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Goodbye, The Office


the office finale jim and pam the office finale the office finale jim the office finale dwight

It’s the end of an era.

I don’t know how to start this post. There are so many emotions and feelings right now. I guess I’ll start with the beginning. And the beginning begins with 30 Rock. 30 Rock was the first adult, single camera TV show that I watched and enjoyed. Before the first season of 30 Rock, The Office had become really popular, especially among the students in my school. But, considering I was still in my “Disney/Nickelodeon” stage, it wasn’t a show I was much interested in. In fact, the first ever episode of The Office I watched was the season 4 premiere “Fun Run”…and I still didn’t think much of it (NOW, I love the episode…it’s really one of those jarring episodes I wouldn’t recommend a newcomer watching first though).

However, during the third season of 30 Rock, The Office was in its 5th season. I was so obsessed 30 Rock…but, really, I was also just obsessed with “comedy” in general. I needed another show I could watch when I had no more new 30 Rock episodes to watch (at that that point, I’d gone through every episode at least thrice). So…I reluctantly turned to The Office on Hulu. A few episodes had already aired in the season so I decided to start from the beginning: “Weight Loss.” Yes, I was confused because I obviously wasn’t familiar with the characters or their situations. Yes, looking back, it’s sort of a bummer that I saw Jim happily propose to Pam before seeing how their relationship had developed beforehand. But, man, when I watched Kelly Kapoor obsess over her weight and look sickly as a result, I cracked up so hard and realized that, hey, this show was actually pretty good.

So during my senior year of high school, I happily watched 30 Rock and The Office side by side, and my love of both shows grew exponentially. (I ended up watching the earlier seasons during my freshmen year of college when I got Netflix for a full month free…best moments of my college life.)  It’s appropriate for me to start this way because, the “The Office/30 Rock” hour long comedy block was just perfect television for me. The two best comedy shows during that time together on one network, one night, one hour – so convenient. It was “Must See TV.” Maybe, in terms of ratings, the block never reached the highs of The Cosby Show (the best family sitcom IMO), Friends (a show I’ve only mildly enjoyed), or even Will and Grace (still a favorite of mine), but, personally, ratings don’t mean much to me. It’s about how I feel about a show. And 30 Rock and The Office were shows that made me feel happy and giddy and excited.

The two shows were different…they almost clashed. But…opposites attract. 30 Rock was zany, weird, filled with cultural references, cutaways,  and famous guest stars. The Office, however, was still zany, but a lot more subtle and realistic. 30 Rock highlighted the extraordinary, while The Office celebrated the ordinary. Both were effective and both had different strengths (yes, I always preferred 30 Rock but…let’s not get into that).

Add in Parks and Rec and Community, and, at one point, we really had a comedy night done right. Why people clung to the likes Two and a Half Men and Rules of Engagement over this…I’ll never know.

So…yeah…it’s the end of a comedy era.

The Office is a show I can’t help but look fondly on;; especially during seasons 2 to 5, the show simply hit it’s marks so well. There were awkward moments (like when Michael attempted to kiss Oscar), there were sentimental moments (like when Michael bought Pam’s painting), there were sweet romantic moments (Dwight and Angela / Pam and Jim / Michael and Holly), and…well…there was comedy. A lot and a lot of laughter. I truly believe this comedy will become a classic. In 50 years, as people are tossing their Modern Family DVDs, they will say “Hmmm…The Office not only popularized the mockumentary format, but it also did it the best.”

What I loved about the show was that it was a true ensemble. Yes, Michael was the center of attention. And, yeah, Jim, Pam, Andy, and Dwight were given more screen time than the others. But, really, it was a true, strong, almost unbreakable ensemble. Every character contributed something to every episode. Whether it was a line towards the camera, or even a small facial expression, every character did their part. It was a workplace comedy that didn’t treat the lesser characters as “environment.” They all had personalities and they all had moments.

This is why initially, I didn’t think it was a bad idea  when the producers decided to continue with the show despite Steve Carell’s departure. I thought with Michael going (as sad as it was), it would give the smaller characters a bigger chance to shine. I thought the show would remain perfect and hilarious…but then the writers gave us a James Spader bomb* and things only got worse from there. By the middle of season 8, I watched an episode and I realized that…I wasn’t laughing anymore. I wasn’t enjoying myself. The show took a nose dive the same way Weeds did during its 6th season…thus, I just couldn’t watch anymore. And judging from the reviews from fans and critics, it doesn’t seem like the show got better.

*Did anyone notice that during the retrospective, when the cast members were recounting their favorite guest stars, a certain someone was missing from the discussion? Exactly.

But I had to watch the last few episodes of this season, including the finale, and I have to say they’ve been excellent, filled with little moments that have reminded me why I loved the show in the first place. This series finale had so many amazing moments (Dwight and Angela’s wedding, Toby breaking down at Pam, and the last scene where they’re all in the office one last time, Kelly and Ryan’s escape into the sunset). The one where I really broke down was when Michael came back for Dwight’s wedding. I knew, despite conflicting reports, that Michael would make a cameo…I just didn’t know in what way. Michael coming back to support Dwight was perfect and it truly cemented their friendship “friendship.” So…will I ever go back and watch the episodes I missed? Maybe…but I’m going to start at seasons 1 and 2 so I can fully remember why I fell in love with this show in the first place.

But despite a rocky post-Michael era, that doesn’t take away the legacy this show has created. Shows like The Office, 30 Rock, and Arrested Development (the latter show which is, technically (and ironically) the last show standing) really shaped TV comedy for the future. Whether it’s been single camera or even traditional multi-camera, I think every television comedy that’s on air right now has taken something from these shows. The Office is a show I’ll miss deeply…and I hope everyone in the cast moves on to bigger and better things (love The Mindy Project right now!)

Before I go, I do want reveal my two favorite episodes of the series. SO many episodes (practically every episode from season 2 and 3 could be a contender) but…there are two that especially stand out. One is season 3′s “Business School,” mostly because I LOVE that moment between Pam and Michael. I remember when I first watched the episode…it really took me by surprise how emotional it got. However, my absolute  favorite episode would have to be “Dinner Party” from season 4. I love Michael and Holly…but Michael and Jan’s dysfunctional weird relationship is still a highlight from the earlier seasons.

So…that’s it. I feel like, as a senior who will be graduating from college this weekend, things will be coming full circle. When I’m in apartment during my first year of graduate school, I’ll be, once again, laughing and crying from one of the finest comedy shows ever made.

Thank you for reading.

PS…I also still need to watch the UK version. I know. I know. I’m awful.

2013
05/17
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Saturday Night Live Recap (Justin Timberlake!)


jt snl

So, here’s the deal…all through Saturday I was excited as hell to watch this episode. I was pumped! I was ready!….And then I fell asleep.  [Debbie Downer trombone.] So…I couldn’t watch the episode when it first aired with the rest of the world. So, as I’m writing this recap, this will be my first time viewing this episode. I never like doing this but…I want get this recap out as soon as possible.

Also, I’m sorry I missed last week’s Kevin Hart episode. Here’s my quick rundown.

- Kevin Hart didn’t completely work as a host (didn’t like his opening monologue.)

- Macklemore was pretty great (never had heard of them before.)

- Tim Robinson was the MVP because the Z shirt sketch was the one high light.

OK! NOW LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! JT never disappoints. He is up there with Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, and Maya Rudolph/Amy Poehler. I can always expect a good show!

Hugo Chavez Funeral: When this sketch began I was little worried because I was like “Oh no! I don’t know anything about Hugo Chavez! I’m not going to get all the jokes!” But then it turned into a fun parody of Elton John singing about some of Chavez’s more sillier moments (like how capitalism killed Mars.) Even though he may be little too skinny to be a convincing Elton, JT still nailed it right out of the gate. I am super duper excited y’all!

Monologue: Oh! I loved this! This was nice! It showed Justin Timberlake being inducted into the “five-timers” club because he’s now hosted the show five times. We saw all the usual suspects, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Martin Short, Chevy Chase (was he a five-timer?). And they at least referenced John Goodman and Drew Barrymore. However, the real treat was seeing Candace Bergen. That definitely caught me by surprise. I wish she had been given more to do, but it was still great. The references to Django Unchained (Bobby and Taran fighting each other to the death) and Kristen Wiig (a drink with a curly wig on it is named after her apparently) also made me giddy.

snl justin timberlake

It’s a Date: Wow. I really like this one too. It’s a dating show featuring not only the “Dick in a Box” guys (Hi Andy Samberg again!) but also the “We are two wild and crazy guys” guys featuring Steve Martin and Dan Akyroyd trying to win Vanessa Bayer’s heart. However, I still think Bobby Moynihan wins as the confused and disgruntled 1st contestant who fails to impress Bayer for some reason. Moynihan’s facial reactions just killed me. Anyway, a very funny post-monologue sketch featuring old favorites.

Vegan-ville: You know, even though this essentially the same schitck JT pulls every episode, he brings SO much energy to it that you can’t help but smile. Am I listening to the lyrics? Not really. I just have a hoot watching JT dance wearing a giant piece of tofu and big ass gloves. I love it. And, yes, I did appreciate the “Harlem Shake” nod at the end. SNL can’t kill something that’s already dead. Also,  Bobby’s been having a nice episode so far, considering all the other cast members are getting lost in the shuffle.

NuvaBling: Yeah…it is what it sounds like. It’s a nuva ring with jewelry on it. Simple, effective and hilarious. Also, “…yeah, it hurts!”

jt and jay z snl

I don’t usually make my comments on musical performances until the very end but, I have to say, this “Suit and Tie” performance was great…I might even like it more than the Grammys. Jay-Z in the house! It’s nice to JT doing music again. And he picked a really cool lead off single.

Weekend Update: STEFON!!!! Only for the Justin Timberlake episode do they bring this creature back! Apparently, he’s a writer for Smash. And he’s here to promote the newest club, based on the novel Push by Sapphire (I love Precious, but jokes about that weird subtitle will never get old.) This was a pretty short Weekend Update with only one guest, but it was filled with some great quips by Seth Meyers:

“The TSA this week announced that it will now allow airline passengers the carry previously banned pocketknives, baseball bats and pool cues. And no one’s happier than Honky Tonk Bar Fight Airlines.”

“Playboy this week launched a Hebrew language version of their magazine. Although, as far as I know, it could always have been in Hebrew! And, remember, with the Hebrew edition of Playboy, you look at the models’ breasts from right to left.”

“A man in Maine was surprised when he found knife inside his two year old sons Elmo birthday cake. And a man in jail was disappointed to get a cake that was just Elmo.”

“This Sunday is Daylight’s Savings Time, so don’t forget the clock on your oven will be wrong for 6 months.”

The Tales of Sober Caligua: On a lesser night, this might have been a stand out sketch. I still really enjoyed it though. It involved Caligua (played by JT) , a young Roman prince who used to have wild orgies, but decides that enough is enough…until he sees a pig and decides to have sex with it! Aidy Bryant’s huffiness over not being able to get into a penis slap fight was the high light for me (“Uh…NOOO!!!)

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Maine Justice: It’s weird that they turned this into a recurring sketch. What made the last one so funny was the explanation as to why these Southerners were in Maine in the first place. This time that was obviously missing. But, again, the energy was there and I still found room to laugh, particularly at Jason Sudeikis who just brings it. Best moment was definitely the one audience member who got super excited when Andy Samberg’s character said he went to LSU. I need watch SNL at least once live before I die.

How Justin Timberlake is able to muster enough energy to perform like that is pretty spectacular.

She’s got a Dick: I think the writers could have come up with something better than a woman having a penis. However, Fred Armisen as Eugene Levy and Kenan Thomson as “Confused black friend” killed me. I liked this a lot…but I don’t think transgender people will appreciate it much.

Moet and Chandon Champagne: This recap is already running long! There are so many things I could quote from this sketch. So funny. Cecily and Vanessa…great characters.

ricky v ipenis snl

I’ve never been so happy while watching an SNL episode this season. Maybe it’s because I’m on Spring Break, I dunno. But this was definitely the best episode of the year so far…maybe of the season even. I just thought everything worked. The cameos! The sketches. And, most importantly, the host who actually had the energy and versatility a host is supposed to have. Justin Timberlake will definitely win another Emmy for this (sorry Martin Short!) Great work all around!

MVP…I’m not going to say Justin because I don’t think it’s fair to include the host. So…I’ll say…Bobby Moynihan, who actually had some great moments early in the episode.

Who’s next week? Who cares? See ya next week (maybe).

2013
03/10
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Saturday Night Live Recap (Christoph Waltz and Alabama Shakes)


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While his award acceptance speeches may suggest otherwise, Christoph Waltz can actually can be very funny (esp. on Jimmy Kimmel), so I was pretty excited for this episode. I’ve already read some of the reviews online, and while I’m not as enthusiastic about this episode as some of the other regular SNL recappers, I still thought this was a fun episode that showed Waltz at his nuttiest. And in terms of hosting, he certainly did a stronger job than the last few hosts of this year.

Carnival Cruise Ship Triumph Thursday: I really liked this cold open. I liked how it wasn’t just some old male politician speaking behind a desk. But anyway, this sketch revolved around that cruise ship that was apparently stranded on the sea for four days. There were a lot of great bits like Dan the Animal Man (Bobby Moynihan) sobbing over someone eating his monkey (“We still have food!”). I also liked the part when the cruise directors tried to lift the passenger’s spirits by trying to find good news in the newspaper (apparently, Oscar Pistorius was charged of murder which made me pretty sad.) And Kenan Thompson also did a great job as one of the off stage passenger’s voices, just yelling out random stuff. (“There is no God!” “Turn us all into chickens!!”) Anyway…I say this a lot…but a nice way to begin the show.

Monologue: Eh…I didn’t much care for this one. The “casual Hitler” seems like a nice idea, but it didn’t fully materialize onstage. And, of course, this monologue had to end with a song with no punchlines so…eh. But, Waltz’s energy was definitely there. “Austrians have a wonderful sense of humor…Germans, not so much.”

What Have You Become?: Yeah, the jarring technical difficulty towards the beginning sort of threw me off. But once we got past that, this turned out to be another really funny game show installment. It pretty much centers on middle aged adults who have pretty pathetic lives (I definitely liked Bill Hader’s character the most – the one who’s been to over 100 Katy Perry concerts alone and usually has to lie to people and say his daughter’s in the bathroom.) The ending featured a nice twist with the game show host (played by Waltz) asking himself what he had become. (Did not know game show school existed but OK).

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Pope Retirement Insurance: Oh, this was a cool commercial. I especially liked the shot of the Pope playing in a rock band with a bunch of other retirees. Anyway, not much more to say about this.

Who’s Kevin Hart?

Tippy: Another nice and enjoyable sketch. Nasim Pedrad introduces a new character, Tippy, who, I guess, really likes funny stories…and she always interrupts other people’s funny stories and…it’s a weird character. But, it’s been a while since a female cast member has introduced a new character so I appreciated it in that regard.

Djesus Uncrossed: This sketch made me sad because…this would have been such a good idea for Quentin Tarrantino! If doing a revenge thriller on Jesus was an idea he was considering, I hope this sketch doesn’t affect that. All kidding aside, I didn’t particular crack up watching this, but I thought the idea was clever and the trailer was well made. And yeah, Taran Killam’s Brad Pitt southern accent impression was awesome. (“Ay-postles.”)

JaMarcus Brothers: A decent sketch about a singing group that sings sexy R&B songs. Two are sexy black men…and one is an adopted white virgin. Cecily Strong as the oblivious woman selling the CD was the standout for me.

marco rubio snl

Weekend Update: We start things off Marco Rubio (played hilariously by Taran Killam) making reference to the awkward sip of water he took during his State of the Union rebuttal. “…You do what anyone would do.You suddenly lunge to the side, all the while holding awkward eye contact with the camera . And then you take a drink from the tiniest bottle of water anyone’s ever seen. And then, for no reason, you set the bottle even farther away so what?” Then Kate McKinnon comes around as a depressed old-looking woman from the small Russian village that came in close contact with the meteor. Not as gut busting as her Cecila Gimenez, but still hilarious nonetheless. We end the segment with Jay Pharoah displaying his Stephen A. Smith impression again. And while Pharoah commits, I don’t know much about basketball to be fully entertained.

Regine: I think I love this recurring character. Another note – do Fred Armisen’s legs look skinnier than usual? He’s been working out.

Fox and Friends: As much as I dislike Fox News, I’m not a huge fan of these sketches. However, the “corrections” towards the end are funny. So, here are the ones that stood out:

Zero Dark Thirty is not a diet soda.

“Adele” is a singer. “A Dell” is a computer.

The real Abraham Lincoln lived longer than 3 hours.

There are no Americans in the Bible.

Polar bears are rarely “asking for it.”

alabama shakes snl

Creepy Valentine’s Day Card: This was OK, I guess. One of those sketches I’ll probably like the more I watch.

Alabama Shakes is awesome! I’m a huge fan of them! And I hope this appearance gives them a larger audience via Adele. “Hold On” is just the story of my life.

So, anyway, this was a good episode that featured an enthusiastic performance by Waltz. And…maybe he can win an Oscar because of this? Maybe?

MVP GOES TO…Taran Killam.

Seriously…who’s Kevin Hart?

2013
02/17
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Saturday Night Live Recap (Justin Bieber Fever)


justin bieber snl

If you’re new to these recaps, then you should know that I usually watch an episode TWICE before reviewing it. However, there are some days (nights/early mornings) when I’m especially busy. So…this will be one of those types where I’ll have to recap this thing while watching the episode for the first time. So…just keep that in mind when you’re reading this. There could be a sketch I hate right now, but end up putting in my top 20 when May rolls along. It’s just the way it is!

Anyway…I don’t think there’s more I need to say. Let’s just start this thang!

Superbowl Cold Opening: I didn’t watch the Superbowl last Sunday. I was too busy trying to catch up on season 2 of Girls (the 2nd episode is much better than the first) and 2 Broke Girls (hehe). But I did hear about the blackout and I think that’s all you needed to know to understand this sketch. It pretty much centered on sports newscasters not knowing what to talk about during the blackout. It was pretty funny.I thought Bill Hader’s weird random commercial inserted in the middle was funny (“I’ve been told we ran out of proper commercials and we had to show a weird one.”) I thought Kenan Thompson anchored the sketch well and his back and forth between him and Taran Killam (who played an equally burned out field reporter) was great. Nice way to start the show I suppose.

Monologue: Although Justin Bieber seemed a bit nervous, I actually laughed a lot during this monologue so…it must mean I enjoyed it! While Black History Month/Valentine’s Days Jokes are hardly original, I just found the faces on the girls from the audience Justin Bieber flirted with to be very funny (those girls must be going nuts right now). And I liked the random Whoopi Goldberg cameo. Can she host the show some time?! “It’s not every month that Black History month and Valentine’s Day fall on the same month.” Ha!

Justin Bieber looks like a cartoon. Seriously, his eyes are perfectly round…cough cough MOVING ON!

The Californians: Again?? OK, I won’t complain. This sketch still manages to wrangle some chuckles out of me. I think honestly the funniest thing about this installment is that Kenan’s character still appears towards the end, even though his character has no necessary function in the “continuing” story line (other characters seem to come and go). He’s just there for the sake of it (and because black people in blond wigs is always hilarious). I also thought the bit where Bill Hader made like a billion different close ups towards the end was a great new spin. Justin Bieber was good (the part where he looked in his own little mirror was nice) but he wasn’t given much. Maybe the next sketch?

justin bieber abs snl

Justin Bieber Decoys: This episode is turning out to be more decent than I thought it would be! I loved this sketch! One, it was a nice way for the entire cast to be on stage together (with some funny bits by Bobby Moynihan, Aidy Bryant, and Kate McKinnon reprising her Ellen Degeneres impression). But there were also some great jabs geared towards Bieber (“Some of them are black. They aren’t fooling anybody.” “Yeah, well, neither are you.”) Such a silly sketch but I had blast watching it. Despite the use of copyrighted music, I hope they find some way to post this on Hulu.

Bravo Reality Spin offs: OK, I know this post has mostly revolved around my laughter but that’s what happens when I watch this episode for the first time as I blog! Anyway – another absolute home run! This parody pretty much poked fun at all the reality spin offs that are popping up. The funniest one involved Frances Ford Coppola’s grand daughters’ friends. (“Our friends’ grandfather may have directed Apocalypse Now…” “But we’re sluts!”) Absolutely hilarious. Keep it up, writers!

Weekend Update: This was overall a nice installment. I always like when Vanessa and Fred do their “best friend of dictator” bit. This time, they were the best friends of King Richard III. OK. I’ll accept that. Even funnier was Corey, the black guy that appears in every Superbowl commercial, played gamely by Kenan Thompson. He has to high-five someone very 12 seconds or else he will die! Anyway, there was one memorable Seth Meyers quip and here it goes:

“Hasbro announced Wednesday that online voters have chosen to replace the Monopoly game piece “the iron” with a new token of a cat. So the next time you play Monopoly, you can be the iron because no one is buying a whole new game!”

Honestly, every time Cecily Strong’s “Girl You Wish…” character doesn’t appear, it’s pretty much a disappointment…

justin bieber snl grease

Say More Stuff: This was  a parody of Grease’s “Tell Me More,” except the guy is an eleven year old creep (played by Bieber who probably gives his liveliest performance so far) and the girl is oblivious and seemingly desperate (played by Cecily Strong). It’s another great sketch that featured most of the cast – the girls, in particular, were pretty funny as they listened to Strong’s stories in shock and horror.

The Miley Cyrus Show: This episode just keeps getting better and better! Thank you for bringing this sketch back…it’s pretty much Bayer’s greatest contribution to the show. Anyway, in this episode we see Miley with her new short blond haircut and sexy image. Her guest is the president of her fan club (played by a very game Justin Bieber). I like the references to his weed smoking picture (and Miley’s response). And I liked the video footage from her “secret wedding.” Bring this back one more time.

Glice: Justin Bieber and Nasim Pedrad play a couple while Killam plays Pedrad’s annoying older brother, Eddie. When Bieber accidentally says the word “glice” instead of “glad” or “nice,” Eddie harps on him for the rest of the night. In the beginning, I thought this would be the one dud of the night. But between the great Taran Killam’s undying commitment to Justin breaking midway through, I ended up loving this sketch like the others before it. This is a completely different episode than I thought it would be!

Justin Bieber’s Valentine Message: OK…finally we have a less than stellar sketch. Mostly filler. Bobby Moynihan once again played the annoying girlfriend of a favorite celebrity or something. I did get a smirk out of the fact that the only lube they had was “ultrasound gel.”

Booker T High Valentine’s Dance: I don’t much care for these sketches anymore. But…it is a nice opportunity for Jay Pharoah to appear without doing a celebrity impression so…go him.

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I’m not really a fan of Justin Bieber’s music…but I do appreciate that he sort of stepped out of the box and showcased his voice, rather than his dance moves. But…yeah, I don’t really like his songs, acoustic or not.

I have a feeling a lot of people are going to disagree with me but…I thought this episode was great. Definitely better than the last two episodes and probably, in terms of this season, up there with MacFarlane, Hathaway, CK, and Short. Yeah, Justin Bieber did seem a bit reserved, but he wasn’t any worse than  Daniel Craig, Adam Levine or Academy Award nominated actors Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner…and he definitely became more confident towards the end. More importantly though, the writing was on point and the cast seemed alive this time around. I will continue to not care about Bieber after this episode but, man, this episode gave me the giggles.

Also…very excited for Christoph Waltz and Alabama Stokes.

MVP THIS WEEK…goes to my girl Vanessa Bayer. Thank you for finally bringing back Miley Cyrus, y’all.

Thanks for reading!

2013
02/10
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Good bye, 30 Rock! (Some thoughts on 30 Rock, A Quick Review of the Series Finale, and My 20 Favorite Episodes)


30 rock

OK…here it goes.

I’ve been really nervous all day as to how I was going to write this reflection. Or maybe I was just nervous that the show was ending. I mean, I’ve literally been dreading this moment since last May. But all good things have to come to an end. And I really do believe this was the right time for the show to end. Ugh…this whole post is going to sound like a Jodie Foster speech. Let’s start at the beginning.

I’ve actually loved Tina Fey since her SNL days. I always looked forward to Weekend Update with her and Jimmy Fallon. I thought Mean Girls was hilarious. And when it was first announced she was leaving SNL to work on her own show, yeah, I was a littler nervous. But when it was announced that she was bringing along Rachel Dratch I was like “I want to go to there.” Then…it was quickly announced that Rachel Dratch would be replaced with some actress named Jane Krakowski. I’m not gonna lie: I was pissed. And with more buzz going towards Studio 60, my excitement for the show completely deteriorated. I just wasn’t convinced that the show would be worth it. So I forgot about the show and continued watching Disney Channel.

A few weeks went by. The Golden Globes happened where Alec Baldwin surprisingly won Best Actor despite the fact that the show wasn’t nominated for anything. I had heard some very mixed things about Studio 60 which surprised me (to this day, I’ve never seen a second of the show). I was bored. I decided “why not?” All the episodes are on the website. Let’s watch the first episode and see how it is.

Y’know…I was around 14 when the show first premiered. I still wasn’t watching network television. I was still stuck in the “Disney Channel/Nickelodeon/Cosby Show” phase of my life. 30 Rock was the first current adult single camera show I had ever watched. I couldn’t compare it to The Office or Arrested Development like everyone else seemed to do. So…yeah, I actually really liked the pilot. I still do, actually. It’s funny how people act like the first half of the first season was terrible but…I dunno, I think there were some funny moments during its first few weeks.

So, I continued watching the show. I wasn’t too crazy about Baldwin or Tracy Morgan. But, ironically, my two favorite things about the show was Jane Krakowski as Jenna and Rachel Dratch as “various characters.” By the end, I had really loved the show, and when the Emmys came around, not only was I pleased that the show picked up a slew of nominations, but that it ended up winning Best Comedy Series, beating the front runner Ugly Betty (the show I was probably more excited for during the beginning of the fall, but ended up abandoning when I realized how “serious” and soapy it was.)

I remember the moment when I completely fell in love with this show. The moment when I decided that this show was my favorite. It was “Episode 210″ (the last episode before the strike?) and it was the scene where the entire cast (+Edie Falco) sing “Midnight Train to Georgia.” The already wonderful moment is capped by a surprise 2 second appearance by Gladys Knight. I don’t know why that scene made me love this show. I think it just made me realize that this show was capable of anything. They could get Gladys Knight to appear on the show for 2 seconds because…well…they’re that kind of show. I guess that’s why I never minded when the show would stack up on guest stars. It just made sense to me. It makes sense that a show about the entertainment industry would have a lot of high profile guests.

So…yeah…that’s my history with 30 Rock. I’ve just loved the show ever since. It’s been my favorite comedy for the last seven years. And I’m just not sure there’ll be another comedy show I’ll love as much. For some reason, this show is special to me. As a writer, it truly inspires me. The humor just connects with me and I feel like I’ve learned a lot watching the show. I’ve connected with the characters. I’ve laughed at the jokes. I’ve quoted all the weird irreverent one liners. I’ve fervently stood up for the show when “fans” said it had jumped the shark. And…I’ll truly miss it. I think what Tina Fey has done is great…and I can’t help but think of all the shows (particularly female-centric comedies) that wouldn’t have existed without her.

30 rock

I don’t know what I can say about the finale. It definitely was an emotional roller coaster. I was a bit surprised that there weren’t too many guest stars (I was definitely expecting Jon Hamm and Michael Sheen…but I was happy to see Kathy Geiss one last time…whomever the actress is), but I think it was for the better because it allowed for there to be a fully formed story that featured a lot of the main cast. There were three moments that stuck out. One was the moment where Jenna’s mirror in her dressing room is taken away and the little montage that followed. The second one was the scene with Liz and Tracy in the strip club (a beautiful bookend to the pilot) where Liz tearfully and earnestly tells Tracy that she’ll miss him. And the last was, of course, the scene outside the studio with Jack in the boat. The moment where he figures out “see through dishwashers” was just brilliant. Oh! And Kenneth’s immortality towards the end was perfect. (Of course they’d end the show on a Kenneth note).

So…without further ado, here are the 20 episodes of 30 Rock I love the most. This wasn’t an easy task…and in a year or two, this might change. But, right now, this is the list I have compiled. (I created this list before I watched the finale so I never considered it.)

20. The C Word (Season 1) - I felt like I had to include a season 1 episode…so here it goes. My favorite episode from season 1. This was the episode where Lutz calls Liz Lemon the “C word” and Liz has trouble figuring out how to deal with it. I just love the end where Liz tries to work a VHS player. And also the scene where Rachel Dratch’s “cat lady” yells out RUNT!

19. Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land/I Do Do (Season 4) - I consider this a tw0-parter, so I’m putting them in one rank. I mean…I honestly could never watch one episode without the other. This is the season 4 finale where Liz has to go to three weddings in one day while dealing with Wesley Snipes (Sheen). In the process, she meets her next boyfriend, Carol, played by Matt Damon. Meanwhile, Jack realizes she’s in love with Avery…and that she’s pregnant. This was just a beautiful, well directed episode that gave Don Scardino an Emmy nomination. This episode also features a hilarious cameo by Jon Hamm’s Dr. Drew (probably the single funniest moment in season 4.)

18. The Moms (Season 4) - The moms visit the TGS set. I particularly loved Jan Hooks (Jenna’s mom) in this episode. (“I sexually assaulted Scotty Pippin”). In my opinion, she probably deserved an Emmy nomination over favorite Elaine Stritch.

17. The Tuxedo Begins (Season 6) - This was the very hilarious Dark Knight parody where Liz Lemon comes to the conclusion that because everyone in New York is rude, she might as well fight fire with fire. Her transformation into The Joker is just spectacular and Tina Fey gives a really funny performance. This episode also had an abundance of hilarious one liners. (“3 Bucks. Two Bags, One Me. Say, where does a young prostitute get started in this town?”  / “Sam and Diane are a lesbian couple in my building who killed each other.” / “Concrete bunghole where dreams are made up there’s nothing you can do.”)

16. Live From Studio 6H (Season 6) - I loved the first live episode as much as the usual fan, but I think this second installment hit the mark perfectly. This one just seemed so uninhibited and messy and it really looked like the cast was having a ball. Jon Hamm (“BANJO!”) was a revelation, but the funniest moments occurred when Paul L’astname (Will Forte) sings “Zou be zou,” Fred Armisen’s silent appearances throughout the episode, and anything having to do with Kristen Schaal’s Hazel Wassername (Ripping the picture of Sindead O’Connor / “Next stop. Hollywood, Florida to get the car from my mom. Next stop. California Pizza Kitchen to tell my old boss Nadine to suck it. Next stop. Tinseltown because Christmas decorations are really cheap this time of year.”)

15. Unwindulax/There’s No I in America (Season 7) - This was the big political episode two-parter of the season where, because of her large Florida following (“The penis of America!), it becomes clear that Jenna could very well decide who becomes president. The ending of the first episode (where Tracy and Jack explain what candidate each swing state will vote for) and the beginning of the second episode (To Danny: “Really? Now you have a thing?”) just kill me. Definitely a highlight among a season of them.

14. MILF Island (Season 2) - I just liked how contained this episode was. It took place in one building on one night, yet most everyone in the cast (except curiously Jane Krakowski) has a moment to shine. The “MILF Island” scenes are also great and that scene where Liz Lemon says the exact same thing as Deborah on TV (it’s kind of hard to explain) is what made me choose this episode over the similarly absurd “Episode 210″…sorry.

13. Standards and Practices (Season 6) - The rivalry between Kaylie Hooper (played by Chloe Moretz) and Jack is one of the stronger recurring story lines during the last few seasons, and this episode is definitely my favorite. But, for some reason, the last scene with network censor Gaylord Felcher, is what makes this episode memorable in my eyes.

12. Double-Edged Sword (Season 5) - This episode had two significant plots. The first plot involved Liz and Carol arguing on a plane (Carol’s a pilot) and breaking up in the end. Those plane scenes were hilarious, particularly the theme song for NBC’s failed show  Gals in the Town starring Aisha Tyle, Teri Polo and Lindsay Price (“Love and friendship having it all / Or maybe just a great pair of shoes / One of them has to be Asian / Can they be good at their jobs?”)  that played on the plane. The breakup scene was surprisingly sad. And the second plot involves Jack and Avery trying to prevent their baby from being born in Canada…which just gave us a slew of amazing Canadian jokes (“Your milk comes in bags! BAGS!”) A nearly perfect episode that earned Fey, Elizabeth Banks, and Matt Damon all Emmy noms.

11. Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning (Season 5) - Such a great episode that featured Jack trying to pre-film disaster benefits so when a disaster actually happens, NBC would get there first and receive the higher rating. Unfortunately things go wrong when the disaster involves the hated Mel Gibson and his buddy Jon Gosselin. This episode also highlights Liz’s and Tracy’s intense and complicated relationship; and seeing them continuously try to one up each other was just great.

And now…THE TOP 10…DUN DUN DUN…ston.

10. Reunion (Season 3) - This is an episode that I obviously loved when I first watched it…but it took me a while before I appreciated it. (And it took me a little while before I understood why Tina Fey would submit this episode for Emmy consideration as opposed to “Believe in the Stars”). 30 Rock is a crazy show, but I think this is actually one of the more restrained episodes of the series believe it or not. We learn about Liz’s past and maybe an explanation as to why she acts the way she acts. We see Jack (after finding out he’s not going to be the chair of GE) become depressed and yearn to relive his youth. And we’re introduced to the catchphrase that has become a staple in 30 Rock’s dictionary: “I want to go to there.” This is one of those episodes where the story is probably more important than the number of jokes and cultural references…and maybe that’s a reason why fans who aren’t necessarily fans of the “later seasons” love this episode a lot.

9. Queen of Jordan (Season 5) - I had to put this episode in my top 10. This, along with the first live episode and probably “100,” are probably the most polarizing episodes the show has put out. After this episode aired, I read comments and reviews ranging from “SO FUNNY” to “This is the worst episode in the history of 30 Rock.” But…that’s what I like about this show – always taking chances. I think by the end of season 5, Tina Fey realized the show would never be a ratings hit the same way Modern Family and Big Bang Theory are. So I think she felt more comfortable making absurd and weird episodes like this one. This was pretty much a parody of those trashy Bravo shows starring Angie (Tracy’s wife). Sherri Shepard is hilarious and she’s always been one of my favorite guest stars on the show. But, anyway, I had to put this in my top 10 because I probably watched it 10 times on my DVR after it aired. They did another episode like this in season 6 which was also great…but this first one will always be the best.

8. My Whole Life is Thunder (Season 7) - Season 7 is probably as strong and consistent a season as seasons 2 and 3…which is why two episodes from the season easily make my top 10. This episode was particularly emotional because it was the passing of the beloved Colleen Donaghy, played wonderfully by Elaine Stritch. Elaine Stritch was the first actor on the show to win an Emmy. She won for season 1, and was nominated for 3 years afterwards. Colleen was Jack’s foil. She was the one character who could push Jack’s buttons the hardest. So she does one last thing to push them…she dies. Her death was sad, but it gave us one of the funniest scenes of the show – the funeral where Jack recites the greatest eulogy in the history of the world (“Today we are all Irish!” remarks Tracy). Even Kermit was invited to the party. Alec Baldwin is wonderful in this role and this episode is one of many reasons why. In another part of the 30 Rock universe, Liz and Jenna’s friendship is tested (again) when Jenna’s upset that Liz got married before she did. That entire scene in the conference (featuring wonderful performances from famous women, most notably Gayle King…and least notably Wendy Williams) is pitch perfect. Liz has always done a good job poking fun at her gender…which is why it was upsetting leaving “TGS Hates Women” off this list. Oh well…maybe in 10 years, my mind will change.

7. Sandwich Day (Season 2) - This was the episode Tina Fey won her only acting Emmy for…and while Fey probably deserved a couple more afterwards, I’m glad that if she had to win one – this was it. This episode displays Fey’s strongest performance. She really hits all the right notes. Anger (“WHERE’S MY MAC AND CHEESE???”), disappointment, sexiness, sadness, betrayal…all of this while being funny. And who else loves that scene where she swallows that entire sandwich at the airport in one take. That’s how committed Fey/Lemon is…to food. This isn’t the most LOL episode of the bunch, but, similar to “Reunion,” I can appreciate the story and how relatable the character is.

6. Cooter (Season 2) - What I love about 30 Rock is how seamlessly the are able to squeeze in 4 or 5 plots in one 22 minute episode. It’s crazy! First we had Jack going to work in DC (which featured a hilarious Emmy snubbed performance from Matthew Broderick). Then we had Liz’s pregnancy scare (it turns out those cheese puffs were made of evaporated bull semen). Then we had Kenneth try to get on the page program in Beijing for the Olympics (for “Rainbow Chicken”). And then we had Tracy attempt to make the world’s first porn video game. (“Touch my knees butt.”) And then there’s Jenna who easily participates in 3 of these plots, helping each character in her own way. (My favorite scene in this episode is definitely Jenna’s “video essay” for Kenneth and her song: “Mind. Body. Spirit. Kenneth…I see myself in you. So brave. So ready…to be all that you can do. So beautiful. In every way. I see myself in you.”) Tina Fey won an Emmy for writing this episode and it was much deserved. Definitely the highlight of season 2!

5. Kidney Now! (Season 3) - Speaking of musical moments, we really have to give a hand to Jeff Richmond, the guy who’s married to Tina Fey, and the guy who did all the music on the show for free because their married (Tina’s words). Seriously, the music on this show is excellent and it’s a big part of the entire tone of the show. A lot of times, I just find myself humming to the score. It’s that catchy and that beautiful. And one of the greatest musical moments was the song “He Needs a Kidney” featuring a smorgasbord of different celebrities and singers (Why this wasn’t on the soundtrack, I’ll never know). The song was a benefit Jack set up for his father who actually really needed a kidney. It’s a hilarious/ faux-emotional moment that made me really appreciate this show and what it’s about.

4. Mazel Tov, Dummies! (Season 7) - What I love about this comedy show is that it doesn’t get bogged down in sentimentality. Even it’s most sentimental moments are absurd and weird at the same time. Take Liz and Criss’s wedding for example. Criss sported grillz. Liz wore a Princess Leia costume. The only people in attendance was Dennis Duffy, his trashy girlfriend and a couple random hobos (+Jack). It’s a hilarious bit…but at the same time, I might have teared up watching it. I always love movies and TV programs that can manage to make me cry and laugh at the same time…and that’s exactly what this episode did. It’s only been a few weeks since it aired, but I can confidently say that this was one of the best episodes this show has ever created and it shall forever be in my top 10.

3. Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter (Season 4) - After season 3, the rest of the seasons have gotten a varied mixed response from fans. However, season 4 is probably the season that gets the most flack. Season 4 may not be as consistent as the seasons before it, but it still gave us some of the best episodes and moments ever. Honestly, I only think this season looks bad because it came right after the show’s peak (season 3). I don’t think anything could compete with season 3. But, anyway, “Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter” is the strongest episode of the season and one of the best overall. Yes, it’s another “Liz Lemon wants a man” episode…but who else gets a little misty eyed during the scene where Liz is explaining what she wants in a man while a bunch of red dodge balls are thrown at her. Only me? OK. This episode also deals with Jack’s dilemma as to whether he should choose Avery or Nancy. And Toofer expressing anger over only being hired because of affirmative action gave us some funny moments. Most importantly…we were introduced to Bitch Hunter. Need I say more?

2. Mrs. Donaghy (Season 5) - Let’s face it – as much as we love the kooky supporting characters and the crazy guest stars, the best thing about this show has always been the friendship between Liz and Jack. Dissenters always complain about how the show has little character development. That may be true for Jenna, Tracy, and Kenneth – but ya gotta admit, the way Liz and Jack’s relationship has developed over the years has been beautiful and darn right inspiring. It’s almost crazy to think that these two were once mortal enemies. When Liz had a problem, she’d either go to Pete or Jenna. Now she goes to Jack. And vice versa! Yes, this is an episode where they spend most of the episode arguing (in a nutshell, Liz and Jack accidentally get married, and Liz won’t sign the divorce papers unless Jack gives in to her demands on TGS), the ending where they realize how much they need and depend on each other is beautiful and just shows that these are two deep, fleshed out characters who need each other. Also…Tina Fey’s Little Edie accent is hilarious!

1. Believe in the Stars (Season 3) - I felt sort of weird about putting this episode at number 1 because it’s not a particularly deep or important episode. But…it’s been my favorite episode for the longest time…and I just can’t see any other episode surpassing it. This was the Oprah episode and contains two of the most hilarious scenes in the show’s history. The first is Liz’s conversation with Oprah on the plane. Liz has a mixture of alcohol and pills in her system so she’s pretty whacked. She ends up confessing random nonsense to her. (“One time at summer camp I kissed a girl on a dare, but then she drowned!”) The second hilarious scene is later when she finds out she wasn’t actually talking to Oprah on the plane, but a random middle school girl who looks like Oprah (played amazingly by Raven Goodwin). This episode is just so absurd and features another great performance by Fey.

OK…I know this was long but…thank you for reading. And, 30 Rock, thank you for making high school and college more bearable.

I guess my Plan B is…New Girl for now? And the second season of Veep is premiering soon so that should be nice. And of course The Office finale is coming soon…

Lemon out.

2013
02/01
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Saturday Night Live Recap (Adam Levine and Kendrick)


This should get me a lot of views.

This should get me a lot of views.

I saw this episode last night (when it first aired). But I was sort of tired and sick and groggy…so I’m hoping that explains why I didn’t laugh much at this episode. Let’s watch this episode again and give it a second chance. I’m sure it was just me…not the episode itself.

Barack Obama and Martin Luther King: Awww, I liked this cold opening. So the ghost of MLK comes to Barack Obama after his inauguration  While Obama is expecting serious advice, MLK can only focus on Beyonce lip syncing and Michelle Obama’s bangs (very funny New Girl reference). It’s a silly way to start the show, and I thought Kenan did a good job with it (I’m like 1 of 10 people who actually still likes Thompson).

Monologue: It was nice seeing Andy Samberg (more on that later). With him was Cameron Diaz and Jerry Seinfeld who tried coaxing Adam to join their comedy teams (a la The Voice). It was a nice sketch and there some funny moments (mostly from Samberg), but they should have given Levine a joke or two.

Rosetta Stone Thai: SNL rarely goes wrong when it comes to their commercials and this was another home run. It’s a basically a commercial for old pervs so they can learn Thai. That way they’ll be able to…do stuff in Thailand. The stand out was definitely Bill Hader who has perfected the “pervy” voice to a tee. Also, either Kate McKinnon is perfect…or she already knew Russian because she was really good with her lines.

Circle Work: I can’t say I laughed much watching this sketch, but I thought Adam and Kenan did a really great job and they really committed to their characters. Vanessa Bayer did her best “insecure Kristen Wiig” impression. And the part where Kenan literally spelled “YOU ARE AS GAY AS A GAY GOOSE IN A GAY PRIDE PARADE” was a high light. I might watch this a couple more times…it seems like the kind of sketch that would grow on me.

sopranos diaries snl

The Sopranos Diaries: Yeah, this was one of two highlights in this episode. Clearly, they realized how amazing Kate McKinnon’s Edie Falco was because she pretty much stole the show (“I LOVE YOU TONY SOPRANO!”) I also really liked Cecily Strong’s Dr. Melphi even though she only had one humorless line. But, yeah, everything about this sketch worked.

Bryce: OK…this was a sketch I didn’t like last night…and I still dislike it. Bill Hader is a comic genius and he really commits to the screaming queen. But…I just didn’t find it funny. I know it’s silly to expect “substance” in a three minute comedy sketch…but surely we deserve more than just a closeted gay guy screaming over and over again. The only part I found amusing was his reaction to “Apartment 23″ being cancelled…because I pretty much reacted the same way. (“NOT THE B!!!!! THAT’S BONKERS!!!!”) The audience ate this shit up…but I really hope this doesn’t become a recurring character. Give Tom Robinson something to do during this time.

YOLO: Y’know if Andy had to come back…at least he came back with a bang. I thought this Digital Short was spectacular. It was very funny throughout. It sort of inverted the meaning of YOLO. Usually, people say this when they’re about to do something dangerous. But in this case, the song is telling us to be extra safe and careful because…well…YOLO. But besides that, this was just a really great song with a nice commercial melody featuring both Adam Levine and Kendrick doing their part. And the production value of the music video was also really impressive. I’m hesitating a little…but this is definitely one of my favorite digital shorts (Although, don’t take it from me. I’m 1 of 10 people who never liked Dick in a Box).

snl zunes for baboons

Weekend Update: I don’t know anything about Ray Lewis so I couldn’t appreciate that bit despite Thompson’s spirited performance. Nasim Pedrad’s Arianna Huffington is good like always…but the appearance doesn’t really excite me anymore. There were some good one liners from “Sex Meyers” though. So here we go:

“Orangutans at the Smithsonian National Zoo are now being given iPads to use as part of an Aps for Apes program…[it's] causing jealousy among those participating in Zunes for Baboons.“

“A new report suggests that people in happy marriages are more likely to gain weight than people who are unhappily married. So if your spouse is a huge, disgusting slob, then congratulations. You’re happily married.”

“A restaurant in Philadelphia has created a new taco that replaces the shell with slices of bacon. Of course, no matter how good it tastes, you’re still in Philadelphia.”

“Insiders saying that Lindsay Lohan has turned down an offer of more than 500,ooo dollars to be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. ‘We’ll do it!’ shouted both of her parents at once.”

Maroon 5 vs. Train: OK…this was a sketch I disliked last night, but now I sort of love it a second time around. Besides Levine’s awkward cue card reading, this was a pretty solid sketch. It involved metro sexual mellow rockers attempting to fight each other. I especially liked seeing Sudeikis as a scatting Jason Mraz and Bill Hader redeemed himself after that awful Bryce sketch with his always reliably hilarious John Mayer impression. Kenan and Taran as Hootie and Train respectively were also really good. Honestly, the funniest thing about this sketch was the filler banter between Vanessa Bayer (“[This] is not a bar, it’s a cafe that’s allowed to serve wine after 7pm.”) and Jay Pharoah (“OK, I feel like this is not where I was supposed to meet my friends.”)

snl catfish

Catfish: First things first…yes…towards the end we could all see the cue cards reflected off the door. Embarrassing! And, yeah, once again, Adam Levine had some trouble reading those cue cards. Despite those weird technical difficulties, I still have to say this was my favorite sketch of the night. Yes, it mostly has to do with the fact that I dislike the show a lot. But, I think SNL did a pretty accurate parody of the show. (“Google! I’ve never even heard of that!”) And Aidy Bryant got to shine once again as a woman who has been “Catfished” or something. (“WHOA! HUH! DANG! THAT’S WHO YOU WERE?? I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! IS THIS REACTION POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?? YOU CAN’T TELL!!!!”) Yeah, this one’s a keeper.

Janet with Adam Levine: This sketch is similar to how I feel about Bryce. BobbyMoynihan is great…but I really hope this Janet doesn’t appear again. I think 2 appearances is enough.

Biden Bash: Decent last sketch. “I’ve got Neil Diamond…impersonator…of the year…contest participant…Dave Kaufman!”

Kendrick was really great and I can’t wait to hear more of him.

OK, there were a couple duds…and maybe a couple more that didn’t quite hit the mark but overall…I guess it was the sickness. This was a nice episode…much better than last week’s. MVP GOES TO…I’ll give it to both Aidy Bryant and Kenan Thompson. Aidy Bryant is responsible for the single funniest moment of the episode (Catfish) while Kenan just had a good night where he appeared in nearly every sketch.

Ugh…I’m not looking forward to Justin Bieber. I know he isn’t funny. Hopefully, the rest of the cast and the writers will work hard to cover any weaknesses.

Thanks for reading. Pray for Brazil!

2013
01/27
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Saturday Night Live Recap (Jennifer Lawrence and The Lumineers)


snl jennifer lawrence

Hey guys! I’m back! I know I’ve missed the last couple of episodes. I was just SO busy during the last few weeks of 2012 that I even had to skip my weekly ritual of reviewing the SNL episodes. (Mini recaps: Jamie Foxx bad / Martin Short good) But now I’m back…and hopefully I’ll finish this through!

I love Jennifer Lawrence. I think she’s a wonderful actress. In fact, as much as I like the Best Actress lineup at the Oscars, I’m hoping she wins because I simply thought her performance was the best of the nominees (that’s what the Oscars should be about, right???) That being said, I was nervous for her because I knew people would use this performance in a sketch comedy show to determine whether she was deserving of an Oscar or not. And I still am nervous because…this episode as a whole wasn’t that great. It was quite disappointing. It wasn’t Jennifer Lawrence’s fault per se (although she might have been a little nervous)…the writers, I guess, took the month off to relax instead of come up with new, interesting material. Oh, well!. Let’s quickly get through this.

Piers Morgan Tonight: What was most disappointing about this episode was that it started relatively strong. The funniest part in this episode was definitely Kate McKinnon’s Jodie Foster (via her crazy Golden Globe speech – “I don’t have a delete key on my computer.”) That cracked me up. Jason Sudeikis’s Lance Armstrong was OK…but I wish it had been longer and more fleshed out. With that, I could have done without Bobby Moynihan’s Manti Te’O. But, overall, still a good cold open featuring another funny Piers Morgan impression by Taran Killam.

Monologue: Amy Schumer Jennifer Lawrence took to the stage. At least she didn’t sing! Anyway, Bill Hader as a grumpy Tommy Lee Jones was definitely a highlight. Otherwise, this was an OK monologue. I have no problem with Lawrence faux-insulting her nominees…but I think they could have come up something funnier. And, I have to admit, Lawrence could have been a little more “alive” in her delivery. I did like the line about Quvenzhane Wallis having too many letters in her name though.

Starbucks Verismo Commercial: I liked this one. It took me by surprise. And…yeah, it’s pretty accurate if you’ve ever been to Starbucks or any coffee place.

snl girlfriend talk show

Girlfriends Talk Show: Aidy, Cecily and Jennifer tried but…I wasn’t too crazy about this installment. One, I still don’t understand why this has to be a talk show format. I think especially this sketch would have worked better if it had just been a “regular” sketch. And two…it’s nice that Aidy is getting more screen time (esp. right after the monologue), but I think it would be best if she (or the writers) came up with more characters. I’m not sure if this would be a very effective recurring sketch. I still got a yuk out of Cecily’s story about her older boyfriend watching her behind a frame while eating Caesar salad (“My boyfriend’s crazy!”) And some of Aidy’s line readings livened things up a bit, but otherwise…it was just OK.

Post Hunger Games Press Conference: Ugh, this was a great idea…but poorly executed with so many missed opportunities. Jokes concerning Peeta’s height (“And I’ve been standing this whole time”) or his “wimpy-ness” (Performance Reducing Drugs) were funny…but everything else just wasn’t there. I didn’t understand the part about them being hungry. Forgive me if I’m wrong…but doesn’t the capital city have plenty of food? It’s just the individual districts that have little food. So, if this takes place in the capital city…then they should have food, right? And the part where Katniss explains how she killed a girl with wasps…where was the joke in that? What was the punchline? Did the writers really think that was but-gusting hilarious? Sigh…next.

The Hobbit: This sketch started off well. The scene where – I don’t know what they are – the “characters” are trying to split a dinner bill was nice. But then it ran too long. The “The Longest Time” bit seemed like an unnecessary outtake. And by the time the video froze up, I was done with this sketch. I don’t think that’s ever happened before. Poor J Law.

snl jennifer lawrence

Johnny Two Tones: The good news is this sketch was probably Lawrence’s best performance. I esp. loved her delivery of “That water is from the toilet!” Otherwise, I didn’t laugh to much at this sketch. And I know this is a dumb thing to ask but…why was she so mean to one couple and not the other? That could have been explored more I suppose.

Weekend Update: Bobby Moynihan commits, but I never really liked Anthony Crispino. And it was very disappointing that he was the only guest this week. Overall, a tepid installment with a few stand out quips. Here they are:

“Firearms groups across the country have declared today the 1st annual Gun Appreciation Day. So don’t forget to set your clock back 100 years.”

“Ann Romney has reportedly declined an offer to appear on this season’s Dancing with the Stars. She’s probably not a good fit for the show anyway because I’ve heard of her.“

“Scientists reported this week that a female chimp in Spain repeatedly changed the channel on a TV in her pen to watch porn. So, let me get this straight, in Spain, porn is just on TV?“

Top Dog Chef: Couldn’t they have just done a regular Top Chef parody? Anyway, this was admittedly a cute sketch…but (like a lot of sketches this week) it’s not something I’d watch again. The “doorbell” part towards the beginning was funny though.

jennifer lawrence snl

B108FM: This isn’t a recurring sketch I get very excited about, but I have to say that I enjoyed this installment more than the last one with Lindsay Lohan, particularly because Jennifer Lawrence was pretty hilarious as the rapper who’s apparently bad at rhyming (“It’s the flu season so you gonna have issues / If you get the sniffles, get a big box of Kleenex.”) I do think that Taran Killam and Bobby Moynihan usually work well together and this sketch is no different.

Danielle: I liked this one because it was a funny parody of those low-budget badly dubbed (possibly foreign) movies from the 80′s. I think the audience would have liked it more if there had been more scenes. Or maybe they were just confused. Or burnt out. Whatever…I liked this one.

Civil War Lovers: Yay! After a 5 episode break, the new guy is given more than 2 lines in a sketch!

The Lumineers…I hear that song all the time. I had no idea it was them. Yeah, they were great. The only thing about the episode that was at 100%.

So, every sketch at least had a funny moment or two…but it all still added up a disappointingly “so/so” episode. Can’t say I’m looking forward to Adam Levine much…but I really hope they step it up next week.

MVP  goes to Kate McKinnon for the having the single funniest moment of the night. And yes, I believe that was her only appearance so suck on that!

Thanks for reading!

2013
01/20
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Favorite Moments of the Golden Globes (+an Update on the State of the Race)


Didn’t I tell you? Didn’t I tell you Argo would walk away the big winner? We have to remember, when predicting these awards, that the Hollywood Foreign Press are, well, FOREIGN. So sometimes their winners reflect that. No, there was no way Maggie Smith was going beat Jennifer Lawrence. But I think if the voters had the choice between the “semi-International” Argo and the equally great, but more patriotic Zero Dark Thirty, they would choose Argo. 

For a full list of winners, click here. 

What I wasn’t expecting was Ben Affleck to pick up his second trophy for Direction. And, to a larger extent, I wasn’t expecting Lincoln to be so shut out (The only award it won was the expected Lead Actor in a Drama Movie for Daniel Day Lewis). But, like I mentioned before, Lincoln may be “too American” for the Academy…even if half the actors in the movie arent’t American.

For the most part, I liked a lot of the films/actors who won. Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain. Daniel Day Lewis, and Chrisophe Waltz, all deserved their wins. I feel more ambivalent towards Hugh Jackman and Les Miz beating Bradley Cooper and Silver Linings Playbook but the wins were far from shocking. I was very happy to see Quentin Tarrantino win for his screenplay among a sea of heavy competition. And I think it was cute that Mychael Danna won. I’ve always loved his work…particularly for The Sweet Hereafter and Road to Avonlea among many other things.

So what do these Golden Globes say about the competition for the more important award?:

  1. Daniel Day Lewis and Anne Hathaway are pretty much going to sweep their categories. Anne Hathaway may be on some thin ice because she totally “Kanye West-ed” the producer when he went up to the mic to accept the award for Best Motion Picture. But, I honestly think the only people who will make a really big deal out of that are people who irrationally hated her in the first place.
  2. Supporting Actor is still very much up in the air. Imagine if Leonardo Dicaprio had won. That would have made the race even more exciting. Right now, Waltz, Hoffman and, yes, Jones have a slight bump…but it’s still anyone’s game.
  3. Lead Actress is still “Lawrence vs. Chastain” because they both won their respective categories. And considering Riva wasn’t nominated for the Golden Globes and the SAGs, she is still a very possible dark horse for the Oscar, thanks to the many surprise nominations Amour received.
  4. Best Director is more competitive than ever. I actually hope Ben Affleck wins the DGA…then we’ll really be biting our nails by Oscar night.
  5. For the first time since Driving Miss Daisy, a film (cough cough Argo) could win Best Picture without a Best Director nomination may still win Best Picture. Think about it.

That’s all for now. When the guild awards announce their winners, we may get a better idea as where the buzz is heading.

The TV Awards were a lot less exciting. One, because the Emmys already happened. And two, because the wins were, for the most part, expected. If my #1 prediction didn’t win, you can bet your ass my #2 won. Homeland swept all their categories except Supporting Actor. I have to admit though: the Girls wins were pretty surprising…but not really at the same time. The Globes love new shows and young winners. They killed two birds with one stone.

Last, let’s discuss some moments I loved more than vanilla cream cheese and store brand Wheat Thins.

  • Tina and Amy were amazing hosts. Was there any doubt that they wouldn’t be? That opening was unbelievable…probably the most hilarious opening I have ever seen on an awards show. The jokes aimed at James Cameron and James Franco (theme?) had me go nuts. Their delivery was pitch perfect. I wish they appeared a bit more throught…but, really, that opening monologue was almost too much. Hopefully they’re invited next year. Maybe the Oscars in 2014?
  • Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell presenting Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Movie probably got the biggest laugh out of me. It was essentially “Garth and Kat” + Ferrell, minus Fred Armisen. I just loved it and it sounded like the audience was feeling it also. They essentially did a bit where they pretended to watch all the movies so they would be prepared. They weren’t prepared…
  • Some of the acceptance speeches were really great. Jennifer Lawrence’s was refreshing and funny. Chastain’s was heartfelt and emotional. Anne Hathaway’s mini-tribute to Sally Field was very genuine. I actually like it when someone takes the time to write a speech and read it, so I appreciated Lena Dunham’s (even if I wasn’t too thrilled over her win). Adele’s win was nice. She’s always just…so COCKNEY when she wins an award. It’s hilarious.
  • Jodie Foster’s speech was also very nice. It was rambling. It was slightly confusing and jumbled. It was funny. It was cheeky. It was awkward. It was heartfelt. It was genuine. She came across as completely likeable and…I need to see more of her movies. I heart Flightplan is fun. I absolutely loved this moment.

I dreamed a dream doo doo doo doo

And then I went and had a sandwich.

Anyway, that’s all for now. I actually had a lot of fun watching this ceremony. And, I just gotta say that this is probably the most exciting Oscar season in a while. So…I can’t wait to discuss it more.

Also, yesterday was the blog’s two year anniversary. I decided not to do anything major. I just want to say thank you. Whether you’re a regular or you just happened to stumble upon this blog for the first time…thank you for reading. And here’s to another year!

2013
01/14
CATEGORY
30 rock
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Saturday Night Live Recap (Anne Hathaway and Rihanna)


Every time it is announced that Anne Hathaway’s hosting, it seems like people are skeptical of her abilities. Why? I don’t understand it. Do people not remember the last two times Hathaway hosted? Because I do, and let me tell you – they were some of the strongest episodes in recent memory. Add the always wonderful Rihanna to the mix and I definitely had high hopes for this episode. Did it disappoint me? Not at all. I thought this was a great episode and Anne Hathaway just looked like a pro up there…because she is! She joins Justin Timberlake, Jon Hamm, and Zach Galifinakis as among the most reliable hosts the show can get. Let’s go through each sketch. Unfortunately, this recap is going to be on the light side, but just know that I really enjoyed this episode.

Mitt Romney Cold Opening: I usually dislike Mitt Romney centered sketches because…he’s so uninteresting. But this particular sketch was definitely hilarious. It involved Romney looking over his balcony, drinking his sinful milk, depressed over losing the election. Kate McKinnon was as usual great as Ann Romney, but the real treat was Taran Killam play three of Mitt Romney’s son. Such a hilarious visual gag! Also…the joke about Donald Trump being a racist? Spot on! Excellent way to start things off.

Monologue: And the award for the best monologue of the season goes to…Louis CK’s. But the runner up is definitely this week’s “Les Miserables” inspired sketch, which featured the ENTIRE cast singing about how excited they were for Sunday. It was brilliant and it was a nice way to show off Hathaway’s exceptional singing voice. My favorite part – Aidy Bryant and Tim Robinson singing “Sunday’s our day off/Saturday is too/We’re not on the show that much ’cause we are new.” Ironically, this will turn out to be a very good show for Aidy. Oh! I also liked the part where Hathaway sang she wanted to be Stefon because…she kinda looks like Bill Hader with that haircut.

Also, I am so effin’ excited for Les Miz.

Girlfriends Talk Show: I’m a dude, but this sketch was pretty much the story of my life. It starred Aidy Bryant as a girl who thinks that another girl is her best friend (Cecily Strong), until she sees the girl hanging out with another girl (Anne Hathaway). Aidy Bryant naturally got the most laughs playing a pitiful character, and those laughs were very much deserved. This is Aidy’s first sketch where she’s pretty much front and center and she did a great job. I also really thought Cecily Strong was really great. She played oblivious so well. I’m not sure if this sketch had to be a “talk show”. That component didn’t really make much sense…but I just love that two featured female players got to have the post-monologue slot. It’s a bold choice that I appreciate. “You have a basement?”

Also…I just learned why the store is called “Forever 21″. Thanks SNL!

The Legend of Mokiki and the Sloppy Swish: Is this like a parody of Thoth? Anyway, this was another “post-Andy Samberg” “digital short”. Overall, I thought it was good. I mean, Taran Killam is so completely dynamic and he just really commit to this strange character. It wasn’t as great as the “Sad Mouse” sketch from the Bruno Mars episode but…I guess it’s not worth comparing the two in the first place. This was just a weird, silly sketch and I think they pulled it off quite nicely. And I loved how Anne Hathaway joined Mokiki in the end.

Homeland: This was a very strange sketch…and let me tell you why. Remember MADtv? Well, something that set MADtv apart from SNL was that MADtv would do straight up parodies of different movies and TV shows (and very well, might I add). It’s not that SNL doesn’t do the same…but they don’t do it as much. And when they do theses types of spoofs…there’s always some weird “spin” to it. Like, when they parodied Glee a couple years ago…Gilly was randomly dropped into the sketch. You know what I mean? So the fact that they just did a simple (yet very very funny) parody of Homeland without any strings attached was very strange…but very effective at the same time. I love Homeland…and I love all the Emmy winning actors on the show. But…I still thought this sketch was great. I loved Killam’s “scrunchy faced, Tiny mouthed” Brody. And while I think this would have been a PERFECT role for Kate McKinnon, I still thought Anne Hathaway rocked as Carrie and did a great job portraying the character’s craziness (particularly the part where her lip goes downward). I also really loved Bill Hader as the understated Saul (apparently he talks to 10 rabbis).

McDonalds: Cecily Strong and Bobby Moynihan played two disgruntled McDonald employees who completely go off on their employees. I loved this sketch. It was my favorite of the night. I just loved how the whole cast was involved. And even though most of the comedy came from Strong and Moynihan’s amazing chemistry, there were some other hilarious moments, like Killam’s weird, pervy smile he had throughout the sketch. Not every insult Strong and Moynihan screamed was clever, but they made it work and I just loved seeing these two together. Unfortunately, Hathaway was sort of pushed to the sidelines.

Weekend Update: First up we got an appearance from Jay Pharoah’s Barack Obama who seemed extra excited and jumpy that night. I just loved this sketch because I feel like most Democratic liberals (like myself) feel the same way as Obama. It’s like, “Yay. We’re happy he’s re-elected for another four years. Now he can just sit back; and as long as he doesn’t make things worse than they already are…we’ll consider this a success”. Next up we got an appearance from “a gay couple from Maine” in honor of Maine legalizing gay marriage. It wasn’t the greatest thing but Armisen and Hader did a great job with what they were given. And finally…the one and only…Drunk Uncle. In honor of another stellar appearance, here are some of my favorite quips:

“People don’t even dress up for an election anymore, Seth. Back when I was a kid, you couldn’t vote unless you had suspenderscanemonocletophatfancy.”

“There was no Green Party. There was no Senate. If you wanted a House of Representatives, you’d build one yourself.”

“Kids today don’t even read newspapers anymore…It’s just…Is this ballot 4G? Can I vote with a Groupon?”

“Red state. Blue State! Do you know what state I’m in? DENIAL.”

“Nationwide is on your side. If Nationwide is on my side, how come Mitt Romney isn’t president? Jewspapers!”

Seth Meyers himself also had some very funny moments:

“FOUR MORE YEARS OF…GRIDLOCK!“

“After this week’s election, nineteen women will now hold seats in the senate which is the highest number ever. And no one is happier about that than the pant suit industry.”

“A manufacturer for clothes for infants has created a new outfit that has mops on the arms and legs so that babies can clean the floors as they move around the house. It’ great if you’ve ever wondered how can I get all this dirt and bacteria off the floor and on my baby.“

Ellen: See? This was another parody that was simply…just a parody. Stefon didn’t pop in or anything. Another fantastic sketch. Kate McKinnon is just the master of disguise and her Ellen Degeneres is spot on. I like Vanessa Bayer and Nasim Pedrad as Sophia Grace and Rosie. I always enjoy Anne Hathaway’s Katie Holmes impression. I just wish this sketch had been longer because I think there were some jokes here that could have been longer and stretched out further (like the audience member who just wants to see Ellen dance). But, otherwise, I thought this was great.

American Gothic: Another home run. This was pretty much a sketch about how the painting was created and why the two people in the sketch stand and looked the way they do. Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis worked really well together. They seemed so natural. I forgot they were looking at cue cards.

Flairitin: Just another funny commercial to end this already great episode.

I’m a huge fan of Rihanna. I loved both her performances. Her first performance was wacky with all the weird (although pretty cheap) looking special effects. And her second performance was intimate and beautiful.

After the excellent Seth MacFarlance premiere, the show sort of had a mini slump. Christina Applegate, JGL, Bruno Mars, and Daniel Craig were good episodes…but not out of this world like I would hope from SNL. Louis CK and Hathaway have definitely renewed my faith in this show. And, while I’m not necessarily looking forward to Jeremy Renner or Maroon 5…I’m confident that the writers will prove me around and create another stellar 90 minutes like the last two have been.

MVP THIS WEEK GOES TO…I wanted to give it to Cecily Strong again…so I will! Cecily Strong! Yay! And I’ll make her share the honor with Taran Killam who appeared in a lot of sketches and was pretty much the funniest thing about each of them.

Thanks for reading!

2012
11/11
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Satruday Night Live Recap (Louis CK and fun.)I


AHH! I’m so excited! So, again, unfortunately, I’ll have to “live blog” this post just because I honestly don’t have time to watch the full episode twice in a row. I’m sorry but…that’s the way it is for a college senior taking 18 credits worth of writing and English.

Anyway, before I begin this post, I guess it’s worth pointing out why exactly I’m excited for this particular episode. One…I really do like the band fun. And two, because I really do like the TV show Louie. I’m really not a complete fantard. I don’t like every episode of the show (there were some episodes this last season which were pretty awful…like that episode where that kid poops in Louie’s bathtub). And I’m not one of those people who are like “Louie is the direction in which TV comedy should be going.” False. As much as I love Louie, it would be pretty depressing if every other comedy copied its style. However, despite those reservations, I do believe Louie is a great experience. When it comes to a great episode (like the 3 part Late Night episode), I just feel so refreshed after watching an episode. The show allows me to think.

But, more importantly, Louis CK’s stand up routines are pretty spectacular and I think they’re “milk out of nose” hilarious. If you haven’t done so, watch his “Chewed Up” routine. Funniest hour since Ellen Degeneres’s “Here and Now” in my opinion. He’s just a funny dude. I’m not sure if his style of comedy will mesh well with the SNL sketch kind of comedy but…that uncertainty just makes me even more excited.

So let’s do this!!!

Mayor Bloomberg’s Hurricane Sandy Interpreter: More and more Cecily Strong is impressing me, and this was another home run for her. She played Lynda Callis, the “animated” ASL interpreter that’s already gotten some mentions in the news. I’m not 100% sure how accurate her signing was, but as someone who’s beginning to learn it, I recognized some of what she was doing. Of course, there were some funny signs, like her sign for Barack Obama (pulling out her ears) and the sign for fat people floating down a flood. She does a great job and was definitely the high light of the sketch. I also liked Bobby Moynihan’s Chris Christie and his interpreter Nasim Pedrad, who pretty much made a bunch of overly stereotypical “New York like” hand gestures. We closed this sketch with Mayor Bloomberg (played by Fred Armisen) speaking in Spanish, telling the Latino community to have patience with the white people who are complaining over losing their power and missing “Homeland”. Great great cold opening! And a good way to address the Hurricane.

Monologue: Usually, I’m not too excited when a stand up comedian hosts the show, because I know they’ll turn the monologue time into a mini set (Dane Cook and Russell Brand immediately come to mind). But for Louis CK? Anything! Because…well…his sets are actually consistently hilarious and he’s much funnier than the two comedians I mentioned above. He talks a little bit about Hurricane Sandy, before going on a rant about how he had to help an old lady in an airport. He ends his set by discussing how much he loves old ladies because they are without filters, and wishes he was sexually aroused by them. I laughed my ass off the whole way through. And, as much as I loved this…I’m looking forward to seeing him in some sketches. So let’s do this! (part 2)

Fox and Friends: Overall this was a good installment of a sketch I usually feel pretty ambivalent about. Jason Sudeikis premiered his Donald Trump impression which I admire and I thought it was funny, but certainly not among the best we’ve seen (on a political side note, Donald Trump is stupid.) Louis CK played a a deputy from FEMA who was there to give tips on Hurricane relief. While CK wasn’t particularly hilarious (he wasn’t supposed to be), I thought the entire segment was funny and the back and forth between all the actors involved was great. Let’s end this by listing my three favorite “fact checks.”

Sandy Duncan did not “sponsor” the hurricane.

There are many black people, not just one who is a master of disguise.

Trees do not have bones. 

Lincoln: This was a parody of Louie starring Abraham Lincoln. He was portrayed…pretty much exactly how Louie is betrayed. Everyone hates him. His wife/girlfriend (this time Mary Todd Lincoln played wonderfully by Aidy Bryant) nags him. And, hey, he performs at the Comedy Cellar every night. I absolutely loved this through and through. I particularly liked his comedy routine where he says “You know who I feel bad for? The detective who has to try to solve my murder. Because they’re going to go, ‘let’s see, whom might have done it?’ Oh! I don’t know. Everybody from the middle of the country down. Maybe one of them did it. Maybe they had a motive, like I ruined the whole way they do everything.” Another stellar “post Andy” “digital short.”

Australian Screen Legends: Even though their Australian accents weren’t completely authentic, I still got a good chuckle out of this. Kate McKinnon and Bill Hader played Tess Davies and Graham Dixon respectively, two of the biggest stars in Australian cinema. I guess this sketch showed how unsentimental and unromantic Australians are. It wasn’t the greatest sketch, but after what we’ve been given so far, I’ll accept it. Although, I hope CK is given a starring role in a live sketch later in the episode. Funniest moment: During the death bed scene –  ”Any last words?” “Kangaroo, I guess!” said brilliantly by Kate McKinnon.

Weekend Update: I may be in the minority but Weekend Update has been especially awesome this season, and this was another great installment. Our first guest was Jason Sudeikis’s Mitt Romney, which was mostly time filler if anything. However, Aidy Bryant did a great job as social media expert Kourtney Barnes, a segment that proved that 99% of people who use Facebook to share their “political opinions” are stupid. But the great thing about Bryant’s character was that she was on the poster’s side. She was really enthusiastic about the “role” social media is playing in the election. Last, Cecily Strong did her character “Girl You wish you hadn’t started a conversation with at a party”. She first premiered this character in one of the Thursday specials. While I thought those Thursday specials were pretty mediocre, this character completely stood out, and Cecily Strong killed it once again. Such a funny character. I hope she becomes “a thing” the same way Stefon, Jean K Jean, and Judy Grimes are. “Open your eyes people! Hunger! Racism! Small businesses! It’s like…maybe don’t!”  So hilarious!

Favorite Seth Meyer lines:

“Police in Connecticut say that a tree overturned by Hurricane Sandy has revealed a skeleton buried beneath that may have been there since Colonial times. ‘Yes,’ says the home’s owner ‘Colonial times…’” (Oof. I guess this is mostly funny by the delivery.)

“Scientists in South Korea have confirmed that an elephant at a local zoo has the ability to reproduce five Korean words by tucking his trunk inside his mouth. Though it’s suspicious that the five words he can say are help, this, elephant, swallowed, me.“

Kylarian Mountain Pass: This was pretty humiliating, but any mistake Louis CK made (like not blowing the horn long enough to match with the sound effect) was pretty hilarious. I guess he was playing some mountain person who had to blow a horn to call for ZORG (later confirmed, Zord.) It was just nice that CK was front and center in a live sketch. And while I got a pretty awkward vibe from everyone on that stage, I still enjoyed it.

Hotel Receipt: Louis CK played a hotel concierge who must account for everything while Bobby Moynihan played a disgruntled guest who is trying to leave so he can catch his flight. I thought this was a very nice sketch and…it wasn’t particularly special but it was a simple, funny sketch that hit all the right beats.

Bar Sketch: Like most “last sketches,” this was definitely strange. But the “chemistry” between Louis CK and Kate McKinnon was great. Actually, this might have been the most comfortable CK was in a live sketch so…I’m happy!

I thought fun. was excellent tonight. I really like them. They’re like a young Coldplay. So, really, this was a successful episode in my eyes. Louis CK did as well as I thought he would. I thought his monologue and Lincoln sketches were absolutely perfect. I liked how the Weekend Update gave the ladies a chance to shine. And, I really don’t think there was a single dud tonight. This might be the best episode of the season…or at least as great as Seth MacFarlane’s. How about that?

MVP this week goes to…I’m gonna give it to my girl Cecily Strong! Her first performance as the ASL interpreter was very good, but she absolutely killed it during her Weekend Update bit. It says something when I’m able to notice her despite all the Louis CK. It seems like Tim Robinson (who really didn’t do anything this episode) has kind of fit in with the cast the most smoothly, but Cecily Strong, of the three newbies, has had the most time front and center. So, if she continues performing this strong, she’ll definitely be safe for the next season. While Aidy Bryant also stood out this episode, I’m still worried about her. But, we’ll see.

Very much looking forward to Anne Hathaway and Rihanna. I really like Rihanna as an artist. And the two previous Anne Hathaway episodes have been home runs in my opinion.

Obama 2012! (sorry, had to get that out there)

*PS…I was just on Marlee Matlin’s Twitter because I knew she would have a reaction to the cold opening. She doesn’t necessarily say SNL by name, but it’s clear she’s pretty upset about the parody because she believes the parody insulted the language ASL. I don’t really believe that the SNL writers were making fun of sign language or deaf people, I really think they were just parodying that one specific person and her somewhat over exaggerated signs. Marlee Matlin needs to realize that sign language is still sort of fascinating with hearing people. If anything, sketches like these, make people more interested in the language.

She also says that what SNL did with ASL is the same as people making fun of Spanish or Japanese. The funny thing is though that SNL has made fun both those languages. They actually make fun of languages all the time. So I don’t see why ASL can’t join this party also. I really do like and admire Marlee Matlin (I even have her app because I would like learn sign language)…but I think this time she’s going too far with her complaints. It’s just a little hypocritical that she’s fine with people making fun of how deaf people talk (a la her appearance on Seth MacFarlane’s live Family Guy special), but we can’t make fun of how they sign.

2012
11/04
CATEGORY
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