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For the final show of the year, SNL "Weekend Update's" Colin Jost and Michael Che unleashed a brutal edition of their annual joke swap.
Posted in: NBC, Review, TV, YouTube | Tagged: amy schumer, nbc, Review, saturday night live, snl, steve lacy
Saturday Night Live Review: Schumer Solid But SNL Cast, Writers Shine
Okay, so as far as how we're ranking Season 48 episodes of NBC's Saturday Night Live? Our scorecard still has Megan Thee Stallion setting the bar, with Brendan Gleeson a solid second. After last week, we have Jack Harlow in the fourth spot while Miles Teller's season-opener still rests comfortably in the basement. That means this weekend's Amy Schumer-hosted edition (with musical guest Steve Lacy) sits squarely in the middle in the third spot. Much like the Harlow episode, the plus side is that the SNL cast & writers are hitting their notes more and more with each passing show. Unfortunately, that meant, once again, propping up the host through some rough spots. But unlike Harlow, it wasn't that Schumer didn't have a presence in the sketches; it's just that, much like when an SNL alum returns to host, I expect more from those who have sketch comedy & live stage performing under their belt. But enough with that because, all-in-all, this weekend's episode had more than enough moments to love (even the wonderfully cringe ones), so let's take a look at what worked, what didn't, and what left us rubbing our chins (we have a beard, so we do that over scratching our heads).
UPDATE: Schumer posted on Instagram only minutes ago about her SNL experience and the family medical emergencies she wa dealing with throughout the week: "This was the hardest week of my life. I missed Thursday rehearsals when my son was rushed to ER and admitted for RSV. Shout out to all the parents going though this right now. I got to be with him the whole day at the hospital and the beautiful humans at [NBC's Saturday Night Live] couldn't have been more supportive. My son is home and better. The reason this show is so fun to do isn't actually the performance or the show itself. It's getting to spend time with the people there. The cast and the writers of course but the people who are behind the scenes making it run smooth are my favorite. The crew! Donna. Jerry. Jodi. Genna. Tom Wally and on and on. Lorne has assembled the most talented people with the kindest hearts. Thank you everyone there and to the doctors and nurses who helped us":
Saturday Night Live Season 48 Amy Schumer/Steve Lacy: The Good, The Bad & The "Huh?"
Random Thoughts: It felt like we got a lot more of Ego Nwodim and Sarah Sherman this week, and that's never a bad thing. The cold open was a fun, different way to start with a "current events" hit, and we definitely need more of Molly Kearney's Guy Fieri in our lives. Schumer killed it with the opening monologue, going personal without pulling punches. But that "The Soup" sketch? Ouch. Like last week, it might've worked better after the 12:45 am mark. I was ready to walk away from "Jurors," but dammit, if that ending (and juror artwork they showed) didn't turn it around for me, with Schumer, Sherman, and Bowen Yang walking that fine line masterfully between hysterically annoying and annoying. "Twitter Council" is exactly how I imagine Elon Musk's Twitter running as we speak while I knew "Jets Fans" worked just by the number of friends who are New York Jets fans who felt seen. But "Big Penis Therapy" felt like an old stand-up joke cliche brought to sketch life. "Get it? Guys? They only make decisions based on their penises? Funny, right?" Eh.
SNL: 5 Quick Thoughts on 5 Sketches That Really Worked
Now here's a look back at five sketches that we're big fans of along with a quick thought that the sketch brought to mind. Following that, we have a look at "Weekend Update" and Lacy's live performances):
"COVID Commercial": C'mon… you know that hit a lot closer to home than you're willing to admit. That's why you found yourself laughing uncomfortably at it… like we did.
"The Looker": Taking off of Netflix & Ryan Murphy's The Watcher, we learn just how into The Property Brothers some people can be as Schumer's growing over-the-top denials got some strong laughs.
"WKTVN News": In the interest of full disclosure, I have a mild addiction to local news broadcasts; specifically, those "man-on-the-street" interviews that they have to do when emergencies are happening. So yeah, this had me from the first second.
"Pinx Period Underwear": As we mentioned about the "Jets Fan" sketch, this parody commercial clearly hit home with a number of women based on the reactions on this end of town. But then it takes it to that wonderfully & extremely absurd level involving a full-on attack by the animal kingdom to put it over the top.
When your "Big Dumb Hat" can result in Starbucks, a slice of brick over pizza, and a baby, how can anyone compare? Heidi Gardner was so damn good at playing it straight as the hat absurdity continued to grow, and it elevated the sketch in so many ways. In fact, this is the sketch that should've been swapped with "Soup" for a better vibe.
Saturday Night Live: "Weekend Update" with Colin Jost & Michael Che
From Donald Trump Jr. mocking the attempted assassination of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the brutal attack on her husband, Paul Pelosi; and Kanye West having his Instagram suspended to Oprah Winfrey endorsing John Fetterman over "Frankenstein's Monster" Dr. Oz in this Tuesday's election, Colin Jost & Michael Che killed it once again with more than their fair share of cringe-worthy jokes. And bonus points for Jost going "physical humor" with the gun bit. But it was Strong who stole the entire segment as Tammy the Trucker… or "Tammy the Trucker," as it was clear Strong was going to come through loud and clear when it comes to this week's U.S midterm elections and how that will determine the future of women's reproductive rights. Strong's willingness to deconstruct her "wacky character" to demonstrate her outrage and emphasize her message that folks need to vote because lives literally depend on it proves what an ever-growing creative force Strong's become.
SNL: Steve Lacy Performs "Helmet" & "Bad Habit"
If you're a fan of Lacy's, then I'm sure you loved both performances. I wasn't a big fan going into the weekend, but SNL has a nice habit of opening my mind to music once I hear the performer live. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here. There wasn't much to differentiate the performances from the videos or recordings and felt a little off at times. But again, this is more of a personal opinion music-wise and not really a criticism of the episode.
Saturday Night Live Season 46: Amy Schumer & Steve Lacy
8/10
Okay, so as far as how we're ranking Season 48 episodes of NBC's Saturday Night Live? Our scorecard still has Megan Thee Stallion setting the bar, with Brendan Gleeson a solid second. After last week, we have Jack Harlow in the fourth spot while Miles Teller's season-opener still rests comfortably in the basement. That means this weekend's Amy Schumer-hosted edition (with musical guest Steve Lacy) sits squarely in the middle in the third spot. Much like the Harlow episode, the plus side is that the SNL cast & writers are hitting their notes more and more with each passing show. Unfortunately, that meant, once again, propping up the host through some rough spots. But unlike Harlow, it wasn't that Schumer didn't have a presence in the sketches; it's just that, much like when an SNL alum returns to host, I expect more from those who have sketch comedy & live stage performing under their belt. But enough with that because, all-in-all, this weekend's episode had more than enough moments to love (even the wonderfully cringe ones), so let's take a look at what worked, what didn't, and what left us rubbing our chins (we have a beard, so we do that over scratching our heads).
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