Saturday Night Live 9-22-12

I really did like the first part of SNL tonight (9/22/12) with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Mumford & Sons, notwithstanding the weak opening. Who can possible mock Kelly and Michael Strahan? At the very least, please take note that Michael has no lisp. If you're going to impersonate, at least get it right. Moreso, SNL needs better writers for black comics. I kinda like Jay Pharaoh (really like Keenan), but weak writing is gonna get him shipped off mid-season.

After Weekend Update and the 2nd Mumford performance, the rest of the show fell apart. Disaster. Up till then, we had some good sketches and commentary, including the GOB Tampon 'commercial', and JGL channeling his inner Muppet "Sam The Eagle" for his Tommy Bergamont Master Hypnotist sketch.

I really do think Vanessa Bayer (Assad's Two Best Friends) could become Seth's co-host. She has good timing, good energy, and doesn't seem to be trying too hard.

Aside from a solid 2nd performance by Mumford, everything after Weekend Update was a disaster. The Four Guys Reminisce was OK, but its been done before. A weak musical sketch We Present Her to You (the Mom and Dad were off and the sketch wasn't funny) and then really shitty end editing ruined the episode.

Was it content that caused a shortened realtor sketch? Probably not. Seems like the show ran long (I really couldn't tell you why...) and they had to cut time to make sure YOUR local affiliate could run their local crappy programming. The realtor skit got cut right after JGL came on-stage to defile his parents billboard--I Love Penis? punchline, and then the very end send-off of Saturday Night Live, the hallmark Thank You's and the Roll Credit were obliterated. This episode should've done Weekend Update followed by Mumford, then take a cue from George Costanaza, and end on a high note.

When the entire show hinges on the Host and the Musical Guest, SNL needs some re-thinking. There are some good Veteran and Returning cast members, but remember, this show used to be dangerous. There were Belushi's and Chase's and Radner's that lent unpredictability to the show. Over the top, not over-acting or over-produced, but comedic. Bizarre. No boundaries.

SNL had comics with faces for radio, not these scrubbed, face-for-TV newbies. SNL needs return to the edge and pushing boundaries, not clean-cut comics my grandma would like. "He looks like a nice boy." They're all trying WAY TOO HARD. Digital shorts aside, has SNL seen the internet lately? Hire some of those basement You Tube comics as writers and let the show be interesting.

Without JGL and Mumford, this show wouldn't have had a reason to air. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was brilliant, fulfilling every role flung at him. And I'll definitely be getting Mumford's Babel on vinyl on release date this week.

I had high hopes for this episode. But in the end, all I'm left with is "Really?"

Comments

Damon said…
I really liked most of the episode. I would have to say that two of my favorite skits were The Hypnotist and the Undecided Voter. They were clever and had hilarious bits. I’m excited to see Daniel Craig this weekend. I set my Hopper a few weeks back to record the entire season to the two terabyte DVR automatically since I work late at Dish and can’t see them live. I’m just glad that I won’t have to miss any of the shows! I just hope that he is as good as or better than Joseph Gordon-Levitt!

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