Saturday Night Live – Tim McGraw; Ludacris; T-Pain

(Season 34, Episode 9)

I was a little worried about this episode before I watched it. I’m always nervous when a non-actor hosts. Tim McGraw did a fine job, though. He was no Jon Hamm, and there was a lot of staring at the cue cards, but he sufficed.

I think a lot of my reaction to SNL these days is based on expectations. Last week my expectations were high with host Paul Rudd and all the great political things going on. I was hugely let down. This week my expectations were much lower and I was pleasantly surprised with most of the skits.

Follow me as I break the show down….

• Cold Open: I was glad to see SNL jump back into the political arena, but I think this skit could have been funnier. Armisen’s Barney Frank impression is still very funny, but I’m wondering how many people know who Barney Frank is. Playing the big three CEOs as complete and utter morons was a funny idea, but the jokes just kind of fell flat. The only thing that really worked for me were the “nobody is watching CSPAN” jokes.
• Monologue: Oh, poor Tim McGraw couldn’t even pull off a monologue … He had to start singing country music.
• Clear Rite: Kristen Wiig is really funny. With Amy Poehler off the show she is definitely stepping up as the best cast member. I think she might even be better than Poehler was. This skit was pretty much one joke (what skit isn’t?), but it was a funny one. Watching Wiig suck at her “invisible, undetectable” adult retainer made me laugh every time.
• Dateline Promo: Bill Hader was very funny as the creepy journalist. His characters seem to be very hit or miss. This one worked.
• Turkeys: People in giant turkey costumes is innately funny. I think Armisen leaving his glasses on only made it funnier. There wasn’t much here aside from the sight gag, however.
• James Bond: I haven’t seen Quantum of Solace yet, but didn’t this sketch come one movie too late? No worries, it was still funny. I’ll give McGraw some credit here for really selling his dumb hick character. The reaction to Pussy Galore was priceless.
• Musical Guest: I’m not a fan of that hippity-hop music … I fast forwarded.
• Weekend Update: Politics aside, I hope Hillary Clinton gets the secretary of state post for no other reason than seeing Darrell Hammond do his Bill Clinton. Let’s face it, that’s pretty much the only reason he’s still on the show now that McCain is out of the picture. New Girl (do I have to learn her name yet?) does a great Arianna Huffington impression, and comparing the Iraq war to sex was clever. Will Forte’s angry Zell Miller was entertaining; who doesn’t like funny names?
• Blizzard Man: Tim McGraw didn’t do a terrible job, but I think T-Pain and Ludacris were more natural on camera. I didn’t even see them staring at the cue cards. Samberg’s rapping was painful, but that was the point. This skit was a winner for the outfits alone.
• Thanksgiving Dinner: Looks like the post-Weekend Update doldrums set in with this sketch. Just a bad retread of a skit. I think every gag here we have seen before on SNL this season.
• Dale Britches’s Phony Phone Calls: Not to be a grammar tyrant, but am I the only one who noticed the grammatical error on the fake CD label? I think that was the most notable thing about this sketch…. Ouch.
• Uno PIzzeria: This is the second time we have had to suffer through this character from Bobby Moynihan. I think it’s time to put it to rest. Seriously, take the hint Moynihan, there’s a reason this skit was buried at the end of the episode.

Clacked by Bob Degon
on Nov 23, 2008 @ 10:50 EST5EDT