Segments are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars
SPECIAL REPORT W/ BRIT HUME
George W. Bush (WLF) acknowledges Iraq failures but remains optimistic
— I’m being tickled by Will’s President Bush matter-of-factly agreeing with Darrell’s Brit Hume on all of the horrible screw-ups Bush has made in his handling of the war in Iraq. The overly serious look on Will’s face during that matter-of-factly agreeing is adding to the humor.
— I have very mixed feelings on the punchline, and I was expecting it to be funnier after such a long set-up of this nature.
— This ends up being Will’s final appearance as Bush. Unlike the last two cast members who played Bush before him (Chris Parnell and Darrell), Will didn’t get the Bush impression yanked away from him against his will. He would later reveal it was his own decision to stop playing Bush. He asked SNL to be taken out of the role because he never felt comfortable doing political humor. A shame, because I liked him as Bush, and it was nice to have stability in the role for a few seasons after the initial revolving door of Bush impersonators after Will Ferrell’s departure.
STARS: ***
OPENING MONTAGE
— The SNL logo has gone through a third and final modification this season. While it still has a similar look to the Ebersol-era look it had in the last episode, the letters are widened, giving it a bit of a more unique identity. (below is a tracking of this season’s logo changes, in chronological order)
MONOLOGUE
James Lipton (WIF) incorrectly credits host during his hagiography
— Will Ferrell as James Lipton!
— Not only is it always nice to see Ferrell return to the show, but it’s always fun to see him and John C. Reilly together.
— Ferrell’s Lipton constantly mistaking John for being in movies that he wasn’t even in is worth some good laughs.
— Pretty funny bit with Ferrell’s Lipton making John pretend to be Roxie from the movie Chicago.
— A huge laugh from “I have an erection” being one of the many things Will’s Lipton says in delight during John’s singing.
— Not sure I needed this to turn into a duet, as I have a low tolerance for musical monologues.
— The “Sean C Reilly” light-up sign is pretty funny.
STARS: ***½
COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG
Colonial Williamsburg role accuracy is a pretense for (host)’s racism
— I love Jason’s line about how John “really came within a stone’s throw of using correctly once”, regarding his constant use of the word “harken”.
— Some laughs from the bigoted comments we’re told that John made towards the black employees, and Jason is a good straight man here.
— While this sketch isn’t too bad so far, it feels too quiet and slow for a lead-off sketch. It would’ve fit much more a little later in the show. This has no business being the lead-off sketch of an episode. Already a sign that we may be in for a rough night.
— I love Kenan’s walk-on. He steals this sketch for me.
— John’s ending line (“Those knee socks are inaccurate!”) was a weak note to end this sketch on.
STARS: **½
SWIMMING LESSON
(WLF) learns strokes while strapped to unorthodox swim instructor (host)
— Funny entrance from John.
— I remember some online SNL fans back at this time in 2006 saying John’s character felt awfully Will Ferrell-esque, specifically Ferrell’s Ted Brogan character, and those fans also said that, since Ferrell was actually in the building during this episode, they might as well have given this role to him.
— John’s inappropriate “69” comment was hilarious.
— A pretty good laugh from the penis-adjusting bit.
— Okay, this sketch is starting to devolve into pointless, sophomoric, and unfunny homoeroticism. It’s losing me.
— I’m usually iffy on text crawl endings, but this one made me laugh, despite being awfully long-winded.
STARS: **
KIM JONG IL’S ADDRESS
Kim Jong Il (AMP) flaunts nukes & asks North Koreans to sacrifice
— I found Amy’s Kim Jong Il impression pretty funny as a supporting role in that Hugo Chavez Political Roundup sketch, but it doesn’t seem like something that can carry its own sketch. And was it really necessary to give him his own extensive, fleshed-out opening title sequence here?
— I’m still hearing Dexter from Cartoon Network’s Dexter’s Laboratory in Amy’s Kim Jong Il voice. As a 90s kid, I’d like to think that’s intentional on Amy’s part, but would she even be familiar with that cartoon?
— Not caring for anything in this sketch at all so far.
— Yeah, this is pretty much a dud.
— The “Th-th-th-th-that’s all, folks!” ending wasn’t necessary, and I’m usually a sucker for a Looney Tunes reference.
STARS: *
TWO A-HOLES WORK OUT WITH A TRAINER
personal trainer (host) doesn’t know what to make of insouciant A-holes
— This is our first appearance this season of any pre-existing recurring characters. Impressive that SNL went this long into the season before they whipped out any recurring characters.
— The usual funny comments from the Two A-holes.
— I particularly like the part where, when Jason just stands in silence after bringing up the fact that he can do a great impression of Shaggy from Scooby-Doo, John asks him “So, are you gonna do it, or…” and Jason immediately answers with a blunt “No.”
— This sketch has taken a VERY odd and out-of-the-ordinary turn with John’s whole flustered monologue in reaction to the Two A-holes refusing to speak to him anymore. I appreciate this attempt at something different in a Two A-holes sketch, but it’s not working for me and it’s absolutely bombing with the audience. This episode in general has been having a bit of a hollow feel, and the uncomfortable lack of audience reaction during John’s flustered monologue portion of this Two A-holes sketch is further adding to that hollow feel.
STARS: ***½
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “Welcome To The Black Parade”
WEEKEND UPDATE
Flavor Flav (KET) assigns cheeky nicknames to female politicians
AMP leaves a note for SEM upon heading to Colorado for hassle-free weed
— Wow, Kenan’s Flavor Flav impression is fucking HORRIBLE. See, this is one of the problems with having Kenan as the only black male cast member left after Finesse Mitchell’s firing. This being long before the days where he became the polished, reliable veteran he’s appreciated as today, Kenan’s limitations as a performer get exposed badly in these post-Finesse Mitchell pre-Jay Pharoah seasons, when, due to being the only black guy in the cast, he’s sometimes thrown into certain types of black roles that he can’t pull off.
— In addition to his horrible impression, Kenan-as-Flavor-Flav’s breakdown of politicians is just plain unfunny.
— In retrospect, it’s unintentionally amusing how Barack Obama is one of the various politicians who’s photo Kenan’s Flavor Flav responds to with a dismissive “Don’t know ‘im”. If he only knew what the future held for Obama… (Though even Seth, in this Update commentary, is shocked that Kenan’s Flavor Flav doesn’t know who Obama is.)
— Quite a number of weak and/or baffling Update jokes tonight.
— Oh, I absolutely love this side bit with Seth reading a wartime-esque farewell letter from Amy after she’s left the Update desk to get some soon-to-be-legal weed at Colorado. Even the little detail of Amy’s voice crumbling whenever Seth crumbles the letter into a ball while she’s narrating it is fantastic.
— Kinda funny seeing Seth do a Matthew McConaughey vocal impression, as I remember Seth’s brother Josh regularly doing a pretty popular McConaughey impression on MADtv.
— Overall, a few good jokes and a great “farewell letter/Colorado weed” bit, but this was the first subpar Update of the Poehler/Meyers era. Still more tolerable than a typical Fey/Poehler-era Update.
STARS: **½
SHE’S A MESS
(host) alternately gorges on Mexican food & pines for ex-boyfriend (FRA)
— A male extra at the beginning of this sketch botches his cue on when to enter the set. At the same time, you can also hear the stage manager hurriedly whispering to him “Go!”
— Ugh at the reveal of John in drag. I can already tell this is going to be a rough sketch. I remember saying in the original 2006 review (which sadly isn’t available anymore) I did of this episode back when it originally aired, “After John’s opening line in this sketch after the reveal of him in drag, I half-expected this sketch to cut to the “And then there’s Carol!” opening title sequence from Horatio Sanz’s Carol sketches.
— This surprisingly feels like Maya’s first appearance all night, until I remembered she made a small appearance in the Colonial Williamsburg sketch. Amy’s been having a surprisingly light night too, making only three appearances all night, which is a very paltry number compared to how insanely high her appearance-per-show average was the preceding season.
— This sketch is PAINFUL so far. The comedic conceit of John C. Reilly in drag simultaneously crying, talking, and stuffing his face with food, with no funny dialogue to be found anywhere, is comedy death. I also feel bad for Maya, Amy, and Kristen, who’s respective talents are being completely wasted in this sketch in very poor roles.
— What’s with the excessive number of “you guys” being delivered during Maya, Amy, and Kristen’s secretive conversation with each other about John’s character? Is that supposed to be amusing?
— WTF at Fred’s walk-on as some bizarre, unfunny character? And was it intentional to make him look like the lovechild of Austin Powers and Dr. Evil?
— Aaaaaaaaaaand to top this already-horrible sketch off, we end with a man-on-man kiss as a cheap, unnecessary, and brutally unfunny attempt at a laugh. Yep, it’s now official: this is, hands down, one of the worst sketches I have EVER sat through during my SNL project. For various reasons, I get the strong feeling James Anderson was the writer behind this disaster (right down to the Anderson trademark of the camera doing a pan shot of each normal character having a frozen unpleasant look on their face as they’re witnessing something odd the lead comedic character is doing). If so, I see he’s done it once again with yet another sketch that actually ANGERS me with how painfully bad it is. I’m sure James Anderson is a great person behind the scenes at SNL and everything, but it utterly baffles me that this man has kept his job as an SNL writer for 20+ seasons, still continuing TO THIS FUCKING DAY. Looking at a list of sketches he wrote is like looking at a list of sketches that I hated the most from the 2000s and 2010s – there’s an unsettling number of the same sketches on both lists.
STARS: *
HOUSE OF CARTERS
brothers Nick (JAS) & Aaron (ANS) argue & make up
— Jason’s portrayal of Nick Carter is hilarious.
— Meh, the comedic conceit of this sketch is ALREADY getting old.
— Andy shirtless in two sketches tonight?
— Kenan as “black manager” got a laugh out of me with his one line.
— I spoke too soon, as Kenan’s second line fell badly flat and ended this sketch on an awkward note.
STARS: **
HARPOON MAN
whaler Harpoon Man (host) hunts his derogative orca balladeer (ANS)
— Interesting idea for a Shaft spoof, and the mere idea of Andy Samberg as an Isaac Hayes-esque deep-voiced singing narrator tickles me.
— This short has a very “Young Chuck Norris” vibe. Even Bill (where has he been tonight, by the way?) and Jorma Taccone reprise their bit roles from Young Chuck Norris, right down to the same costumes.
— I like the turn with Harpoon Man hunting down the singing narrator during all of his childish insults of him.
— I love the oddball ending.
STARS: ***½
MCMILLAN FAMILY MOMENT
Mr. McMillan (host) relays family Oreo tradition to unreceptive son (ANS)
— I recall an online SNL fan pointing out back when this episode originally aired that a tooth crown can be seen accidentally falling out of John’s mouth during his angry rant at Andy in this sketch, and that John can then be seen awkwardly using the inside of his mouth to feel the missing crown. I’m watching this sketch right now, and I’m pretty sure the “tooth crown” falling out of John’s mouth (the last above screencap for this sketch) was actually only a piece of white cookie filling he had just licked from the Oreo. He does appear to be awkwardly using the inside of his mouth to feel his teeth afterwards, but he’s probably just doing that because he presumably has some cookie filling stuck on his teeth.
— Yet another sketch tonight that ends very awkwardly.
— Overall………no idea what to say about this sketch, other than I didn’t laugh a single time. Man, tonight’s episode is getting BRUTAL with all of its bad sketches.
STARS: *
THE BEAR SHARK PROJECT
scientists (host) & (MAR) sing to mourn the end of Operation Bear Shark
— This looks like it could be a good oddball sketch. The premise alone is very interesting and creative.
— Great visual effect of Jason’s endlessly-bleeding chewed-off arm, especially the little gag of him unintentionally leaving blood on the door window as he’s making his exit.
— Funny line from John about losing his hand AND his virginity to the Bear Shark.
— I’m pretty sure Bill hasn’t uttered a single line in this entire episode (not counting his various Chris Parnell-esque voice-over roles). Damn.
— OH, GOD. Why’d this have to turn into a freakin’ musical sketch? What happened to the jokes? Why waste such a brilliantly absurd premise? God, this episode is DESTROYING me.
— Not even the lyric from a Will Forte-voiced Bear Shark during the Maya/John musical number can save this for me.
— Ugh, this unfunny musical number from Maya and John feels like it’s going on FOREVER.
— Jason, to us viewers, regarding how this sketch turned out: “You feel gypped, right?” Hell fucking yes. You read my mind, Jason, even if you didn’t mean that in the way I want you to.
— Jason’s condescending ending message to us viewers is pretty funny, ALMOST saving this extremely disappointing sketch.
STARS: *½
MCMILLAN FAMILY MOMENT
Mr. McMillan can’t interest Little Brother (KET) in family Oreo tradition
— (*sigh*) Another one of these?
— Once again, not a single laugh from me during the entire sketch. These McMillan Family bits are so weak, and tonight’s episode continues to gradually murder me with its horrible quality.
STARS: *
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “Cancer”
MCMILLAN FAMILY MOMENT
Mr. McMillan’s dad (JAS) denies authenticity of family Oreo tradition
— OH FUCKING NO.
— Watching this episode is starting to make me feel like I am in hell.
— I very rarely, if ever, criticize Jason Sudeikis, but something about his performance here doesn’t feel right for the character he’s playing. On paper, you’d think the casting of Jason as a grumpy elderly father would be perfect, but he’s coming off too…I dunno, stiff? Something feels awkward and off about his performance in this role. This is a role that Chris Parnell would’ve played to perfection IN HIS SLEEP had he still been on the show.
— Wow, this overall third edition of the McMillan Family runner was somehow even worse than the first two, which I didn’t think was possible. What a horrible runner. How did stuff like this make it on the air?!?
STARS: *
GOODNIGHTS
IMMEDIATE POST-SHOW THOUGHTS
— Oof. What a rough, rough episode. Easily the worst episode I’ve reviewed since the dreaded season 30. Looks like we have a new entry for the list of my lowest-ranked reviews. Very few sketches in this episode worked for me (and not even any of THOSE received a rating over a measly three-and-a-half stars), while A LOT of stuff flopped hard. The post-Weekend Update half in particular was downright unwatchable, aside from the Digital Short. That half of the show made me increasingly miserable, as seen throughout my review. This episode in general felt SO off that even some of the not-so-bad stuff had kind of a hollow, quiet feel, like I mentioned earlier. When your funniest live sketch of the night is a Two A-holes sketch that isn’t up to snuff compared to previous Two A-holes sketches, there’s a big problem. Even SNL themselves seemed to know this episode is a dud, because, IIRC, it ended up never getting an NBC rerun. [ADDENDUM: As said by some in the comments section of this review, this episode did get an NBC rerun, but it was over a year later and was during a long writers strike, showing that SNL was indeed not proud of this episode for a long time.] I remember how both this episode and the worst aspects of the preceding Jaime Pressly episode had a lot of online SNL fans back at this time in 2006 worrying about the direction of this new season, fearing we were in for a potential disaster season. Hindsight has taught us better, as we now know this season ends up turning out fine. I’ll just chalk the shakiness of these past two episodes up to this season trying to find its footing after some major shakeups in the cast. There’s been a different, experimental feel in the early episodes of this season, and, knowing in hindsight that this season ends up being good, I can accept a big misfire like tonight’s episode and the rough patch in the middle of the preceding episode as byproducts of that early experimentation.
MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF “BEST OF” MOMENTS FOR THIS EPISODE, REPRESENTED WITH SCREENCAPS
HOW THIS EPISODE STACKS UP AGAINST THE PRECEDING ONE (Jaime Pressly)
a step down
My full set of screencaps for this episode is here
TOMORROW
Hugh Laurie