Jon Hamm returned to Saturday Night Live last night for his third -- count 'em, third -- hosting gig in the last three years. The guy is now a pro on the level of Timberlake and Hanks (not quite Alec Baldwin or Steve Martin), and he absolutely sold what is probably the weakest material he's had in any of his gigs. That enthusiasm trickled down to the SNL veterans, who were out in force to get their screen time with Hamm for better or worse -- probably worse, to be honest, considering the relegation of last week's terrific featured players to missing-in-action status.
Sketch of the Night
"Back to the Future Screen-tests" (Ensemble): Perhaps the longest time period between an initial sketch and its follow-up, the "Back to the Future Screen-tests" pick up right where "Star Wars Screen-tests" -- from a Kevin Spacey-hosted episode in 1997 -- left off. Jennifer Tilly, Nicolas Cage, Prince, Bill Cosby, Gilbert Gottfried, Joan Cusack and Pee-Wee Herman apparently all tried out for Back to the Future. The standouts: Bill Hader as Al Pacino (Great, Scott. Three cheers for Scott!), Jay Pharoah as Eddie Murphy, Jon Hamm as Robin Williams, Bobby Moynihan as Sam Kinison (Doc, you're telling me that YOU BUILT A TIME MACHINE ... OUT OF A DELOREAN! YOU IDIOT! OHH! OHHHHHHH!) and Bill Hader as Alan Alda auditioning for Biff. I never dreamed an Alan Alda impression could be that funny.
Score: 9.0
The Good
"Vincent Price's Halloween Special" (Hader, Wiig, Hamm, Armisen, Pedrad): My favorite recurring part of any recent SNL Halloween episode. All poor Vincent Price wants to do is put on a decent Halloween special, but John F. Kennedy and Judy Garland are too busy popping pills, and Liberace twists everything into a sexual innuendo. It's no different than any of the others in this series, but any sketch that can take stars of the late '50s and make them relevant in 2010 is doing its job.
Score: 8.5
"I Didn't Ask For This" (Moynihan, Brittain, Hamm, Wiig): A talk show featuring the poor bastards who find themselves unwillingly part of an Internet meme. You have "Fat Guy Gets Owned," "Bee Sting Fail," and Hamm absolutely bringing it in the infamous "Best Cry Ever." Though Hamm may have only had to think of his (and my) alma mater, Missouri, being crushed by Nebraska earlier in the afternoon to produce that cry. (You win, Rachelle.)
Score: 7.5
"Digital Short: Ronnie and Clyde" (Rihanna, Samberg): The return of Rihanna and Shy Ronnie in what I believe is the first digital short sequel not involving Laser Cats or Justin Timberlake. This time the two are robbing a bank and, because Ronnie is shy, no one can hear what his instructions are -- at least until Rihanna takes off with Jon Hamm.
Score: 7.0
"Highway Cops" (Sudeikis, Hamm): Makeout session between Hamm and Sudeikis aside, I wanted to hate "Highway Cops." Other than the payoff at the end with the smooch, there was really nothing here except two guys riding a motorcycle commenting on the leaves changing colors. But they just looked so darn happy riding that motorcycle together, commenting on the leaves changing colors! It's impossible to not like them -- even though they are terrible cops.
Score: 6.5
"Jon Hamm Monologue" (ensemble): Not the most inspired of monologues, to be honest. (Again, the "let's take questions from the audience" strategy is never very inspired.) But Hamm always looks like he's having the time of his live when hosting SNL and watching him smile his way through some impromptu ad pitches -- purse: a tiny lady suitcase; diapers: we got your butt -- was worthy of a "Wham, bam, thank you, Hamm."
Score: 6.0
The Bad
"Audition" (Sudeikis, Wiig, Hamm): Kristen Wiig is auditioning for a role and lists her limits for all of the things she will do for the part -- including "show my bush" and "eat a small bowl of bird waste." Basically it's just Kristen Wiig playing another one of her characters who never seem to shut up. Then, a twist! Jon Hamm shows up to tell explain that Wiig is the same actress that yells "Toby!" at the dog who scoots his butt across the rug in a Stanley Steamer commercial. Strange, a sketch that actually has an ending for once but, alas, no beginning.
Score: 5.5
"Weekend Update" (Myers, Armisen, Wiig, Hader): An unbelievably forgettable "Update" considering it's the last one before an election, with really nothing of note from Meyers. Sure, Hader's James Carville impression is always great but there were really no specifics, just a riff on how the Tea Party will eventually lose its steam, just like any other political fad. The saving grace was "Garth and Kat." I am, admittedly, fascinated with this sketch. I'm pretty sure this is what comes as close as possible on SNL to pure improv as Armisen takes the lead in the non-sequitur type lyrics while Wiig tries to sing along -- which results in both breaking at least three times.
Score: 5
"Joe Biden Cold Open" (Sudeikis): Again, like last week, this is the best anyone could come up with for a cold open? Look, I love Sudeikis as Biden, but where's the hard-hitting satire three days before a midterm election?
Score: 4.5
"American America" I'm going to be honest, I have no idea what this was or what it was trying to be. I get it, it's the last sketch (if you can call it that) of the night and those are usually weird. My best guess? This little cartoon of David Spade as a dog in a purse, commenting on starlets and their outfits, could have been run during any episode as filler. Every SNL is always a race to the finish to fit in the last sketch of the night. Rihanna's last song ended at 12:55. Not enough time for a full sketch after commercials but too much time to go straight into "good nights." So what do we get? A two-minute cartoon of David Spade as a dog. I'd rather see "Bear City."
Score: 3.0
The Ugly
"Darlique & Barney" (Hamm, Wiig): I never understand sketches like this. I have to assume they are funny in the pitch meetings and during the read-throughs; I just have no idea how they get to air. Hamm and Wiig play a married couple in a lounge act, bickering through melodies such as the Kit Kat bar jingle. What's frustrating is that it has the appearance of going somewhere funny, but never does. Then again, if this is the worst a Jon Hamm-hosted episode has to offer, that's a good sign for Jon Hamm-hosted episodes.
Score: 2.0
Average Score For This Show: 5.86
Weekly Host Scorecard:
· Amy Poehler 6.04
· Emma Stone 5.88
· Jon Hamm 5.86
· Bryan Cranston 5.79
· Jane Lynch 5.31