This is the kind of Sunday morning that really pisses me off. When Saturday Night Live announces a host that particularly piques my interest, one that I just know is absolutely perfect for the live sketch-comedy format, like Jane Lynch, I can't help but get my hopes up. Then Saturday night actually rolls around and reality sets in: We get a "Gilly" sketch. Christ.
The third consecutive week of new episodes is often when SNL's writers get lazy because they're burned out from the breakneck pace and format. Indeed, this felt like one of those weeks. I can only imagine the conversations in the writers' room going something like this:
"Hey, Jane Lynch is hosting. Should we take the time to do a parody of Glee that it really deserves?"
"Nah. Who has time for that? Just throw Gilly in..."
When Jimmy Fallon's Emmy writers absolutely wipe the floor with the SNL writers in regards to Glee parodies, something's not right. Anyway, to the Scorecard...
Sketch of the Night
"Returns and Exchanges" (Pharoah, Moynihan, Lynch): Get Jay Pharoah more airtime -- now. Pharoah may be the best hire that SNL has made in the past five years -- a star in the making. Does it even matter what the sketch was about? (OK, it was about Denzel Washington researching a role at a department-store return counter for a movie called Point of No Return.) Pharoah's Denzel Washington was the highlight of what was an abysmal evening, but it would have been a highlight on any night. Again: More airtime!
Score: 8.5
The Good
"Your Mom's on Facebook" (Hader, Samberg, Thompson, Lynch): Everyone's worst fear: your Mom friends you on Facebook. This filter will change status messages concerning last night's debauchery to something more mom friendly like, "I need new dungarees!" And it will change that picture of you with a bong to one of you with a saxophone. Not a groundbreaking topic, but well-executed.
Score: 7.5
"The New Boyfriend Talk Show" (Samberg, Sudeikis, Lynch): Sudeikis plays an unknowing guest on Samberg's 100th episode of his talk show celebrating his mother's recent boyfriends. Strange howt, at the end, it reverted into a strange vehicle to simply show off celebrity impressions. Though, Moynihan's Verne Troyer was a delight. (Minus a half point for a dated and unnecessary Magic Johnson AIDS joke.)
Score: 6.5
"Sunday Night Football" (Sudeikis, Hader, Lynch): A pretty sad state of affairs when this is the fourth best sketch of the night. As someone who despises the actual, neverending Sunday Night Football theme song, it was nice to see a takedown -- with a song so long that it drifted into the first quarter and gave score updates in the lyrics. Also, Jane Lynch absolutely sold it; without her, this doesn't work at all.
Score: 6.5
"Weekend Update": (Meyers, Armisen, Samberg): Samberg as Mark Zuckerberg was an odd choice. I think I speak for most humans when I say that I've had enough of Mr. Zuckerberg in our life for the year 2010. Armisen's selective English as a representative for the tourism board of Mexico who hears every reference to drugs and violence as "beaches" propels "Update" into the "Good" category. Best line by Myers: "Four states in the nation, including Arizona, Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia, recently enacted laws that explicitly allow people to carry loaded guns into bars. So if you live in one of those states and you're wondering how you're going to die, you are going to get shot in a bar."
Score: 6.0
"Jane Lynch Monologue" (Lynch, Ensemble): Jane Lynch sings what she thinks should be the theme song for Glee. Lynch was having the time of her life; too bad they didn't stop the Glee sketches right here.
Score: 6.0
"Christine O'Donnell Campaign Ad" (Lynch, Ensemble): Doesn't it seem that SNL should be going after O'Donnell a little bit harder than they are? Though, the line, "I'm you. And just like you I have to constantly deny that I'm a witch," is brilliant.
Score: 6.0
The Bad
"Digital Short: Relaxation Therapy" (Samberg, Lynch): Lynch plays a therapist who inserts herself into all of Samberg's relaxation fantasies. Without Lynch's pitch perfect delivery, this would have ranked a lot lower.
Score: 5.5
"Tax Masters" (Sudeikis, Lynch, Moynihan, Armisen): Bonus points for at least trying something different and for being so weird. The guy on the Tax Masters commercials always speaks in profile. That's because he has a tiny face growing on the other side of his head. Again, bonus points for the attempt.
Score: 5
"The Secret Word" (Wiig, Hader, Armisen, Brittain, Lynch): The most interesting thing about this sketch was wondering if Paul Brittain would actually get to say a line. He did. Barely. Also, the "use the actual answer as the clue" joke has been done before. If Wiig's actress character was her only recurring character on this evening, I would have been fine with that. But oh no, it wasn't.
Score: 4
"Ask Gloria Allred" (Pedrad): Was there any point to this? Gloria Allred was the biggest story of the week, deserving of the cold open? When the beginning of the sketch has to explain exactly who the person in the sketch is and why, just scrap the whole thing. I'm still perplexed by this.
Score: 3.5
The Ugly
"The Suze Orman Show" (Bayer, Elliott, Samberg, Thompson): I can't believe they're still rolling this one out. We get it, Orman is gay. Why is this the source of an unfunny recurring sketch? Please put an end to these. The only thing that makes me cringe more that Wiig as Orman is...
Score: 2.5
"Gilly: Glee" (Wiig, Lynch, Ensemble): This sketch had a date with destiny at the top of the list. And to give credit where it's due, Abby Elliot was a standout. Yet here it is at the bottom. Why? Gilly. Plain and simple. This sketch was going so great as it started, featuring perfect parodies of the Glee characters. Whose idea was it to ruin it with Gilly? Who? I must know! Also, Will Forte is sadly missed in any "Gilly" sketch. After going two weeks with hardly any of Wiig's recurring sketches, tonight we got three of them. Three! Defend it anyway you want, but that's lazy.
Score: 1.5
Average Score For This Show: 5.31
Weekly Host Scorecard:
· Amy Poehler 6.04
· Bryan Cranston 5.79
· Jane Lynch 5.31