"The millennium, it comes along rarely"
Cold Open: NBC Special Report
Cold Open: NBC Special Report
3 Stars
Tom Brokaw interviews Arnold Schwarzenegger about his new movie and the apocalypse
With the approaching millennium, conversations turn to the apocalypse. Here to talk about it and his new movie, End Of Days, is Arnold Schwarzenegger (Darrell, doing his impression of the future Governor for the first time). Arnold thinks the apocalypse is a load of hogwash but his new movie about is gonna be fantastic. Arnold tells Tom Brokaw about all the things that will still be around which segues into the two singing My Favorite Things. Parnell's Brokaw is funny and this is one of Darrell's more high energy characters. Not a bad way to start the show and it's a nice change of pace from the political cold opens.
Danny DeVito Monologue
With the approaching millennium, conversations turn to the apocalypse. Here to talk about it and his new movie, End Of Days, is Arnold Schwarzenegger (Darrell, doing his impression of the future Governor for the first time). Arnold thinks the apocalypse is a load of hogwash but his new movie about is gonna be fantastic. Arnold tells Tom Brokaw about all the things that will still be around which segues into the two singing My Favorite Things. Parnell's Brokaw is funny and this is one of Darrell's more high energy characters. Not a bad way to start the show and it's a nice change of pace from the political cold opens.
Danny DeVito Monologue
4 Stars
Danny gets a gift for his 5th time, Mr. Peepers
It's the last monologue of the century, which is exciting, and in true SNL fashion they bring out a character who has already been on the show 7 times. I was bummed when Danny opened up his 5-timers gift to reveal Mr. Peepers but, damn it, this won me over. Chris Kattan was an amazing physical comedian and this was one of his best characters. I would suggest you see Monkeybone starring Brendan Fraser, it's not a good movie but Kattan plays a dead gymnast and the way he flails his appendages around is something truly impressive. Mr. Peepers jumps out of a box, crawls over DeVito and they sing Christmas carols together until Peepers starts humping the cameraman. Kattan and Peepers start spitting apples into each other's mouth and then Danny says that he doesn't quite understand what's going on but his kids are watching at home and they love this stuff. With that line I thought, good on you Danny, that's the exact right attitude a host should have.
Press Conference Play Set
It's the last monologue of the century, which is exciting, and in true SNL fashion they bring out a character who has already been on the show 7 times. I was bummed when Danny opened up his 5-timers gift to reveal Mr. Peepers but, damn it, this won me over. Chris Kattan was an amazing physical comedian and this was one of his best characters. I would suggest you see Monkeybone starring Brendan Fraser, it's not a good movie but Kattan plays a dead gymnast and the way he flails his appendages around is something truly impressive. Mr. Peepers jumps out of a box, crawls over DeVito and they sing Christmas carols together until Peepers starts humping the cameraman. Kattan and Peepers start spitting apples into each other's mouth and then Danny says that he doesn't quite understand what's going on but his kids are watching at home and they love this stuff. With that line I thought, good on you Danny, that's the exact right attitude a host should have.
Press Conference Play Set
4 Stars
Get in on the fun by staging your very own press conference
Press conferences on TV are boring but now there's the Press Conference Play Set so you can enact your own announcements with your friends. One kid details how the baseball got thrown through the window, another announces that Santa Claus isn't real, a young girl announces her marriage to Leonardo DiCaprio and then a young boy resembling an 11 year old Lewis Black tells us that he is never trying new food again. That last kid was awesome, find out where he was and get him an audition for the show.
The Delicious Dish
Press conferences on TV are boring but now there's the Press Conference Play Set so you can enact your own announcements with your friends. One kid details how the baseball got thrown through the window, another announces that Santa Claus isn't real, a young girl announces her marriage to Leonardo DiCaprio and then a young boy resembling an 11 year old Lewis Black tells us that he is never trying new food again. That last kid was awesome, find out where he was and get him an audition for the show.
The Delicious Dish
5 Stars
The NPR hosts do their show after the Y2K disaster
This was inspired. Ana and Molly are 6 months into the new millennium and are doing their show for anyone who might still be alive. They are trying to stay chipper during the proceedings even though roving sex gangs terrorize the streets. Their guest today is the same guest they have every day. Danny plays a chef who has some tips on how to avoid starvation. He made clam chowder out of Whiteout and dice, seasoned with imaginary pepper and some pan seared Dristan tablets. This was slow moving but well paced at the same time. Funny and sad at the same time.
Mango
This was inspired. Ana and Molly are 6 months into the new millennium and are doing their show for anyone who might still be alive. They are trying to stay chipper during the proceedings even though roving sex gangs terrorize the streets. Their guest today is the same guest they have every day. Danny plays a chef who has some tips on how to avoid starvation. He made clam chowder out of Whiteout and dice, seasoned with imaginary pepper and some pan seared Dristan tablets. This was slow moving but well paced at the same time. Funny and sad at the same time.
Mango
4 Stars
Mango goes home for the holidays
Was I excited for the 10th appearance of Mango? Absolutely not, especially after we already got Mr. Peepers. But just like with Peepers, damn it, this got me. Mango goes home for the holidays to be with his family. The whole bloodline wears gold shorts and has the same sideburns. Mango's dad doesn't approve of the stripping but Mango entrances his father with his dance moves. Sent to his room, Mango is visited by an angel played by Michael Stipe, whose deadpan and humorless delivery gives the sketch an insanely weird tone. He takes Mango back to the past to see his dad in his stripping days. DeVito goes by the name of Guava and entrances men, including Jimmy Stewart, but dreams of a better life for his son. After Mango learns his lesson he goes back to his family to reconcile and it's kinda sweet. Complete with a Christmas theme and a trained dog, this sketch is a perfect ending for the Mango character. Is it going to be the end? Are you kidding? This is SNL, they're gonna do it 6 more times.
Metal Shop
Does Colin apologize for his jokes? Yep. Does he stumble over setups? You betcha. At one point the audience applauds when he messes up the word 'dictator' in a story about Fidel Castro only to groan the inevitable weak punchline.
I was wondering what Danny DeVito would have been promoting in 1999 and why he was hosting. Then I remembered the Andy Kaufman biopic came out this year featuring Danny as Andy's manager and a new song by the Kaufman loving band R.E.M.. This is a good song and Michael Stipe is always entertaining with his spastic dance moves.
Rockettes Auditions
Was I excited for the 10th appearance of Mango? Absolutely not, especially after we already got Mr. Peepers. But just like with Peepers, damn it, this got me. Mango goes home for the holidays to be with his family. The whole bloodline wears gold shorts and has the same sideburns. Mango's dad doesn't approve of the stripping but Mango entrances his father with his dance moves. Sent to his room, Mango is visited by an angel played by Michael Stipe, whose deadpan and humorless delivery gives the sketch an insanely weird tone. He takes Mango back to the past to see his dad in his stripping days. DeVito goes by the name of Guava and entrances men, including Jimmy Stewart, but dreams of a better life for his son. After Mango learns his lesson he goes back to his family to reconcile and it's kinda sweet. Complete with a Christmas theme and a trained dog, this sketch is a perfect ending for the Mango character. Is it going to be the end? Are you kidding? This is SNL, they're gonna do it 6 more times.
Metal Shop
2 Stars
Pat and Denise film themselves in shop class
Maybe it's because it's the 3rd recurring character in a row, or more likely I just don't like these characters. This did little for me other than DeVito as the shop teacher who tells stories about his roadie days and pops out his fake eye.
Happy Holidays From The Ladies' Man
Maybe it's because it's the 3rd recurring character in a row, or more likely I just don't like these characters. This did little for me other than DeVito as the shop teacher who tells stories about his roadie days and pops out his fake eye.
Happy Holidays From The Ladies' Man
3 Stars
Leon sings a song for the ladies on the holidays
Well, it's the 4th recurring character in a row. Was the show really scared of Y2K and thought this was going to be the last one ever? Or were they just resting on their laurels and playing all the hits for the last show of the year? Probably the latter. Leon Phelps sings a Christmas song complete with dancing skanks. His song is, of course, filled with double entendres but he laments being unable to find a rhyme for 'stuffing your stocking'. I was fine with this. The dancers were extremely entertaining and the song was fun. It would have worked better at the end of the night, I would have preferred a sketch in this spot.
Fun With Real Audio - The Year In Journalism
Well, it's the 4th recurring character in a row. Was the show really scared of Y2K and thought this was going to be the last one ever? Or were they just resting on their laurels and playing all the hits for the last show of the year? Probably the latter. Leon Phelps sings a Christmas song complete with dancing skanks. His song is, of course, filled with double entendres but he laments being unable to find a rhyme for 'stuffing your stocking'. I was fine with this. The dancers were extremely entertaining and the song was fun. It would have worked better at the end of the night, I would have preferred a sketch in this spot.
Fun With Real Audio - The Year In Journalism
3 Stars
The big stories of 1999 and how they were covered in the media
Barbara Walters fondles herself while she watches her interview with Monica Lewinsky, Jim Gray interviews Roberto Benigni during his Oscar speech, David Gregory throws a rock through the Kennedy Compound window, Matt Lauer, Katie Couric and Peter Jennings sit in shark infested waters to report on JFK Jr.'s funeral.
Weekend Update
Barbara Walters fondles herself while she watches her interview with Monica Lewinsky, Jim Gray interviews Roberto Benigni during his Oscar speech, David Gregory throws a rock through the Kennedy Compound window, Matt Lauer, Katie Couric and Peter Jennings sit in shark infested waters to report on JFK Jr.'s funeral.
Weekend Update
In 1979, Al Franken declared the 80s were gonna be the Al Franken decade. In 1989, he passed the torch to his son and declared the 90s the Joe Franken decade. Now, in 1999, Al is now middle aged and his son is a teenager who thinks this whole bit is stupid. Al introduces us to the Al Franken millennium but Joe thinks his dad should shut up since nobody cares and they just came to the show to see Jimmy Fallon. I was really impressed with how Joe Franken stayed in character. Maybe he's taken some acting classes since we last saw him at 4 years old but he seemed incredibly well prepared for this. I haven't been this impressed with the acting ability of a Franken since his grandparents appeared in season 3.
R.E.M.
R.E.M.
"Great Beyond"
Rockettes Auditions
2 Stars
Sally O'Malley auditions for The Rockettes
I was about to say, 5th recurring character this episode, but this was Sally O'Malley's first appearance and you can instantly tell that this will not be her last. She's already got catchphrases. I think what happened is they retired Mary Katharine Gallagher this year so Molly came up with a new character that is exactly the same except this lady wears pants. Sally is 50 and proud of it and she likes to kick, stretch and kick. The energy of Molly and Danny makes this watchable but I wouldn't mind seeing an original sketch this episode.
Trial
I was about to say, 5th recurring character this episode, but this was Sally O'Malley's first appearance and you can instantly tell that this will not be her last. She's already got catchphrases. I think what happened is they retired Mary Katharine Gallagher this year so Molly came up with a new character that is exactly the same except this lady wears pants. Sally is 50 and proud of it and she likes to kick, stretch and kick. The energy of Molly and Danny makes this watchable but I wouldn't mind seeing an original sketch this episode.
Trial
2 Stars
Claudine Parker sings a song for her son in court
I never thought this was coming back. Tracy plays the mother of a scary drug dealer but treats him like he's her little baby. While he's on trial she sings I Just Called To Say I Love You to get the jury's sympathy. This sketch makes no sense without seeing the first one as this is basically the original sketch condensed and they add DeVito as another man in drag. Sadly, Tracy is my least favorite part of this as the straight men are doing the real heavy lifting. It's Will and Tim who really get all the laughs as they dryly react to this stupidity.
R.E.M. close out the show with "Man on the Moon", the original song they wrote about Andy Kaufman. A really great song about Andy, tricksters and geniuses.
FINAL ANALYSIS
I never thought this was coming back. Tracy plays the mother of a scary drug dealer but treats him like he's her little baby. While he's on trial she sings I Just Called To Say I Love You to get the jury's sympathy. This sketch makes no sense without seeing the first one as this is basically the original sketch condensed and they add DeVito as another man in drag. Sadly, Tracy is my least favorite part of this as the straight men are doing the real heavy lifting. It's Will and Tim who really get all the laughs as they dryly react to this stupidity.
R.E.M. close out the show with "Man on the Moon", the original song they wrote about Andy Kaufman. A really great song about Andy, tricksters and geniuses.
FINAL ANALYSIS
"Enjoy as we cower from the Aryan blood armies and packs of wild dogs that control the night"
Average
3.2 Stars
MVP
Chris Kattan
Monologue, Mango
Monologue, Mango
Best Sketch
The Delicious Dish
Worst Sketch
Trial
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
We got 6 sketches in this episode and 5 of them are things we've seen before. The other, Sally O'Malley, is a character that was designed to be recurring. There's really no way to space those out but we should move Sally O'Malley to before Update and save The Ladies Man for the end of the night. Have Leon Phelps close out the show from home base singing a holiday song with dancing skanks. Maybe bring out the rest of the cast as their characters and have them join The Rockettes in a kick line. A big musical number to close out the last show of the millennium with all of the recurring characters. The Roxbury Guys, Mary Katharine Gallagher, Claudine Parker, Bobbi Mohan-Culp, the Boston teenagers, Collette Reardon, Bill Clinton, Horatio and Parnell don't really have one yet but they can be in the kick line too. Then Danny and R.E.M. run in, snow starts falling and we say goodnight.
Host Analysis
Danny DeVito was awesome. How was this his last time hosting? He showed up for a cameo in the Charlie Day episode but this guy needs to come back. Even if it's as a special guest. Remember the Willie Nelson episode from season 12? Willie hosts but for some reason Danny is there too. Bring this guy back, he's just a naturally funny guy who fits in almost any sketch. I do find it odd that they called this his 5th time hosting when it was actually his 6th. I guess the episode he did with his then wife Rhea Perlman doesn't count. Speaking of that, didn't a little part of you die when Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman got divorced? It's like finding out love is a lie. If any two people on the face of the planet seem perfect for each other, it was them.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Even with all the recurring sketches, this was a fun episode and it had just enough Christmas in it to make it a good show to end the year on. I don't know if it was great enough to end the century on but it was decent. I would have liked a little more excess and pageantry but we did have well written sketches with an excellent host and an awesome musical guest. Can't really ask for much more than that. I even liked Mango this week, the show did the unthinkable, a Mango sketch was one of my favorites of the night. That's a sentence I never thought I'd write.
Up Next
Up Next
The first show of the new Willennium, hosted by Jamie Foxx.
Once again, great review. This episode aired the day after I was born.
ReplyDeleteConsidering Darrell did a Arnie impression you think they would have been a sketch between him and DEvito
ReplyDeleteCo-hosting the show with someone else still counts as hosting IMO
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