“Why don’t you funnel that anger right into our butts”
Cold Open: Trump Christmas
1 Star
This may be the start of the downfall of Trump. It’s at least first one I flat out disliked. Trump is visited by a shirtless Vladimir Putin and his new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson played by John Goodman. We had Bryan Cranston last episode but I guess this is the true start of the stunt casting people associated with the Trump administration trend that will continue shortly with Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer and later with (shudder) Robert De Niro as Robert Muller. You think at any point John Goodman thought Rex Tillerson would be the next Linda Tripp? You think he ever had the notion that he’d be playing Rex Tillerson for the next 4 years? You think anyone remembers who Rex Tillerson was? That’s why I hate political humor, watching John Goodman as Rex Tillerson is like watching Joe Piscopo as James Watt.
Casey Affleck Monologue
Alec Baldwin and John Goodman? They were in the cold open, let’s applaud them again! They also bring out Black Santa and whatever this was going for are it so hard it caused Alec to lose his shit.
Dunkin' Donuts
I thought this was cute but not all that funny but I could still have the stank of the cold open and monologue in my mouth. I will say that I love a fake commercial after the monologue which has become a rare sighting. Good performance from Casey as a loyal and drunk Dunkin Donuts customer.
Robot Presentation
Who ordered the Fred Armisen? And can we have it sent back? It’s fitting that he’s back for this sketch that tries to be anti-homophobic while still being homophobic. It reminds me of all the times Fred played the gay stereotype. That honor goes to Beck now as a gay robot and while I have to admit laughing at his gay robot walk I was not amused by anything else. Kyle’s gay robot is worse and I think the sketch is trying to make a point but I have no idea what that point could be. I was surprised we didn’t get two episodes in a row with a Kyle and Beck make-out.
Jingle Barack
A Run DMC inspired song about Obama’s last Christmas which is another one that’s more cute than funny but well done. I really enjoyed Casey as a breakdancing Jesus and Leslie’s verse about being horny for Joe Biden. Two sketches in a row where Kyle and Beck play gay stereotypes as a couple who still has time to get married before Trump officially takes over.
Christmas Miracle
3rd appearance of Colleen Rafferty and this time she’s describing her encounter with Santa Claus except she was driven to the North Pole by a 9 foot goat named Krinklemouse. This is a sketch that hit diminishing returns quick. I can’t recall ever liking it after the first one.
Chance The Rapper
"Finish Line / Drown"
This will assuredly be making my top 5 at the end of the season. It was so good it effectively hit the reset button for a stinker show.
Weekend Update
New York Now
The names of your fake news anchors shouldn’t be the only funny thing in your sketch. Sara Hors and Jen Jen Binks throw to an interview with the stars of Silent Night, Hilarious Night, a terribly unfunny show. The clips of the show were fun but this sketch is an interview with people describing how unfunny they are which in itself is unfunny.
Hilary Actually
Hilary tries to get an elector to cast her vote against Trump in the style of Love Actually. Once you know the joke it loses almost all its magic but I remember thinking this was very clever at the time, I think I had also just watched Love Actually for the first time as well.
Chance The Rapper returns with "Same Drugs" which is the best thing since the last time he performed.
Mrs. Claus And The Christmas Feast
Another repeat from the previous season’s Ryan Gosling episode after Colleen Rafferty, it’s the elves that like to be dominated. I do always love Vanessa’s faces in these and I’m probably only disliking this because this episode is so poor. In a better episode I may have enjoyed this more.
Christmas Bar
Everybody talks like New York shy guys? I don’t know, your guess is as good as mine as to what this was about. I started off enjoying it’s weird tone but grew tired of it real quickly.
Average
1.8 Star
MVP
Chance The Rapper
Best Sketch
Jingle Barack
Worst Sketch
New York Now
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
Just make it a Chance The Rapper concert.
Host Analysis
While I don’t think it was all his fault that I didn’t like this episode I can’t say he did much to boost the quality. His low key energy really started to slow down some sketches.
Final Thoughts
This was a stinker. There were things I didn’t hate but nothing I can really say I liked. At least liked enough to recommend watching anything from this one. That cold open and monologue started things off on a bad note and then you start with Fred Armisen and gay stereotypes and it was really hard to win me back. Chance The Rapper did. Both times he performed I was able to forget that the show sucked for a little while but it was only a momentary escape from the doldrums.
Up Next
Felicity Jones hosts the first show of 2017 with musical guest Sturgill Simpson, another episode where I remember the musical guest being the highlight.
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