Saturday Night Live May 16th, 2009

Saturday Night Live
May 16th, 2009
Host: Will Ferrell
Musical Guest: Green Day

Cold Open.
Dick Cheney and Will Ferrell are adorable. Watching this sketch felt like putting on an old warn in sweater.

Monologue.
First time I've ever heard the phrase "Goofbag."
"Please, no laughter" best set up ever. I'm sure this sort of showboating won't win Will Ferrel any new fans, but I enjoy it.

Wade Blaisengane.
An old commercial, but one that still cracks me up. Nice to see Chris Parnel and Tracey Morgan, even in reruns.

Lawrence Welk show (round 2).
"And by wonderful, I mean interesting."
Still borderline offensive, but moving closer to guilty pleasure.

I might have to watch the MTV Movie Awards this year!

Celebrity Jeopardy
When I saw that Tom Hanks was doing a guest appearance, I declared this to be quite the episode for SNL nostalgia. Sure he was there because he's hyping a big summer movie, but he was silly in that old Tom Hanks hosting SNL way (it's been too long!). He even said "sibilance" into a microphone! But holy crap Norm MacDonald showed it up, and it just tipped the scales. For an SNLphile like myself, it's a pleasure to see current stars like Kristen Wiig playing with the old guard. And this installment of Jeopardy had as many brilliant gags as ever.

Sidenote: Next season, I'd love to see Tom Hanks host, and have lots of cameos from Jon Lovitz.

Off topic: I never thought I'd see a Sleestak in a commercial for Subway.

Football commentary.
I loved this sketch! Charles Barkley laughing at 'Mark' dancing in the lower half of the screen was genius, and it just kept getting better. "It's just playfulness!"

Green Day.
Aged like fine wine. But who were the extra guys playing with the trio?

Weekend Update.
Not sure if Amy Poehler has been gone long enough to get that nostalgic, but it's always great to see her back and add to the fan service. To that end: Hey! It's Harry Carey!
Aww, hugs at the end.

Funeral speakers.
Talent show format with lots of silliness. Fred Armisen was my favorite of the batch. I love Maya Rudolph, but her cameo felt a bit forced by this point in the episode.

Vietnam song.
It's sketches like this that remind you that SNL really is the only true variety show on TV.
Was it THAT funny? No, but it was different, and I enjoyed the heck of it. Too many cameos to list, but Artie Lang and Bobby Moynihan together is like worlds colliding.
The music number was so over the top, you'd think this was the last episode of SNL ever!
It wouldn't have been a bad way to go out. The sketch even had an ending!

A great finale, that left we wanting more.

Saturday Night Live May 9th, 2009

Saturday Night Live
April 9, 2009
Host: Justin Timberlake
Musical Guest: Ciara

Cold Open: Geitner’s Stress Test on the Banks.
Mildly amusing, but never really took off and petered out at the end.

Monologue.
One of the better monologue song-and-dance numbers. I give Justin credit for sitting on that dude's lap and for giving shout outs to all the other hosts these past years. Classy.

Commercial: Mom celebrity translator.
Totally need one. Wherever mom product are sold.

Target Lady.
Felt a bit phoned in. But, nice use of the classic cartoon speed-away visual gag (wind blowing, etc.).

Immigrants.
A little self-serving and self-congratulatory, and yet I can't deny I laughed a few times.
Where DID sexy go before his grandson brought it back? I liked Andy Samberg's set up for the digital short.

Digital Short: Dick In A Box follow up.
Motherlover. Lightening strikes twice? The Lonely Island keeps pumping out the hits for Justin Timberlake. By the time I make this post I'm sure Motherlover will be all over the internet.

Take it on down to Plasticville.
Will Forte was just dead weight in this sketch; not exactly the straight man or a funny contrast to Timberlake.

Ciara.
Introduced by Justin Timberlake's girlfriend?
Straight up now tell me that this didn't feel like a Janet Jackson and/or Paul Abdul and/or Madonna dance number from the 90s?

Weekend Update.
Patterson and Spitzer are a good comedy team!
It seems in bad taste for the new Star Trek cast to make fun of the old show's fanbase the weekend the new movie opens. I know there's a long history of making fun of Trekkies, but I thought they came across as even more condescending and sincerely dismissive than intended.

Barry and Robin Gibbs show.
Jimmy Fallon returns. I shrug my shoulders. I guess they tried their best?

Pirates vs. Pirates.
Loved Fred Armisen's parrot ventriloquism and Kristen Wiig taking out the tourists.

CLIP: