S40.E01: Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande

[Former Nun]

Then Leslie Jones makes her appearance... and although her bit wasn't funny, she was.  Just seeing her, and she wins me over.  If she could tone it down a little, she'd be so perfect for the anchor desk.  Dump Che and bring Leslie on!

 

I agree, Toaster Strudel.   I read that she auditioned to be a cast member at the same time as Sasheer.  Sasheer got the job over Leslie?  Maybe Sasheer is more versatile.  If so, GIVE HER SOME WORK!!   At least Leslie got a writer job...which may be better in the long run.  Sporadic appearances on the show just make us want her more.

[nowandlater]

Bobby is not "nearly", 17 years older, he's 15 years older (1978 vs 1993) - older, but not "you could be my dad older".

 

Pete Davidson: Born November 16, 1993.

 

Bobby Moynihan: Born January 31, 1977.

 

Moynihan turned 17 on January 31, 1994 -- when Pete was 2-1/2 months old.

 

I bet Leslie Jones is a featured player before the season reaches December. She was hysterical last night.

 

Leslie had a bigger role on last night's episode than Sasheer, so why isn't she a featured player already?

Edited September 28, 2014 by nowandlater

[Miss Scarlet]

The Maxie skit was super weird but I think they were parodying the super shoddy "Saved By The Bell: The New Class"/"California Dreamin'/"Breaker High" kind of shows that were on NBC Saturday mornings back in the day. For a while I thought the reveal would be that it was written by a second-grader.

Lol about it being written by a second grader. That's how I feel about most of Kyle/Beck's skits. Especially the horrible one from last year where he gave a tour of his high school or whatever. Like I said before, I understand that some of this stuff is supposed to seem amateur and that's part of why it's funny, but it comes across as too amateur. 

 

It was super cute how Beck leapt into Kyle's arms during the goodbyes. Wow, it must be nice to get on SNL with a friend.

Pete Davidson's bit on Update was okay, but I didn't think it was hilarious.

The whole thing was very odd to me. It sounds like he had one stupid conversation as a teenager where his friends claimed they wouldn't give a blowjob for a million dollars. There's nothing wrong with looking back on that and saying, "Man, was I dumb."

But don't act like it's a conversation every teenager has. And don't act like you're bravely "telling it like it is" for pointing out that it would probably be financially worth it.

 

ITA. So I'm not sure if my problem is more with him or the writers. Since it's probably something he wrote and was part of his stand-up before he came to SNL, I'm going to say my issue is more with him. I can just tell this is the direction the writers are going to keep going with him. Not looking forward to it. I'm also wondering about whether or not he's going to be able to come up with funny characters. A lot of stand-ups (even really funny ones) have struggled on this show. Doing well and being comfortable on WU makes sense based on his stand-up background, but we didn't see enough of him last night to see how it will translate to sketches. It must be hard to be the only featured player coming in this year. Although that does mean he won't have to fight as much for screen-time.

 

Seeing a 20 year old castmember makes me realize how little I've done with my life.

Lol, I'm sure you've done plenty with your life! Plus being on TV or an actor/actress doesn't necessarily mean you've done a lot with your life. It's just the glamorization of it all that makes people think that. Although I guess we would be saying the same thing if we saw a 20 year old doctor or lawyer? It's great to get on SNL so young, but we'll have to see where Pete goes from here.

 

Terrible.  I must now be officially too old for SNL.

10% lost right off the bat with no Don Pardo.  Unfunny NFL, Aidy Cold Open, Genital-pats with Frosting (Eww), I made it about halfway through Ariana Grande.  She looks like she wants to be an Anime Cat.  I just wondered where her Tentacle Monster was.

I'm so done.

I had the same thought and I think I'm in the demographic they think they're catering to. I'll give it another 2 episodes maybe and if it doesn't improve after that then I'm out. I don't understand why it's like this considering all the new writers and cast members they have. It really should be a lot better than it is. I don't know much about how network TV works, but sometimes I really think that if NBC wasn't in such a slump they would cancel SNL.

Edited September 28, 2014 by wudpixie

[Miss Scarlet]

I agree, Toaster Strudel.   I read that she auditioned to be a cast member at the same time as Sasheer.  Sasheer got the job over Leslie?  Maybe Sasheer is more versatile.  If so, GIVE HER SOME WORK!!   At least Leslie got a writer job...which may be better in the long run.  Sporadic appearances on the show just make us want her more.

 

 

I wonder if this is because Sasheer is more telegenic than Leslie. That seems to have become increasingly important to Lorne over the last few years. I like Leslie, but she is a bit too over the top. A couple more appearances and I think she'll get the hang of it and learn to tone it down a bit.

 

With a lot of these sketches I just feel like the jokes are not that original. I watch the Canadian sketch comedy show, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and I find their material really original and funny, so I'm wondering if it's just the time pressures that affect SNL so much. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but I just feel like a lot of the punchlines on SNL are things that I've heard so many times from other people I know, who are definitely not comedians. Then again, there are a lot of people who are just as funny as comedians, but never chose to pursue comedy. Maybe those are the ones I'm hanging out with. Lol.

Edited September 28, 2014 by wudpixie

[VCRTracking]

 

 

Seeing a 20 year old castmember makes me realize how little I've done with my life.

Lol, I'm sure you've done plenty with your life! Plus being on TV or an actor/actress doesn't necessarily mean you've done a lot with your life. It's just the glamorization of it all that makes people think that. Although I guess we would be saying the same thing if we saw a 20 year old doctor or lawyer? It's great to get on SNL so young, but we'll have to see where Pete goes from here.

 

 

 

Eddie Murphy was only 19 when he was on SNL. Anthony Michael Hall was 17. 

I like Pete Davidson He seems very comfortable on air.

[Dots And Stripes]

What a waste of Chris Pratt. An hour and a half of interviewing Pratt would have been better. This is the guy Amy Poehler! called the funniest cast member on Parks and Rec. With the exception of the rap battle, the writers didn't seem to give him anything he could really run away with. That's on them. 

 

Lorne should have introduced Colin Jost and Michael Che before Weekend Update tonight. I know, I know, he probably did. I just didn't see any interaction or chemistry. Just two guys sitting a few feet away from each other. Why did we keep Colin again? He's such a waste. Michael already has more personality and was able to interact with the guests a little. He does need to enunciate a little more, but that can come with time. Just keep him away from Arianna (I understood maybe 2 words she sang all night).

 

The Update set looks great. The guests on Update were solid and new guy already seems more comfortable than most of last season's new crop.

 

A little too much Aidy last night, but if this season is like last, that will change on a weekly basis. Last season we would get a cast member front and center all week only to see them fade the next. IIt would be nice to see more balance.

[Joimiaroxeu]

For a minute there I thought that guy playing Roger Goodell in the cold open was Denis Leary. I didn't even recognize Chris Pratt.

 

Hmmm, I guess Time magazine or the NYT is now going to have to do an article explaining what "turnt" means.

 

I know it's sport right now to rag on Ariana but seriously, was she really singing during her first performance or was she lip synching? There were times when her mouth didn't quite match the sounds supposedly coming out of it.

 

It was good to see the Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With At a Party again but I was struck by how many of her lines would also work with Drunk Uncle.

 

I liked Leslie Jones much better this time versus her first appearance but a little bit of her goes a long way. She might want to consider dialing it back a notch or ten.

 

Well, they blew right past the obvious joke about Tyler Perry having a pregnant girlfriend. (IVF? Turkey baster?) Maybe they're hoping they can get him as a host sometime and didn't want to take the risk of offending him too much. As if he likely cares.

 

So, if they were going to put Kenan in a retro velour sports coat you'd think they could have made/bought one that fit him.

 

Agree with comments upthread that the second NFL skit seemed more than vaguely reminiscent of Key & Peele's college football players sketch. I liked how the punter had only done a measly white collar crime.

 

"There is no cake, Danny!"

Edited September 28, 2014 by Joimiaroxeu

[Princess Sparkle]

Pete Davidson: Born November 16, 1993.

Bobby Moynihan: Born January 31, 1977.

Moynihan turned 17 on January 31, 1994 -- when Pete was 2-1/2 months old.

According to IMDB, Bobby was born in 1978, not 1977. An age gap, but not one that makes me think "that guy could be another cast member's dad".

I wonder if this is because Sasheer is more telegenic than Leslie.

The cynical part of me thinks that might be the case. But Leslie made a strong showing on why she should be added to the cast. No wonder she wanted to make it clear the other day that she wasn't leaving the writers room. Edited September 28, 2014 by Princess Sparkle

[Miss Scarlet]

—Pete Davidson looks like a very young Jimmy Fallon. (Fallon joined SNL at 24. Davidson turns 21 in November.)

I don't know if it's that he reminded me of Fallon because he's young and looks like him or because he almost broke so many times. Probably the breaking.

 

ETA: I think this comment by Esther Zuckerman at EW sums up my problems with Davidson's WU set really well:

 

 

The bit was daringly racy, but also felt backwards; the whole concept is that oral sex between two men is inherently gross. Clearly, it was an auspicious beginning for Davidson, and, if nothing else, it demonstrated that the comedian can capture an audience’s attention with ease. There have already been cries of “this kid is going to be a star” on the Internet, and I don’t necessarily doubt that—but this material just did not sit well.

Edited September 28, 2014 by wudpixie

[Ohwell]

Aidy seemed really nervous for some reason in the cold open, stumbling over her lines.  She was not good.  I didn't think that Keenan did a good job with Ray Lewis either, but Jay slayed me with his impersonation of Shannon Sharpe.  It was spot on. 

[ajsnaves]

Is there a new director this season? Or specifically someone new handling sound?  It seemed like some of the dialogue was quieter than it used to be.  Maybe Pratt was just reading a quieter level.  And I thought Hammond's opening was too quiet too, and he should know how to do this.

 

I think this shows why it might be a good idea to have an established host, like Amy or Tina or even Alec Baldwin host the premier. That is just one less thing to worry about, while you try to shake off the summer of cobwebs that naturally accumulate.  I think the show got better as it went along.  I liked the Vets sketch last season, but there was no reason to repeat it. And the world could use more Kate in every way.

[Sader87]

What is the appeal for Colin Jost??? I just don't get it.

 

Probably getting far too old (50) for this show....I had no idea who either Chris Pratt or Ariana Grande was before last night.

 

Davidson does seem comfortable onscreen...he reminds me of a young Steve Buscemi actually.

 

I'll continue to watch....what the hell else am I going to do/watch on most Saturday nights at 11 lol

 

 

[cpcathy]

Ummmm, I liked it, but not loved it. Chris Pratt is adorable, my husband thought he was still chubby and was impressed at his physique.

I agree with a lot of you that I could not hear a lot of what was said, Darrell's opening does not seem mixed properly, I could barely hear him over the music. I think he may need to yell his announcements. The timing of this episode also seemed off--one of my favorite sketches, He Man and Lion-O had several gaps, though I forgave them because of Taran's ridiculously hilarious outfit and delivery.

WU-ugh, Jost is till not going it. I miss SETH! Michael Che seems to be on the right track, and yes, I agree with you that he seemed nervous, and flubbed a few lines, and he needs to annunciate better, and I even mentioned to hubby that perhaps Che could do the WU by himself, once a little more seasoned.

Pete Davidson made an impression on me, and that's pretty great for a first timer I have never even heard of, he will go places. His confidence is perfect and I laughed at everything he got to do in the episode.

Hopefully the kinks will get worked out, seemed like there might have been a lot of nerves going around, not sure why Aidy got used as much as she did over Kate (Kate could have easily been the oversexed mom in the He Man sketch). I'm glad Beck and Kyle stayed, sad that we won't get any more filmed bits with Mike O'Brien. The cast seems about right now, just use everyone more! I enjoyed the second NFL sketch because almost everyone was in it (had never seen Key and Peele's version so I didn't know there was a similarity).

 

Please, please, keep tweaking WU, though, SNL--it's still not ready!

[SomeTameGazelle]

Bobby is not "nearly", 17 years older, he's 15 years older (1978 vs 1993) - older, but not "you could be my dad older".

 

 

 

January 1977 vs November 1993, according to Wikipedia, which would be nearly 17 years.

[bmoore4026]

Marvel's Pam needs to become a real thing.   That is all.

[vibeology]

Marvel's Pam needs to become a real thing.   That is all.

 

Like Marvel would ever make a movie with a female lead. 

[buttersister]

The left side of Adriana's face showcased bad makeup and 2 zits--WTF is wrong with the other side?

[heebiejeebie]

 

Bobby is not "nearly", 17 years older, he's 15 years older (1978 vs 1993) - older, but not "you could be my dad older".

 

I'm pretty sure MTV and the majority of its programming would disagree on that ;)

[Toaster Strudel]

I really like Colin Jost.  His delivery is just right.

 

I was watching CNN this afternoon, and Candy Crowley was on, reminding me how absolutely terrible Aidy's "impersonation" was.  The only commonality between the two is obesity.  Crowley often sounds harsh, and like she has a hot potato in her mouth, but Aidy did none of that.  Pity.

[peeayebee]

The EW quote from wudpixie's post:

The bit was daringly racy, but also felt backwards; the whole concept is that oral sex between two men is inherently gross. Clearly, it was an auspicious beginning for Davidson, and, if nothing else, it demonstrated that the comedian can capture an audience’s attention with ease. There have already been cries of “this kid is going to be a star” on the Internet, and I don’t necessarily doubt that—but this material just did not sit well.

The bit didn't come across that way to me. Davidson wasn't saying that gay men are gross. I don't see anything wrong with a straight man saying he doesn't want to go down on another man. Likewise there's nothing wrong with a gay man saying he doesn't want to go down on a woman. In a way, his bit was kind of progressive because he was saying he wouldn't have any problem doing it for some money. (Of course that would make him a prostitute, and it was funny that he never seemed to realize that.) He was being open and honest about it, and he seemed like he would do it without being grossed out. That contrasts with someone who might say he wouldn't do it for a million dollars, but then does in secret because he's so ashamed.

[BeatrixK]

The left side of Adriana's face showcased bad makeup and 2 zits--WTF is wrong with the other side?

 

I KNOW!!!!  I was like 'OK, we know she's a freak about showcasing the left side of her face...but DAMN - did her makeup people not learn zit-cover 101?'  I can only assume that there is a hideous, malformed conjoined twin erupting out of her right cheek - because it's just weird, now that its been brought up - that she is seriously incapable of showing the right side of her face!

 

Proactive must be foaming at the mouth to get her as a spokesperson after last night.

 

______________________

 

ETA - poster, you weren't the only one to notice - she flubbed the lip synching a few times badly enough to make it noticeable.

Edited September 28, 2014 by BeatrixK

[Fostersmom]

I wonder if this is because Sasheer is more telegenic than Leslie. That seems to have become increasingly important to Lorne over the last few years. I like Leslie, but she is a bit too over the top. A couple more appearances and I think she'll get the hang of it and learn to tone it down a bit.

 

 

This wouldn't surprise me at all. Sasheer is pretty, but from what I've seen, boring as all hell. Leslie isn't going to be your pretty girl in the background of the bar scene like Sasheer was last night. She was funny last night, but her comedy seems more aggressive than Lorne likes to allow for his female cast. Mix that aggressiveness with her more dominant appearance and I don't see her ever getting a regular bit player role, let alone a full time cast member. 

[vb68]

 

He was being open and honest about it, and he seemed like he would do it without being grossed out.

 

 

I saw it the same way.   The whole bit seemed to me to be a dig at guys who would be grossed out, saying get over yourselves. 

[Irlandesa]

I don't know much about how network TV works, but sometimes I really think that if NBC wasn't in such a slump they would cancel SNL.

 

NBC isn't in a slump.  Last TV season, they were the number 1 network in the demo and SNL's demo is pretty strong even compared to prime time sitcoms, especially NBC comedy shows.

 

That's not to say that one should like SNL but I don't see any reason why NBC would want to or should want to cancel SNL.  It's a reliable performer for them even though it's on late at night on Saturdays.  I would also think, given how the cast turns over and the show doesn't pay super well, that Lorne Michaels is able to keep the costs down.  If it makes money, they're going to keep it.  It's not like it's a valuable time slot.  SNL is what makes it so.

 

The EW quote from wudpixie's post:

The bit didn't come across that way to me. Davidson wasn't saying that gay men are gross. I don't see anything wrong with a straight man saying he doesn't want to go down on another man.

While he was doing the bit, I did wonder if it would cause controversy.  On one hand, it could be regressive in the fact that it was talking about having to have an incentive for a guy to go down on another guy.  On the other hand,  I never got the sense that he was saying being gay was gross but rather performing a sexual act on someone you're not attracted to, regardless of sex/gender, might be worth it for the right amount of money. 

Edited September 28, 2014 by Irlandesa

[Dots And Stripes]

______________________

 

ETA - poster, you weren't the only one to notice - she flubbed the lip synching a few times badly enough to make it noticeable.

I heard a noticeable back-up track, which was especially apparent when Arianna stopped singing at times. That said, the back-up track sounded very different from the main vocals. To me, I thought it was very clear from that she was singing live most of the time.

[Brattinella]

Did SNL lose a bunch of writers?

[Blakeston]

—SNL’s Weekend Update Twitter page demonstrated all day Saturday how 400 jokes are whittled down to 12.

https://twitter.com/SNLUpdate

 

Man, I can't imagine how awful those other 388 jokes must be, if they're worse than the ones that make it on the air.

 

I'm going to cut Michael Che slack for messing up a little because it's his first time. I thought his reactions to "Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With At a Party" were perfect.

 

I liked Cecily's line about how a selfie with him would really piss off her dad.

 

This is probably just a weird pet peeve, but I hate how they have so many of the Update characters hit on the anchors. Like Leslie Jones going on about bland-as-hell Jost being a vanilla studmuffin, or whatever it was. The worst is how whenever there's a gay or sexually ambiguous man on Update, he always has to act like the male anchor is the hottest thing he's ever seen.

[Samsnee]

That was not a good start. I think the problem for me is that it relied too much on raunchy sex jokes that were just lazy and tired. "Oh look she's saying ass! He's talking about sucking dick!" Additionally while the standup bits work for WU, that doesn't mean they will be good as skit actors. They need more improv players.

Michael Che was ok. He needs to work on his enunciation. Jost can go though. They need to shake up the style in general. Every anchor seems like they are doing either their best Tina or Seth impression instead of doing something their own.

[Jonathan Seagull]

When Chris Pratt pulled out a guitar I was like "no not a music monologue not you too chris pratt." But I actually kind of liked it.

 

I dig the new look for the Update set. Michael Che had some trouble with his delivery but hopefully that'll work itself out. I did like his reactions to Girl You Wish..., who I thought it was cool to see again even though I liked Cecily as an anchor (I'm fine with Jost, too). I also liked seeing Leslie Jones again.

 

Watching that He-Man sketch, part of me was sort of embarrassed for the guys and part of me was like "oh my god, show, you are so ridiculous that I can't help but laugh." I'm actually a little surprised they were allowed to, uh, do that so much.

 

Re: The Big Fat Ass sketch. On the one hand, I'm kind of tired of how often they go to the crude, sexually aggressive well with Aidy. I mean, she's not the only one, but it seems like it's go-to with her. On the other hand, I liked the reactions of the friends, like when one is like "I think you're hitting the ass thing a little too hard." Also, someone mentioned that it's more clever if you look at it as a jab at how people are with music. A lot of people will sing along with songs and get into them -- even around other people -- even when the lyrics are stuff they would never say in normal conversation.

 

I got a kick out of seeing Colin, Leslie, and Michael cameo in that NFL sketch.

 

Pete Davidson was immediately really likable.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Jonathan Seagull

[Ms Blue Jay]

What is the appeal for Colin Jost???

 

I think he seems classy, intelligent, and handsome, and he delivers his lines well and with confidence.  I could never gel with Cecily's style.  It didn't make it for me.

 

The one thing Colin might be missing is X-factor or charisma.  Not sure.  I'm trying to give him time to fit more nicely into the role.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Ms Blue Jay

[nowandlater]

According to IMDB, Bobby was born in 1978, not 1977. An age gap, but not one that makes me think "that guy could be another cast member's dad"

 

Bobby noted in several interviews after Kerry Washington hosted last year that they were born on the same day. Kerry Washington was born on January 31, 1977.

 

Also, in the first minute of this interview with Artie Lange posted on/conducted on March 22, 2013, Bobby says "I'm 36."

 

Edited September 29, 2014 by nowandlater

[formerlyfreedom]

Let's go ahead and drop the age issue, folks. The point has been made. Thanks.

[Katmai]

 

The one thing Colin might be missing is X-factor or charisma.

He's definitely missing some things for me. I think it's spontaneity and personality. I don't recall seeing him break out into a genuine smile or chuckle at anything he or anyone else has said. (Granted I don't want to see another Jimmy Fallon who laughed in every skit he did.) I think that would add to his WU persona. He comes across as pretty bland. I didn't care for Cecily so I'm looking forward to Michael finding his groove and running away with it.

[BoogieBurns]

Colin seems a little uptight. Maybe something about him comes off a bit snobby, but not in a funny (Seth) way. Michael doesn't give off a snob-vibe at all, so they can just be the odd couple. 

[Fannysue]

Did SNL lose a bunch of writers?

[wmdekooning]

Ariana Grande Part 1: She's like Mariah Carey with an even breathier voice and an even more inability to enunciate her words. Also, what's up with the strange leotard suit?

 

If a singer on SNL starts a song with "oooOoohh...whoah...", then I know I can fast forward. Ariana Grande Latte's second song was even worse with the guy singing back at her.

I also want to say that the episode was pretty crap.  I didn't even know the season was starting, but when I saw it was Chris Pratt from "GotG", (I don't know him from anything else, though I know now he was on "Park and Rec") I was psyched that he was hosting.

However, I am in the camp that asks if that episode is what writers put a whole summer into.

[LJonEarth]

If Twitter was any indication, Leslie won the night. She has some "excited about the future" post up on Twitter. I agree, she could dial it back, but over the top has it's place on SNL. My problem with Sasheer is that she's so meek and dull. She needs to attack her lines. Perhaps they can bring Leslie on as Featured and they can even each other out.

 

Chris Pratt somehow got lost. Which is shocking. But I feel like the premier, the finale and the holiday episodes are tough.

[AnnieGirl]

What I like about the new cast member Pete Davidson is he seems completely comfortable and not at all nervous. He looks like he is having a blast and this is easy for him.

[Ottis]

Probably getting far too old (50) for this show....I had no idea who either Chris Pratt or Ariana Grande was before last night.

 

 

Age is a state of mind! I am the same age and knew who both were. Grande is scary. She has dead eyes, like she has been programmed to be a singer from birth and doesn't have any actual "her" left. Pratt is and has always been very likeable and funny. Loved the rapping "ass" skit. Just wished they would have used more songs (kept expecting Super Freak from Chris).

 

Not sure what the "Maxie" skit was about. It had a certain style, but it wasn't very funny.

 

And I actually missed Seth Myers reactions to the "girl at a party." Myers used to laugh and enjoy it, which, really, when faced with that character, what else can you do. Che just looked annoyed.

[augmentedfourth]

I barely knew who Chris Pratt was before this episode, and that hasn't really changed since watching it. He wasn't necessarily bad (there have definitely been worse), he was just kind of...there.

 

The show had its ups and downs. The cold open was pretty weak, but I did like the NFL sketch later on, though it did instantly call to mind the Key & Peele sketch. I liked how even Colin Jost and Michael Che made an appearance in the line-ups, as well as Leslie Jones being a hilarious surprise there. I also liked the toys coming to life sketch and the video game sketch.

 

I wondered the same thing as someone upthread about whether something was going on with the sound, because in the rapping sketch with Aidy, I could not understand a word Pratt was saying. It had a couple fun moments from the ladies' end, but I felt like I was missing something.

 

I felt bad for Che flubbing his first line during WU, but I think he started to settle in, and I'm sure he'll be just fine in the future. Jost was okay, maybe getting a little better.

 

The Good Neighbor or whatever bit did nothing for me. And the whole episode needed more Kate.

[ChromaKelly]

I'll fess up, I liked Big Fat Ass and now it's stuck in my head.

My thumbs up sketches were the aforementioned Ass, He-Man/Lion-o (mostly for Taran's line delivery), and the video game at the end.  The rest were either meh or didn't work. I agree with the posters who said this ep needed more Kate. I thought she might be in it more since she was in the promo.
WU - I'm willing to give Michael Che a chance, but IDK why they dumped Cecily as an anchor, maybe to give her more time as a sketch player? I thought she was doing fine. I feel like WU needs a snark element and she was bringing that. Jost is too much the straight man. The new kid Pete was fine, but I was kinda waiting for him to go on to another topic besides going down on a guy for money.
Chris Pratt - Fine, but nothing memorable. Maybe I was expecting more since he's obviously a funny guy. They could have used him better. I thought the musical monologue was cute.
Cold Open - Well, I'm from Baltimore and Ray Lewis is huge here, he's got a statue outside the stadium now, FFS. I know he's more of a local celebrity and maybe it wouldn't translate, but there is definite material to work with on doing a Ray Lewis impression/comedy bit. Keenan did him before and it was rather generic football player. Aidy tripping over her lines was distracting.
Overall, decent episode. I still can't stand Kyle Mooney and those Good Neighbor bits though. Makes me miss the Lonely Island guys, so much better.

[dangwoodchucks]

We got through to Ariana's first song before turning it off. I'm surprised to hear the last part of the show was better than the first since they usually bring out the 'best' skits early (or they used to anyway). I like Aidy but she sure was stumbling over her lines in the cold open.

 

WU -  Wasn't impressed with either of the guys (we haven't been watching consistently the last couple of seasons so I don't know if either or both are new to the job). Not sure if the delivery, the jokes or a combination of both was the problem, but the whole segment was boring and way too long. Only noticed the new guy Pete because he was pretty much in everything we saw.

 

The Vet skit was in poor taste. They thought that would be funny?

 

I watched for Chris Pratt because he's a funny guy, unfortunately he wasn't given much to work with. I just don't think SNL has it in them anymore. Even if someone I like is hosting, I'm not sure I'll watch.

 

Now, a show with Taran, Aidy and Kate (and different writers) I would definitely look at.

[peeayebee]

And I actually missed Seth Myers reactions to the "girl at a party." Myers used to laugh and enjoy it, which, really, when faced with that character, what else can you do. Che just looked annoyed.

I liked Che looking annoyed. I think this is going to be part of his anchor character, and it made him more of a participant in the bit rather than just part of the audience laughing.

[nowandlater]

Overall, decent episode. I still can't stand Kyle Mooney and those Good Neighbor bits though. Makes me miss the Lonely Island guys, so much better.

 

Speaking of Kyle Mooney, I find his hair annoying. What do you call that hairstyle? It's not a mullet, but it's really long and poofy in the back. What is it?

[vb68]

 

The Good Neighbor or whatever bit did nothing for me.

It's interesting to me that some reviews, such as Mike Ryan's, have that as far and away the best part of the episode.  i guess it proves that everything is subjective.  I thought it was OK but nothing that was spectacular.  I couldn't get Friends out of my head because it looked so much like Chandler's and Joey's apartment.  But  it probably works better as a parody of an afterschool special.

 

There was also a very similar short that was  cut from the Andrew Garfield show last Spring but played on the web. This one could have been a sequel or whatever.  I think that was part of the joke for the hardcore fans.

 

 

Keenan did him before and it was rather generic football player.

 

 

That's basically Kenan's stock impression that he always uses.

Edited September 29, 2014 by vb68

[JTMacc99]

A little too much Aidy last night, but if this season is like last, that will change on a weekly basis. Last season we would get a cast member front and center all week only to see them fade the next. It would be nice to see more balance.

I noted this last year, but I think it's worth keeping an eye on going forward: Aidy appears to be taking one of the very important leadership roles in this cast.  Every great cast of SNL had anywhere from 2-6 people who were clearly the ring-leaders. This is not to say that they were the funniest or most memorable cast members. It is just the ones who seem to have been the foundation around which everyone else builds and flourishes. 

 

For this show to work, somebody in the cast needs to be a leader as the show is put together. Somebody needs to be willing to do anything, play any part, and be sure that skits keep moving along and that funny people get their chances to say and do funny things.  Otherwise everybody will just sort of be spinning around, maybe having great moments, but the show will never really tie it all together.

 

And I think Aidy is one of these people, which is why we see her in so many sketches here.  And it works for me, because her contributions let Jay do his Sharpe thing. It let Pratt do his sing-off rap thing and it let the other cast members get in the great lines like "I think you're hitting the ass thing a little too hard."

 

And just for fun, pick an era and try to see if you can spot them. Early on with the much smaller cast it is Dan Akroyd, Chase/Murray, and Jane Curtin. After that it was Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo. Dana Carvey became the obvious one from 86-93, but there were SO many other strong voices during that time that you could make a case for several others to have been the ones who took the leadership roles as the shows were put together. And so on throughout the show's history there were probably leaders and there were great performers who fed off of them. I would love to be able to bounce this topic off of somebody who actually worked at the show.

Edited September 29, 2014 by JTMacc99

[Wolfy Mojo]

 

Grande is scary. She has dead eyes, like she has been programmed to be a singer from birth and doesn't have any actual "her" left.

Yes, that's it! I've been wondering what it is about her that bothers me. She's vacant.

 

 

I'll fess up, I liked Big Fat Ass

Me too, ChromaKelly. Against my better judgement.

[Beach Party]

I had no prior warning that Cecily would no longer be WU co-host.  Michael Che just showed up on my screen.  I wasn't familiar with any of his previous experiences or his personality, so the first few minutes were trying to figure him out.  He did alright. 

 

Ariana Grande was good IMO as a musical act.  She didn't resort to her purposeful 'camel toe' to gain attention like in her latest music video for "Break Free." Though She-Ra was kind of hot.  Her second song was refreshing, and I enjoyed the voice of the male singer.  Her musical performances last night were polished.  And she seemed genuinely appreciative of the audience's applause.    Ariana has a lot of haters, but they only feed into her buzz. 

 

I did laugh many times during the sketches.  SNL is off to a promising start for the new season

[Traveller519]

I expect the first episode of the season to be a little shakey. The cast and writers don't spend their whole summer getting ready for week one, they head off and do their own things. The first couple episodes are going to have some time re-establishing chemistry and getting the kinks out. Aidy missing lines in the Cold Open is proof of that.

 

I don't think this episode was one of the classics by any stretch, and was underwhelmed by what Chris got to do, but it was enjoyable to get it back.

 

I'm glad they opted to go for a WU reboot with the opening and back drop, and Colin seemed to be doing more of his own thing and less of a Seth Meyers impression. The more they can play off one another, the better. WU is always better with two people in my opinion.

 

I too, thought of immediately of the Key & Peele East-West Bowl game, when they went to the intros, but I enjoyed having Jost (I'm the Punter!) and Che in there. 

 

Leslie's great at what she does, but she's not what they needed in a cast member. They need someone who can do impressions, which I doubt would be her forte.

 

Bad Boys was an incredible skit, hitting on all the right notes for me. Good Neighbor is the best when they get to go full Good Neighbor.

[Bruinsfan]

NFL on CBS: Key and Peele called, they want their sketch back. I smiled a bit when Kenan's character on the Panthers popped in and said just simply "Stanford" then moved along. However, it reminded me way too much of Key and Peele. Not entirely the same thing, but enough to make me side eye them so hard.

At least Leslie Jones' bit was original - that pretty much saved the sketch for me.

 

This is probably just a weird pet peeve, but I hate how they have so many of the Update characters hit on the anchors. Like Leslie Jones going on about bland-as-hell Jost being a vanilla studmuffin, or whatever it was. The worst is how whenever there's a gay or sexually ambiguous man on Update, he always has to act like the male anchor is the hottest thing he's ever seen.

I think it worked really well in the Seth Myers era though, having both Nasim's Arianna Huffington and Bill's Stefon hit on him. (Stefon's swan song alone was worth putting up with any number of awkward Weekend Updates!)

 

Speaking of Kyle Mooney, I find his hair annoying. What do you call that hairstyle?

A tragedy.