“We got racks on racks”
Cold Open: The Lawrence Welk Show
3 Stars
The 7th Dooneese but imma let you finish since I know it’s Kristen’s last show. Jon Hamm, last seen in last week’s Digital Short, gets baby hand duties this time. It’s a played out sketch at this point but there’s always something that makes me smile. Dooneese drinking from the peeing statue got me in this one.
Mick Jagger Monologue
2 Stars
It’s gonna be pretty impossible for me to watch this episode and not think about John Mulaney’s bit about writing for Mick. He answers some frequently asked questions like who is his favorite Rolling Stone, what’s his biggest regret, and has he ever gotten any satisfaction.
Secret Word
3 Stars
Ok, I know it’s Kristen’s last show and I gave a pass to Dooneese but I never liked this sketch to begin with. Mick is very fun as a closeted action star and I got a genuine laugh from Kristen misreading canal as anal. So in the end it wasn’t that painful, the sketch not the anal.
Karaoke
4 Stars
It’s karaoke night and everyone is doing their best Mick Jagger impressions. All except Kevin (Mick) who is too scared. Fred and Bobby’s Jagger moves were very fun and I enjoyed Kristen and Vanessa’s excitement over them. The sketch ends nicely with Mick sadly singing Satisfaction by himself. This feels like it would have been a perfect intro to the first musical performance. Kinda like how they did the Paul McCartney one in Season 38. Have the set break away and Mick’s band is on stage.
Lazy Sunday 2
5 Stars
Huge cheers from the crowd as they see the title to our final Digital Short. It was great to see Parns back as he and Andy rap about getting brunch and seeing Sister Act The Musical. Loved Andy’s line about waiting on a YouTube check. Is it as classic as the first, no, but it’s a good way to go out.
Politics Nation
2 Stars
2nd appearance of this sketch. Al Sharpton gets words wrong as he talks to Mick as a banker, Fred as Mayor Bloomberg, and Jason as a guy who works in a salmon cannery.
Mick Jagger
"The Last Time"
Interesting that there was no introduction to this. I can’t say I remember any other musical guest deemed worthy to not need an intro. An acapella group sings and we pan over to Mick and Arcade Fire.
Weekend Update
We get one more visit from Stefon to close out the season. He’s promoting more clubs owned by D-Bag Chopra and Jenjamin Franklin that have everything from Jewish fireworks to human R2D2s.
So You Think You Can Dance At An Outdoor Music Festival
2 Stars
Bill as Dave Matthews (very fun) introduces 3 dancers at outdoor music festivals. A hairy Kristen, a drunk Bobby, and Andy on mushrooms perform for judges Santana (Fred), Jewel (Abby), and Steven Tyler (Mick).
Mick Jagger
"19th Nervous Breakdown / It's Only Rock 'N Roll"
Mick performs two songs with Foo Fighters. I wish this rocked harder.
The Californians
1 Star
Oh good, it’s the return of The Californians. Stuart meets his long lost dad, they give directions, they stare in the mirror, they have dramatic closeups, and there’s a random as all hell Steve Martin cameo at the end. Good thing Fred isn’t leaving with Kristen because I need to see this 4 more times next season.
Mick Jagger
"Tea Party"
Mick performs a blues song he wrote about the election with Jeff Beck. With lyrics like “Mitt Romney, he’s a mensch” and “don’t let him cut your hair” it’s no surprise the guy lost.
She's A Rainbow
5 Stars
The cast all says goodbye to Kristen through dance. At the time I found this kinda cheesy. I wasn’t a fan of giving one cast member a big send off (especially since I felt that Kristen should have left a bit sooner). Watching it this time, I enjoyed it a lot. I like how each cast member got their own individual dance with Kristen (which apparently they chose themselves) all with the exception of the women she overshadowed. Nasim, Abby, Vanessa, and Kate all dance around Kristen together as if to say “can we get in some sketches now that you’re leaving?” although this is Abby’s last appearance on the show. We end with Lorne coming out to dance with Kristen and the band transitions into Ruby Tuesday. We’re then joined by Kattan, Parns, Poehler, Dratch, Forte, Jon Hamm, Steve Martin, Foo Fighters and a full stage of teary eyes as we head into the end credits. Solid ending to the season. I’m not too big a fan of the precedent this sets where now everyone will want a proper goodbye (specifically referring to Cecily Strong coming back for half a season seemingly just so she could get a send off).
FINAL ANALYSIS
“That’s how it began and that’s how I’m a finish it”
Average
3 Stars
MVP
Kristen Wiig
The Lawrence Welk Show, Secret Word, Karaoke, So You Think You Can Dance At An Outdoor Music Festival, The Californians, She’s A Rainbow
Best Sketch
She’s A Rainbow
Worst Sketch
The Californians
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
Either swap Lazy Sunday 2 with Politics Nation or move the latter sketch to after Update. It didn’t feel right going straight from an epic rap with Andy and Parns straight into Kenan. There wasn’t even a commercial break between them. And please, for the love of God, cut The Californians.
Host Analysis
A weird choice but a good one for this episode. His three songs with three different groups provided a nice variety (even if I wasn’t too keen on any of the performances) and since they were doing the Kristen tribute at the end it would feel weird if that was anyone too familiar with the show. If say Steve Martin, Jon Hamm, or Amy Poehler were hosting it would feel really hokey. Having one of the biggest rock and roll legends starting off your tribute was the better way to go. He was also surprisingly funny in sketches. His closeted actor in Secret Word, his lonely karaoke enthusiast, and his Steven Tyler impression were all fun.
Final Thoughts
This was a pretty average episode (if not a bit on the weak side) with two standout finales. Lazy Sunday 2 and She’s A Rainbow were great send offs to two veterans who really did do a lot for the show during their time. Kind of a shame Abby didn’t get one last showcase (although her leaving wasn’t announced yet). I remember at the time a lot of people were assuming Jason was leaving too which would have been a shame since he barely did anything this episode. He sticks around one more year and quietly bows out (like a badass, no fuss, just leave). The Mick Jagger performances give the show a real quick pace so the weaker material doesn’t stand out as much. I almost forgot that The Californians was part of this show until it was over and I was looking for what to give Worst Sketch honors to. Farewell Kristen and Andy, can’t say I’ll miss you but that’s only because I love new blood and change more. However, I do respect and love you both. Andy was instrumental in bringing new eyes and relevancy to the show and Kristen was a heck of a sketch performer who unfortunately got overworked and stretched too thin. If Abby or Nasim or Jenny or Casey or Michaela got a smidgen of the roles that went to Kristen maybe I’d be feeling her absence harder.
Up Next
A Best and Worst list of Season 37 and a cast ranking
No comments:
Post a Comment