S47.E21: Natasha Lyonne / Japanese Breakfast

[ichbin]

I was hoping for a graduating class send-off like they did for Kristen Wiig.  I could swear there was something like that for Jimmy Fallon or Tina Fey also.  At least they gave Kate a good-bye of sorts during the cold open.  

[meowmommy]

20 hours ago, JeanJean said:

then there were cast members who seemed to hate each other (Chase and Murray)

They didn't work together.  Bill Murray replaced Chevy Chase, so not sure how they could have hated each other except possibly from afar.

[vb68]

6 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

Awww, man! I'm bummed that was cut. That would have been a great wrap for Pete.

Me too.  I liked the video more than several of the sketches.  I think I would have shaved some time off both The Lounge and the 9 to 5 sketch. Both were too long as they were anyway.  Or you know what? I would have traded the video for guy on a boat in a second.

Quote

I could swear there was something like that for Jimmy Fallon or Tina Fey also.

I believe it was a parody of Summer Nights from Grease.

Edited May 23, 2022 by vb68

[JeanJean]

50 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

They didn't work together.  Bill Murray replaced Chevy Chase, so not sure how they could have hated each other except possibly from afar.

https://www.biography.com/news/chevy-chase-bill-murray-feud

[Jody]

On 5/22/2022 at 10:37 AM, peeayebee said:

I like the boat guy. Alex is great at delivering those awful lines. "Be like Napoleon and bone her parts." I don't like the joke swap. It's just an excuse to have politically incorrect jokes.

Me too. The pigtails sketch wasn't much. I would have preferred either the farm-owning sisters or the cat ladies.

I was disappointed in the show. I was so looking forward to Natasha, but I didn't really like her. She was basically the same in all the sketches.

Loved seeing the alien abduction sketch again. This may be my favorite Kate character, and what a perfect way to send her off. I teared up watching her tear up getting on the spacecraft. 

The monologue was fine. Loved Fred's and Maya's impressions. "Cockaroach."

The stupid-people-voting sketch was good. I hope some people don't take it the wrong way, by which I mean, I hope they don't think that people who vote are stupid. The unstated message is, There are lots of stupid people voting, so YOU need to vote, too!

Loved seeing the Trend Forecasters. 

The goodbyes. I think this is the first time I cried watching them.

        Natasha Was NOT The Same In ALL The Sketches ! The Alien And The Baseball Announcer And The Harmonica Player Was ALL Different ! 1 1 NOW, The Baseball Announcer And The Person Who Got Shot , THEY Were The Same And They Even Looked The Same ! ! 

On 5/22/2022 at 3:00 PM, Bossa Nova said:

Sorry, but I didn't find one sketch that was funny. Maybe the stupid people video, sort of. But barely.

Natasha Lyonne was delightful with her quirky personality, and the girl does have acting chops! 

But as said upthread, she didnt have much to work with in terms of great written sketches.

        What Kind OF Sketches Did You Want ? They Were Doing Some Thing Different With The Baseball Announcer In 1951 ! I Thought Kyle In That Sketch With Kenan Singing Is Kyle's Best Character Because He Is NOT Annoying in That Sketch ! I Liked The Way Natasha Was Playing The Harmonica in That Sketch ! The Alien IS Kate's Funniest Character ! I Agree That There Wasn't Much Of Any Thing With the Grey Pigtails Except That Aidy ,Kate And Kyle ARE ALL Leaving ! ! ! I Thought The Stupid People Voting Was Funny ! I Thought Aidy Doing Trend Setters And Future Trend Setters With NO Michael Che Was Funny Because Michael Che Is Probably Leaving ! 

On 5/22/2022 at 8:01 PM, AriAu said:

Weak ending to a pretty weak season. On the other hand perfect sendoff for Kate and almost perfect for Aidy. as for Kyle, they will find someone else to do really weird videos and Baby Yoda, but they wont find anyone that can do the impressions that Kate did. Probably the greatest female cast member, barely beating out Gilda, but far ahead of the rest.

He was a weak cast member.....one memorable character (Chad) and mostly doing stand-up about himself and his messed up personal life. I'm glad SNL saved his life, but all the headlines are about him leaving when they should be honoring Kate, who will truly be missed!

       I Don't Agree That Kate Was The Greatest Impressionist And Barely Beating Gilda ! ! I Like Jan Hooks And Melissa Was Better AT Impressions And So Is Chloe With Impressions ! ! Cecily IS Better With Impressions ! IT Seemed Like People Did Not Miss Kate That Much Last Fall When She Was Not On The Show ! Some People Were Unhappy When Kate Came Back ! I'm Not Saying Kate Has NO Talent, But, I Think She Is Ready To Leave ! 

[Pete Martell]

27 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

They didn't work together.  Bill Murray replaced Chevy Chase, so not sure how they could have hated each other except possibly from afar.

20 hours ago, JeanJean said:

I guess it depends on the years and who the ensemble was. I've read that some years were distressingly competitive, and then there were cast members who seemed to hate each other (Chase and Murray). This crew seems really good-natured, and I can see them being very supportive of each other.

Do Jost and Che usually do the joke swap in the season finale? If so, waaaah. I love that.

Their blowup came when Chevy returned to host. It was a combination of Murray hearing a lot of bad stories about Chevy after he left, Murray having a hot temper, and Chevy, as was almost always the case when he returned to host, not being the friendliest of people.  

Many people on SNL had  very ugly conflicts. Supposedly the cast has gotten along better in the last decade, and the workplace is less toxic, but I imagine there is still some tension. 

3 minutes ago, vb68 said:

Me too.  I liked the video more than several of the sketches.  I think I would have shaved some time off both The Lounge and the 9 to 5 sketch. Both were too long as they were anyway.  Or you know what? I would have traded the video for guy on a boat in a second.

I would agree the two sketches could have been trimmed, but between the boat and the rap pre-tape, I'd rather have the guy on a boat. It's not even a favorite of mine, by any means, but it's at least something the studio audience has fun reacting to (and most of the rest of Update, aside from Aidy's goodbye, felt very flat to me). Alex has been there all season, even returning after he got COVID, always taking throwaway parts and doing his best with them. Pete just didn't show up for half a season. I wish him well, and  I don't think he "owes" SNL, but as he got a goodbye on Update, I'm not as sorry to not see his latest attempt at rapping or the tribute to Lorne which I found kind of offputting due to all the deepfakes and body doubles. I did like the part at the end with Eminem.

1 hour ago, ichbin said:

I was hoping for a graduating class send-off like they did for Kristen Wiig.  I could swear there was something like that for Jimmy Fallon or Tina Fey also.  At least they gave Kate a good-bye of sorts during the cold open.  

I imagine if Lorne had had his say this would have happened, as Phil Hartman and Will Ferrell also had big sendoffs. I'd guess Kate, Aidy and Pete weren't interested (and Kyle, much as I like him, has never been seen as big enough by the show or a lot of fans to get that type of moment). 

One of the downsides of knowing about the exits in advance was I had expectations they weren't able to match, which was silly of me,. I should have remembered this was more likely to be like the typical SNL finale - tired, flat, with a few gems. I did really like the prom pre-tape (one of the strongest pieces of the season) - only the 9 to 5 sketch and the Kenan singing sketch didn't work for me (although it was nice to see Ego/Heidi/Cecily together). Just not a finale to remember, aside from the prom piece and the moving farewells from Kate and Aidy. Oh and I thought Japanese Breakfast were great, especially the second performance. And Natasha, who had so much charisma and pep I'd like to see her host again, did a great job in that baseball sketch, which wouldn't have been much without her. 

I was hoping we'd get one more Please Don't Destroy film.

So on to next season - we'll see who will return and if they finally stop bringing in new people. I hope everyone enjoys their summer.

Dress rehearsal cuts and writing credits:

 

[Lorna Mae]

6 hours ago, AriAu said:

I'm glad SNL saved [Pete’s] life, but all the headlines are about him leaving when they should be honoring Kate, who will truly be missed!

I dunno. I think with Kate, if you seek her monument, you’ll soon be able to look around you, and with Pete, there’s a bit more of a need to sell him. Y’all probably know more about it than I do — what are his prospects?

 I didn’t expect to be so sad. And I haven’t even seen the goodnight yet. I’ll have to check Hulu because my local affiliate only showed the last ten seconds. They were stuck on a still of Natasha, and I thought, “ Oh man, of all the goodnights I don’t want to miss…”

[vb68]

1 hour ago, Pete Martell said:

I would agree the two sketches could have been trimmed, but between the boat and the rap pre-tape, I'd rather have the guy on a boat. It's not even a favorite of mine, by any means, but it's at least something the studio audience has fun reacting to (and most of the rest of Update, aside from Aidy's goodbye, felt very flat to me). Alex has been there all season, even returning after he got COVID, always taking throwaway parts and doing his best with them. Pete just didn't show up for half a season. I wish him well, and  I don't think he "owes" SNL, but as he got a goodbye on Update, I'm not as sorry to not see his latest attempt at rapping or the tribute to Lorne which I found kind of offputting due to all the deepfakes and body doubles. I did like the part at the end with Eminem.

I would totally agree that on the whole, this Update felt pretty flat. Besides the goodbyes to Aidy and Pete, nothing Jost and Che did suggested this was the final update of the season (much less possibly permanently for one or both of them), and it seemed like they were more or less going through the motions. And for me, "Guy on a Boat" fell into that as well. The wordplay is fine, it's just not anything new or that I haven't seen before. It just seemed like a time filler. And was fairly boring for me.  I'll always advocate for Alex getting more time, but in this case I just enjoyed Pete's video a lot more. And yeah, there's that big cameo, too. And sweet nods to Kate, Kyle, and "Baby" Aidy. (I LOVE that callback.)   

[Pete Martell]

30 minutes ago, vb68 said:

I would totally agree that on the whole, this Update felt pretty flat. Besides the goodbyes to Aidy and Pete, nothing Jost and Che did suggested this was the final update of the season (much less possibly permanently for one or both of them), and it seemed like they were more or less going through the motions. And for me, "Guy on a Boat" fell into that as well. The wordplay is fine, it's just not anything new or that I haven't seen before. It just seemed like a time filler. And was fairly boring for me.  I'll always advocate for Alex getting more time, but in this case I just enjoyed Pete's video a lot more. And yeah, there's that big cameo, too. And sweet nods to Kate, Kyle, and "Baby" Aidy. (I LOVE that callback.)   

If they had cut  Pete's goodbye on Update, which he already did last year, and showed the video, I'd be alright with that. It's more two goodbyes for someone who essentially left the show months ago that I wasn't into. 

[Tachi Rocinante]

20 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I like the boat guy. Alex is great at delivering those awful lines. "Be like Napoleon and bone her parts." I don't like the joke swap. It's just an excuse to have politically incorrect jokes.

For me, the misogynistic boat douche bit is just as bad as the joke swap bit.

14 hours ago, Avabelle said:

Couldn’t they have given Fred Armisen's scene in Working 9-5 sketch to one of the regular cast?

Don't you know that Fred is a super genius and he is the bestest greatest smartest funniest cast member and comedian, like evah?  {cough}

• I've said this before - Kyle should have left years ago.
• Trend Setters was awful as usual, but it was for Aidy so I give them a pass.
• Natasha's old-timey sports guy was great. (And she didn't even have to change for the other sketch.)
• Does Maya Rudolph not own a mirror, or does she really just not give a shit?

[lovinbob]

17 hours ago, ichbin said:

I was hoping for a graduating class send-off like they did for Kristen Wiig.  I could swear there was something like that for Jimmy Fallon or Tina Fey also.  At least they gave Kate a good-bye of sorts during the cold open.  

I hated that Kristen Wiig send-off. This show is supposed to be an ensemble, not the homecoming Queen (or king) and their court. IIRC that was the last show for a couple of other major stars (Andy Samberg and Sudeikis, I think?) and the everloving focus on Kristen rubbed me the wrong way. Especially when she danced with Lorne. 

I enjoyed this episode pretty thoroughly. I loved the Trend Forecasters and I loved that that was Aidy’s send off. For a relatively new sketch, those characters are memorable, and Bowen and Aidy together are delightful. And Michael’s moment at the end is always good for a laugh! 

I love Alex and I love the boat guy sketch! 

I wish Pete the best. While he isn’t that versatile of a performer, he was always game to play whatever character, even when they weren’t necessarily in his wheelhouse. I think his writing/standup are strong. He has a lot of depth and insights that are very relevant today. His personal life is an enigma but he’s definitely very talented. 

I loved the Kenan/band sketch, although it did feel reminiscent of What Up with That. Natasha’s character was like Triangle Sally and Cecily reminded me of Sudeikis. Just fun.  

Edited May 23, 2022 by lovinbob

[Ottis]

15 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

This whole season has been comparatively weak IMO.

Agree. Most shows I kept waiting for something either clever or that made me laugh. A lot of it was meh, though now and then there was an inkling of ridiculousness I enjoyed.

13 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

I have a soft spot for Pete. He's self-aware, and I appreciate how open he is about his mental health. SNL probably saved his life.

But now he is in the Kardashian mess, so his life is at even greater risk. That never ends well.

I had no idea who Natasha Lyonne is, didn't watch either show mentioned. She reminded me of Nina Blackwood, one of the original MTV VJs. I had to look her up and was shocked she is only 43. I pegged her at 50ish. Looks like she has had a rough past. She was game for anything, which I loved.

The Eminem skit that was cut was better than anything they showed. 

Edited May 23, 2022 by Ottis

[cinsays]

17 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

Awww, man! I'm bummed that was cut. That would have been a great wrap for Pete.

yeah and it would have been the only funny sketch in the whole episode

[TV Diva Queen]

was Harry Styles supposed to host - I say that because Natassha in her monologue said "yeah I wish I was Harry Styles too" 

[Pete Martell]

22 minutes ago, TV Diva Queen said:

was Harry Styles supposed to host - I say that because Natassha in her monologue said "yeah I wish I was Harry Styles too" 

A lot of Harry stans on places like Twitter wanted him to host and were sure he was going to host. When he didn't, they spammed the announcement tweets with complaints.

19 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Have they ever opened with the alien abduction sketch before? That actually turned out to be rather poignant. <golf claps>.

I didn't realize Natasha Lyonne had achieved hosting status. The only thing I'm aware of ever seeing her in is Orange is the New Black. Sounds like she's kinda well-connected to SNL and has also paid her show business dues. I had no idea.

Pete needs to rethink that mustache unless it's for a role. And I didn't get the joke about Lorne gifting him a sock. But it was touching to see him get teary-eyed after he finished his WU sign-off.

Apparently Natasha being ticklish is a backstage joke? She didn't break though--not much anyway.

Not the worst season finale. This whole season has been comparatively weak IMO.

I don't think the season has had as many highs as some in recent years but as a whole it was more consistent for me than any since probably season 42. There were a lot of different concepts and personalities in the mix, which sometimes wasn't a good thing, but at least meant most episodes had something I liked. If they just tightened up their writing more, improved the running order for episodes, balanced the cast more, and made choices like more fully moving away from bloated political cold opens, I think they would improve further. 

[proserpina65]

Well that was mostly non-funny.  And I didn't realize until I was watching the news this morning that Kate McKinnon was leaving because I've always hated those alien abduction skits so I skipped it.  I did get the impression that Aidy Bryant was leaving from the trends bit on Weekend Update.  I'll miss them both.  Not so much Pete Davison, although I did occasionally find him funny.

[vb68]

1 hour ago, TV Diva Queen said:

was Harry Styles supposed to host - I say that because Natassha in her monologue said "yeah I wish I was Harry Styles too" 

It did take them forever to announce who was hosting the finale. It took longer than I remember it taking in the past decade or two. So I think it's a fair assumption that they were holding out for somebody. I'm also still rather surprised that Natasha Lyonne was considered a big enough name for the finale.

[proserpina65]

On 5/22/2022 at 1:17 AM, JeanJean said:

Do Jost and Che usually do the joke swap in the season finale?

They usually do it for the last show of the calendar year - generally it's the Christmas show.

Vote, Prom and Weekend Update were funny.  That was about it.

On 5/22/2022 at 10:37 AM, peeayebee said:

I like the boat guy. Alex is great at delivering those awful lines. "Be like Napoleon and bone her parts." I don't like the joke swap. It's just an excuse to have politically incorrect jokes.

I like both.

On 5/22/2022 at 4:39 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

And I didn't get the joke about Lorne gifting him a sock.

It was a reference to Harry Potter.  House elves were like indentured servants who had to dress mostly in rags but if the family gave them clothes, they were free.  Harry arranged it for one to receive a sock from his owner.

13 hours ago, lovinbob said:

I loved the Trend Forecasters and I loved that that was Aidy’s send off. For a relatively new sketch, those characters are memorable, and Bowen and Aidy together are delightful. And michael’s moment at the end is always good for a laugh! 

I loved that one.  Bowen and Aidy played off each other so well.

[Pete Martell]

31 minutes ago, vb68 said:

It did take them forever to announce who was hosting the finale. It took longer than I remember it taking in the past decade or two. So I think it's a fair assumption that they were holding out for somebody. I'm also still rather surprised that Natasha Lyonne was considered a big enough name for the finale.

I think it may have been down to Natasha being friends with a number of people in the cast, including Kate and Aidy. They had a hard time saying goodbye, I'm guessing, and having a familiar face there with them helping them through was probably a factor. 

32 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

They usually do it for the last show of the calendar year - generally it's the Christmas show.

I think they had it on both shows last season (Christmas and finale). They didn't with Christmas this year as Colin was not there. I kind of wish they'd announced in advance they were no longer doing joke swap as I feel like a lot of people would have understood it more than just not having one.

Anyway, another cut sketch was uploaded. I don't watch First Take and I think Steven Smith is enough of a self-parody  that he can't be parodied very well, but this is better than the last one (with Will Forte) as Natasha fits in better.

[Jody]

20 hours ago, Pete Martell said:

Their blowup came when Chevy returned to host. It was a combination of Murray hearing a lot of bad stories about Chevy after he left, Murray having a hot temper, and Chevy, as was almost always the case when he returned to host, not being the friendliest of people.  

Many people on SNL had  very ugly conflicts. Supposedly the cast has gotten along better in the last decade, and the workplace is less toxic, but I imagine there is still some tension. 

I would agree the two sketches could have been trimmed, but between the boat and the rap pre-tape, I'd rather have the guy on a boat. It's not even a favorite of mine, by any means, but it's at least something the studio audience has fun reacting to (and most of the rest of Update, aside from Aidy's goodbye, felt very flat to me). Alex has been there all season, even returning after he got COVID, always taking throwaway parts and doing his best with them. Pete just didn't show up for half a season. I wish him well, and  I don't think he "owes" SNL, but as he got a goodbye on Update, I'm not as sorry to not see his latest attempt at rapping or the tribute to Lorne which I found kind of offputting due to all the deepfakes and body doubles. I did like the part at the end with Eminem.

I imagine if Lorne had had his say this would have happened, as Phil Hartman and Will Ferrell also had big sendoffs. I'd guess Kate, Aidy and Pete weren't interested (and Kyle, much as I like him, has never been seen as big enough by the show or a lot of fans to get that type of moment). 

One of the downsides of knowing about the exits in advance was I had expectations they weren't able to match, which was silly of me,. I should have remembered this was more likely to be like the typical SNL finale - tired, flat, with a few gems. I did really like the prom pre-tape (one of the strongest pieces of the season) - only the 9 to 5 sketch and the Kenan singing sketch didn't work for me (although it was nice to see Ego/Heidi/Cecily together). Just not a finale to remember, aside from the prom piece and the moving farewells from Kate and Aidy. Oh and I thought Japanese Breakfast were great, especially the second performance. And Natasha, who had so much charisma and pep I'd like to see her host again, did a great job in that baseball sketch, which wouldn't have been much without her. 

I was hoping we'd get one more Please Don't Destroy film.

So on to next season - we'll see who will return and if they finally stop bringing in new people. I hope everyone enjoys their summer.

Dress rehearsal cuts and writing credits:

           Darrell Hammond Also Got A BIG Send Off ! Actually, I Remember That More Than I Remember What Will Ferrell's Send Off Was ! 

18 hours ago, Pete Martell said:

If they had cut  Pete's goodbye on Update, which he already did last year, and showed the video, I'd be alright with that. It's more two goodbyes for someone who essentially left the show months ago that I wasn't into. 

           Yes, I Agree With You About Pete And I Do Think They Should Have Shown That Video Instead OF Pete's Good Bye ! ! 

14 hours ago, lovinbob said:

I hated that Kristen Wiig send-off. This show is supposed to be an ensemble, not the homecoming Queen (or king) and their court. IIRC that was the last show for a couple of other major stars (Andy Samberg and Sudeikis, I think?) and the everloving focus on Kristen rubbed me the wrong way. Especially when she danced with Lorne. 

I enjoyed this episode pretty thoroughly. I loved the Trend Forecasters and I loved that that was Aidy’s send off. For a relatively new sketch, those characters are memorable, and Bowen and Aidy together are delightful. And Michael’s moment at the end is always good for a laugh! 

I love Alex and I love the boat guy sketch! 

I wish Pete the best. While he isn’t that versatile of a performer, he was always game to play whatever character, even when they weren’t necessarily in his wheelhouse. I think his writing/standup are strong. He has a lot of depth and insights that are very relevant today. His personal life is an enigma but he’s definitely very talented. 

I loved the Kenan/band sketch, although it did feel reminiscent of What Up with That. Natasha’s character was like Triangle Sally and Cecily reminded me of Sudeikis. Just fun.  

               I AM Confused ! Is Pete Not Versatile OR Does Pete Have A Lot OF Depth And Is Very Talented ??? 

8 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Well that was mostly non-funny.  And I didn't realize until I was watching the news this morning that Kate McKinnon was leaving because I've always hated those alien abduction skits so I skipped it.  I did get the impression that Aidy Bryant was leaving from the trends bit on Weekend Update.  I'll miss them both.  Not so much Pete Davison, although I did occasionally find him funny.

               That Is Why They Did That Alien Sketch And AS The Cold Open ! ! IT Has Been Several Years Since They Had That Alien Sketch ! By The Way, That IS Kate's BEST Character ! Kate Is On That Tiger Exotic Show ! 

[Ms Blue Jay]

15 hours ago, lovinbob said:

I hated that Kristen Wiig send-off. This show is supposed to be an ensemble, not the homecoming Queen (or king) and their court. IIRC that was the last show for a couple of other major stars (Andy Samberg and Sudeikis, I think?) and the everloving focus on Kristen rubbed me the wrong way. Especially when she danced with Lorne. 

I agree.  I like Wiig, but that whole thing will always rub me the wrong way.  I don't know how anyone could find it acceptable when you are so clearly not treating other castmates that way.  It's kind of creepy, honestly.  Lorne acting like a father and Wiig the favourite child.  Euuuuuuughhhhh.

Edited May 24, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Peace 47]

This was the first time in as long as I can remember that I had no idea who the host was.  In his current stand-up tour (which I got to see on Sunday night!), John Mulaney name-checked her as someone who was at his intervention, and that was all I knew of her.  I read her Wiki page as I was watching the finale via YouTube clips last night, and she sure has had a harrowing personal life.

I really didn’t care for the finale much.  With a few exceptions here, it seems most posters like those alien abductions skits, but I have never really cared for them.  The first one was very funny because of all the breaking, but since then … eh.  I recognize and appreciate Kate’s contribution to the show and have certainly found her funny many, many times over the years, but I actually have not connected with her comedy in the same way that it seems most viewers overwhelmingly have. It was a good sendoff for her at the end of the abduction sketch, though.

Overall, I liked this season better than last season, so a little disappointing to finish on a meh note.  The only things I really liked in this show were the meth baseball announcer and Aidy and Bowen’s bit.

[proserpina65]

18 hours ago, Jody said:

That Is Why They Did That Alien Sketch And AS The Cold Open ! ! IT Has Been Several Years Since They Had That Alien Sketch ! By The Way, That IS Kate's BEST Character ! Kate Is On That Tiger Exotic Show ! 

Well, I had hate those damned sketches so I skipped it.  I actually think it's one of Kate's worst characters.  I knew about the Tiger King based mini-series but that's already been filmed so that wouldn't have been a reason for thinking she was leaving SNL.

8 hours ago, Peace 47 said:

his was the first time in as long as I can remember that I had no idea who the host was.

I saw her in The Slums of Beverly Hills years ago and thought she was good in it but other than that, I haven't seen her in anything.

[Pete Martell]

9 hours ago, Peace 47 said:

This was the first time in as long as I can remember that I had no idea who the host was.  In his current stand-up tour (which I got to see on Sunday night!), John Mulaney name-checked her as someone who was at his intervention, and that was all I knew of her.  I read her Wiki page as I was watching the finale via YouTube clips last night, and she sure has had a harrowing personal life.

John helped write her monologue, apparently. 

[Pete Martell]

Sarah bought specially made goodbye cakes for Kyle, Aidy and Kate.  A nice thing for Sarah to do - it also sort of shows why she has risen up in the ranks as quickly as she has.

https://twitter.com/thesnlnetwork/status/1529479329385783298

[Jody]

On 5/24/2022 at 3:32 PM, proserpina65 said:

Well, I had hate those damned sketches so I skipped it.  I actually think it's one of Kate's worst characters.  I knew about the Tiger King based mini-series but that's already been filmed so that wouldn't have been a reason for thinking she was leaving SNL.

I saw her in The Slums of Beverly Hills years ago and thought she was good in it but other than that, I haven't seen her in anything.

          I May Be Wrong, But I Think That Kate Would Leave And Do That Tiger Exotic Show For Next Season ! 

[proserpina65]

16 hours ago, Jody said:

          I May Be Wrong, But I Think That Kate Would Leave And Do That Tiger Exotic Show For Next Season ! 

According to sites I've read, there is no word on a season 2 for Joe vs. Carole, and season 1 was already done filming.  It streamed on Peacock in March.

Edited May 26, 2022 by proserpina65

[lovinbob]

On 5/23/2022 at 10:27 PM, Jody said:

               I AM Confused ! Is Pete Not Versatile OR Does Pete Have A Lot OF Depth And Is Very Talented ??? 

In my opinion, he isn't versatile as a performer but he tried his best. As a writer and performer of stand-up comedy, he presents unique insights. 

[Pete Martell]

A third sketch cut before the live show. 

Anna Drezen  helped write this, which may be why it  resembles the Aidy/Kate sketches she used to write. Chloe taking a Kate  role probably tells us  how the show  sees her. 

I could have cut the Maya and Fred part, but the rest is...alright, I guess. A good way  to kill a few minutes. I hate the lazy "rait-dapist" funny name joke though.

[Jody]

7 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

According to sites I've read, there is no word on a season 2 for Joe vs. Carole, and season 1 was already done filming.  It streamed on Peacock in March.

        That Man I Think Might Have Gone To Prison, But, I Guess I Thought They Would Try To Keep Doing That Show And Kate Would Still Be On That Show ! 

[Thumper]

5 hours ago, Pete Martell said:

A third sketch cut before the live show. 

Anna Drezen  helped write this, which may be why it  resembles the Aidy/Kate sketches she used to write. Chloe taking a Kate  role probably tells us  how the show  sees her. 

I could have cut the Maya and Fred part, but the rest is...alright, I guess. A good way  to kill a few minutes. I hate the lazy "rait-dapist" funny name joke though.

I like that sketch except for “ rait-dapist” and not being able to understand Maya’s French accent.  It’s dumb and funny.

[LuvMyShows]

On 5/22/2022 at 3:00 PM, Bossa Nova said:

Natasha Lyonne was delightful with her quirky personality, and the girl does have acting chops! 

She was better in the cut sketches, but from what we saw in the show that aired, she played the same character twice and had a meh

On 5/23/2022 at 12:37 PM, Pete Martell said:

If they just tightened up their writing more, improved the running order for episodes, balanced the cast more, and made choices like more fully moving away from bloated political cold opens, I think they would improve further. 

What I wouldn't give to have that happen! Take the 9ish-to-5ish sketch.  Having the two board members mistake the window for the door and thus fall out the window, made absolutely no sense in the construct of the skit and wasn't funny, but is so typical of the SNL writers' years-long absolute inability to end sketches. 

On 5/23/2022 at 7:25 AM, Tachi Rocinante said:

• Does Maya Rudolph not own a mirror, or does she really just not give a shit?

Yep, I really don't get it.

[Jody]

On 5/23/2022 at 2:12 AM, Lorna Mae said:

I dunno. I think with Kate, if you seek her monument, you’ll soon be able to look around you, and with Pete, there’s a bit more of a need to sell him. Y’all probably know more about it than I do — what are his prospects?

 I didn’t expect to be so sad. And I haven’t even seen the goodnight yet. I’ll have to check Hulu because my local affiliate only showed the last ten seconds. They were stuck on a still of Natasha, and I thought, “ Oh man, of all the goodnights I don’t want to miss…”

         Actually, Pete Has Been In Several Movies ! ! ! 

[Jody]

On 5/22/2022 at 12:09 AM, ebk57 said:

I pretty much agree with this, although I thought Lounge and 9-5 were just okay.  Overall, a strong finale and nice send-off to Kate and Aidy (and Kyle and Pete).  

I also enjoyed Japanese Breakfast.  I've heard her a few times interviewed on NPR, but this is the first time I've seen her perform.  

And, as always, thanks @Galileo908for your amazing recaps every week!  Have a great summer everyone!!

           I Thought The Microphone Was Maybe NOT Turned On In The First Song ! I Thought The Music Was Louder Than Her Singing In The First Song ! How Ever, I Thought Her Singing Was Louder And Better In The Second Song! ! I Also Liked The Second Song Better And I Liked Having The Saxophone, Keyboard, Guitar And Violin And IT Was Different Having Her Hit That Gong ! ! 

On 5/22/2022 at 12:18 AM, vb68 said:

I thought it was mostly a  good if underwhelming show. Natasha Lyonne was a fantastic host. She has an offbeat demeanor that works really well. She should have hosted before now. The old baseball sketch was amazing. And she worked well in both the Lounge and 9 to 5 meets Weekend at Bernie's sketches.

Each of the four announced cast departures got their goodbyes. I was worried about Kyle, but he got in there at the end. I guess I was expecting more of a Wiig SPECTACULAR send-off for them as a group. This wasn't that. but I have a feeling they got the goodbyes they wanted. it was just more low-key than I wanted and what they deserved IMO.

With apologies (sorta) to Carrie Bradshaw,

And just like that.... the season was over.

I really don't think Fred and Maya were needed. 

I  couldn't help but flashback to Gilda and Candice Bergen's legendary sketch with this. It seemed like an update.

          I Thought This Fit Better To Have Each Person Go Out Separately ! They Are All SO Different And They Don't Fit In A Group Saying How Much They Will Miss Kate and Pete And Kyle And Aidy ! How Ever, People Will Remember Kate In The Alien Sketch And Pete On Week End Update ! ! Aidy In Various Sketches And Then Being In The Various Trends And Kyle In Various Sketches ! ! ! ! 

On 5/22/2022 at 10:37 AM, peeayebee said:

I like the boat guy. Alex is great at delivering those awful lines. "Be like Napoleon and bone her parts." I don't like the joke swap. It's just an excuse to have politically incorrect jokes.

Me too. The pigtails sketch wasn't much. I would have preferred either the farm-owning sisters or the cat ladies.

I was disappointed in the show. I was so looking forward to Natasha, but I didn't really like her. She was basically the same in all the sketches.

Loved seeing the alien abduction sketch again. This may be my favorite Kate character, and what a perfect way to send her off. I teared up watching her tear up getting on the spacecraft. 

The monologue was fine. Loved Fred's and Maya's impressions. "Cockaroach."

The stupid-people-voting sketch was good. I hope some people don't take it the wrong way, by which I mean, I hope they don't think that people who vote are stupid. The unstated message is, There are lots of stupid people voting, so YOU need to vote, too!

Loved seeing the Trend Forecasters. 

The goodbyes. I think this is the first time I cried watching them.

      I Did Not Think OF That, But, You May Be Right About The Joke Swap Being An Excuse To Have Politically Incorrect Jokes ! Every Body Else Likes The Swapping Jokes ! ! I Don't Remember The Farm Owning Sisters ! I Do Remember Whiskers Are We And The Cops Series Fat and Dyke ! ! NO, Natasha Was NOT The Same In All The Sketches ! She Was Very Toned Down In The Alien Sketch, But, She Had So Much Energy In The Baseball Sketch And The Lounge Act ! ! ! She Had NO Energy In The 9 To5 Sketch ! 

[possibilities]

On 5/23/2022 at 3:12 AM, Lorna Mae said:

with Pete, there’s a bit more of a need to sell him. Y’all probably know more about it than I do — what are his prospects?

He's been doing a lot of movies, so I'm not too worried about his career.

[Jody]

On 6/16/2022 at 7:28 PM, LuvMyShows said:

She was better in the cut sketches, but from what we saw in the show that aired, she played the same character twice and had a meh

What I wouldn't give to have that happen! Take the 9ish-to-5ish sketch.  Having the two board members mistake the window for the door and thus fall out the window, made absolutely no sense in the construct of the skit and wasn't funny, but is so typical of the SNL writers' years-long absolute inability to end sketches. 

Yep, I really don't get it.

        I Agree With You About Maybe The Alien Sketch Should Have Been AT The End So That Would Be The Last Time We See Kate ! I Also Agree With You That IT Did NOT Make Any Sense To Have Those Men Go Out The Window And That Was Not Funny ! ! Maybe, They Should Have That Cut Video With Pete And Lorne In The Place OF The Gray Pigtails ! !