Segments are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars
HARDBALL WITH CHRIS MATTHEWS
John Kerry (SEM) chooses Al Sharpton (KET) as his running mate
— Kinda interesting how Chris is playing Andrew Card in this season finale’s Hardball cold opening, given the fact that Dan Aykroyd previously played him in the Hardball cold opening from the preceding year’s season finale.
— Chris Matthews to Andrew Card, regarding Card’s over-the-top glowing comments about President Bush: “Man, oh, man. You didn’t just drink the Kool-Aid – you went back for seconds.”
— A good laugh from Darrell’s Matthews being caught putting a noose around his neck while listening to Seth’s John Kerry drone on and on.
— Overall, a little better than the forgettably average Hardball sketches from this season, but still not up to the level of great Hardballs from previous seasons. I eagerly await the addition of Will’s Zell Miller to Hardball the following season, to inject some new life into these sketches.
STARS: ***½
MONOLOGUE
JIF & WLF help simulate the senior prom hosts are unable to attend
— Okay, right out of the gate here, the Olsen Twins have established that Ashley is the blonde one and Mary-Kate is the brunette. I have to remember that, as this episode is the first time I’ve ever had to deal with seeing an episode hosted by identical twins, and I’ve NEVER been able to tell the difference between the Olsens in anything I’ve seen them appear together in.
— Big applause for Jimmy’s walk-on, as it’s known that tonight is his final episode.
— Cute concept of bringing the Olsen Twins’ school prom to them here at SNL, since they’re missing their prom to host the show.
— I love Fred’s cheesy dad character suddenly going from laughing heartily to telling Jimmy a very stern “You touch my daughter, I’ll kill ya.”
— When the prom decorations, including a banner, are lowered from the ceiling, the banner instantly breaks off by accident. (seen in the background of the two below screencaps)
— I see Maya is taking over the recently-departed Jeff Richards’ duties as Drunk Girl. Maya’s drunken character in this monologue is eerily similar.
— Will: “A bunch of us are gonna go into a black neighborhood and try to buy wine.”
STARS: ***½
PAPARAZZI
(hosts) & fellow red carpet paparazza engineer marketable snapshots
— Oh, god. Not a return of this Paparazzi sketch from this season’s Jennifer Aniston episode, a sketch that I hated. And I also hate how these sketches always have to be placed right up top as the first post-monologue sketch of the night.
— I did get a laugh just now from a request Amy shouts out: “Marc Anthony, pretend you’re a genie comin’ out of J.Lo’s butt!”
— Much like Jennifer Aniston in the first installment, the Olsen Twins attempt some self-deprecating humor as their paparazzi characters throw unflattering questions at the passing-by Olsen Twins. And much like Aniston’s attempt at that, it’s doing absolutely nothing for me.
— Amy, regarding what appears to be a passing-by Dakota Fanning: “That’s not Dakota Fanning, that’s David Spade.” Wow, this is the SECOND time this season made a slam at Spade. Ha, I know it’s nothing but good-natured ribbing at one of the show’s own alum, but I still think this is Spade’s karma for his infamous Eddie Murphy slam (and maybe also for all his harsh Hollywood Minute jokes in general).
— Overall, I got a few more chuckles than I got in the first installment of this sketch, but I still disliked most of this installment, and am glad to never have to review any more installments of this.
STARS: **
MARY-KATE & ASHLEY
Ashley & Mary-Kate fragrances purport to capture hosts’ personalities
— Some pretty good laughs from how increasingly absurd and out-of-hand the voice-over from Chris is getting in his details of each perfume.
— Pretty funny ending with the wind from an off-camera fan starting to blow out of control.
STARS: ***½
Z105
Joey Mack’s shameless foolery gives listeners a poor opinion of hosts
— Our final appearance of this sketch. Should’ve left the preceding installment with Ben Affleck as the final appearance, as that would’ve been a perfect way to conclude this series of sketches.
— What’s with the VERY awkward and long pause Jimmy made right before starting to tell the dog crap story? There was a long stretch of painful dead air as Jimmy looked completely lost on what he was supposed to do, before he finally started telling the story. This is an about-to-depart six-season SNL veteran I’m watching?!?
— I admit to getting a laugh from the very un-PC part with Z105’s black weatherman claiming that the only reason Z105’s Middle Eastern intern Sanji liked the movie New York Minute is because it was set in New York and was a bomb.
— Wow, an EXTREMELY intense “And we’re BACK!” from Jimmy’s Joey Mack just now, and you can tell Jimmy delivered it like that because he knows that’s the last time he’ll ever be delivering that catchphrase.
— The ending felt a little abrupt. Either that, or SNL accidentally cued the “Applause” lights too early.
— Overall, some laughs, but I’m a little meh on this final Z105 sketch. This just treaded the same ground from most installments of this sketch, and tonight’s paled in comparison to the aforementioned Ben Affleck installment, which refreshingly did something new with the formula.
STARS: **½
THE SWAN
one-legged Amber loses makeover competition to Vicki (hosts)
FOX newswoman (RAD) teases scare-inducing story slated for WNYW broadcast
— I got a laugh from Chris-as-the-doctor’s unprofessional “fugly” comment about the Olsen Twin’s character (I don’t know which Olsen Twin is in this role, due to the wig she’s wearing).
— We haven’t seen Amy’s one-legged Amber character in what feels like quite a while. I recall starting to get tired of this character in her last appearance, but maybe the hiatus since then will make her come off fresher tonight.
— The voice Rachel’s using sounds EXACTLY like local news reporters, and her fast-paced, over-the-top, fear-mongering news report here is very funny.
— The mirror sequence with both Olsen Twins is fun and a clever way to incorporate both Olsen Twins into this sketch.
— Given that the preceding Z105 sketch relied heavily on fart humor as usual, it was a poor decision on SNL’s part to place this Swan sketch immediately after it, as the usual gag with one-legged Amber farting (which thankfully wasn’t used until towards the end of this sketch) feels badly redundant and unfortunate coming right after Z105.
STARS: ***
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “Tipsy”
WEEKEND UPDATE
thinking of Brad Pitt causes JIF to slip into gayety during Troy review
Olympic stadium contractor (HOS) admits that Athens venue isn’t ready
— Jimmy’s final Weekend Update.
— I’ve gotten so tired of Tina’s Arnold Schwarzenegger vocal imitation whenever she does a joke about him.
— Blah, not caring for Jimmy’s increasingly-effeminate-voiced review of the movie Troy, as I’m just finding it to be yet another typical display of the cheap stereotypical gay humor that’s rampant in this SNL era. I do admit that I did kinda like Tina interrupting Jimmy’s Troy review to sternly whisper to him, “Jimmy, TV voice!”
— We get our final callback to the long-recurring Jimmy-punches-Tina “Fight Club” bit from some of the prior Fallon/Fey Updates, and Tina even wistfully points out to Jimmy “That may be the last time you hit me”, before tricking Jimmy by suddenly punching him.
— Well, I guess it was obligatory that Jimmy’s final Update features a commentary from Horatio. (*sigh*) You know how I feel about these Fallon/Sanz Update pieces, but at least this is the last time I’ll have to endure this.
— Yep, and there goes the obligatory loose Fallon/Sanz ad-libbing and laughing. I admit, as much I don’t care for it, I’m finding a slight charm to it here, knowing this is Jimmy’s final Update. I’ll let Jimmy have his fun here.
— A laugh from Horatio’s character slyly trying to pass off “Stadium Construction” as an Olympic event.
— As an SNL nerd, I like how Horatio’s commentary ends with him imitating the catchphrases from both the Olympia Cafe and Hub’s Gyros recurring sketches from SNL’s past.
— A nice farewell message that Jimmy delivers during his sign-off at the end of this Update, and I love the poignant touch of him subverting his usual trademark of throwing his pencil towards the camera by actually placing the pencil inside his jacket pocket this time.
STARS: **½
PAT ‘N PATTI’S BACKPACK SHACK
crackerjack sack flacks yak
— Oof, I am not liking this corny humor AT ALL. What the hell is this kind of thing doing on SNL? I think I recall an online comment from back at this time in 2004 saying this sketch felt like the type of corny humor that was rampant in the Dick Ebersol era of SNL. I agreed with that comment back then in ’04 when I was only vaguely familiar with the Ebersol era and somewhat associated it with hacky, annoying dreck like The Whiners, but after reviewing the entire Ebersol era in this SNL project of mine, I’ve gained a bigger appreciation for that era and find that it’s nowhere near as corny or hacky as I and others once deemed. I now find it hard to picture Ebersol ever letting a sketch like this on the air, but that still might be giving him a little too much credit.
— What is this, fucking amateur hour at SNL? You’d sure think so from watching Jimmy’s performance during his short appearance, combined with the corny writing of this sketch. Jimmy’s delivery in this sketch is extremely sloppy, he looks like he’s on the verge of busting out laughing the entire time, and he even flat out says “Oops!” after one of several line flubs he makes here. Jesus Christ. Once again tonight, I ask: this is an about-to-depart six-season SNL veteran I’m watching?!? Look, I like Jimmy, but man, this sketch REALLY accentuates the weaknesses he’s had as a performer over the years.
— Overall, this sketch didn’t produce a single laugh from me, nor did it produce a single moment that DIDN’T make me cringe. And I still want to know what the hell this kind of thing was doing on SNL.
STARS: *
ACCESS HOLLYWOOD
Olsen triplet (FRA) was edited out of New York Minute
— Blah, yet another display of bad “Pat O’Brien can’t breathe through his nose” jokes. I would say “At least this is the last time we’ll ever see it”, but I’m not 100% sure, as I think Jimmy later reprises his British Pat O’Brien in a Spy Glass sketch from the following season’s Cameron Diaz episode, which Jimmy cameos in.
— I remember finding Fred hilarious in this sketch when it originally aired, but in the years since then, I’ve gotten really burned out on men-in-drag humor on SNL, with a few exceptions. I don’t think this sketch is going to be one of those exceptions.
— I did get a laugh just now from the reveal of Fred’s Olsen Twin wearing granny panties under her skirt.
— Overall, some mild laughs, but I wasn’t a big fan of this sketch as a whole.
STARS: **½
ROLLER RINK
at a roller rink in 1979, Bloater brothers wilt when (hosts) get amorous
— Tonight’s Jimmy Fallon Farewell Tour continues.
— The Bloaters Brothers make their first appearance in quite a long while.
— The flashback premise is a bit of a change of pace for these Bloater Brothers sketches, but the humor here is kinda washing over me. I’m usually a defender of the Bloater Brothers, but I feel a bit lukewarm on their routine this time around.
— Hell yeah! A rare onscreen Don Pardo appearance! Great way to end this sketch.
STARS: **½
FAMILY BARBECUE
dad (CHP) uses camcorder to chronicle indoor Memorial Day family barbecue
— A laugh from the deviled eggs with M&Ms in them.
— Chris always plays such a good cheesy dad, and it’s good to see Chris starring in a sketch for once. Actually, I shouldn’t say “for once”, as this is actually the second consecutive sketch tonight starring or co-starring him, but it feels kinda rare to see him starring in an original one-off sketch.
— Interesting structure to this sketch, which you don’t see often in this era.
— Seth is fairly funny as the immature older brother.
— A cameo from Chris’ buttcrack.
STARS: ***
THE ADVENTURES OF HAROLD
by T. Sean Shannon- bald 12 year-old at school
— Hmm, well, THIS is certainly a huge change of pace for this era.
— The lack of any SNL performers, or anyone recognizable at all, gives this an even odder feel.
— I’m enjoying the aesthetic and acting in this, making this feel even more refreshingly out-of-the-ordinary for this SNL era.
— Good reveal at the end, though I’m surprised this film is ending already.
— Overall, not a bad film.
— This would end up being turned into a movie years later.
STARS: ***
SUMMERTIME
cast members’ summer medley culminates in Grease-inspired JIF & TIF duet
— The use of a locker room for the cast feels like a nice throwback to backstage sketches from the original SNL era. I know some of the SNL eras after the original one also occasionally used cast locker rooms in backstage sketches, but I can’t remember the last time we saw that.
— Oh, I absolutely love how meta this sketch is, with the cast lamenting this being the final sketch of the season while simultaneously anticipating their summer break. I believe this is the very first end-of-season goodbye sketch featuring every single member of the cast since “So Long Farewell” from exactly 10 years prior.
— So many endearing little details thrown in all throughout this. I even like the various odd ways the female cast members pronounce Horatio’s name, even though that seems to be a very inside joke.
— A great Travolta-esque entrance from Jimmy, appearing in his farewell sketch.
— A nice Grease turn in the music after Jimmy’s entrance.
— Lots of great random bits all throughout this sketch, such as Maya joining in Amy and Will’s “Summer Breeze” duet to do a vocalization of the guitar notes from that song, and Jimmy having to restrain Kenan when Kenan gets way too into his gesturing during the Grease song. But my absolute favorite random aspect of this sketch is definitely Darrell in the background, just leaning against the lockers for almost the entire sketch while looking down at his coffee cup in a very deadpan, emotionless manner, not participating at all in any of the various songs his castmates are doing. I’ve seen some SNL fans complain about that aspect of this sketch, as they assumed Darrell was genuinely being a sourpuss and went off-script by refusing to participate in any of the songs. Not only am I certain that Darrell’s lack of participation is a scripted part of this sketch, but that it’s also intended as a humorous meta commentary on 1) how detached Darrell is from the rest of this cast, and 2) how much Darrell’s somber, dry personality clashes against an upbeat musical piece like this. Darrell’s also unintentionally doing a spot-on impression of how I personally would typically act if I had to participate in any kind of musical number like this, so perhaps that’s why this aspect of this sketch resonates so much with me.
— I love the comically unnecessary use of a split-screen when Jimmy and Tina are singing right next to each other.
— Overall, I could not have loved this sketch any more. An extremely fun, epic, and amazing end-of-season goodbye sketch, and also a fitting and fun sendoff to Jimmy. I recall hearing that Amy and Fred both wrote this, and they didn’t even intend for it to be a farewell to Jimmy, as they weren’t 100% sure yet about his departure when they were writing this. They wrote this sketch as both a farewell to the season and as a “Thank you” to loyal SNL viewers. I guess it’s just a coincidence that it ended up working out as such a nice sendoff for Jimmy.
STARS: *****
GOODNIGHTS
IMMEDIATE POST-SHOW THOUGHTS
— Nothing special as a season finale, aside from the final sketch. The show hit a lull for a while after Update, but as a whole, this episode wasn’t too bad. However, given the upswing in quality this season has surprisingly experienced the last few episodes prior to this, I was hoping this season would end on a higher note than it did.
MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF “BEST OF” MOMENTS FOR THIS EPISODE, REPRESENTED WITH SCREENCAPS
HOW THIS EPISODE STACKS UP AGAINST THE PRECEDING ONE (Snoop Dogg)
a step down
MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF “BEST OF” MOMENTS FOR THIS ENTIRE SEASON, REPRESENTED WITH SCREENCAPS
HOW THIS OVERALL SEASON STACKS UP AGAINST THE PRECEDING SEASON (2002-03)
Kinda hard to say. Before the last few episodes of this season, I definitely would’ve said this season is a slight step down from the preceding one, but the aforementioned upswing this season’s quality took towards the end makes me have some second thoughts about where this season stands against the preceding one. I’ll have to just put an N/A for now, until I come to a decision.
My full set of screencaps for this episode is here
TOMORROW
Season 30 begins, with host Ben Affleck, one new addition to the cast, and a new co-anchor for Weekend Update