It isn't online, but how could I NOT use Bobby Moynihan as George R.R. Martin as the banner?
When you think of Josh Brolin, what do you think of? The Goonies? No Country for Old Men? Maybe W? He doesn't have a definitive role, and while he is a good actor, he's not someone you'd ever say, "I want to see this movie because of Josh Brolin!" about. That's why I was surprised "SNL" asked him to host (again), though I imagine the conversation went like: "Hey, Will Smith, want to host 'SNL'? No? OK. What about you, Josh Brolin?"
That's why he was one of the more anonymous hosts of the season. He wasn't bad in any of his sketches — and in fact, was quite funny in "Slow-Motion Hallway" and "Principal Frye Prom" — but also he wasn't given much to do it. Even his opening monologue was one of the shortest of the season. Both Brolin and the episode as a whole were consistently good — never awful, never amazing. (It's also worth noting that for the rest of the season, including the Eli Manning-hosted show on May 5, we should expect a Greatest Hits collection of Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg characters, hence Gilly last week and Garth and Kat and Laser Cats this one.)
One more thing: NBC didn't upload as many videos to their website as usual, so you won't see the "Time of Your Life" cold open, "America's Next Top Empire State of Mind Parody Artist," or, most importantly, the "Game of Thrones" sketch in the slideshow. Stupid copyright issues.
Right off the bat, Brolin shared the spotlight with Jay Pharoah, the joke being that his straight man character in Men in Black 3 basically exists to respond to Will Smith's AWW HELL NAW.
Had it stopped after the first mirror glance: solid sketch with a clever premise. But then it went on for five minutes. (It was a really California-heavy episode for some reason, from this to the song in "Slow-Motion Hallway" that's still squeezing my mind grapes.)
I respect Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig's Garth and Kat more than I actually like them. Kind of like their vests.
Steven Spielberg's cameo was fun (I WANT HIS HAT/SWEATSHIRT COMBINATION), but this wasn't one of the better "Laser Cats." So much time was spent on the plot that the jokes weren't as rapid-fire as usual. Plus, it did that thing where we're tricked into laughing at references, not because they're funny but because we got what's being referred to. (I did giggle at Tyrannosaurus Cat, though.)
And I just spent way too much time dissecting f*cking Laser Cats.
Two things:
1) Taran Killam's Piers Morgan sounds like a British Michael Cera.
2) Nasim Pedrad is a very pretty lady.
Hey, Jay Pharoah can play a character who isn't based on a celebrity! This wasn't Principal Frye's first appearance on "SNL," but it WAS the first time he mentioned a stuck up iguana.
Still bitter Taran's version of Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend" never made it on the show.
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The GoT sketch was perfect, especially that line about the kid putting in sex and nudity where there was none. And I laughed way too hard at Taran as Jon Snow.
That was definitely the weakest Laser Cats, but I generally love Laser Cats too much to be too critical.
I hate laughing at Kenan as much as the next guy, but he won me over in the prom sketch with the “white part of town” joke. In the Woodlands (near Houston, very much the white part of town), they have a P.F. Chang’s and a Cheesecake Factory right next to one another.
I get the sense that P.F. Chang’s and Cheesecake Factory are contractually obligated to locate next to each other in nearly every town.
Holy shit, it’s true in Indianapolis too…
The GoT sketch is on winteriscoming.net’s tumblr : wicnet.tumblr.com
It was pretty funny indeed, and Taran Killam’s Jon Snow was prefect, but I’m kind of tired of people saying that GoT is just violence and tits, so this is going to reinforce the bad opinion some people have of the show… no wait, who am I kidding, it’s not like SNL still matters, right?
They’re telling human stores in a fantasy world!
/has never seen GoT
//still pretty sure 90% of the people who watch it are in it strictly for the violence and tits though
The skit NAILED Game of Thrones.
You’re argument seems valid; here is a corgi getting vacuumed…
I taped SNL and watched it this afternoon (after a stressful day) and was shocked by how much I enjoyed this episode. Like some of the other posters, I liked the GoT sketch – but I LOVED ‘The Californians’ sketch. I live in LA and there was a frightening amount of truth in it. Kristen Wiig seemed to enjoy being in it, as much as I enjoyed watching it.
I really enjoyed SNL. I hope that’s not a sign of the Apocalypse.
Kenny Fuckin Powers. No need for me to spoil you, for you did that unto yourself.
warrenbishop, right there with you – 3 1/2 years in Culver City until I took 405 up to 101 N, then got off at Moorpark Blvd in Thousand Oaks.
Anway, I’ve watched The Californians about half a dozen times already, and it’s straight up creepy how much Kenan looked like one of my former coworkers. Did I download the episode illegally for the sole purpose of posting a screenshot on his Facebook? You bet your ass I did.
And the only P.F. Changs I know off the top of my head is ~50 feet from a Cheesecake Factory.
We need to get a mole at SNL to find out why they’re all such pussies and are afraid of taking on NBC shows.
I thought the Arrow To The Knee in the real GoT episode on Sunday was funnier than that the SNL sketch.