“You’re riding a fine line between homage and racism”
Cold Open: A Message From The Mayor
1 Star
Fred drones on about something. I think he was supposed to be Michael Bloomberg.
Anna Faris Monologue
3 Stars
Questions from the audience? Who am I to argue with a classic? And it gives an opening for Abby to do her Anna Faris impression which is fun.
The Manuel Ortiz Show
1 Star
Kristen comes out and dances. Vanessa comes out and dances. Bill comes out and dances. Anna dances. Paul dances. Bobby dances in a dress. I actually got a laugh out of this sketch for once when they cut to hidden camera footage of Bill and Anna dancing, but that’s one laugh in four Manuel Ortiz sketches. That’s a real shitty average.
What's Wrong With Tanya?
4 Stars
A Lifetime original game show where women try to figure out what’s wrong with Tanya, the teenage girl in trouble in a Lifetime original movie. Some fun stuff in this one, Andy’s over dramatic crying as Boy Tanya, Bill as the host, the losing contestants having to pretend to rake leaves for the remainder of the show.
Drake Interview
2 Stars
Drake sits down with Andy for a brief interview, extremely close interview, sarcastic interview, horribly dubbed interview, and a matching sweater interview. Definitely not the strongest.
Yet Another GOP Debate
2 Stars
Wait a minute. A political debate three sketches into the show, a hastily written monologue cold open, I smell an aborted cold open. As far as debates go it’s not too bad, just long. Part of the joke is they know which people don’t stand a chance of winning so Newt Gingrich and Michelle Bachman have been locked in a janitors closet and Ron Paul is still in the parking garage so maybe it’s meta that the show doesn’t really care about this sketch. Bill Hader replaces Alec Baldwin in the Rick Perry role? So wait, you’re telling me it was possible to take a political impression away from Baldwin this whole time?!?
Drake
"Headlines"
Weekend Update
Appearance number 6 for Anthony Crispino, dang he did this a lot last season. He gives the news he heard second hand like the Occupy Walgreens movement, Ashton Kutcher breaking up with Dinty Moore, and Courtney Cox being released from Olive Garden.
Two Teenagers Dressed As Werewolves rap about how they bag jack, which is stealing candy from kids on Halloween. This felt out of place on Update and would be a music video if done a few seasons from now.
Tell Him
3 Stars
The girls sing ‘Tell Him’ by The Exciters with new more realistic lyrics. Telling girls to lie to their boyfriends until they try to leave then tell them you’re pregnant. This was a little too cheeseball but it was fun and it was nice to see a sketch with all the ladies.
J-Pop America Fun Time Now!
4 Stars
The debut of Taran and Vanessa’s cultural appropriation characters. I love how they quickly get rid of any uncomfortableness by having Jason apologize for how not cool this is, kinda like how he did in Who’s On Top? from the season premiere. Taran and Vanessa act like anime characters despite their Japanese teacher telling them how they are only representing a very narrow view of Japanese culture and they are also his two worst students.
Drake returns along with Nicki Minaj with "Make Me Proud"
Lord Wyndemere
4 Stars
The debut of Cecil, a sweets loving, sneaky, little scamp. I remember thinking this was hilarious when I first saw it (but I think that was in the Charles Barkley episode, I don’t think I caught this one live). I recall it being a showcase for Paul but this sketch doesn’t work at all without Jason. He plays the father of Cecil’s date who is just delighted by the little guy. Bill is also hysterical as Cecil’s creepy footman.
Ferrari Calendar
2 Stars
Kristen and Anna go to a bookstore to ogle the men in the Ferrari calendar. I enjoyed Anna’s description of one guy as “no nose, just holes” but I’m not so sure how I feel about the ending of Bill with skinny legs and pepperoni nipples.
“Have the sweets come yet?”
Average
2.6 Stars
MVP
Bill Hader
Monologue, The Manuel Ortiz Show, What’s Wrong With Tanya?!, Yet Another GOP Debate, Lord Wyndemere, Ferrari Calendar
Best Sketch
Lord Wyndemere
Worst Sketch
The Manuel Ortiz Show
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
Make the GOP debate the cold open and cut that long and boring Fred monologue. Or make the GOP debate the 10-1 sketch, go ahead and bury it completely. Don’t lead with Manuel Ortiz, this episode started so flat. It eventually built but I would start with What’s Wrong With Tanya and move Cecil pre-Update and bury Manuel Ortiz near the end of the night.
Host Analysis
Nothing to write home about but perfectly serviceable. I like that she just kinda blended in with the cast. She didn’t headline any sketches, they used her how they would Abby Elliott on a really great day.
Final Thoughts
A very uneven episode with some highs and lows. It took a while to get going, peaked with What’s Wrong With Tanya went back down but we got J Pop and Cecil late in the night to turn things around. Maybe we should lean on the newbies a little more and stop letting Fred do the same old crap for over a decade.
Up Next
Charlie Day and Maroon 5
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