S47.E04: Jason Sudeikis / Brandi Carlile

[Ms Blue Jay]

28 minutes ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

Was that real Nicholas Braun? I was assuming it was James Austin Johnson.

It was certainly Nicholas.

[Pete Martell]

5 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Jason made the new Biden portrayer look like a bad joke. Poor guy.

And just like Ellen, Mellen can't dance. 😌

I actually gasped at what the Devil said about Disney and Scarlett Johansson.

I thought this was a great episode and that Jason elevated every sketch he was in.

I think the problem with parodying Biden is what they got around to in this sketch - there is no real fun to be had. Good as Jason is in the role, he's playing a man of the past. I don't think James Austin Johnson's Biden is  wonderful, but I think it may  be about the best they will get for now. I really liked Woody Harrelson's take,  but he's very busy, I am sure.

4 hours ago, opus said:

Don’t think they’d do it two weeks in a row, so it probably came down to would you rather have Lindsey sitting there quietly, or Jason dancing?  (And this assumes Lindsey agreeing to do it.)

It's a  no-win situation - Lindsey may have been willing to do it, but Jason wasn't there. Since the Lindsey story already had closure, I think they made the right choice. I still wish they'd had Kenan, dressed as Diondre, introduce Lindsey's performance though. 

WUWT is one of those sketches which had closure several times over, but people love it, and if you don't bring the sketch back, you are more likely to make them feel let down. I thought they  did about the best they could by referencing how much older everyone has gotten, and having Diondre as just assuming that Nicholas  Braun (who was pretty funny in those bits) was just Lindsey in costume. 

10 hours ago, DEL901 said:

I don’t remember Jason on SNL, so you are probably right there, but Ted Lasso is far from predictable and Ted himself has so many layers we are just learning about.  I started it sceptical.  First episode wasn’t terrible so I watched the second.  Then the third. Then it was 3 am and I had finished season 1.   

I think Jason was wonderful on SNL, but he was often in bro roles, douchebag roles. You didn't get much of what he gets to do in Ted Lasso. I'm glad that he got to show that in  his monologue  (which apparently he wrote a lot of himself).  

[Thumper]

Jason’s Biden is my favorite of all I have seen on SNL.  So funny!  The New Biden is odd to me - he has Biden’s mouth being crooked, or droopy on one side.   ( or is that the actor’s mouth, in which case I apologize.)

Edited October 25, 2021 by Thumper

[possibilities]

Biden does hold his mouth that way, though. Lately he's often talking kind of sideways. I don't know if it was always like that or if something is going on. The impression exaggerates it, but impressions always exaggerate.

I think there could be fun in a Biden impersonation. I am under the impression that no one is really following his activities closely enough to find the hook. He recently did a whole thing where he was walking around with children and they were interacting with him. The child/politician event ALWAYS has humor in it. He also did a Town Hall this week, where he was asked about changing the filibuster and he made actual news by saying he'd like to do it but that he can't say so because if he does he will lose votes on his infrastructure package. I mean... he knew he was on camera, right? He doesn't really think he can say something at a Town Hall and no one in Congress will find out?
The man has always been gaffe prone, and has been reining that tendency in a lot, but then he goes and says something actually substantive against his own best judgment. There has to be a hook in there somewhere. Joe-- he can't hide his feelings. Or Biden: ask me anything!

But it doesn't seem like SNL has anyone on staff right now who actually follows the Democrats. They aren't having sex scandals or doing things that are crude and shocking in the way of some past leaders-- from Bill Clinton's Monica mess, to Bush barfing at a formal dinner, to Spicer lying more blatantly about crowd size than even the usual political lie.  SNL hooks are usually less about the details and more about the broad stuff that isn't actually political per se. Even "The Rock Obama" wasn't about his policies, it was more about his persona. With Biden, he's a lot quieter than he used to be, and he's not making as many scandalous headlines, so any humor would require following his schedule more, and it might not be as familiar to viewers if they try to parody it. If no one watches Jen Psaki, or saw the Biden Town Hall or children with Potus event, SNL can't talk about it because no one will get their references. It's sad, though, because there are opportunities. But it only works if people are tuned in to it generally.

 

 

[peeayebee]

I was underwhelmed by the ep. I will say that Jason is a great performer. That's nothing new.

My favorite sketch was the last one. It was so silly, and everyone was great in it. 

I liked the PBS Science Room sketch. At first I didn't recognize Cecily. I thought she was the new cast member. Anyway, this was fun, and I'm looking forward to watching the dress rehearsal video.

I was really enjoying the elementary school parent/teacher sketch, but the ending was so awful. The show really has a hard time figuring out how to end their sketches.

The only thing I liked about What Up With That? was watching Jason dance. It really is mesmerizing.

Andrew was good in the Declaration of Independence sketch.

 

[Scout Finch]

Melissa's boyfriend actually broke up with her back in August and the only reason I know this was through her social media: "when my ex told me all the things that show I'm a narcissist, at that moment I was wearing, i kid you not, a bracelet that said 'one of a kind.' i was crying then started cracking up." She's adorable, his loss!

Edited October 25, 2021 by Scout Finch

[Tachi Rocinante]

Meh.  The Declaration sketch was a good idea until they quickly ran out of dudebro adjectives for "sick-ass treasure map."  It was painful and illustrative of the poor writing on this show.

Science Room was good.  Parent-teacher conference was awful. Update continues to be the only thing consistently funny.

[rollacoaster]

With Jason there, they could have done a Maine Justice skit, which could have included pretty much the entire cast. The last one they did with Jamie Fox was HILARIOUS. What's Up With That was a nice bit of nostalgia, but, nothing special. 

I don't understand why they don't do more with Punky. They seem to be using the new guy that plays Biden quite a bit off the bat.

[saber5055]

I'm hoping future COs will be about topics other than Biden. I haven't found any of the Biden impressions good, nor funny. And do COs always have to be political in nature. Last week the football CO was hilarious and a fun beginning to a great episode. There really are lots of other things to make fun of right now besides the president ... who, let's face it, isn't very funny or doing weird things to make fun of. JMHO of course, and YMMV.

[SoMuchTV]

38 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

I'm hoping future COs will be about topics other than Biden. I haven't found any of the Biden impressions good, nor funny. And do COs always have to be political in nature. Last week the football CO was hilarious and a fun beginning to a great episode. There really are lots of other things to make fun of right now besides the president ... who, let's face it, isn't very funny or doing weird things to make fun of. JMHO of course, and YMMV.

I don't argue with your larger point, but I think in this particular case, to have Jason Sudeikis and not take advantage of his Biden would be a missed opportunity.  "Man, Hillary got awesome!"

[saber5055]

1 minute ago, SoMuchTV said:

"Man, Hillary got awesome!"

Yeah, that was a great line I admit.

[possibilities]

47 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

"Man, Hillary got awesome!"

That was very funny!

[Scott]

On 10/24/2021 at 3:45 AM, cambridgeguy said:

They posted the dress rehearsal version of Science Room on YouTube and it's better than what aired - at the end Melissa accidentally mispronounces the kid's name and Jason runs with it.  You can see everyone else starting to break.

Watching this again reminded me of how out-of-date their periodic table was.  Someone send Lorne $20 for a new poster!

[saber5055]

3 hours ago, Scott said:

Watching this again reminded me of how out-of-date their periodic table was.

But they only use it periodically!

[Pete Martell]

13 hours ago, Scott said:

Watching this again reminded me of how out-of-date their periodic table was.  Someone send Lorne $20 for a new poster!

This reminds me that in the original sketch (with Sam Rockwell), they tried to make the show look like a vintage program, even filming in a different frame. The last two have been just a regular style. I wonder if the poster is left over from when the sketch was meant to be vintage. 

16 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I'm hoping future COs will be about topics other than Biden. I haven't found any of the Biden impressions good, nor funny. And do COs always have to be political in nature. Last week the football CO was hilarious and a fun beginning to a great episode. There really are lots of other things to make fun of right now besides the president ... who, let's face it, isn't very funny or doing weird things to make fun of. JMHO of course, and YMMV.

@possibilities said many things about the political writing that I agree with (especially that they only seem to want to write for easy scandals - although the Trump era showed how poorly written most of THAT was, in my opinion), but I think some of my sour mood about political cold opens is that I also just don't want to see them. I think James Austin Johnson is alright as Biden, but I think - and I have a feeling that will be the case [this week being a special week] - we should not see him very often.  I think the biggest problem for me is many of these cold opens feel like they are written at gunpoint, and also padded out to either kill time in the episode, or to get more articles and more Youtube views. I was absolutely thrilled that this cold open went under five minutes, and kept to a tight theme. I think that helps stop the night from dragging. I saw that Colin Jost did not help write this cold open, which helps explain why it was so much shorter...

19 hours ago, rollacoaster said:

With Jason there, they could have done a Maine Justice skit, which could have included pretty much the entire cast. The last one they did with Jamie Fox was HILARIOUS. What's Up With That was a nice bit of nostalgia, but, nothing special. 

I don't understand why they don't do more with Punky. They seem to be using the new guy that plays Biden quite a bit off the bat.

Apparently Jason had to fight for years to get Maine Justice on. I don't think the second sketch (with Justin Timberlake) was as good as the first, so that may be why he or the show didn't want to bring it back.

I really like Punkie. She has a very warm energy which helps take away some of the cool kids/smug vibe the show sometimes gets. She comes across as someone you might actually want to be friends with. I sometimes wonder if that is why she is still there - to help make viewers feel more at ease - as they barely use her otherwise. I did love her part in that "Grown Women in the Club" pre-tape a few weeks ago. 

I think James Austin Johnson has benefited massively from Beck leaving.

Anyway, I thought this was funny - The Devil's return was Jason's 666th appearance on SNL.

 

Edited October 26, 2021 by Pete Martell

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Pete Martell said:

This reminds me that in the original sketch (with Sam Rockwell), they tried to make the show look like a vintage program, even filming in a different frame. The last two have been just a regular style. I wonder if the poster is left over from when the sketch was meant to be vintage.

Cecily and Mikey still looked kind of 80s-ish in style to me (and so did Melissa, for that matter), so I thought they were still going with a vintage setting, more or less.

[possibilities]

3 hours ago, Pete Martell said:

I thought this was funny - The Devil's return was Jason's 666th appearance on SNL.

Ha!

--

I doubt anyone at SNL keeps up with new element discoveries, so they probably didn't know their periodic table was out of date. I couldn't see the set well enough to tell anyway (the fault of my eyes, not the show), but it's funnier, somehow, if it IS out of date on purpose. Low budget public access TV show, featuring local kids and the resident science teacher with no patience does capture the general tone of the sketch. I doesn't give off the vibe of your usual highly produced "Children's Educational Program" on PBS or a commercial network. 

[LaylaGirl]

On 10/24/2021 at 8:08 AM, Melina22 said:

Brandi Carlisle was incredible. What a voice! First time I've listened to an SNL musical guest's entire song in years. 

I agree. I know it is my age, but I rarely listen to the musical guest either - although I also enjoyed Kacey Musgraves. I thought Brandi seemed so happy to be there performing! Her joy just seemed to radiate.

[Such A Flirt]

I was hoping for The Devil and What Up, so I was very happy with the episode.

[LuvMyShows]

On 10/24/2021 at 10:29 PM, peeayebee said:

I liked the PBS Science Room sketch. 

Loved it.  Laughed out loud multiple times, which is quite unusual.  I do remember also laughing out loud when Adam Driver played the scientist.

On 10/24/2021 at 10:29 PM, peeayebee said:

I was really enjoying the elementary school parent/teacher sketch, but the ending was so awful. The show really has a hard time figuring out how to end their sketches.

The skit was going so well, and then, yeah, the ending problem.  SNL has had it for decades.

On 10/24/2021 at 10:52 AM, ahisma said:

I can never take my eyes off Jason’s dancing during WUWT.

Me too, and as I was watching, I was trying to figure out why, but I couldn't...so I just sat back and enjoyed it!

On 10/24/2021 at 12:43 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

I thought this was a great episode and that Jason elevated every sketch he was in.

Jason has a certain charisma that truly elevates every sketch he is in.  Unfortunately, the actor playing the new Biden just doesn't seem to have it, and maybe that's part of why his Biden hasn't caught on even though visually it's pretty good.

On 10/24/2021 at 12:51 AM, Lethallyfab said:

The character’s knee may be wonky but Jason still had the moves for ‘What’s Up With That’ including the height he got while leaping from out of frame/off-camera.

I had noticed him re-entering frame, and wondered where on earth he had come from.  He looked so high up that I thought he had jumped down from something.  What did he do?

[Jody]

On 10/24/2021 at 12:51 AM, Lethallyfab said:

The character’s knee may be wonky but Jason still had the moves for ‘What’s Up With That’ including the height he got while leaping from out of frame/off-camera.

That said, I was even more excited to see The Devil.

Also, the media is obsessed with making power rankings of the Succession characters each week, so I’ll say that Nicholas Braun appearing before Kiernan hosts is a total power move, especially since it presumes that Cousin Greg is a recognizable enough character to be a Halloween costume.  (J Smith-Cameron has had a TON of press coverage recently so I’m betting we will get a Geri cameo when Kiernan hosts.)

Have two relatives ever separately hosted before?  None spring to mind.

I thought Jason and the cast’s sheer enthusiasm carried a lot of the material — none of which was overly weak but not incredibly great either.  Lots of them seemed better on paper than execution.  The parent teacher conference was probably my favorite.  

I had heard of Brandi Carlisle but had never heard her - that second song was absolutely amazing.

          THAT SECOND SONG WAS AMAZING ! YES,IT WAS AMAZING ! I CAN NOT EVEN HOLD THOSE NOTES AND SHE DID THAT THREE TIMES ! SHE EVEN WAS HOLDING THAT NOTE AND THEN MODULATED WHICH IS LIKE GO UP TO ANOTHER HIGHER NOTE ! I LIKED THAT SECOND SONG BETTER THAN THE FIRST SONG  LIKED  ! ! ! 

[Jody]

On 10/23/2021 at 10:59 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:

I like Sudeikis and all, and I was genuinely excited for this episode, but so far, this is really not my humour!  

The Mellen thing was unexpected though.  Lol. 

The Math Teacher sketch with Ego was okay too, I guess.  But man I don't care for potty humour.   And what even kind of humour was that Annie sketch?  Cannibalism humour?  Maybe Sudeikis was always like this?

I am losing my MIND excited over Kieran Culkin being the next host.

        I Thought The Last Repeat Would be Natasha Lyonne So Kate Could Go Be With The Aliens OR Maybe Even John Mulaney ! ! Instead, They Are Having Lizzo ! That Was Also A Good Episode ! New Shows Are In TWO Weeks !

On 10/24/2021 at 3:54 PM, saber5055 said:

Google "Steve Bartman" and you'll find all kinds of articles about him. There even was a movie, "Steve Bartman: Catching Hell." The Cubs were heading for their first World Series in more than 100 years when Bartman interfered with a fly ball that Moises Alou was going to catch to end the Marlins at bat. Immediately afterward, Bartman had to be escorted by police out of Wrigley Field after being pelted with garbage by fans, and getting death threats that continued well after that ballgame. After the Bartman event, the Cubs fell apart and Marlins won. It took the Cubs 13 years to recover.

In the WUWT sketch, Bartman came in holding a baseball while Kenan sang "Steve Bartman, you are forgiven."

         Thank You For Telling Me about This ! I Probably Would Not Have Googled That And I Would Still Be Wondering What Had Happened ! !  

[Jody]

On 10/24/2021 at 7:18 PM, Pete Martell said:

I think the problem with parodying Biden is what they got around to in this sketch - there is no real fun to be had. Good as Jason is in the role, he's playing a man of the past. I don't think James Austin Johnson's Biden is  wonderful, but I think it may  be about the best they will get for now. I really liked Woody Harrelson's take,  but he's very busy, I am sure.

It's a  no-win situation - Lindsey may have been willing to do it, but Jason wasn't there. Since the Lindsey story already had closure, I think they made the right choice. I still wish they'd had Kenan, dressed as Diondre, introduce Lindsey's performance though. 

WUWT is one of those sketches which had closure several times over, but people love it, and if you don't bring the sketch back, you are more likely to make them feel let down. I thought they  did about the best they could by referencing how much older everyone has gotten, and having Diondre as just assuming that Nicholas  Braun (who was pretty funny in those bits) was just Lindsey in costume. 

I think Jason was wonderful on SNL, but he was often in bro roles, douchebag roles. You didn't get much of what he gets to do in Ted Lasso. I'm glad that he got to show that in  his monologue  (which apparently he wrote a lot of himself).  

         Some Body Complained The First Time This Was Shown That They Thought Jason Was Off And maybe He Was Nervous ! I Thought I Had Seen Three Joe Bidens And I Thought They Were Jason, The New Guy And I THOUGHT Woody And They Had The Friendly Joe Biden And Woody WAs The Creepy Joe Biden ! ! ! Lindsey DID Have Closure, But They Were Going To Show Jason's Crazy Dancing ! The Closure Was With Bill Hader AND The Real Lindsay Buckingham ! ! You Don't Have What Up With That Some Times Because People Like To See That ! You Had That Because Jason Was The Host !