Since September 2008, only two people have hosted SNL three times: Jon Hamm and last night's singing and dancing MC, Anne Hathaway. Not only should those two make ridiculously talented babies together, they're also in many ways the ideal SNL host. They have an easy rapport with the cast, posses a superb sense of comic timing, and are game for anything. Whether it's portraying a greased-up sax man or being vomited upon by a baby, both Hamm and Hathaway seemingly have an inability to say no, and that's a good thing for SNL.
That's also why I've liked all of their previous appearances, and why I enjoyed last night's, too. Some people accuse Hathaway of trying too hard (based solely on James Franco sleep farting his way through the Oscars), and while I do agree to a certain extent that she feeds off unanimous acceptance (like any theater kid), I think pulling out the "sad desperation" card is unfair at best, sexist at worst. Hathaway nailed all of her sketches — with Crazy Carrie Mathison as the highlight — and if anything, wasn't in enough of them. It wasn't an amazing episode by any means (Weekend Update was thoroughly mediocre), but because of Hathaway's near-manic energy and enthusiasm, it flew by. That's a good thing on the level of Bill Hader as Saul Berenson.
A goodbye to Mitt Romney that doubled as an early farewell to Jason Sudeikis, who will likely leave SNL in January. I enjoyed his impression, but you got the sense that the writers were running out of ways to make fun of the milk drunker, which sounds like a derogatory term a seven-year-old would say during recess. "HEY MILK DRINKER, YOU DONE DRINKING YOUR MILK???"
FYI: Tagg Romney has TOTALLY butt-chugged at some point in his life.
Am I listening to Les Misérables in Concert while writing this? Yes.
Might that effect my critical opinion for Hathaway's monologue? Yes.
Did I like Hathaway's monologue, a bombastic musical number in the style of Les Misérables? Yes.
Am I going to watch Jason Segel and Neil Patrick Harris sing "The Confrontation" for the 100th time? Yes.
Is God forgiving? No.
Congratulations to newbies Aidy Bryant and Cecily Strong for getting the post-monologue sketch, one that I didn't particularly like, despite enjoying their performances. I worry, though, that Strong is already being typecasted as a, like, a character straight out of, like, a Clueless ripoff, the same way Nasim Pedrad too often plays young girls. But, hey, she's doing better than Tim Robinson, who may or may not be dead.
Any sketch that ends with a baby vomiting some sort of toxic green goo at the camera, especially one with a song as catchy as "Mokikki," is OK in my book. Between this, "Lincoln," and "Sad Mouse," SNL is having better success with lowercase digital shorts than any of last year's uppercase Digital Shorts.
(Via)
I saw some jerks complaining on Twitter (I know, right?) that SNL's Homeland parody totally missed the point of the show, and that painting Carrie as crazy as Hathaway portrayed her was misleading and offensive. By the beard of Saul, I proclaim those people to be wrong. This sketch was fantastic. It didn't feel like whoever wrote it was pandering, which often happens with SNL spoofs; the references were so specific, like Carrie's jazz freakout and "no, no, NO, no" tirade and Dana's wandering with her hands covered by her hoodie, that only a real fan of Homeland could write it. It did what a good parody should do: focus on the eccentricities of the source material.
But seriously, Bill Hader as Saul Berenson 4 Life. I want his portrait tacked up on my Pepe Silvia wall.
The idea behind this one, in which two employees think they're about to be fired and unleash a verbal assault on their coworkers, is solid, but the putdowns weren't strong enough for "McDonald's Firing" to be any better than: meh. On the plus side, I think I've been to the McDonald's in the exterior shot. They do good work.
A mediocre Weekend Update was saved by the ever-welcome Drunk Uncle, who railed against the election, Spotify, and "Jewspapers," my favorite Jewish play on words outside of Jewy Lewis and the Ruse. Because they'll take your money, you see.
Woah woah woah gay men living in an East Coast state? You had me with the Homeland thing, SNL, but this stretched the limits of credibility.
Sudeikis and Hathaway have a natural chemistry together, which is the main reason why "American Gothic" succeeded. It had a nice build to its inevitable conclusion (SPOILER: they F*CK), including the two of them pretending to be a part of the "THIS guy, no, THIS guy" promos that Family Guy once spoofed. FUN FACT: the man in Grant Wood's painting is modeled after his dentist, and the woman, his sister, she of the soup can neck.
(Via)
I support Rihanna bringing back the Windows Media Player visualization look.
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+1 for that Carey gif!
A solid enough episode. I found myself laughing more last night than with previous episodes. Mokiki ruled hard. I thought they’d have a hard time filling the void when Samberg left, but I was wrong. Taran Killan’s dead eyed stare for the win.
Also, was anyone else waiting for flying toasters to appear behind Rihanna during her first song last night?
I was kind of expecting Nyancat to fly by behind Rihanna
Last night was the best episode of this season so far. Anne Hatheway always hits it out of the part because she’s genuinely excited to be there and so enthusiastic. The Homeland sket was great and it was nice to see Nasim a couple times this ep, finally! I actually like the McDonalds skit because the reaction shots were so strong. Nasim looked hilariously bitchy, Taran Killam nailed the serial killer dead eyes, and Aidy was clearly trying not to laugh when they cut to Taran which made me lol. Rihanna did a great job and Kate McKinnon is clearly the MVP of the new additions to the cast. Oh and Mokiki was hilarious and I think Taran is my new fav of the cast. Totally makes sense how he landed a babe like Robin Scherbatsky!
I forgot to mention that I miss Shy Ronnie.
This.
Yes!!!! I was so hoping they’d a short and he would pop up.
I was disappointing by the lack of Rhianna in any skits- she is actually kinda funny, like it should be her doing host/preforming duties instead of Bruno Mars
I like Anne. Sure, she’s more enthusiastic than a yellow lab puppy, but she seems genuine. They should just pencil her in to host once a season.
And does anyone know who writes Drunk Uncle? Because, the more I see it, the more I think Mulaney is writing it.
Finally, musical guests really need to stop trying to top Kanye’s thing with the white background and the dancers. Nobody is going to top that.
We need technology that cuts the musical performances out of SNL by default.
I liked the episode but I laughed harder at Rihanna’s background graphics than anything else in the show. That was Sega Saturn quality shit right there.
Might that effect my critical opinion for Hathaway’s monologue?
Goddamnit, Josh, you’re a professional writer. You should know the difference between “effect” and “affect.” Matt must be rolling over in his grave.
/Matt’s still alive?
//I assumed when Corgi Friday died he also died of grief.
“Smothered By Corgis: The Matt Ufford Story.”
Also, in my defense, I was tired.
We also would have accepted “I was drunk.”
“Man, some high school media kid is shitting their pants that Rihanna is using their video for her performance.” – Me during Rihanna’s first song
i nearly closed the review when Josh basically admitted to loving musicals.
Only the pretentious French ones.
i thought the McDonalds sketch was worth it just for “bah da bup bup buhhhh-KILL YOURSELF!”
I think I prefer the Paul Rudd / David Wainn version: [www.youtube.com]
The Ellen bit was funny too. Am I the only one who’ve seen it?
i think i dislike Ellen so much that i wasn’t able to really laugh at it. plus, i think that impression needs a lot of work
Hathaway’s Kathy Holmes was spot on though. But I get what you’re coming from, me I don’t really know the c**t (as Louis CK called her) aside from interviews here and there on YouTube.
The Flaritin commercial was funny. And Rihanna amazed me I must say.
It wasn’t online. Music rights, probably.
Hathaway’s Danes impression was deece but it mostly just made me want to rewatch Eliza Coupe’s impression from the Happy Endings live show.
Drunk Uncle is sublime. The random barking followed by “That’s not me” slayed me.
PEPE SILVIA
That monologue musical totally rip off some cues from Miss Saigon……….
just sayin….
I gonna be the asshole here because I thought SNL sucked massive donkey balls YET AGAIN last night. It doesn’t help that I have an aversion to Ann Hathaway either.
And yet you continue to waste your time watching a show you hate. Why not skip watching it, then see it later online based on the reaction in this weekly thread?
That “Drunk Uncle” joke is the same as an old Calvin and Hobbes strip. The teacher asks Calvin what state he is in and…well, you made the gif.
and this is a problem how?
I really wonder how much of Drunk Uncle is improvised, some of that just cannot be written…
I didnt find this to be a funny episode. The Crazy Carrie skit was funny but she does nothing for me. Oh, and of course the opening monlogue was a song. Also the “Woman to Replace Kristen Wiig” ( because i guess thats a thing) is more the girl in the McDonalds skit. Week to week, i find her to be one of the few funny things on the show, not the McKinnon chick.
Mokiki does the Sloppy Swish