It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day and I’m feeling good.
It’s been a week since the last episode of Saturday Night Live, a disastrous casting stunt gone very, very wrong that I all but refused to recap. But I’m feeling good and, as that expression about the sun coming out after a storm goes, think we’re in for a killer show tonight. We’ve got a good host in Elizabeth Banks (who we all know from Pitch Perfect and even her stint on 30 Rock is no stranger to outlandish comedy) and the pent-up anger from last week’s disastrous outing. Will Trump be brought up or should we all agree that last week was an unfunny fever dream? Will any of it matter after tonight?
Like I always do (well, except for last week), I’ll be writing the recaps “live,” meaning I’ll watch a sketch and immediately write a short blurb reviewing and recapping it. For each segment, I’ll rate it on a scale of 0-5 stars. At the end of the piece, I’ll share some quick overall thoughts and the best/worst sketch of the night.
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Tribute To Paris Tragedy: N/A
Obviously not a normal cold open, but I applaud SNL on a simple and moving tribute to the unthinkable tragedy that happened in Paris yesterday. Much like the opening to their first post-9/11 show, SNL has always been good with not ignoring tragedy in favor of cheap laughs. This is a comedy show, we get it. But this is, to paraphrase the 9/11 one, a nice reminder that it’s OK to laugh again.
Opening Monologue: * * * *
While this may not be the funniest monologue of the year, it has such infectious energy from Banks that it’s hard not to be sucked in. From running on a treadmill to performing a choreographed dance routine, it’s clear Banks is up to anything tonight. The best part? The cutaway to the bass player that no one in the audience seemed to find funny but had me laughing out loud.
Aron’s List: * * * *
This is a great idea for a sketch but I’m not sure it went where it needed to. Beyond the initial punchline, it didn’t really go anywhere. Perhaps that’s best, as sometimes it’s best to get in and get out, but something felt missing here.
Black Jeopardy: * * * * *
The original "Black Jeopardy" was the best sketch of its season, in my book. This go-around didn’t try to copy the original and wisely swapped Louis CK’s befuddled African Studies professor with a well-meaning but clueless privileged white girl. I won’t give away too much here, but this is incredibly smart sketch writing. Biting without being mean, meaningful without bashing you over the head. Brilliant.
I First Got Horny To You: * * * * *
At first, I thought this was going to be a Gemini’s Twin reboot, but instead we got something much better. Like "Twin Bed" before it, this is the ladies of SNL showing off how funny and raunchy they can be. This ‘90s girl group-esque ode to teenage sexual awakening was riotously funny, even before the ridiculous Menendez Brothers verse and just kept getting better and better. This is an SNL music video at its very best.
Mirror To America A Reflection of You: * * * * *
This is my third year recapping SNL and I think this is the first time I’ve had three 5 star-rated sketches back-to-back. Maybe I’m just giddy from last week but it's also true that these sketches have always been a personal favorite. As someone who has spent many hours in dusty black box theaters and climbing on those identical black cubes, I can relate. Originally, I thought this should be a one-time-only thing as the sketch’s second outing didn’t live up to the brilliance of the first. Yet here comes Part III which is the strongest one yet. Every moment landed amazingly well from the “hair tangles” bit to the Caitlyn Jenner reference. This is another one I can’t wait to re-watch in the morning.
Weekend Update: * * * *
This Weekend Update ran really hot and cold. There were a couple amazing moments (Pete Davidson had perhaps his best set ever and Olga’s “Hamilton” line was amazing, if not amazingly insider baseball for SNL) and then bits like Bruce Chandler and a few Update jokes that just failed to illicit a single chuckle. When it worked, it worked. I just wish more landed.
The Adventures of Young Ben Carson: * * ½
Jay Pharaoh’s Ben Carson is wonderful. He really nails the listless voice and total lack of personality. But the actual material felt like a retread of material played out of Twitter and late night TV shows for the past week. Not a failure, just nothing that new.
Arnold Baxter: * * * ½
I could watch Bobby Moynihan reacting to things all night and the idea of a charity-auctioned role gone very wrong has a lot of potential. This one fizzled out a bit before the sketch ended, but it was solid and solidly funny.
Uber for Jen: * * * *
I just love how Mike O’Brien’s brain works. His comedic voice is so unique and strange and wonderful. This isn’t my favorite O’Brien film, it lacks the depth and melancholy of, say, "Monster Pals" or "Grow A Guy," but it’s still a great piece of O’Brien surrealism.
“So Ghetto”: * * * *
Like the wonderful fake orgasm sketch from the premiere, this is a one-joke sketch based around one member of a group making increasingly outlandish comments. But the joke here is actually really funny and smart at the same time. This may not be the sketch we’ll remember tomorrow, but definitely success.
Best Sketch: Gotta go with "Black Jeopardy," although there was some other real winners.
Worst Sketch: "Ben Carson."
Musical Guest: Disclosure (with Lorde & Sam Smith)
This kind of techno-EDM isn’t my jam. So I can’t really judge. My take-aways: Sam Smith is, as always, an incredible vocal talent and Lorde scares me just a little despite being six years younger than me.
Overall Thoughts:
Wow, what a truly great episode of SNL! Exactly as we expected the cast and crew really rallied and put together one of the strongest shows I’ve seen in a very long time. Let’s hope they can keep the momentum going next week.