— Rudy’s doing a good job in this role.
— Little girl: “Aunt Rita, we’re starving!” Rita: “So is Sally Struthers.”
— Good ending.
— Overall, this recurring sketch as a whole had a nice run. This was never considered a hugely popular sketch from this era, but I appreciate the realism and depth this recurring sketch always brought. Underrated in my eyes. I prefer this to some of Cheri’s more one-dimensional, repetitive, cartoonish recurring characters.
STARS: ***½
ST. MONICA SPELLING BEE
Mary Katherine Gallagher delivers a monologue before winning spelling bee
— Seems a bit too soon for another Mary Katherine Gallagher sketch, after she recently appeared in the Chris Farley episode.
— Some good laughs from a lot of little things that Will’s doing throughout this.
— At some points, Molly seems to be playing MKG even more quivery and nervous than usual tonight.
— A very funny part where the sentence example that Rudy gives MKG for the word “syzygy” is “Your spelling bee word is ‘syzygy’.”
— I keep expecting to get sick of these Mary Katherine Gallagher sketches, but surprisingly, I can still tolerate them by this point.
STARS: ***
GRAFFITI
host’s new anti-graffiti plan appends “sucks” to taggers’ signatures
— An absolutely hilarious premise of Rudy’s solution to graffiti: “We’re gonna put the word ‘sucks’ right under your name!”
— I love Rudy’s delivery of “Everyone’s gonna think… you suck”.
— Overall, short but very strong.
STARS: ****½
WEEKEND UPDATE
Cinder Calhoun & musical guest sing “Basted in Blood” to decry Turkey Day
— I like the random running gag with Black Tail magazine. And the mere thought of Norm being subscribed to that magazine is priceless.
— Like in her last commentary, Cinder Calhoun is getting some good laughs from me during her opening spiel.
— Funny “Basted in Blood” title for Cinder’s anti-turkey-slaughtering song.
— Good duet from Cinder and Sarah McLachlan. I especially like when Ana gets really into her singing during the chorus towards the end.
— An okay visual of Norm eating a turkey leg at the end of the Calhoun/McLachlan song, though he always looks so checked-out during these Cinder Calhoun commentaries.
STARS: ***½
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “Sweet Surrender”
FRIGGIN’ GIULIANI!
NYC cabbie (host) complains to his passengers about Mayor Giuliani
— Another sketch tonight casting Rudy in a comically out-of-place role that’s funny to see him in.
— The Richard Dreyfuss seatbelt message was hilarious, as was a confused Will responding “What the hell was that?!?”
— There’s our first utterance of the immortal phrase “Friggin’ Giuliani!”
— This sketch is a memorable instance of “host plays a character who’s the exact opposite of himself”, in the tradition of sketches like George Steinbrenner playing a boss who doesn’t like firing his employees.
— The occasional repetition of “Friggin’ Giuliani!” isn’t getting old for me, and is making me laugh every time, due to Rudy’s silly delivery.
— Another hilarious celebrity seatbelt message, this time from James Earl Jones.
— I like Tracy playing a very Tracy Morgan-esque character at the end of this sketch.
STARS: ****½
THE JOE PESCI SHOW
host’s anti-mob measures make for friction
— This is the last-ever Joe Pesci Show sketch. Feels very unnecessary to see this sketch tonight, considering the preceding installment with the real Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro famously appearing would’ve provided perfect closure to this recurring sketch as a whole. Where else do you go with this sketch after that? Reportedly, the only reason they’re doing this sketch tonight is because during the pitch meeting that Monday, Rudy complimented Jim on his Pesci impression. In that case, if they wanted to work Jim’s Pesci impression into this episode, they should’ve done something in a similar vein to the side bit his Pesci did with Sylvester Stallone in the season premiere.
— This sketch is making me realize how very little we’ve been seeing of Jim Breuer this season. His airtime has been pretty flimsy this season, and from what I remember, it doesn’t get any better in the second half of this season. (Was he busy filming “Half Baked”?) A fairly forgettable final season for him.
— I like the “It’s my show” “It’s my city” exchange between Pesci and Rudy, when Rudy wants Pesci to put out his cigar.
— Surprisingly, this is the first time Will is playing his crew member character, Spider, since one of the very first Joe Pesci Show sketches, back in season 21.
— Funny seeing Tracy playing Marion Barry, after Norm’s long-standing running joke about Marion Barry on Weekend Update.
— Something about the execution of this sketch has a sluggish feel. Even Jim’s performance feels a little off. Just goes to show you that this recurring sketch as a whole is past its expiration date.
STARS: **
COLIN QUINN EXPLAINS THE NEW YORK TIMES
COQ explains The New York Times to keep people intellectually prepared
— This segment officially becomes recurring. However, this ends up being the final installment, considering a certain anchorperson gig Colin is going to find himself suddenly getting three episodes from now. If that certain gig never happened, Colin most likely would’ve continued doing these “explaining the New York Times” segments every few weeks.
— Compared to how extremely underused he’s been this season, Colin has actually been getting quite a lot of airtime tonight.
— They changed the setting for this segment. The first installment of this segment was placed on the home base stage, and now tonight’s installment is set in some kind of office, which almost resembles the set that was temporarily used in the first two installments of Spade In America. I feel the home base stage setting fit these “Colin Quinn Explains The New York Times” segments better. The office set looks kinda out of place to me.
— Funny bit with the unavoidable gay ambassador/meat-packing joke.
— Some stumbliness in Colin’s delivery here and there, kinda foreshadowing the rough go he would have as a Weekend Update anchorperson.
— Overall, another good “Colin Quinn Explains The New York Times” installment; a little better than the first one, in fact. Kind of a shame Colin couldn’t continue doing these.
STARS: ***½
JANET RENO’S DANCE PARTY
host & Janet Reno (WIF) duke it out
— The “Teen Talk” portion of this sketch is awfully one-note.
— This sketch picks up after Rudy enters.
— After Rudy mentions he’s the mayor of New York, I love Will’s Janet Reno saying “My throwing stars and nunchucks will make you the mayor of pain.”
— Very fun turn with Janet and Rudy facing off in a boxing match.
— Rudy: “You box dirty!” Janet Reno: “(braggingly) Then how comes my conscience is so clean?!?”
— Solid ending with the jumbotron in Times Square showing Rudy’s humiliating yells of “Janet Reno is the boss of me!” as he gets beat up by Reno.
STARS: ****
PERSPECTIVES
David Dinkins supporter Lionel Osbourne is cool toward host
— Not only is this yet another recurring sketch tonight, but it’s yet another recurring sketch that’s making its last-ever appearance. Odd how so many recurring sketches are being retired in tonight’s episode.
— As always, a lot of really funny ignorant statements from Tim’s Lionel Osborne.
— I like the turn with Lionel subverting his usual utterances of “Faaaantastic” by saying “That is not fantastic” when finding out Rudy beat David Dinkins in the election.
— A laugh from Lionel immediately going from telling Rudy he’s deeply offended to saying “That’s okay” in his usual laid-back manner.
— Overall, a solid final installment of Perspectives. Of all the retiring recurring sketches tonight, this is definitely the one I’m going to miss the most.
STARS: ****
GOODNIGHTS
IMMEDIATE POST-SHOW THOUGHTS
— A solid episode. There were several strong pieces, and everything in the show worked for me, aside from a weak Joe Pesci Show sketch. For a non-actor, Rudy Giuliani did a good job, came off likable, was a good sport, and did well in the few character roles he played. There was a bit too much of a sameness to the last three sketches he was in, though, which were all recurring sketches that interviewed him as himself.
MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF “BEST OF” MOMENTS FOR THIS EPISODE, REPRESENTED WITH SCREENCAPS
HOW THIS EPISODE STACKS UP AGAINST THE PRECEDING ONE (Claire Danes)
a mild step up
My full set of screencaps for this episode is here
TOMORROW
Nathan Lane
I have a spotty level of knowledge of this period–did any cast member do an impression of Rudy? I honestly can’t remember any until the recent McKinnon impression.
Darrell did Rudy, succeeding Kevin Nealon.
The sketch with Rudy as the taxi driver is one of my top 5 favorite SNL bits. I have no idea why that is, but I think it has something to do with the voice he uses.
The MKG Spelling Bee sketch I’m pretty sure was inspired by Rebecca Sealfon and her, um, unorthodox way of spelling out words in that year’s National Bee. I’m not sure how relevant that reference is today, but it was a thing for a while back then.
I had no idea so many recurring sketches reached their conclusion on this night. “FRANK SAT UP!” was a great line from the Rita Delvecchio sketch.
The long-winded baseball yarn by Darrell Hammond’s Bob Costas in Friggin’ Giuliani reminded me of George F. Will’s Sports Machine several years earlier
That may or may not also explain why “syzygy” is a somewhat pivotal word in the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
The biggest thing I can think of from Jim in his final season was the heavy metal guy who rocked out to news stories on Weekend Update, which I guess don’t become a thing until Colin takes over at the desk. Always got a kick out of those.
The amount of times in this episode we are reminded Rudy was a crimefighting hero who made New York safe again must have reached double digits. It’s absolutely hilarious to watch now, especially that Nightline sketch when he’s worried about what’s being said about him. Hilarious. Fortunately he did have some charisma, and got through his sketches amiably enough. This is probably one of his less offputting appearances on the show.
Considering the repeated inclusion of “Black Tails Magazine,” this probably isn’t the case, but I wonder if Norm and Jim Downey may have toned Update down a little this week with the mayor as host. Whether they did or not, this was one of the more agreeable Updates of the season so far.
I always had a soft spot for Colin Quinn as Update anchor, grouchy and stumbly as he was, but this format was definitely a better use for his talents. The bit about how even Hormel’s gay friends had to be making jokes about him being heir to a meat-packing fortune was one of the rare moments in these years of ‘edgy’ gay humor handled right. I’m also glad this one strayed from the gang-related themes he’d kind of driven into the ground in the two previous episodes.
Some of the later Rita appearances hadn’t been as strong as the first few anyway, but I will still miss the character. Cheri always found the right balance in her performance and it never seemed excessively desperate to be loved by the audience. I’m glad this one ended on a little twist to the “I keep it, it’s mine now” joke, as she realized she was holding her own decoration.
Perspectives is simply one of the best recurring features ever on SNL – it’s somehow fitting for that twisted footpath that is SNL that it debuted in a season full of loud and obnoxious performances. Some weeks, like the Deion Sanders episode, this was the one highlight. Tim Meadows gave so much to the show, and to viewers, in his decade as a cast member, but this is the absolute best gift. This sketch series should be studied closely by current and future writers because it manages to make a very easy premise feel fresh every time, and all with such restraint.
I never realized until you mentioned Ferrell’s name in the sketch is Spider, but he’s doing Michael Imperioli in Goodfellas. Good reference I totally never got back then, not sure if I’d seen Goodfellas back when these aired, probably not at that age.
It’s nice to see Rudy here…back when he was no-nonsense, crime-bustin’, tax-cuttin’, sane-Republican, “America’s Mayor” He was politician I really admired back in the day (…let’s not talk about now…my word, how the mighty have fallen)…
…anyway, Rudy was a great host, and this is a very memorable episode. Friggin’ Giuliani is the best sketch of the night, hands down. I also loved the Graffiti bit, particularly “our trained artists will make it look like *you* wrote it”. This iteration of Joe Pesci Show is not too bad, but I agree with you, Jim is just going through the motions on it now, his heart isn’t in it and they should have ended it with the Pesci-DeNiro cameo last season. Sad to see Rita Delvecchio go, it was one of Cheri’s best characters. Also sad to see Perspectives go, definitely an underrated recurring sketch, that’s kind of been forgotten in SNL lore.
I can appreciate how good of a host Rudy is in this episode, while realizing how far off the reservation he is now. Definite top-6 in crazy-in-retrospect hosts, the others being OJ, Robert Blake, Kevin Spacey, Louis CK, and Trump. Always loved Will’s Saddam impersonation, though the best is yet to come. (“Monica, you never call me anymore!”) It’s funny seeing Cinder with Sarah McLachlan, nothing more mid-90’s than the 2 of them. This may be my favorite Janet Reno sketch, definitely the most memorable line.
During the Clinton impeachment hearings at the beginning of next season, Colin does the same basic explaining the week’s news via stand-up bit before Weekend Update proper. It is, as you pointed out, a very good use of Colin’s talents for writing topical jokes.