Who Scored Big in Week 16 of SNL's Relevancy Poll?
As this week proves, sometimes having the most airtime on SNL isn't necessarily the key to being at the top of the Relevancy Poll. Enter: Vanessa Bayer. Bayer wasn't seen a lot on Saturday night, but she was seen in the most important sketch of the evening. As such, congratulations, Vanessa!
The SNL Relevancy Poll is driven by a proprietary algorithm involving such factors as quality airtime. If your results differ, let's hear about it in the comments.
1. Vanessa Bayer (Last Week: 4)
Bayer really only had one role of note, but it's the only role that mattered: playing Miley Cyrus opposite the real Cyrus. Even though I wasn't particularly a fan of the concept of the sketch, I don't at all downplay its place in the lexicon of popular culture for the week.
2. Taran Killam (Last Week: 1) Back-to-back great weeks for Taran Killam. A prime spot in this week's cold open and the star of the best sketch of the week -- and always the oddest -- "Les Jeunes de Paris."
3. Kenan Thompson (Last Week: 12)
After a few quiet weeks for Kenan, he scored big in "Disney Chanel Acting School" and the should-have-been-better "Our Time With Taboo and apl.de.ap."
4. Andy Samberg (Last Week: 9) Samberg, like Kenan, received ample air time with "Our Time With Taboo and apl.de.ap." Also reprised the role of Decklin (as Gene Hackman) for his version of the Beastly trailer.
Quieter than usual night for Hader, but he did get the prime roll as Charlie Sheen in the cold open. Not Hader's finest impression, but playing Charlie Sheen on SNL will probably have some legs through the rest of the season.
6. Seth Meyers (Last Week: 5) Best non-Sheen related line from Meyers during "Update": "You know what Apple's really good at? Making you feel bad about your Christmas present." (It's funny because it's true.)
7. Fred Armisen (Last Week: 3) Armisen had the best line in the cold open, plus killed as a deleted member of the Von Trapp family in The Sound of Music.
8. Jason Sudeikis (Last Week: 7) For the second week in a row, Sudeikis was actually given a moderate amount of things to do -- which was maybe expected since we all knew he would be called upon to play Billy Ray Cyrus. His standout was his role as the Devil on "Update."
9. Nasim Pedrad (Last Week: 10) Not a lot going on for Pedrad this week other than playing the third lead in the "Les Jeunes de Paris" sketch. And she was fantastic in that, but, other than some ensemble parts, she wasn't seen much.
10. Kristen Wiig (Last Week: 8)
What's frustrating about Wiig's most notable sketch this week, "New Products," was that the premise of offering a facial cream with a rockabilly CD is funny. I don't know, maybe it was just too long? Whatever the case, it just didn't work. That said, in a post show conversation I was having with a friend, we couldn't stop laughing when we discussed the premise. Frustrating.
11. Bobby Moynihan (Last Week: 12) Whatever happened to Mark Payne? Not that Moynihan hasn't already had a very good season over all this year, but he seems to be relying a little too much on Anthony Crispino as his go to recurring character. I love Crispino, but it would be nice to see Moynihan dust off Payne again.
12. Abby Elliott (Last Week: 13)
I like Abby Elliott,
I really do. Having said that, if someone told me that she was banned from ever doing the voice of Khloe Kardashian again, I would be a very happy human being. To be fair, I have no idea what Khloe Kardashian's voice sounds like in real life, so perhaps it's dead on. But, anytime Elliott does that impression, I want to punch my television.
13. Jay Pharoah (Last Week: 6)
You guessed it: Pharoah did an impression on this week's show. This time as will.I.am. And that was about it.
14. Paul Brittain (Last Week: 14)
I hate seeing Brittain down this low for the second week in a row. He had some ensemble parts, but nothing where he was the focus of any sketch.
Comments
How is it that Abby Elliott is all the way at 12? She was in six sketches last night and and a large part in 2 of them! Pedrad was in much less and did not have any speaking roles. How is she above Abby. Abby is in the same amount of sketches as Taran and had one more large role than him? I think you are bias.
I agree. Just because you don't like one of Abby Elliott's impressions, doesn't mean she should be thrown to the bottom of the poll. I'm pretty sure your algorithm is just who you want to put where from week to week.
Yep. The fact that you have Jay Pharoah, who was in one sketch and said the words "Dirty-bit." for the entire show, one ranking below Abby Elliot, who was in 6 sketches and had a plethera of dialogue, is amazing to me. What the hell? Jason Sudeikis was in 2 things and he's 4 places above her? How?
I've been watching SNL for 10 years and Abby Elliot is least funny cast member I have EVER SEEN...i have no laughed at one thing she has ever said or done...I could see her as a great writer but she comes off as trying too hard on television...KILLAM is a star and I dont understand yur hate for Wiif when she's clearly the most popular cast member and always has her skits at the start of every show
Amen. It was some of the most screen time she's had all season. Even if they weren't all big parts she should at least be placed in the top 7-8.
Even if you don't like Abby you have to admit that she should be higher on the poll. I happen to think she's great. p.s. Jeff Richards was the worst castmember in recent years and Finesse Mitchell.
I agree. I may hate the Khloe Kardashian impression, but Abby got a lot of airtime on Saturday and should be higher on the list.
Wow, you should not be allowed to post online. Making that many mistakes in one post automatically invalidates any opinion you have.
I wish I was as talented as Abby Elliott. I freakin' love her. And by the way, she's #1 on the Best Week Ever SNL Power Rankings poll, that poll has a scoring sheet, so you can tell Movieline's ranking system is completely subjective.