I don’t see a thread on this, so here goes: This could possibly be the worst episode of SNL ever (and that’s really saying something). I have watched the show sporadically since it first came on and I’ve never ever seen a show this bad. Left the TV on while I was doing some other things. Kept thinking surely some skit would gel - but nope, nada. I’m actually hoping nobody else sat thru this crap.
(Host - Bradley Cooper - fun character actor, no good here. Music - TV on the Radio - didn’t sell themselves well)
Oh no no no. You are missing the two greatest Seth Meyers “Update” moments ever:
“The last guy broke the world.”
“You’re a dick” (re: the Michael Phelps photographer)
Those made the whole show worthwhile.
I liked Kenan Thompson as winded Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison.
I thought the show was a lot better than last week.
well…worst show ever? you are forgetting the doumanian year.
Found the I sleep with your wife game show amazingly stupid.
Missed update.
What on earth is this New character by Wiig again? I swear she has lost a bet somewhere.
Next week will be good. I know this because Alec Baldwin is hosting.
Okay, I did like the Kathy Lee thing.
The SNL digital short was good. Good to see all the Lonely Island guys getting some airtime.
We don’t generally watch SNL, but we occasionally catch a few minutes while we’re flipping around.
We saw some of Seth Meyers tonight, and he seems to continue the extended recent history of SNL Update anchors who cannot help laughing at their own jokes. Sorry, but if you’re doing this sort of faux-news-style comedy, part of the reason it works is the technique of reporting funny stories with a serious newsreader’s demeanor. If you’re smirking like a shit-eating moron the whole time, the jokes lose much of their impact.
That MHO, anyway.
This wasn’t nearly as bad as the Rosario Dawson episode a few weeks ago. There was at least an entertaining digital short, several good Update jokes, and the Kathy Lee bit was amusing.
The singing dudes at the funeral sketch was pretty good, too, IMHO. The premise for that skit is pretty old (they’ve done it several times) but they manage to actually have jokes in them instead of just beating a single tired premise to death for ten minutes.
The intervention sketch, on the other hand, was of the latter type.
I’m putting all my hope on Baldwin to save to post-Poehler era.
OK, I’ve narrowed it down to:
- my sound system being off
- the singers being horrible and the band off key and out of sync
- truly some of the worst sound mixing in the history of SNL (and that includes Ashley Simpson)
but TV on the Radio’s first number was ear destroying. It was just awful. It sounded worse than a garage band practicing.
We only caught the last half, but I enjoyed the Christian Bale sketch. And Kristen Wiig’s Bjork is pretty funny.
I lasted until the second commercial break. Up to that point, I was privileged to see (not necessarily in order):
- The opening skit. Kristen Wiig’s Nancy Pelosi is the same slimy mugging tool as every other one of her characters. I didn’t crack a single smile, and cringed a number of times.
- The monologue. When I most remember the host as “a supporting character on the first season of Alias,” it really rings true when he lists the other cast members of the movie he’s currently in, and then makes a joke that none were available to host; it’s not funny when it’s that true.
- Sleep With Your Wife. More cringing; one weak joke, over and over. And yet another skit with Kristen Wiig, albeit in a minor role.
- Kathy Lee. Still MORE Wiig, just what I wanted! And the same slimy mugging tool as every other one of her characters. At least now I know what to expect during the Kathy Lee skits.
- “On A Boat” digital short. The only one I saw without Kristen Wiig in some form, yet that didn’t help make it good.
The net sum of the first 25 minutes, which are supposed to be the “good” skits that hook you into the rest of the episode: No laughs, no smiles, one headache.
I like Seth Myers and his smile is so darned endearing I don’t even mind that he uses it when he shouldn’t be. I thought “On a Boat” was funny… so sue me. It certainly wasn’t the best show but I wouldn’t call it the worst either.
I generally only watch it for the Digital Shorts and Weekend Update.
As usual, Andy Samberg was hilareous.
“Really? Marijuana use is not associated with your brand? You have three elves sitting around a tree house figuring out new ways to put cheese on stuff. Sounds like potheads to me.”
It had a few funny moments, but nothing to write home about. The band, whom I’ve never heard of, was quite possibly the worst band I’ve ever heard; they sounded like 5-6 alley cats fighting in a metal trashcan.
Episode sucked. Sadly, not their worst ever. They have been pushing the envelope for a long time on that.
Only good bits : Bad Guys, Good Conversations was OK. And of course, some of the Update was kickass.
Otherwise, a HELLISH WASTELAND MADE OF SUCK AND CRAP.
“Sex With Your Wife”? Stupid, inane, never went anywhere, insulting.
The “is it OK?” kid? NO IT IS NOT. That was NOT EVEN A SKIT. do you people even rehearse? Do you even know you’re at work now? I know they want the new fat guy to be their new Chris Farley, but this skit made the third “van down by the river” skit seems like a bubbling fountain of innovation, originality, and wit. And WTF is with the horrible timing in all the skits? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? You have the top goddamned job in American comedy right now, and you SUCK.
Let’s see, what other logs were floating in the punch bowl of this episode… oh yes, more of the joyfest of having Wiig’s terrible Kathie Lee impression completely abuse the other chick for eight minutes of my life I won’t get back.
NOT FUNNY JUST MEAN.
SNL Digital Short, “On A Boat” : I hope NBC enjoys spending so much money to suck so bad. Inane, retarded, and my god, can you remember that brief period when the Digital Short was the one bit of guaranteed quality per episode? Glad to see that Lorne can ruin that too, presumably by demanding they try to make every one of them another “Lazy Sunday” or “Dick In A Box”. Obviously, you people have absolutely NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
The “Intervention” : Totally lame. One sad little joke flogged flat for what seemed like hours. What do the skits you turn down look like, Lorne? Or do you just not “do” that any more?
Monologue : It was mediocre. The guy is likeable and some of the “bully acting” stuff came off as inventive and funny. But all in all, meh.
Oh, and about Seth’s mugging : it’s gotten worse without Amy there to even things out. It works with some of the material and not others. Someone should tell him he’s not Dennis Miller. Then again, neither is Dennis Miller any more.
So, you know, I have some feelings about SNL.
Mainly that they EFFING SUCK and it’s all because they can’t be canceled any more. They’re an “institution”. They’re enshrined as part of American culture. And obviously, they know it, because they just don’t give a shit any more. That’s the only explanation for the horrilble crap that actually makes it on air. I really feel like everyone on the show realizes, deep deep down, that no matter how bad it is, nothing will happen to them. they won’t get fired, the show won’t get canceled, nobody will even get a stern talking-to. The show was way better when Lorne was a tightly wound perfectionist and they always felt like they were inches from cancellation.
Now? Hey, who cares? Put any old thing on there, just fill the frickin’ time.
I’m serious. Given what makes it on the air, what the hell can they be turning down? I cannot imagine an idea so bad and so stupid and so offensive and so insulting that I can’t imagine them putting it on.
And yet, I continue to watch, because I have to. I love skitcom. I have to watch the biggest show in the skitcom world.
Damn you, Lorne Michaels, and your talentless writers and your weakass performers who look dazed most of the time, like they have no idea what the hell is going on. What is the opposite of “running like a well-oiled machine?”
The show runs like an incompetent bag of rocks and coffee grounds.
That was beautiful. Brought a tear to my eye, it did.
I’m a big fan of TV on the Radio. That said, I can’t argue with the OP that they didn’t sell themselves well. I agree that there seemed to be something wrong with the sound mix on the first song. I thought the second one was much better.
Perhaps they are one of those bands whose studio genius doesn’t translate well to a live setting. I’ve never seen them live (other than on SNL) – I’d like to ask anyone who has to offer their assessment, but I suspect the set of “fans of TV on the radio” who are also “regular SNL viewers” is small indeed.
I haven’t seen the episode yet, but My God Kristen Wiig is annoying as hell with her characters. They would be ok if they came up a couple of times a season, but it seems like we are constantly bombarded by her semi-mentally challenged, neurotic characters over and over and over again.
It’s because they have a CD coming out- Incredibad.
I ask this sincerely: do you listen to commercial rap music? Because if you don’t, you wont get why “On A Boat” is so funny. Period. Everyone I know who listens to that kind of music immediately got the joke and can’t stop listening to that song on repeat.
And I doubt SNL is paying for those, honestly- The Lonely Island’s record company likely is and SNL is giving them a free venue to show their video. Everyone benefits- LI gets more publicity, SNL gets an incredible number of viral hits. In the same regard, I don’t think SNL is demanding anything, every single one of these “digital shorts” is a track from the upcoming Lonely Island CD.
I think I’ve found my own personal solution to the SNL problem.
The problem where you know it sucks every week but you can’t seem to look away cause you might miss their 2 minutes of the bi-annual funny skit that people will be talking about Monday morning.
I have since started to DVR the 90 minute show. I can watch it in about 10 minutes Sunday morning.