Even though we as viewers didn't have the greatest time watching the most recent Saturday Night Live (though Jane Lynch did her damnedest to try and entertain). For the most part it was just a battle for airtime before the one-week break, and while most of the new featured players didn't have a particularly memorable evening, Kristen Wiig sure as hell did -- for better and worse. So how did they all rank in Movieline's Not-Ready-for-Prime-Time-Player Relevancy Poll?
The Relevancy Poll is driven by a proprietary algorithm involving such factors as quality airtime, cultural buzz and maybe even a little spite over a particularity wretched sketch centered around fart jokes (ahem, "Gilly"). Movieline will gauge the chatter following each new episode and, based on that, create each week's NRFPTP Relevancy Poll. If your results differ, let's hear about it.
Opinion on the quality of her sketches this past Saturday aside -- "Gilly," "Suze Orman" -- Wiig dominated the show. It was only a matter of time before she claimed the number-one post.
Samberg barely misses a beat after last week's number one. Prime spot with "The New Boyfriend Talk Show" and "Your Mom's on Facebook," two of the best sketches of the night. His Digital Short, "Relaxation Therapy," was far from his best, but Jane Lynch did her best to sell it. Also garnered more quality airtime as Mark Zuckerberg on "Update." .
Pharoah was the breakthrough star from Saturday night's episode. I never even considered that a Denzel Washington impression could be the least bit entertaining, but I could listen to Pharoah as Washington for the entire 90-minute run.
Armisen only falls one spot from last week. So far, Armisen is having the most consistently good season from the entire cast. This week's ranking is fueled mostly by his turn on "Update" as a spokesperson from the tourism board of Mexico.
Sudeikis was everywhere in this episode -- nothing Earth-shatteringly great, but more Sudeikis is always a good thing. Also, again, bonus points for trying something completely different with "Tax Masters" -- even though it pretty much failed.
A lot more Hader this week, too. But, like Sudeikis, nothing that really stands out. Considering the lack of quality in this week's episode, airtime alone earns Hader a number-six spot.
Two great lines this week: "You will get shot in a bar," and that Obama's presidential seal fell off his podium "two years too soon." Other than that, a fairly forgettable "Update."
She was the only player in the cold open, which is huge for Pedrad. Unfortunately it was a rather bland Gloria Allred impression that reminded me of something that Cheri Oteri would do in her lesser days.
Not much for Moynihan to do this week. Special mention, though, for his blink-and-you-miss-it turn as Verne Troyer. Also, due accolades for whatever his role was in writing the Denzel Washington sketch. Side note: I would totally see Point of No Return.
I say it week after week, but Elliott needs a recurring character, quick. It's a shame that Gilly completely destroyed what she was doing in the Glee sketch because, up until the time Gilly showed up, she was fantastic.
I feel like Kenan is going to have the biggest jumps in the poll -- every other week is a Kenan week. Week one, nothing except Tracy Chapman. Week two, everywhere. Week three, more drag. Actually, Kenan has appeared in drag every episode so far this season. Perhaps this slot should be set aside for the Keenan in Drag Update.
Not a great week for the three new featured players not named Jay Pharoah. At least Bayer had a good week last week, she's certainly making inroads, as opposed to...
He's certainly getting slightly more airtime than Taran Killam at this point (see last week's Johhny Depp), but his part in the "Secret Word Game Show" with one line isn't going to help him too much here.
Again, like Elliott, had something going in the Glee sketch before it became a Gilly showcase (I will never get over why the writers chose to do this). Someone in the comments last week mentioned that Killam looks way too much like Sudeikis to differentiate himself. Sudeikis is always going to get those types of parts. This is a valid point. The same thing happened to David Spade in the early '90s before Dana Carvey left the show. Good thing for Spade, Carvey was on his way out. Sudeikis is going to be around for awhile.