Cold Open: Weigh-In
3 Stars
Marvin Hagler gets ready for his next bout, with Anthony Michael Hall
Dennis Miller interviews Hagler and Hall who are getting weighed for a match. Hall sees this as a good career move because he wants to distance himself from the "Brat Pack dookie". This was all set up by his manager, which is, say it with me, Tommy Flanagan. Tommy actually meant to set the match up between Hall and Marvin Hamlisch, not Hagler. It was hard for me to focus on what he was saying because I kept getting distracted by Hall's incessant mugging in the background. Hall and Hagler smack talk each other, Hall takes off his robe to reveal that he has shaved his head to match Hagler bald for bald. Hagler then looks into the wrong camera and says, "I know where I am, I'm live in New York, on Saturday Night". It's not a bad idea but Hall's performance here was unnecessarily awful and Hagler's line delivery makes me hope that they use him sparingly during the show.
Jimmy Breslin Monologue
Dennis Miller interviews Hagler and Hall who are getting weighed for a match. Hall sees this as a good career move because he wants to distance himself from the "Brat Pack dookie". This was all set up by his manager, which is, say it with me, Tommy Flanagan. Tommy actually meant to set the match up between Hall and Marvin Hamlisch, not Hagler. It was hard for me to focus on what he was saying because I kept getting distracted by Hall's incessant mugging in the background. Hall and Hagler smack talk each other, Hall takes off his robe to reveal that he has shaved his head to match Hagler bald for bald. Hagler then looks into the wrong camera and says, "I know where I am, I'm live in New York, on Saturday Night". It's not a bad idea but Hall's performance here was unnecessarily awful and Hagler's line delivery makes me hope that they use him sparingly during the show.
Jimmy Breslin Monologue
Jimmy successfully gets through his monologue
Jimmy tells a story about how his grade school choir teacher didn't want him to sing because of his voice. He mentions that newspaper journalists make more enemies than TV ones. He tells a baseball story. What is supposed to feel off the cuff feels painfully rehearsed.
Reagan's Command
5 Stars
Reagan weighs a decision to assassinate Qadaffi
Lovitz and Downey are in a submarine and they see Qadaffi through their periscope. They call President Reagan and ask if they should attack. Reagan would rather get back to furiously sharpening pencils but thinks about the decision. He is visited by a Reagan devil who tells him that killing Qadaffi might be a good thing. Then he's visited by a Reagan angel who tells him that killing him might not be a good thing. All 3 of them blankly look into the camera while the Jeopardy think music starts to play. Remember, this is 1986 when playing the Jeopardy theme wasn't the most overused joke in the history of existence. We cut to 3 hours later, Downey and Lovitz are amazed that Qadaffi is still just standing there as if he's waiting to be assassinated. Reagan is telling the angel and the devil boring stories that delight them. This was a masterful piece of performing by Quaid. Not only was he able to have a conversation with two versions of himself on live TV but he was able to make all 3 versions of Reagan different while also the same. While not the most brilliant idea, the execution here was fantastic and something I don't think the current cast could pull off or even try to attempt.
Tornadoville
2 Stars
The happenings in a town constantly hit by tornadoes
2 Stars
Marvin Hagler gives tips to people he fights
Hagler has knocked out so many people that chances are high that you will also be knocked out by him one day. He advises you to keep breathing and not to twitch. This was so short and pointless it barely merits a rating. At least Hagler got through speaking written lines of dialogue without passing out, but barely.
Midday With Jennifer Hicks
5 Stars
A round table discussion with James Bond villains
This sketch seems incredibly cliche now but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that nobody had done this joke in 1986, or at least it wasn't a joke that had been done to death. Joan Cusack is interviewing Goldfinger (Breslin), Blofeld (Lovitz) and Largo (Quaid) about a book they have all collaborated on about how to take over the world. They offer some helpful tips about what to do, like if James Bond enters your compound and you manage to capture him, just shoot him. Don't get fancy about it and if you do rig him to some sort of death contraption, don't leave, he's got gadgets and stuff, so stay with him the whole time until you can verify that he's dead. This whole sketch is pretty much straight out of an Austin Powers movie but this came first so I gotta give it credit. I really liked all the performances here, especially Breslin who doesn't attempt any sort of accent, just says his lines in a matter of fact way. When Cusack asks him why he doesn't sound German he explains that he was actually born in Queens but hadn't been comfortable with himself until recently.
Level 42
Tornadoville
The happenings in a town constantly hit by tornadoes
Quaid is sweeping up his diner after a tornado when AMH walks in. He's got a wire coat hanger sticking out of his skull. Apparently he was trying to get his keys out of his locked car when a tornado hit. Nora Dunn comes in and says she's moving because of all the tornadoes, they have really hurt the business of her Faberge egg shop. There's the sketch, a bunch of tornado puns. It keeps going and going until the camera just pans out.
Knockouts
Knockouts
2 Stars
Hagler has knocked out so many people that chances are high that you will also be knocked out by him one day. He advises you to keep breathing and not to twitch. This was so short and pointless it barely merits a rating. At least Hagler got through speaking written lines of dialogue without passing out, but barely.
Midday With Jennifer Hicks
A round table discussion with James Bond villains
This sketch seems incredibly cliche now but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that nobody had done this joke in 1986, or at least it wasn't a joke that had been done to death. Joan Cusack is interviewing Goldfinger (Breslin), Blofeld (Lovitz) and Largo (Quaid) about a book they have all collaborated on about how to take over the world. They offer some helpful tips about what to do, like if James Bond enters your compound and you manage to capture him, just shoot him. Don't get fancy about it and if you do rig him to some sort of death contraption, don't leave, he's got gadgets and stuff, so stay with him the whole time until you can verify that he's dead. This whole sketch is pretty much straight out of an Austin Powers movie but this came first so I gotta give it credit. I really liked all the performances here, especially Breslin who doesn't attempt any sort of accent, just says his lines in a matter of fact way. When Cusack asks him why he doesn't sound German he explains that he was actually born in Queens but hadn't been comfortable with himself until recently.
Level 42
"Something About You"
I had never heard of this song or band before and this tune got into my head something fierce. It was one of those songs where I heard it once and then found myself humming it while I walking down the halls. I have no idea what the words are so I would be making them up as I sang it in my head. It's a hypnotically catchy 80s jam.
Weekend Update With Dennis Miller
"I haven't seen depth of character portrayal like that since Larry Storch on F Troop"
No desk pieces this week just a few minutes of Miller riffs. My favorite piece was when he talked about Let's Make A Deal and said that Monty Hall pulled out 50 bucks and said he'd give it to anyone in his audience who could show him some dignity. I also liked his final joke where he says that NBC has cancelled The Love Boat and said if there were any justice in the world Chevy would have read that headline 10 years ago.
Lone Wolf McCord
Lone Wolf McCord
4 Stars
McCord doesn't realize he has such a reputation as a hot head.
Breslin is the police commissioner who calls in Lone Wolf McCord to his office. McCord gets the job done but has nothing but contempt for all police traditions. Quaid plays McCord as a Dirty Harry-esque cop and proceeds to get chewed out by Breslin. We then cut to the police locker room where Quaid is packing up his stuff in tears. What hurts him the most is how the chief called him 'Lone Wolf' McCord. He tries to meet people but it's really hard to put yourself out there. He also tries to follow the rules but sometimes if they guy you're chasing is speeding then you have to speed too. Breslin comes in to apologize for upsetting him. He's a little surprised he thought McCord's nickname was 'Lone Wolf' but that's just what the other cops call him behind his back. Hearing this really upsets McCord. Quaid is terrific here and this sketch would have failed miserably if he hadn't been so committed to character.
Sam Kinison
2 Stars
Sam talks about Chernobyl and the war in Libya. I'm noticing here that his screaming seems to be covering up the lack of punchlines rather than emphasizing them. He mentions the absurdity that Clint Eastwood is now a mayor in California and Ronald Reagan is our president. Yeah, wasn't 1986 stupid? He also does a victory dance because SNL got renewed for another season.
The Pat Stevens Show
2 Stars
Pat interviews Jimmy Breslin
Come on, it is too late in the show for Pat Stevens. I'm already in a bad mood because of Sam Kinison, now I gotta sit through this? She reads another stupid letter from a stupid fan and gives some stupid advice. Then she brings out Jimmy Breslin who is trying to promote his new book. She obviously hasn't read it and only wants to talk about the picture on the cover. I liked how this is the first time the guest has gotten upset with how stupid Pat is, Jimmy storms off the set and wants to know what moron booked him on this show. This works a little better when the host is playing themselves, a little better, not much.
Assembly
Assembly
2 Stars
Cabrini Green sings a song about teenage pregnancy
For some reason Pat Stevens introduces Cabrini to the school. I think they only did that so I would immediately dislike the sketch. Cabrini has shown up a couple of times now. She's in the 10th grade and has 2 children. She's here to sing a song about abstinence and saying 'No'. The chorus was 'I don't want to have a baby'. This was cute but it's one where you respect the performance but then realize that it didn't actually make you laugh.
A Message From Jody Hagler
A Message From Jody Hagler
3 Stars
Marvin's brother has a message of his own
Jody Hagler is a flight attendant for American Airlines. Since he looks a lot like his brother people are always coming up to him and saying things like, 'Hagler, you ain't so tough', and they're right. Jody just wants everyone to leave him alone. This was short and cute but I kept asking, this is why they brought him on the show? Just for this stupid little thing? Or, was this thrown together last minute just to give him something to do?
E.G. Daly
Jody Hagler is a flight attendant for American Airlines. Since he looks a lot like his brother people are always coming up to him and saying things like, 'Hagler, you ain't so tough', and they're right. Jody just wants everyone to leave him alone. This was short and cute but I kept asking, this is why they brought him on the show? Just for this stupid little thing? Or, was this thrown together last minute just to give him something to do?
E.G. Daly
"Say It, Say It"
I know of E.G. Daly as the voice of Tommy Pickles on 'Rugrats' and as Dottie in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and as the voice of Babe in Babe: Pig In The City. I didn't know she was an 80s pop star as well. The song is repetitive but catchy and she comes out without a band, just a microphone and starts singing and dancing. Wait, who's this? Is that Biff, Jon Lovitz's retarded character in a bowling shirt? It is. What's he doing here? Oh, he's just going to dance with Daly and then leave. Then she runs out into the audience and dances around them, then she sexually harasses the cameraman. Like I said, the song was just repetition but this might be the most fun musical performance this season.
FINAL ANALYSIS
FINAL ANALYSIS
"Did you have an organism?"
Average
2.9 Stars
MVP
Randy Quaid
Reagan's Command, Tornadoville, Midday With Jennifer Hicks, Lone Wolf McCord
Reagan's Command, Tornadoville, Midday With Jennifer Hicks, Lone Wolf McCord
Best Sketch
Midday With Jennifer Hicks
Worst Sketch
The Pat Stevens Show
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
This episode had a lot of good going for it but then it just got lazy. I usually like to get the recurring characters out of the way but I was actually glad they saved Pat Stevens and Cabrini Green for the end of the night. I was enjoying the show's momentum, it ground to a screeching halt and then picked back up with E.G. Daly. I would have probably swapped Lone Wolf McCord and Tornadoville.
Host Analysis
For a non actor, Jimmy Breslin was really fun. He only paid New York tough guys and they used his non acting to their advantage. He also seemed to have his lines memorized.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Not a bad episode. There were 3 sketches here that will probably make my Best Of list. Unfortunately half of the episode was just lazy. They brought out Pat Stevens for the millionth time and brought out Cabrini Green to do basically the same thing she did last episode. Throw in that lame Tornadoville sketch, two visits from Marvin Hagler and an uninspired set from Sam Kinison and you have an all around lazy episode.
Up Next
One episode left and it's hosted by Anjelica Huston and Billy Martin. This is the notorious episode where they killed off the cast in a fire at the end of the show.
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