The good: Daniel Radcliffe's exuberance and hobo jokes.
The bad: most of the episode; the Mitt Romney opening; the Glenda Okones series; "You Can Do Anything" trying, and failing, to sum up an entire generation; TWO Sarah McLachlan references...There was a lot to not like about this week's episode, though Radcliffe was consistently excellent. He was game for anything without seeming desperate for laughs, and it's a shame the quality of most of the sketches weren't better.
The worst: Lana Del Rey's Carey Mulligan-in-Shame impression of a "musical" performance. Holy crap.
This was the Target Lady's NINTH "SNL" appearance, dating back to 2005. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Kristen Wiig should only do one-off characters. Target Lady's not as bad as Gilly, but that's like saying genital warts aren't as bad as syphilis.
Hobos — or "homeless bozos" — are never not funny.
It came about two years too late, but I found "Delaware Fellas" hilarious. I'm a sucker for a good terrible Italian accents, and British Daniel and black Kenan brought their best/worst. But mama mia, where was the CABBAGE?
Much to their credit, "SNL" found an interesting angle for their inevitable Harry Potter sketch, and as my fiancée noted, Radcliffe's make-up looked better here than in the movie. There was only one thing missing:
I'm referring to Rachel Dratch, of course.
Does "SNL" admitting that they have no idea what the hell to do with Jay Pharoah make this any funnier? Nope. This was better when it was "The Chris Farley Show." But that's true of anything Chris Farley-related:
In 100 years, people are going to laugh so hard at our ironic "Rugrats" t-shirts.
Alternate lyrics: "Have sex with me/I know you want to have sexxx with me/Sex with me/Sex with me."
"Whee?" (More on Lana — whose recorded tracks don't sound nearly as bad — here.)
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Lana Del Rey was an extension of the “You Can Do Anything!” sketch
*Puts down chainsaw next to half finished ice sculpture*
That sketch really hit close to home.
Awesome.
Holy shit. Back when Lindsay Lohan was desirable. Wasn’t that the same show as the ‘Disneyworld Debbie Downer’ AKA the most unintentionally funny SNL sketch I’ve ever seen?
It gives you a pretty good idea of how far that chick has fallen.
They should do before-and-after anti-drug PSAs with her. Christ.
I forgot the effect her massive mammorys had on my penis.
Excuse me, the effect Rachael Dratch had on my penis.
The worst part about that Debbie Downer sketch was Lohan pretending to break so she could seem like she was part of it.
And Josh, I think you meant there were two things missing.
As a native Delawarean I found the lack of “No Sales Tax” jokes appalling and insensitive.
I sort of liked “You Can Do Anything,” although they could’ve done more with the premise.
Daniel Radcliffe totally earned a repeat hosting gig, though. Good for him.
Lana Del Rey was pretty crappy, but I don’t know if she was any worse than Katy Perry, Ke-dollarsign-ha, Drake, Linkin Park, Rihanna, etc., etc., etc.
The willingness to put on a dog costume sold him for me.
I think you meant “Carey Mulligan in Shame” musical performance.
Yup, I did. Thank you. I’m always thinking of Drive.
Does anyone realize that the “You Can Do Anything” sketch was bourne from the fact that Lana Del Rey was the musical guest? They were basically lampooning her and it fucked her all up and made her even more nervous.
Also, Tom Cruise is only one inch taller than Radcliffe.
Hopefully, Lana Del Ray’s failure on SNL will make hipsters feel validated and then force them to stop talking about how much they hate Lana Del Ray.
I don’t really care about Lana Del Ray, I just hate hipsters and I want to remove one of their talking points.
I couldn’t get over how weird Radcliffe’s face looks. He has three lethal stabbing weapons on his face (chin, cheekbones x 2). How does he ever get let on a plane with those sharp objects?
I laughed at the Casey Anthony bit at first but I actually found myself thinking, “Too soon.”
it was a pretty strong SNL show. The You can do anything skit has potential.
I also thought the YCDA skit was one of the best ideas they’ve had in a long time. The execution was just OK, but anytime they make fun of that demographic I get a nice warm feeling. And if it was indeed a poke at Lana Del Rey, all the better.
Oh yeah, and Radcliffe’s dog hair reminded me of Opie on Sons of Anarchy.
…No, as far as I’m concerned, Target Lady’s pretty much the fucking worst.
And, yeah, good idea I suppose, but You Can Do Anything was just horrendously executed. And it sort of undercuts your point if at least a couple of your cast members are beneficiaries of the general decline in discerning demand for talent in the arts.
There’s no way that Lana Del Rey was being serious, it HAD to have been part of YCDA.
“Something something, VIDEO GAME” – Lana Del Rey, everyone.
Abby Elliot is attractive. Not drop-dead gorgeous or overwhelmingly hot. However, factoring in her parental genetics as a factor, her insane level of sexiness is mind-blowing.
Wow it’s pretty disappointing that they can’t find anything for Jay Pharoah. I saw a couple of his videos before he became a part of the cast and I was overjoyed to see what they could come up with for him when I found out he was on SNL. His impressions are spot on but the way they had him break out his impressions in that skit spontaneously, smh I actually felt kinda insulted. I saw the skit from a couple shows back where stars were getting interviewed by someone, idr who, and his Denzel impression absolutely stole the skit. I stood up and applauded. They need more of that and none of this.