"Here's your chance to eat a goat"
Cold Open: The Republican Candidates
Cold Open: The Republican Candidates
2 Stars
Bill gives his summation on the Republican nominees
Bill Clinton is having a personal crisis, he thinks he's a bad president. But then he saw the Republican debates and thinks he's better than all the rest. John McCain may be a Manchurian Candidate, Orrin Hatch is named Orrin Hatch, Steve Forbes is creepy, Gary Bauer looks like ventriloquist dummy, Alan Keyes is black and George W. Bush is a slow southerner with a questionable past who's afraid to take a position on anything. Bill sees some similarities in himself and the Republican front runner and decides that he should vote for him. The one good thing Darrell had going for him was his Clinton impression, he was so good at it that I forget it's him. Still, it's a Darrell Hammond straight to camera cold open that always bores me.
Christina Ricci Monologue
Bill Clinton is having a personal crisis, he thinks he's a bad president. But then he saw the Republican debates and thinks he's better than all the rest. John McCain may be a Manchurian Candidate, Orrin Hatch is named Orrin Hatch, Steve Forbes is creepy, Gary Bauer looks like ventriloquist dummy, Alan Keyes is black and George W. Bush is a slow southerner with a questionable past who's afraid to take a position on anything. Bill sees some similarities in himself and the Republican front runner and decides that he should vote for him. The one good thing Darrell had going for him was his Clinton impression, he was so good at it that I forget it's him. Still, it's a Darrell Hammond straight to camera cold open that always bores me.
Christina Ricci Monologue
2 Stars
Christina introduces her twin sister
Christina has been an actress since she was 8 years old but has been keeping a secret. She has a twin sister, Bettina, who doubled for her in far away shots or when the character was sleeping or getting hit by a car. They did one movie together and show a clip where Bettina is shown to be a horrible actress. Bettina speaks to Christina in her twin language and reveals that she's very unhappy and jealous of her sister so to make it up to her Christina lets her open the show. Nice to see Rachel getting some early airtime but this was pretty forgettable.
Holiday Parade
Christina has been an actress since she was 8 years old but has been keeping a secret. She has a twin sister, Bettina, who doubled for her in far away shots or when the character was sleeping or getting hit by a car. They did one movie together and show a clip where Bettina is shown to be a horrible actress. Bettina speaks to Christina in her twin language and reveals that she's very unhappy and jealous of her sister so to make it up to her Christina lets her open the show. Nice to see Rachel getting some early airtime but this was pretty forgettable.
Holiday Parade
1 Star
Craig and Arianna cheer at a holiday parade
What's this? What's going on? The camera pans out from the monologue and moves to another set. I have never seen this transition before. Every now and then the host will walk off set into the first sketch but this is something new, different and exciting. 25 years in and the show still has some tricks in its sleeve and is still capable of breaking formats. Wait, it's the 17th fucking sketch starring the Cheerleaders? The exact same sketch they've been doing for 4 years now? Pass!
And So This Is Chanukah
What's this? What's going on? The camera pans out from the monologue and moves to another set. I have never seen this transition before. Every now and then the host will walk off set into the first sketch but this is something new, different and exciting. 25 years in and the show still has some tricks in its sleeve and is still capable of breaking formats. Wait, it's the 17th fucking sketch starring the Cheerleaders? The exact same sketch they've been doing for 4 years now? Pass!
And So This Is Chanukah
3 Stars
Non-Jewish celebrities celebrate Chanukah
A quick little commercial for a TV special designed to showcase some celebrity impressions. Some are good like Molly's Tori Amos and Ana's Celine Dion, which we've seen before. I also liked Kattan's Ricky Martin. Some are not so good like Tracy's Lou Bega. We also get Tim as D'Angelo, Jimmy and Parnell as David Bowie and Bing Crosby, Christina as Britney Spears and Cheri as Mariah Carey.
Who Wants To Eat
A quick little commercial for a TV special designed to showcase some celebrity impressions. Some are good like Molly's Tori Amos and Ana's Celine Dion, which we've seen before. I also liked Kattan's Ricky Martin. Some are not so good like Tracy's Lou Bega. We also get Tim as D'Angelo, Jimmy and Parnell as David Bowie and Bing Crosby, Christina as Britney Spears and Cheri as Mariah Carey.
Who Wants To Eat
3 Stars
Contestants in India compete for rice and wheat
It's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, but set in India where contestants value food more than cash. Darrell plays Rajneesh Philbin, thankfully not using an Indian accent and instead just playing him like Regis which works for the sketch. Contestants answer trivia questions but instead of getting increasingly higher dollar amounts they compete for a bowl of rice, a bag of wheat and the grand prize, a tasty goat. I did enjoy the commentary on American greed and excess but this was a little too long. Did we really need the fastest finger competition before Christina sat in the hot seat?
Taxicab Confessions
It's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, but set in India where contestants value food more than cash. Darrell plays Rajneesh Philbin, thankfully not using an Indian accent and instead just playing him like Regis which works for the sketch. Contestants answer trivia questions but instead of getting increasingly higher dollar amounts they compete for a bowl of rice, a bag of wheat and the grand prize, a tasty goat. I did enjoy the commentary on American greed and excess but this was a little too long. Did we really need the fastest finger competition before Christina sat in the hot seat?
Taxicab Confessions
2 Stars
A cab driver gets distracted by his passenger's graphic sex talk
Tim picks up Christina in his cab. She's an exotic dancer who talks openly about her sex life, open relationship and lesbian encounters. As she talks, Tim can't keep his eyes on the road and starts to careen out of control and run over pedestrians. There were some nice visuals with the cab swerving in and out of traffic but, I hate to sound like a prude, this was almost too dirty for SNL. Maybe if it was in the 10-1 spot it would work a little better. Christina's character wasn't overly sexual in a humorous way but in a titillating way. Not to be crass, I wasn't sure if I should laugh or fondle myself.
Fun With Real Audio - Millennium Fun With Real Audio
Tim picks up Christina in his cab. She's an exotic dancer who talks openly about her sex life, open relationship and lesbian encounters. As she talks, Tim can't keep his eyes on the road and starts to careen out of control and run over pedestrians. There were some nice visuals with the cab swerving in and out of traffic but, I hate to sound like a prude, this was almost too dirty for SNL. Maybe if it was in the 10-1 spot it would work a little better. Christina's character wasn't overly sexual in a humorous way but in a titillating way. Not to be crass, I wasn't sure if I should laugh or fondle myself.
Fun With Real Audio - Millennium Fun With Real Audio
3 Stars
The Friends talk nonsense as the apocalypse approaches
The cast of Friends babble at Central Perk unaware that the end times are happening outside. Fire and rivers of blood run through the streets, dogs attack Bob Barker, OJ Simpson makes love to Monica Lewinsky, zombies rise from the Earth, the Antichrist appears and takes the forms of Adolf Hitler, Sally Jesse Raphael, Donald Trump and a few others that I don't recognize. A weird one to say the least. I first watched this episode late at night after partaking in some extracurricular activities and this one freaked me out a bit, especially seeing Trump as the Antichrist.
Weekend Update
The cast of Friends babble at Central Perk unaware that the end times are happening outside. Fire and rivers of blood run through the streets, dogs attack Bob Barker, OJ Simpson makes love to Monica Lewinsky, zombies rise from the Earth, the Antichrist appears and takes the forms of Adolf Hitler, Sally Jesse Raphael, Donald Trump and a few others that I don't recognize. A weird one to say the least. I first watched this episode late at night after partaking in some extracurricular activities and this one freaked me out a bit, especially seeing Trump as the Antichrist.
Weekend Update
"...America is gripped by madness and anarchy. Now what would ever give people that idea?"
2 jokes about Donald Trump running for president, one involving the punchline about America slipping into anarchy and one involving a joke about him trying to have sex with underage girls. Wow, how times change, right guys? Colin is still bumming me out during this segment. I swear I thought I was watching this on slow speed but it's just his delivery. This is also like the 5th time he's used Chris Gaines as a punchline.
We get the introduction of Jacob Silj, Will's loud and monotone character who suffers from Voice Immodulation Syndrome.
"This is me whispering. This is me
shouting. Now I’m singing. Does this sound like a pleasurable way to
live? God, I can’t believe he’s doing this to you, Jacob. How
humiliating."
"Is that supposed to be a quiet aside to yourself?""Of course it was."
Beck
"Mixed Bizness"
Beck has covered a lot of different genres and this is probably my favorite. I love the funky Beck.
Goth Talk
3 Stars
Azrael holds his funeral
This is probably the best recurring sketch to throw Ricci in. Here she assists in holding a funeral for Azrael but things go awry as they accidentally use his 9th grade yearbook picture, play a tape of him getting a Mickey Mouse phone for Christmas instead of his video will and Baron Nocturna didn't have time to change out of his work uniform. They did a good job spacing out this sketch so I never got tired of it. It's been over a year since we've seen it so it never got to the point of Mango or Mary Katharine Gallagher where I was dreading every appearance.
Sally
This is probably the best recurring sketch to throw Ricci in. Here she assists in holding a funeral for Azrael but things go awry as they accidentally use his 9th grade yearbook picture, play a tape of him getting a Mickey Mouse phone for Christmas instead of his video will and Baron Nocturna didn't have time to change out of his work uniform. They did a good job spacing out this sketch so I never got tired of it. It's been over a year since we've seen it so it never got to the point of Mango or Mary Katharine Gallagher where I was dreading every appearance.
Sally
2 Stars
Sally and a boot camp sergeant help a wild teenager
Molly is a stressed out mother whose 13 year old daughter is out of control. She bit her brother's nose and was caught in bed naked with a dog. Sally Jesse Raphael has enlisted the help of Sergeant Frank, an intimidating black man in fatigues who is not affiliated with any military organization. He takes her to boot camp but it doesn't pan out well. She ends up beating him to the point of blindness. A couple of cute bits in here but nothing too memorable.
Beck closes the show with "Sexx Laws" which is another fun and funky tune.
FINAL ANALYSIS
Molly is a stressed out mother whose 13 year old daughter is out of control. She bit her brother's nose and was caught in bed naked with a dog. Sally Jesse Raphael has enlisted the help of Sergeant Frank, an intimidating black man in fatigues who is not affiliated with any military organization. He takes her to boot camp but it doesn't pan out well. She ends up beating him to the point of blindness. A couple of cute bits in here but nothing too memorable.
Beck closes the show with "Sexx Laws" which is another fun and funky tune.
FINAL ANALYSIS
"Sometimes I have sex with people and they don't even know it"
Average
2.3 Stars
MVP
Molly Shannon
And So This Is Chanukah, Goth Talk, Sally
And So This Is Chanukah, Goth Talk, Sally
Best Sketch
Who Wants To Eat
Worst Sketch
Holiday Parade
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
While I commend the show for the cool transition from monologue to first sketch, I wish the first sketch wasn't the cheerleaders. Man, they beat that into the ground hard and fast and it had nothing left in this, its final appearance. I would have started with And So This Is Chanukah and ended with Taxicab Confessions. The latter was a little too risqué for so early in the show.
Host Analysis
The host was strong, the writing was weak. Ricci played all of her characters well but was only given brief moments to stand out. I liked her as the hungry woman in Who Wants To Eat and the rebellious teen in Sally. Her other appearances weren't that memorable but I doubt anyone could have gotten noticed as a color guard member in a cheerleaders sketch or the other goth girl next to Molly Shannon.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Not as bad as I was expecting but not as good as I had hoped. I like Christina Ricci as an actress but episodes hosted by young women are usually not the strongest. That's not a knock on the actresses but on the writers who don't know how to feature them. They're gonna be playing a lot of the same stock characters. Still, this was a perfectly fine episode. Nothing too great or memorable but nothing abysmally awful either, except that damn cheerleaders sketch that really killed the sketch average. It also hurt the momentum too early. When the show starts with something awful it's hard to get the energy back.
Up Next
The final show of the 20th century, hosted by Danny DeVito.
Is it me or was they not alot of sketches in this episode?
ReplyDeleteWhen is your next review up George?
ReplyDeleteThe “Taxicab Confessions” sketch was actually a verbatim transcript of an episode.
ReplyDelete