Saturday Night Live (SNL) 2019-2020 45th Season Thread

Weekend update was solid, Stewart looked like an extra and doesn‘t have any comedy skills whatsover.

 

I thought she acted well in the skits but the writing was atrocious.

 

In most segments she played the stooge, nothing more.

 

We just watched it on the DVR last night, and I have to agree. A couple of the pre-tapes were pretty funny, and the opening had a few good lines (the one set in Iowa) -- but overall, most of the entire thing was about a 3/10.

 

I thought the corporate rap video was funny, but everything else was a whole lotta meh, including Weekend Update. The “kid genius” was a funny idea, but poorly executed. And the meat ladies are really only funny when the meat is rancid.

Chance was great in everything he did. The guy is a natural, much like Timberlake.

 

I honestly think it is time for the Powers That Be to rein in the Aidy Bryant/Kate McKinnon combo stuff. Most of it is pretty repetitive and pretty dreadful.

 

Yeah, I have to confess, when Aidy and Kate are paired up, that often doesn't mean good things. Not a dig at either one of them, but for whatever reason, whatever they think is funny between them, often doesn't translate through the squawk-box into our homes.

 

I agree that it was the weakest of the season thus far. The cold open made me want to throw up in its transparency. The first sketch after the monologue was my favorite.

 

What they're doing though is re-introducing those chance elements, like dogs and rotting meat, that have in the past elicited laughs just by happenstance. You can't base a recurring sketch on bringing a dog out on stage and seeing what will happen. They do seem a little devoid of ideas this season. Maybe it's just hard to match the level of absurdity in every day life anymore.

 

They tend to have a better track record with doing things they haven't done before, than doing the same thing that "worked" last season. Kristen Stewart may be some kind of a "draw", but guaranteeing somebody coming in that's guaranteed to not be funny...isn't funny. Rejuvenating a skit because people liked the characters and situations last time...is not funny. Ginning-up something to make professionals crack up at their inability to be able to entertain because of whatever the ginning-up was...is not funny (I don't care how many times it made the audience or the cast members laugh, IT'S NOT FUNNY)(Nor do I care if that dynamic is what made Jimmy Fallon a Tonight Show host).

 

And I’m admittedly being over-sensitive to this, but I don’t like seeing animals used in live TV like this, I feel there’s too much of a chance for harm to the animal and is a bit exploitative.

 

He seems game for anything and has a likability, but I don't see why he's getting such praise. I didn't think he was as great as others made out in his prior hosting appearance either. He was funnyin Spooky Song and Tasty Toaster Tarts (though that was pre-recorded), but he seemed to flub a lot and deliver lines pretty flat. Also breaks a lot, which doesn't make him worse than other hosts, but I don't see why he's so praised. I don't think he's as near as good as Timberlake. I did like his rap in the monologue.

I'm sure he'll be back.

On the other end of the likability spectrum, there's Kristen Stewart, who demonstrated all the charisma of a pet rock. But there's a movie to promote, and that's what 9 of 10 hosts are picked for it seems. She has more name recognition than the other two Angels, so we got stuck with her.

 

Why you gotta insult Pet Rocks like that?

 

And:

11/23: Will Ferrell / King Princess

 

Tonight's cold open was kind of lame. I mean, it was an interesting concept but the clunky writing and poor acting just made it dead on arrival.

Also, I can't accept anyone else as Jim Jordan except for Bill Hader:

 

General consensus on Reddit and Twitter (fan pages) is that this was a bad episode. I'd agree, though the Sara Lee and Bany Faye sketches were really funny, to me.

 

I thought the poor acting was part of the joke. You know, like on a real soap opera.

 

I give it a C+. I dug Sara Lee, drug dealer, childbirth class, and Jet Blue

 

That's what I thought. Decent enough idea, but it just didn't elevate. I had hopes when Jon Hamm showed up (thank goodness not Deniro again), but the sketch was still flat I got a chuckle out of Heidi's fainting. At least the first one, not as much the follow ups. Best line of the bit was Melissa as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez "Here's a red new deal. My lips!".

 

I thought Funeral DJ's and Baby Faye were decent. Probably the best laughs I got were from Kyle's milk CEO during weekend update, though.

 

I thought this filmed bit with Aidy Bryant was one of the best things in ages. So on target it's scary. Sadly, I dated one of these women ... It will be a broken record, but those who think, "SNL isn't funny anymore..." clearly aren't watching these days. There's great stuff between the "same old."

"JOAN" with Aidy Bryant and Harry Styles

 

I loved this. It was very funny, a little sad and actually sweet. Their filmed bits have reached unimaginable levels, including writing and production values.

The episode as a whole though was "meh." The cold opening was a colossal disappointment, especially considering the subject matter. The opening monologue was very good though, relying on the undeniable charm of Harry Styles, and the Airline Pilots and Sara Lee bits were funny. I also liked the Childbirth Class and Lunch Run bits. Weekend Update was OK, but again I can't understand why they seem to not be feeling it with all this rich political content everywhere. Overload or fatigue maybe?

A step up from the previous week with Kristin Stewart though, which for the first time that I can remember we actually stopped watching after about an hour.

dan c

 

And in December...

12/7: Jennifer Lopez / DaBaby

12/14: Scarlett Johansson / Niall Horan

12/21: Eddie Murphy / Lizzo

 

Pretty meh episode overall, especially considering Will Ferrell was hosting. Although at least this King Princess gal is easy on the eyes and can play a basic lead line.

 

Is this the most ex cast members from one specific past era on a non-special/anniversary show last night?- Maya, Rachel, Tracy, and Will.
Fred started a season later in 2002.