Guys...they've done it again! The writers have managed to make it two good episodes in a row!! And this one was really good. All it needs as the cherry on the Sundae (heh, pun. See, it's a pun because it airs on Sundays for the last 60 minutes of airtime. It's really geni--never mind)--anyway, what was the icing on the cake is Michael Keaton as host.
This week's host has been flying over the stratosphere now, but previously in the 80s and 90s, he was a white-hot commodity. With such films as Jack Frost, Mr. Mom, Beatlejuice, Night Shift, Jackie Brown and of course the Batman films with him in the Bat-suit as The Dark Knight.
But then, after keeping his career heating up for over three decades, he hit acting gold when he starred in last year's critically-acclaimed, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning film Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). After this, everyone wants him in their films, and he couldn't be any bigger of an actor. So, of course he's hosting Episode 17 of SNL 40. And I have my review here. Let's go!
The CO is a broadcast of the Road to the NCAA Final Four on CBS. Ernie Johnson (Beck Benn), Kenny Smith (Jay Pharoah) and Charles Barkley (Kenan Thompson) discuss an announcement from Duke coach Mike Krzyewski.
Jaleel Okafor is out of the game to study for a major test so he has a replacement: 36-year-old grad student Steve (Bobby Moynihan).
Kenan returns to form as Barkley, Beck Benn and Pharoah are also great as (respectively) Johnson and Smith, and TKillalso got laughs as Duke coach Krzyewski. along with Moyni as Steve. I did feel the applause "Steve" gotten was pretentious, but it did serve its purpose. Also, some of the questions asked by the reporters about Okafor leaving the game for a test were stupid, even though this is a parody. I didn't know why, but that did serve its purpose too. All-in-all, a very good Cold Open.
After the open, Michael comes to the stage for his third Monologue.
He mentions after the first time he hosted in 1982, that he had a baby (who's now 31) and a new girlfriend (who may or may not be 28). And in come Usual Guy #1 and Usual Guy #2--I mean Moyni and TKill. (I could've sworn this was a parody of the many times they're appeared in sketches more than everyone else, but no this is legit.) They yuk it up to Michael's jokes and pretty much kiss his ass. (You can tell it in their fake smiles and many looks into the camera.) The reason for this: they segue into a song number about their asking him to be Batman and Beatlejuice in a sketch with them, and the reasons why (TKill's "birthday" & Moyni having an fatal illness with only six weeks to live). They have Pharoah dress up in costumes and do impressions related to this, and dog him on about it.
Then they have a special clip with them as (respectively) The Penguin and The Joker/Man & Woman (with Michael being edited in as Batman & Beatlejuice)
I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm acting this way about them. They're funny and talented, and this Mono was really funny, especially the tribute clip. I think this redeemed them more for me. Also, how quick was Pharoah getting dressed as Harry Belafonte after being dressed as Bat-Ass?? I know they do a quick run to wardrobe to dress up for the next sketch, but damn, that was fast.
So overall, fantastic Mono.
Next up, a spoof on CNN's over-reliance of 3D graphics in its news reports, in the place of its' weekday rolling news program Newsroom. Brooke Baldwin (Cecily Strong) anchors the stories of the day, including last week's Germanwings Airliner Incident in the French Alps, with a report from Jacqueline Jackson (Sasheer Zamata). Also, Jake McKinsey (Moyni) reported from Switzerland where the US and Iran negotiated on a deal on Nuclear Weapons. And finally a report on Indiana's controversial Freedom of Religion Laws. It's what you'd come to expect if you hate CNN. And if you love CNN, you gotta admit--it's funny.
This was funny as f**k.
-The graphics used in the Germanwings story were a hilarious mocking of those used by CNN, which look like something made in the 80s. In fact this was mentiontioned here as "made by the same team who did the Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing' music video from 1985".
-The puppet troupe reenactment looks like something out of Sesame Street, but fact this made it funnier.
-The dance troupe is my favorite part and a great dramatization of the Freedom for Religion laws controversy in Indiana. Michael Keaton, Kenan and Aidy dancing made the last part for me.
-And this too...
This is one of the best skits of the ep for me.
Ad Agency
At Wallace Advertising, CEO Mr. Wallace joins his staff (CecStrong, Kenan, LesDogg and Beck Benn) for a transforming session and things go from good to worse.
The work on this one project was meh for, but the knockers part and the "grandma-face-on-grill" part was chuckle-worthy. Also, there wasn't much to know about the injury Wallace suffered. There were some laughs here, but the sketch was weak, and should be one of the worst sketches for me.
Smart House
An old Southern couple are having neighbors over, so they discuss a new beginning for their house. It's a Smart House which brings all the latest technologies to you in the comfort of your home. But to the neighbors, there's a discomfort.
God, this skit was creepy. Some parts were funny, but I couldn't stop cringing like the neighbors were here. And how the couple said their dialogue made things worse. It's like the House has taken over them and is in the progress of continuing. I don't think this is one of the best. But it did do its job of creeping the audience, the viewers and the neighbors.
An Easter Message
Michael takes the time to talk to viewers about Easter and one of the joyous parts of it: Candy and Easter Baskets.
Boy, he looked extremely effeminate here. And that face.
Brr...
But he was a riot, and the puns on the Basket items were cringingly hilarious, especially the one on the Friday DVD. Kate Mc was also hilarious as doe-eyed dingbat Portia. To me, she's more than "kind of" cute. She's...uh...super cute. (I couldn't find a word to describe "more than above average", so that'll do.) Along with Moyni as the nut Jordan, this sketch was weird, explicit, and downright cringe-worthy. But it was extremely funny, and definitely one of my favorites of the episode.
Carly Rae Jepsen is this week's musical guest.
And yet, she had another hit after "Call Me Maybe". It's not that I hate her; it's that I expected her to be a One-Hit Wonder That Would Get Another Hit after that big-ass popularity explosion the song got after it was released. So she's here with another hit single in "I Really Like You". That's mostly thanks to the music video with Tom Hanks. But thanks to her debut appearance here, that song just may be more popular. And you know what? I really, really, really, really, really, really like it.
It's fun, jumpy, catchy and destined to be a big hit for the summer. It may very well be just like "Call Me Maybe" in the vein of puppy love/huge teen crush songs that somehow caught wind of the public conscience, but it's kinda fresh and very catchy, plus it has a really nice 80s Pop vibe to it that is just infectious, and I wouldn't mind listening to it every time it plays on the radio or when I play it on YouTube.
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If you expected the next (and final) song to be her personal tribute to the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series from the 90s and early 2000s, than you'd be seriously disappointed.
"All That" is about someone proving to their lover that they're worth being in love with. This track is a very soulful, sultry ditty that no teenage singer would ever sing (unless they've reinvented themselves by singing it and failed). Jepsen really proves she has the range with the lyrics provided and has the just enough sex-appeal (without showing so much like everyone else) to make it hot. I really like this song as well, and would love to hear it if it ever plays on the radio or if I play it on YouTube.
Did I mention she's nearly 30? Yeah, God really made it good on her looks, as if she still looks like a freaking teenager, and it shows. You really can't blame me (or anyone else) for repeatedly thinking she's that young, even after knowing she's "parent-with-kids" age.
Jepsen's vocals here were really good. They feel raw, raspy and weak, but in a good way. Plus her vocals and lyrics work very well in a throwback-genre song than in a straight-up pop song. retro vibe meshes so well with Carly's vocals that you'd think she really was a pop artist from the 80s. I'm seriously interested in listening to more of her latest album, and maybe a lot more from Ms. Jepsen.
Time for an Update:
Part 1:
Part 2:
It got better. It really got better. Weekend Update has gotten better. The jokes are more polished, they're more edgy and biting, and, most of all, they're funny. Jost & Che are much more comfortable and inclined at the desk and I'm actually enjoying them a lot more. Colin is less boring and droll and more relaxed and open, and Michael is less irritable and messy and more smooth and . I really can't be any more surprised at the fact that I'm actually happy that Jost got to stay with Update and that Che replaced Cecily Strong.
(although there will be a few more times where I will say, had he appears again, "Riblet should replace one of them")It's taken nearly all of this season, but Update has found a beat in these two guys and I hope this continues into the final stretch of the season, and I really hope that they come back next season with the same energy, same bite and same humor as before.
Resident young person Pete Davidson returned to discuss the fifth season finale of The Walking Dead, with a new fear of a Zombie apocalypse. With a few slip-ups about weed. Meh.
His appearance and performance never fails to be funny (Except that one time when he did). But his report on TWD's finale was very funny. I don't watch the show, but I felt like I've known enough of it to find it so. And Norman Reedus' cameo appearance was just the icing on the cake. The appearance as his character was also very funny. Very good so far.
JEBIDIAH ATKINSON IS BACK!!
The reviewer of everything shown in a machine from the 1860s is back for another round of brutal, biting, vicious material about some of your favorite TV shows, movies and music. And I couldn't be any more happier! This time, it's Mad Men, Game of Thrones and House of Cards.
I thought the jokes from his "archives" were a few "biting-the-hand" jokes at NBC. Which would've been fine, as I'm sure Robert Greenblatt would've loved them (as he wasn't at the network to oversee them back in the 80s and 90s), and the Presidents of Entertainment wouldn't care enough to be offended.
Favorite Bits:
Addicted to Smocking
EVERY F*CKING WORD THAT CAME OUT OF JEBIDIAH ATKINSON'S MOUTH
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Top Three Best Sketches:
Easter Message
CNN Newsroom
Tribute Monologue
honorable mention:
Call Your Grandparents
Worst Sketches:
(this time, the worst sketches chosen here weren't because they were horrible; it's that they had a potential to be good or even great, but didn't rise up)
Smart House (it was more creepy than funny)
Ad Agency (it wasn't funny enough)
--
I must say...this episode is f**king awesome. And it will be a serious contender for the best episode of the entire season. Yes, I think it's that good, and can you blame me. The writers rebounded hard, and everyone put in seriously great performances. And for once, I really didn't mind The Two Usual Guys appearing in almost every other sketch, because they were super funny in all of them.
In fact everyone did a great job in the sketches they were in, especially Kate Mc (including the hilariously eccentric "Easter Message" sketch). I commend everyone for their consistent appearances in the sketches.
Keaton was superb in his guest host role. All the sketches he appeared in showed off a different side to him
(--A damn good dancer
--A Ad Agency CEO with the mind of Jhonen Vasquez
--A old man with a hankering for people-scarring science
--A creepy joker about Easter Baskets and Candy )
and he does them so freaking well. It's like watching a group of different guys doing these roles yet act like the same person on the surface. Keaton definitely has the chops to become one of the best host this season (maybe even a long time). I just wonder why he doesn't do this show more.
The writers really woke up during the hiatus and realized those two episodes after the 40th Anniversary Special were mediocre trite. These episodes have really taken this season from borderline unwatchable and put it into middle-of-the-road with a fighting chance of being at least good. And I can't wait to see what the next episode. And speaking of the next episode...
Next week, star of the silver and small screens, and breakout of both "Person of Interest" and this season's runaway monster hit "Empire", Taraji P. Henson will be host of Episode 18, with music from Mumford & Sons. Both will be making their debut appearance on SNL, and I'm eager for what happens then. I hope this lucky streak continues.
See you then!!
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