Well, hi everyone.
The episode we've been waiting for has finally come. And now, it's gone, hitting the history books and making history--not only for the show and television in general, but also for the episode's host Tracy Morgan.
This is the second time he has appeared on TV (after his first at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards), and his first full acting gig since his heartbreaking life-threatening incident on the New Jersey Turnpike last June.
You really could tell how ecstatic I was since the announcement was made back last month. My exuberance of watching him begin his redemption arc was one of my most anticipated television events of this year; and to live it out by watching it live makes me a very lucky guy.
Let's waste no time. Let's get into it.
This week’s deserving subject of the CO is the first Democratic Presidential Debate of election season on CNN. All of the Candidates made their appearance and made their marks--whether smart, dumb; sane, insane; potentially right, potentially wrong; and fighting each other for the most relevance--willing in the eyes of voters and fans to gain, keep or increase interest and support.
And even without SNL, the debate was memorable and crazy.
But thanks to SNL, it reached levels.
Let’s start with the obvious:
Jon Rudnitsky played a really questionable Anderson Cooper. From the second he appears, he’s even more of a caricature of the CNN anchor, even for this show. His voice doesn’t have the touch of gruff that AC usually has and turned up the campiness in it and his mannerisms. Yeah, yeah--he’s gay, but we don’t need that fact hammered into our brains, guy. I think Rudnitsky has watched AC360 before, but probably forgot what Cooper’s actual voice sounded like seconds before airtime, and had to improvise with whatever voice he could whip up before the showtime. And the result is sad. He sounds like Bobby Moynihan and Dr. Evil had a baby. And speaking of Moynihan, I honestly thought that was him playing Cooper for a second, but then I realize “Anderson Cooper isn’t chubby”.
He did his best, and that's good. But to say he wasn’t funny is kinda wrong...at times.
Meanwhile it’s obvious that Larry David nailed it as Bernie Sanders. He really played up to the aspects Sanders showed at the Debate as a lurchy, grumpy old man who has it out for half of anyone he sees, especially Hillary Clinton and “HER DAMN E-MAILS!!” Sure, he sounds Jewish a, but who cares?
Also, Alec Baldwin was just as great and hilarious as Webb. He didn’t have to act or sound as much like Webb, but adding his Alec-y Baldwin-ness to the caricature gave it another layer of funny and awesome.
Oh and
Fave Lines:
"I have one pair of underwear that I wash"
All in all, this sketch was fantastic and a great start to what was an absolutely memorable episode.
Tracy made his live return to his beloved Studio 8H to wild, raucous applause, along with a well-deserved standing ovation from everyone in the second row. And his monologue was almost everything we knew and love about him: dirty jokes, self-deprecation, goofiness and more dirty jokes. The joke about him losing brain was hilarious (showing not only that he can take a joke, but that’s supposedly what’s he been like all this time), and the words about returning to the show and the man that gave him his start on TV was just poignant and beautiful. I couldn't care if it bombed (even though I knew it wouldn’t), I’m just so grateful, as is everyone else, to see him back on TV being himself again.
And if his presence was the biggest gift television could give to Americans at this time of the year, than the unexpected reunion of his cast mates from 30 Rock was freaking two-fer.-
Seeing Baldwin, fellow former cast member Tina Fey, Jane Krakowski and Jack McBrayer reprising their roles that made this show so beloved and amazing was simply awesome. So much so, it almost made me cry..from that and the pain from me picking up my jaw. And watching them act out a “scene” from the show shows that they really haven’t missed a beat. And you can really tell that these guys couldn't wait to work with and be in the same room as Tracy, and you will not blame them. They missed him as much as we did, and they were more excited to be with him than we were.
This part of the Mono with a return of one of the most brilliant and hilarious sitcoms of the late 2000s was the best of this season. No so far--this is the highest of the high here.
--
Remember those jokes on some recent TV shows where a black man abandons his family to begin life with a new family...who is white? Well, the tradition continued in the return of Family Feud!
When I watched the sketch, and saw the Martin family, I immediately knew what would happen. Didn’t stop it from being funny. One big sticking point for me was that this was the first time this season that Michael Che actually appeared in a sketch--and not just Update (and the second time he appears in such-after the “Empire” Pre-Tape last season). And he got a funny line, so that’s a good thing.
Also “Harvey’s” reaction to all this is exactly how the real Steve Harvey would react on the real Family Feud. If you watch the show, you’d understand this entirely--his reaction to the stupidity of the families is glorious. Fortunately, while this was the entire joke, there were some hilarious jokes--and if you’re black, they’re true gut-busters, like “Harvey’s” many one-lines, and the gag of his.
Also, this was one time Leslie Jones got through a sketch without yelling at the top of her lungs. It’s quite refreshing.
Fave Lines:
Almost Everything Harvey Said, especially
“I don’t know if it’s right, but I know it’s real.” and
“Show me ‘I forgot to pull out!’ ” (-I nearly pissed myself when I heard that.)
It’s great to see this sketch again, as it has been so hilarious with every appearance. Kenan makes this one shine, as his Steve Harvey impersonation just keels me--He knows what he’s doing, and he does it extremely well. And the “contestants” have funny lines, but his reactions are even funnier. Great job to everyone on this sketch for keeping it fresh and funny.
--
Yo! Where Jackie Chan at Right Now?
(Yes, that’s the title. I share in the disgust.)
I immediately knew from the second the title card appeared that this sketch wasn’t going to be hilarious, because of the title and the short premise alone. It’s like “make it or break it”. But it was a little chuckleworthy from the performances of Kenan and Tracy as the hosts (more not because of the delivery, more because of how corny it was). The true highlight was Pharoah’s impersonation of Chris Tucker, which was really spot on--voice AND facial expressions. Mooney’s “Chuck Norris” was bad (and mercifully short), Moyni’s “Steven Seagal” was hilarious just from the facial expression alone (another highlight), and TKill’s “Owen Wilson” was a mixed bag (he also did amazing with the facial expressions). There were other appearances, but I’m just over explaining at this. It wasn’t very funny, and shouldn’t gone past dress rehearsal. Or even the writer’s room. Overall, this was a very weak (and super weird) sketch.
--
Good Morning Song
This sketch is also weird, but this one was much funnier. Also, this was more of a subversion to your expectations, Like the “Dance of ‘55” Sketch After in Episode 1, you thought Miley Cyrus would using along with the cast members about finding love--but ah-ah-ah! You didn’t think about her going to rap like a, low-class betsy, now did ya?
This sketch was just like that, but you knew it would happen by looking at it.
Morgan is a member of the storybook town that’s very different from everyone else, in that he’s the most inappropriate, foul-mouthed hooligan...betsy (hey, it’s hard finding swear perfect words from the era to match the humor related to the sketch. You try it.)
Also, I like the “message” behind it, in which the town creepo is being himself, while everyone else is being really prudish, and he wants everyone to more open in their personalities. And they agree to it...to shocking returns. The town Pastor Danes (TKill) revealed to have had statutory rape with young school-boy Abernathy (Rudnitsky). …umm. Deplorable
All I can say is I’m glad it’s not him in the role.
That would’ve been super creepy.
Fave Lines: Some from Clockmaker Bernard
-“I saw a horse take a whiz! It was insane! It was so big, a duck landed in it!”
-“[...]do you cross your legs when you sit on the toilet?”
-“I wrote a song about titties! Anyone wanna hear it?”
(Yeah, it’s sophomoric, but what’cha gonna do? And Yes, I won’t judge you for snickering like a immature child watching . I did the same.)
-His reaction to Pastor Danes’ confession was funny as well.
-”I can’t even talk right now.” -Cheese-maker Brenda (It’s the delivery here)
This was a...very odd sketch. But I’ll take it over “Yo! Where Jackie Chan at Right Now?” any day. I give this a B-.
--
It’s Pre-Tape time!
A man is livid over another guy making a pass at his girlfriend, so he goes to the guy and wants to setting this. So they dance. Literally.
This was…really? And it fell flat half of the time. When the guy said he wanted to dance, I expected the guy to join in, like a minute in. That’s what I thought would happen. Not some sappy shit that actually happened after. The melodrama wasn’t that funny, the jokes were so-so and I expected a shoot-out straight after. I got lost after the guy walked away and wanted this to end. (Mind you I was watching this on Yahoo! Screen. Fuck the no-scroll feature. That’s retarded!) And when the dancing actually happened, I wanted to hair out.
I’m sorry if you thought this was actually funny, but this didn’t do it for me.
(I just realize, the Pre-Tapes are starting to get less funny. Like half of the time, they lost some humor and edge. It’s like the writers are giving less time to them and more to the sketches [which could be a very good thing]. But hey, it’s only the start of the season so it’s really nothing to worry about for now.)
--
Now, you guys may be noticing something. The best parts of the episode aren’t shown in order yet. That’s because I wanted to hold them off till the end, to give us that wonderful nostalgia we revel from his season on the show. Three of Morgan’s most memorable and beloved recurring characters have returned once again for another round of hilarity, strangeness and/or sex:
Brian Fellow, Woodrow the Homeless Man and Astronaut Jones.
Let’s start with Brian Fellow, because he was just the best of the three.
Let’s just say it’s shocking that despite the fact that he was involved in a car crash, that he just hasn’t missed a damn beat as Fellows. His enthusiasm, brashness, questionable mannerisms and even questionable morale here was just another reason to make him one of the most beloved recurring characters of SNL in the 2000s. I couldn't care about the guests (here played by Pete Dave and Baby Aidy), because it’s clear it’s always about Brian, and rightly so.
But the best part of the sketch was really what happens at the end.
Also, the shot of the camel blocks the camera’s view of Fellows, and ruins the illusion of him thinking the beaver puppet. That--along with Tracy, improvising in character as Brian, screaming
“I can’t see, camel!”--was fucking hilarious at the end. In fact, this was the best gag in all of this episode, and possibly this season so far!
I was already going to name this one of the best sketches, but the camel’s unintentional antics made it reach the top.
Just crazy hilarious.
Woodrow the Homeless Man also returned, but he wasn’t in any of the sketches. He actually appears in this week’s Weekend Update--which I’ll get to later on. But right now...
another of our favorites has come back: ASTRONAUT JONES!
Imma start by saying that the theme song is awesome and very catchy.
Seriously, when you hear “Rocket”, you just can’t help but using along and dance to the classic music as it play. It sounds a little off sync here, but the good memories are still revived no matter.
Also, it’s painfully short, but that’s the great point: to capitalize on the point of the joke based on the fact that, while Jones is a great astronaut, he’s a complete sleazebag. He hits on the female counterparts of any alien race and wants them to do his sexual bidding. But that’s funny, if his one-liners are any indication.
On the other hand, the part at NASA at the beginning really wasn’t needed. And I also thought it was shoehorning in more Taran Killam and Kate McKinnon for some reason. Yeah, Kate can do the voice of a shocked NASA worker well like a character in a space thriller, but does anyone care?
Overall, this sketch was hilarious, one of the best, and the perfect end to a brilliant...ly freaky episode.
--
This week, Demi Lovato was lucky enough to ride on the Tracy Morgan Redemption Express as the musical guest. But it’s not the only reason. She has new music coming out--courtesy of her fifth album Confident, and just at the time of change in her own life. Her music has become more mature, more open, more autobiographical...and of course, more sexual. You know, like
every
other
former
Disney
star.
Seriously, it shouldn’t be this surprising anymore. And I’m glad it’s not.
But she is a more responsible artist about her su--oh, who am I kidding?
She’s just like the rest of them. “Cool for the Summer” is not a song about fun times with your friends at some beach during vacation. It’s about frickin’ lesbian experimentation.
(...But I’m pretty sure Tracy would be cool with that)
And the lyrics are not subtle. You really wouldn’t think she has a sudden interest in fruit cherries during the tryst with her five-minute lover, or that “Don’t tell you mother” meant they took Mom’s credit card and shopped ‘til they dropped. There was scissoring involved.
I’m sorry, but I hate this song. The concept is so contrived, (It just screams the fact that Demi is making this to prove that parading along with everyone else in their new-found sexual freedom. It’s so obvious, it’s annoying!) the lyrics are so forced in their pseudo-lesbianism, it’s just laughable (Again, see “Don’t tell your mother”; and also “Die for each other”--That’s just Hannibal funny.) and the beat is fine, but confusing. First, it’s soft slow and poppy, and then it’s loud, blaring and rock-ish. It’s so uneven that way, it gives you a headache. Really, the song screams “SUMMER!” but also moans “CHICK-TO-CHICK ORGASM!!” so much, it’s not that really genuine.
Oh, and did I mention that she performed it on SNL? Yeah.
But it wasn’t bad. It was quite good. Lovato’s vocals were really nice, and the use of horns from the backup band made it surprisingly better and enjoyable. And that’s it.
I hate this song with a burning passion, but this performance was nearly the opposite.
Also surprisingly the opposite, was that the song was performed short (thank goodness.) so that Demi could perform two new songs from Confident: the title track and “Stone Cold”.
First the title track, which starts of sound like a reject theme song for Monday Night Football (back in...1970? ‘71? ‘81? Yeah, somewhere around there.) and continues as the song where Demi tells the world that she’s now no longer a kid and is a woman, with her own rules and her own limits, and you’ll have to deal with. Except no one is surprised by this or isn’t whining about your new change in music. In fact, we’ve been expecting you to do this.
I’m not really surprised by this. The fact she came out with something like this now isn’t that eye-opening...besides the fact that she said “Bitch, I run this show” at the beginning of the song (although that died down).
That aside...I love this performance. The song is actually good for just as much reason as “Cool for the Summer” is hated. The lyrics about self-empowerment after struggles of heartbreak, are really good and are better than those about fake interest in lesbians. Her vocals are strong, near-powerful and actually more believable under this guise. And the beat, while as nuanced as “Cool” with it’s loud powerful use of horns and drums over instruments, is better to me than the beat of the latter song--I love the high school marching band sound and how it fits with the “I’m Demi, bitch, and I’m a grown-ass woman. Recognize!” concept. This music she has can be good when not under tired-as-hell sexualized after-Disney shtick when it’s more like this. Good job.
Her last song, “Stone Cold” is different, but just as good.
Unlike “Confident”, which is her at her strongest, this is her at her most vulnerable (not with the vocals, but with the story). It’s about her breaking up with a lover, and trying to come to grips with him moving on to another relationship. And while she is happy for him during this time, she is still crushed and heartbroken.
When I thought the first performance was the best, I had no idea for what I was in for with this one. I came in too quickly. This was just beautiful. Her vocals was amazing. Strong and perfect, yet weak and raw, they certainly fit the song and it’s story so well. At first first the cracks in it were ruining the performance, but I realized that they made so much sense in that they made it much more real and believable, making it much better. I think I love this song better, and I believe that (because it’s starting off as a promotional single) it should be a real single. It can be a hit and market off people (especially girls) who go through things like this. It can happen, and i’ll supportive of it does.
Okay, back when I said that Demi’s music is like half of everyone else formerly in the Disney game? Yeah, I was overreacting a bit. I thought, after “Cool for the Summer”, that Demi was going to be another one of the former Disney stars to have music be as sexualized and sort-of mature like as possible But after listening to these two songs during her performances, it’s clear that this isn’t happening. Her music is actually kinda good, real and actually mature (and I mean mature) if things go in the direction of “Confident” and “Stone Cold”. I enjoyed the sounds and stories from both and Demi’s vocals are actually not a buzzkill when listening, and she just might be the only one in the Hollywood Records stable to be sexual and grown in her music not to make a stupid point. She’s doing it because she IS grown and is more mature about the content shown in her music. Good for you, Demi. I was once a detractor of your music, and now I’m a fan.
--
Time For an Update
Part 1:
Part 2:
TINA FEY IS BACK, BITCH!
But first, oh wow. Open pandering much?
Right after a few jokes about Donald Trump and Ben Carson, Jost and Che discuss the ramifications of running for President.
Okay, I’m trying my best to explain this segment without either Republicans or Democrats wanting me lynched, so I’ll say this: this segment was clearly some political p-word and pandering to one party over the other, and it’s aggravating. I’m a registered Democrat, and I’M annoyed by this!
I get that election season has begun, and the Update team wants to joke about the candidates of both parties, but this is just too much right now.
Fortunately, there were some jokes I can handle more, like one on Prisoners fighting fires in California (“California: Come for the Droughts, Stay for the Forests Fires filled with Murderers”), Playboy’s controversial removing nude pictures from the magazine (“Cat Daily is still straight up butchin’!”) and
Like I said earlier...TINA FEY IS BACK BITCH!
Unfortunately, she didn’t return to the Update desk to anchor again (deep sigh), but she did give her thoughts on Playboy’s decision to remove nudes from the magazine. And it’s what you love from her--sharp wit and really goofy humor combined to give a memorable time ahead.
Willie is back, everyone. ...I guess.
Kenan’s deadly optimistic character returns to discuss Halloween and the dangers surrounding the spooky holiday. But doing so, he has to keep his sweet behavior in check. So he hired a life coach to keep him from leaping off the rails. Who, you ask? Woodrow the Homeless Man.
You really can’t stop feeling sorry for this man or thinking about hugging him. But some of that pain is funny.
Especially his reveal that his dad has sex with pumpkins (that shit’s creepy).
Also, I’ve never seen Woodrow before, but he was kinda funny here.
This was a pretty average Update this week. There were jokes that were only kinda funny and others that fell really flat. The only highlights were Tina Fey (obviously) and Willie. So yeah. Not the best, (which is justifiable, because of last week's exceptional outing) but just slightly above average.
Wraparound:
Everyone did great this week. Especially when next to vet like Tracy Morgan.
Pete Davidson, Leslie Jones and even Michael Che appeared in like one sketch each, while Sasheer Zamata and in was in about two. Meanwhile, Rudnitsky got to appear in a few sketches (one in a huge spotlight) and dude is the , Colin Jost never appeared in any outside of Update (and he's a f*ckin' main member!) and even Demi Lovato appeared (she's just a musical guest!). Plus, I don't think Beck Bennett has appeared at all. Probably he's got another production to take part in, but I'm not sure.
I haven't gotten to talk much about this so...give me another week or two. I think I have a theory that makes a lot of sense, if not obvious.
As for Tracy...he's back, and as great as ever.
He hasn't lost a step during the episode, and still made us laugh in the way he does it. It's such a grateful thing (a blessing, even) to, not only come back to SNL, and come back to TV, but to also live and breathe again. After that accident, he came back strong, with loving family and caring friends by his side.
And SNL came calling. And his heart answered.
He did amazing as host. As if he never left his career and proved why he was a popular and beloved cast member. Yeah, this was his third outing, but he really gave it his all and then some, and with everyone's excitement and , his return made it all worthwhile. And made it one of the funniest and the most memorable episode of this year (including this season and last).
ConcLuSioN:
This episode was awesome!
Non-stop laughs, an amazing reunion with the cast of 30 Rock, a great surprise turn-out by by Alec Baldwin and Larry David that were really hilarious, and the return of three characters that prove why we love Tracy Morgan. This episode is one of the best (obviously) and shows this season is starting off great.
*sigh*
SNL is taking its first break for Season 41, and will return in two weeks, with
Episode 4 is set for November 7, with...Donald Trump...as host (the first time in over a decade--since April 2004), with Sia also returning for her second appearance at 8H as the musical guest.
I'm...still optimistic enough from this season starting off great to watch. And i have a feeling that despite what everyone is saying about him, or that they're not planning on watching, they'll be watching. And it'g going to be something we'll never forget. See in two weeks!
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