This weekend's "Saturday Night Live" was about as good as the show gets: Charlie Day brought his manic energy to the role of host, and the writers turned out several sketches that were both funny and topical. Throw in the solid 4.9 rating/11 share, and "SNL" -- for one week at least -- doesn't deserve our usual mockery.
Take a walk with me through the best of Saturday night's show, won't you?
This was my favorite sketch of the night. Unlike the GOP presidential debate sketches that drag on for six minutes, this is a topical sketch that actually has a creative angle: namely, the inability of the Greek gods to handle money wisely. Jason Sudeikis plays Zeus, and he's great when he plays a role as the not-quite-straight straight man. And you know me: I'm always down for some dolphin rape jokes.
The original with Zach Galifianakis was great, and it doesn't lose a step in the second iteration. Charlie Day's Dane Cook impression is serviceable, but I preferred Adam "Hawk Attack" Levine.
Nasim Pedrad has been nailing her Kim Kardashian impression for a while, but this is the first time it's been applied to something relevant in the news. In a compact three minutes, this hits most of the things I find ridiculous or annoying about the Kardashians: Kris's attention-whoring, Bruce Jenner's frozen face, E!'s exploitation at every turn. Bonus points to Andy Samberg for playing Kris Humphries precisely as I've always viewed him.
Bill Hader's Rick Perry impression was always okay in those interminable GOP debate sketches. But Bill Hader as drunk Rick Perry? AMAZING. (If you need context, I've included the relevant YouTube video below.)
As head writer, Seth Meyers is a popular punching bag among "SNL" fans. But I give credit where it's due: Weekend Update was one of the highlights of the show this week.
Danny DeVito's appearance was largely unnecessary, but I liked the song Charlie did at the end. I didn't know he played piano and harmonica.
Question: will you watch almost six minutes of Kenan Thompson's lousy Cee-Lo impression if it's punctuated by Charlie Day in a dinosaur costume and Bill Hader as the rainbow-goateed Colonel Nasty? Because I will. I won't like it, but I will.
The Seinfeld-referencing "writers' sketch" closed the show. I liked it, but Day could have played it a little quieter.
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It’s is getting distracting how badly they read cue cards.
These video players don’t work outside the States :S
Also, Boston Powers is funny. Expect it to be run into the ground.
I know Freakosaurus is just dinosaur Green Man, but I love him so hard.
Freakosaurus/Colonel Nasty spin-off or GTFO.
Jay Pharaoh is far too talented and funny to fart noise his way through a boring Lamar Odom impression.
They need to let Jay play Obama already. Fred Armisen gets enough (too much) screen time.
Gilly wouldn’t have been too out of place in that show. But what are you gonna’ do.
It seems like they’re avoiding Obama altogether these days. Obama needs to get a BJ from a chubby intern stat.
I read the words “Nasim Pedrad nailed Kim Kardashian” and almost passed out.
IS IT BIZZARRO WORLD? I thought his jokes were edgy, and not at all predictable. Am I fucking high or some shit?
The next time I meet someone who says, “I don’t have a TV” I’m going to walk away immediately.
The Kardashian skit was pretty funny, but the rest of the show was terrible. The monologue was a huge disappointment, I thought it would get funny once Danny Devito showed up, but it was still boring.
J-J-J-J-JACK KNIFE
i want a show dedicated to colonial nasty…NOW!
Day only plays it quieter in the daytime and we all no he’s a nightman.
The only way Jay Pharaoh is going to get the screen time he deserves is if he brutally murders Keenan Thompson and wears his skin. I’m 99% sure Pharaoh doing a bad Keenen Thompson impersonation would be much funnier than Keenan himself.
dang, at the start of the Seinfeld sketch, I really thought Charlie was gonna do an Al Pacino: CSI impression the whole time
It was a really good show. I was kind of hoping that we’d see a it’s always sunny skit with the rest of the gang.
The Greek god of “riches” was actually Pluto (as in plutocrat) or Hades. Has anybody noticed that the financial problems started when we took away Pluto’s planet status.
@The Amazing Dougle
Right, because if Hades or Pluto did exist, he’d be sooo pissed that a celestial body we found 80 years ago and happened to name after him is no longer considered a planet, just a dwarf planet. Such an ingenious way to get revenge! DIE GREECE’S FINANCIAL SECTOR, DIE.