S41.E16: Peter Dinklage / Gwen Stefani

[formerlyfreedom]

Hosted by Peter Dinklage; musical guest Gwen Stefani

 

Here's to the return of 'Peter Drunklage'?!? #fingerscrossed

[JZL]

He was on the show once?

[helenamonster]

He made a cameo in a Drunk Uncle bit as Peter Drunklage.

 

[ABitOFluff]

I don't watch Game of Thrones, because I don't have HBO, but I love Peter Dinklage. I'm really excited for this show.

 

\

Edited April 2, 2016 by ABitOFluff

[JZL]

This may be the worst year for musical guests.  They've clearly largely abandoned indy/alt for hip-hop and bubble-gum.  Bruce and Adele were great gets and should be counted as big positives, but I'm not personally a fan of either, esp. Bruce.  I don't care for Kanye much but his performances on SNL have always been surprisingly (to me) impressive, but not this year. 

 

So coming up we have Gwen Stefani, who might be good, Margo Price, and Nick Jonas.  With the addition of Price, they'll have more country this year than indy/alt. 

Edited April 2, 2016 by JZL

[possibilities]

I'm just grateful the musical guests are finally showing up for sound checks and are capable of seeming like they actually are professionals, and not imposters from some kind of "Spencers Gifts Gag Musician Rental Service" like was happening in the past. I usually don't watch or listen to the performances but at least now when I do, I don't feel like I'm being pranked.

 

I'm another fan of Peter Dinklage, so am hopeful for the episode tonight. I get well and truly outraged by the SNL habit of mocking disabled people, and PD is not only funny, sexy, smart, and very much opposed to that shit, but also tends to throw himself into things with no hold barred, and that always bodes well for an SNL host even if they aren't otherwise great as PD is. Doesn't matter to me who the musical guest is, to be honest.

[JZL]

I'm just grateful the musical guests are finally showing up for sound checks and are capable of seeming like they actually are professionals, and not imposters from some kind of "Spencers Gifts Gag Musician Rental Service" like was happening in the past. I usually don't watch or listen to the performances but at least now when I do, I don't feel like I'm being pranked.

 

I'm another fan of Peter Dinklage, so am hopeful for the episode tonight. I get well and truly outraged by the SNL habit of mocking disabled people, and PD is not only funny, sexy, smart, and very much opposed to that shit, but also tends to throw himself into things with no hold barred, and that always bodes well for an SNL host even if they aren't otherwise great as PD is. Doesn't matter to me who the musical guest is, to be honest.

 

I always attributed the poor sound quality to the SNL staff, not the performers, probably incorrectly.

 

Of course the show is about the comedy first and foremost; it's just that in the past SNL was a trend-setter with MG's and now they're followers.  To me the worst example of that was a few years ago when they had on The Ting Tings two or three years after their biggest (and apparently only) singles broke. 

 

I have high hopes for Dinklage, too.

[vb68]

I hope they acknowledge Garry Shandling's passing.

[Writing Wrongs]

What happened to Gwen Stefani's face?

[vb68]

All I know is I couldn't stop laughing at the Naked and Afraid sketch with Peter and Leslie.  Sweet Jeebus that was hilarious.  I would a watch a whole show of that with them.

 

I also loved Che's joke of Hillary at the Apollo more than I can say.

 

Boo though that they didn't bring back Peter Drunkage. 

Edited April 3, 2016 by vb68

[hendersonrocks]

SPACE PANTS! That was hands down one of the weirdest, funniest sketches that would never have worked if Dinklage wasn't all in. And did new guy miss his entrance cue? How do you mess up something like that?!

Dinklage was really wonderful - all in on everything they gave him, really. Unfortunately what they gave him was just kind of so-so.

[Fostersmom]

Wow, this was a rough one. I don't think I laughed once, and with the exception of the Naked and Afraid short, it was really a joyless show. Like every sketch was just pained. I don't know if it was the writing or the delivery, but everything fell flat. 

[Spartan Girl]

Best parts were the monologue, Naked and Afraid, and the Game of Thrones skit.

Honorable mention goes to SPACE PANTS! Just because of Peter's sweet moves and the fact that it was so damn catchy.

I agree that if it hadn't been Peter Dinklage it wouldn't have worked. But it was a real wasted opportunity not to bring back Drunklege.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Spartan Girl

[Peace 47]

Sometimes a dumb and silly sketch like Space Pants is absurdist fun to me, and I can dig it, but I was not feeling it last night. I really disliked that sketch.

The undersea honeymoon sketch was kind of the same vein, and that one completely worked for me. It was horrifying, but hilarious.

The cold open was uninspired. I thought that Weekend Update was great, though, and the best part of the show.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Peace 47

[Princess Sparkle]

Naked and Afraid might be one of my favorite sketches of the whole season. My god, that was hilarious. I love that Leslie lost survival points because she tried to eat Peter Dinklage

WU was pretty great too - I loved the Hillary at the Apollo jokes, and all the back and forth over Trump. "Women's history month ended on a high note" was a great line to start on.

I would love to know what happened to make Jon Rudnitsky miss his cue in the space pants sketch - were they still getting him ready, or did he just really whiff on his cue? It looked like it threw Pete off, since he had to start reading Jon's lines too, and then when Jon finally got in, it looked like he wasn't sure on which line he should pick up at. Bobby and Beck handled it like pros though. I liked Jon's Dirty Dancing bit earlier in the season, but I think he's going to be done after this season.

[vibeology]

I think it's safe to say that if Drunk Uncle didn't return this episode, he is never coming back. I'm very sad about this because Drunk Uncle was probably one of my favourite characters.

 

Naked and Afraid, Spacepants and Game of Thrones were all pretty strong. Basically I love Bobby so him playing a dragon was pretty fabulous.

[Traveller519]

Normally, I'm pretty forgiving about live show issues, they're part of the charm of a live show. However, the Rudnitsky miss, Gwen nearly singing too soon in Space Pants, the adjustment required to get George R.R. Martin into shot, and the hack cut to Colin when Pete mentioned him were all pretty bad misses (though I'll gI've them the benefit of the dout that maybe they didn't know Pete was going to ropen Colin in). But maybe worst of all, was that in a pre-taped bit they used a shot with Leslie adjusting her clothes when she's gets out of the car despite the fact that she's blurred out to look naked.

The show feels like it's on the cusp of being great with the continuity in the current cast (though it's probably still too big), little things like that need to be tightened, and more infrequent, up for a truly professional show.

Though, I believe they've improved the production quality of the musical performances this s season. So, credit where it's due.

I did enjoy most of the skits all things considered. Space Pants was a great concept. And Weekend Update is killing it!

[Mumbles]

What elevated this show for me was Dinklage's complete commitment to the material, and some thoughtful prep work in creating the character.  This came through to me at the Glory Hole sketch - his studied, languid, pretending-to-be-too-cool-for-the-room-but-totally-falling-for-a-trend tone could be heard anywhere bourgeois Bohemians or hipsters assemble. Also in the hotel manager sketch - close your eyes and that sounds like a fastidious and unctuous manager of a boutique hotel.

 

Also loved the Glory Hole sketch because it lampoons a creepy trend of making something "cool" at a place that was previously known for some less than above-board (e.g. the ironically named "Liberty Hotel" in Boston that was a former prison, or a bar in New York that used to be a massage parlor).

 

Space Pants was a thing of art. A nice touch was the number preceding Space Pants was an old-fashioned jazz guy. Just added to the weirdness.

[Mockingbird]

I was excited about Peter Dinklage, but I had to turn off the show after they started with the Winnie the Pooh sketch. Why was that so early in the night? And when Jay finally gets something to do, why did it have to be that? That was terrible.

[VCRTracking]

I admit laughed a lot during the "Glory Hole" sketch. I agree that Dinklage's commitment to the sketches is what saved them.

 

At first I didn't notice anything was amiss with the "Spacepants" because Bobby said "You two guys" and I thought he meant Beck and Pete. Then the table shook and Jon Rudnitsky was suddenly sitting with Pete and I went "huh?"

 

Also loved Taram pretending to be a floating dead body and Kate and Aidy pretending to be Danish muggers.

 

Normally, I'm pretty forgiving about live show issues, they're part of the charm of a live show. However, the Rudnitsky miss, Gwen nearly singing too soon in Space Pants, the adjustment required to get George R.R. Martin into shot, and the hack cut to Colin when Pete mentioned him were all pretty bad misses (though I'll gI've them the benefit of the dout that maybe they didn't know Pete was going to ropen Colin in). But maybe worst of all, was that in a pre-taped bit they used a shot with Leslie adjusting her clothes when she's gets out of the car despite the fact that she's blurred out to look naked.

The show feels like it's on the cusp of being great with the continuity in the current cast (though it's probably still too big), little things like that need to be tightened, and more infrequent, up for a truly professional show.

 

I've been saying for years that the directing on the show has been terrible and it's what to a lot of sketches that could've been good being messed up. It's not just the writing that's been a drag on the show recently. Dave Wilson, Paul Miller, Beth McCarthy Miller were incredibly good at their jobs and their talents were underrappreciated because noone notices when everything goes smoothly. There have too many flubs though in missed cues, mistakes involving the camera in the past few years that I have to blame that on Don Roy King who's been the director since 2006.

Edited April 3, 2016 by VCRTracking

[Irlandesa]

It was a so-so episode for me.  I did laugh at the Glory Hole sketch and the Honeymoon sketch.  Naked and Afraid was brilliant.  One thing I did appreciate last night is that it felt like a lot of the sketches didn't go on too long.  I don't know if I'm right or not because I didn't have a stopwatch out but it felt like just as they were hitting the joke, they wrapped it up pretty quickly. 

 

I'm used to them going on and on and on.

[whatsatool]

I loved the weekend update about missing Obama once Trump is elected.

[helenamonster]

Cold Open: I don't think I've ever seen either of these two women but I still laughed. "He wants to make American grapes again!"

 

Monologue: Not a GoT fan but Bobby as GRRM always makes me laugh. I also loved the bit where Kate was supposed to take her top off and refused, so Vanessa came out instead because "screentime is screentime!" And when the cut to Beck backstage and he was singing about his nachos. And Leslie as the dragon.

 

Winnie the Pooh: This was a weird sketch to have immediately after the monologue. It kind of went nowhere.

 

Naked and Afraid Celebrity Edition: I was howling. This was just pitch perfect. I think my favorite thing about it was that in the real Naked and Afraid they go to some deserted island, but in this parody they clearly had just hopped across the river to Jersey and found a wooded area off the highway. There were even quick clips where you could see cars going by on the road in the background. That was a great touch.

 

Space Pants: How does Jon Rudnitsky miss an entrance cue when he has literally nothing else going on in the show? This was delightfully weird. Peter's got some moves!

 

Glory Hole: Also delightfully weird. Loved the ending with Beck.

 

Game of Thrones: The pre-taped bits were on point tonight. I love Bobby so much.

 

Weekend Update: Idk if it's Stockholm Syndrome or what, but I'm finally just giving in and enjoying these guys (even if Michael is annoying as hell on Instagram). Pete's bit was pretty good but he spent all of it trying not to laugh at his own jokes which was off-putting. 

 

Honeymoon: This one might have been my favorite. Taran did an awesome job as the dead body.

 

Vacation Nightmares: Kate and Aidy are my heart.

 

Peterson Realty Company Retreat: Peter is just so talented. This sketch was what, 4 minutes, and yet I felt like I really knew and understood his character by the end of it. The sketch itself wasn't mindblowing but it held my attention, thanks to him.

 

Objectively, this episode wasn't all that great, but it probably would have been even worse with a weak host. Peter carried the show wonderfully and I would love for him to come back on a week when the writers have their shit together.

 

If Jon Rudnitsky is still here in September, I'll be shocked. He might go down as the THOTiest cast member in the history of this show.

[VCRTracking]

Again about the "glory hole" sketch the image of Dinklage ravenously munching on pumpernickel bread out of a glory hole is funny enough but it's the way he says lines like "Tracy's in preschool already? That's crazy!" and "This is sooo good! I like how salty it is. Guys, get in on this!" while doing it!

 

"Naked and Afraid" was amazing. I don't think even Ethel Merman was as boisterous as Leslie Jones.

 

Kate looked so pretty as Emilia Clarke as Danaerys Targayren.

Edited April 3, 2016 by VCRTracking

[Ms Blue Jay]

One of those shows where I only 'woke' up during Weekend Update.  Really happy about Jost and Che.  They are doing well.  

 

I used to be such a fan of Gwen's back in the 90s.  Even though it's been such a long progression to what she is now, it's alarming to me all the same.  Her music is so........... whatever now.  Even in 2004, "What You Waiting For?" was such an incredible song.   Maybe all credit should go to Linda Perry.  The only positive I can say is that at least she doesn't have the Japanese slaves anymore.

 

Also loved Taram pretending to be a floating dead body and Kate and Aidy pretending to be Danish muggers.

 

Thanks all for reminding me about the Honeymoon sketch.  Yes, that was quite funny.

 

And Kate and Aidy being the Danish muggers is probably the high point.  It's partly my fault as I was barely paying attention.

 

Man:  Well, it was MEN who robbed us.

Woman:  And they didn't keep mentioning that they're Danish.

(Kate as robber):  Wait a minute, let me answer my Danish phone.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[peeayebee]

I agree that Peter was great. He was a character in every sketch. Unfortunately, every sketch was not great. Still, I enjoyed him a lot.

 

He was very good as Winnie the Pooh. Everyone was good as their WtP character. I thought Denny the Real was going to be funnier than he was, but no. I did like when we hear him say, "They pants! They pants, man!" And that's about it.

 

I've never watched Naked and Afraid, but that wasn't necessary to enjoy this. It was just great all the way around. Actually, I think hot sauce would be a good thing to bring for such a show because they're eating yucky stuff.

 

Space Pants was so much fun. Loved watching Peter do his dance moves. The song was just wonderful and weird. As far as Jon's late entrance, that was weird but not wonderful. I also noticed that when Bobby takes out the gun, we don't see him do it. Seems like a directing mistake. 

 

The glory hole sketch was ok. Again, Peter was very good in it, as was Aidy. I also liked when the waiter behind the wall (Kyle?) was letting the new waiter (Jay) take over, and we just got closeup shots of their mouths. Just struck me as funny.

 

I was kind of disappointed in the Game of Thrones bit, though Bobby was fun.

 

In WU I liked Big Papi with his listing of foods, Welp, and BeeWorld.

 

I absolutely loved Taran as the floating dead body. I was cackling as the fishing net was trying to scoop him and then pressed him to the glass. This was great. 

 

In Vacation Nightmares, Kate and Aidy were fantastic as the reenactors. I also liked Peter's whole patter as the host, esp when he'd take some phrase about how working with the actors was a nightmare, but "not as bad a nightmare as our couple were having," or something like that.

 

I also really liked him in the Realty Retreat sketch. Again, he created an interesting, distinct character.

 

One big problem certainly not unique to this ep is the writers not knowing how to end sketches. 

Edited April 3, 2016 by peeayebee

[cpcathy]

WU was the best thing about the show. I was sorely disappointed with the rest. Honeymoon couple was the only sketch I laughed at, at all. There were too many camera/direction flubs this week, the camera couldn't even get straight on Bobby as George R. R. Martin! Gwen started singing her part too early on Space Shorts, I've heard she isn't very smart and now I believe it. Still irritated with her for making her pretty face look like wax.

[Primetimer]

Some are also the most notable moments in the annals of Leslie Jones boob-blurring.

Read the story

[absnow54]

This episode was really strange to me, like even though there were a handful of solid sketches, the pacing was so off, it made the show seem bad. The monologue ended really abruptly and didn't transition into a fake ad/pre recorded bit, the Pooh sketch seemed a lot more like a post-Update sketch than a show opener, and all the choppy cuts and missed cues really added up. And while I love the cast, they should really consider doing some trimming. Like when was the last time Sasheer Zamata was in an episode? I think Darrel Hammond has gotten more airtime than her this season. 

[ktwo]

Sasheer was in a bunch of stuff in Ariana Grande's show - the vocal impressions sketch, Feminist Song and the nuns sketch. But she's mostly filler.

[Galileo908]

And we're back! The site was down for me last night and I was only able to post now.

 

Cold Open: And here's the obligatory Trump bashing/fake defending sketch. It's good to laugh at him and his supporters, who are DEFINITELY crazier than he is. Jeez, imagine the reaction if that Trump supporter being punched was played by Kenan or Jay.

 

Monologue: Peter Dinklage is, of course, awesome. And of course they shoved all the Game of Thrones bits out of the way now. Bobby as George R.R. Martin is the best thing.

 

Winnie The Pooh: This started out so well and lots of weird potential, and then Denny The Real showed up and grinded this to a halt. Still not as creepy as Welcome to Pooh Corner. Also weird: Winnie The Pooh being shorter than Piglet.

 

Naked & Afraid: Celebrity Edition: "Peter's gonna be paired with Leslie Jones, isn't he?" I was glad to be right. We all know Leslie Jones would ace this, and would try to eat & have sex with Peter

 

Mobsters: Well, like the Winnie The Pooh sketch, this got super weird super quick. But "space pants" got stuck in my head.

 

Glory Hole Restaurant: Looks like Peter & Aidy took restaurant recommendations from Stefon. Yeah, this was WEIRD. But I love that Peter is 100% game to whatever weird shit the writers threw at him this week.

 

Game of Thrones: Well, Kate got her chance to play Daenerys here. This was fun, but I kept expecting a callback with Leslie in the dragon onesie (but she wouldn't have worked with the green screen).

 

WU: Donald Trump has to be pro-choice because he's made ALL the choices. Pete Davison was the perfect choice to comment on Hulk Hogan. He's younger than I am yet still remembers him just as the old guy who oiled himself up in his underwear to wrestle immigrants. Trump jokes aside, this was a "meh" segment.

 

Underwater Hotel Room: Taran trying his best to be a floating dead body was just hilarious. Then it got more creepy as stuff like Jay ending up there was not really addressed (HOW exactly did he end up drowning??).

 

Vacation Nightmares: I wish more shows were more honest about their casting decisions. Meh.

 

Magician: Corporate gigs suck. Imagine that Peter Dinklage is reprising his character from Elf, that'll make this slightly better.

 

This show certainly lost steam after Update. Not Peter's fault, he was great. We just need better writers. Next week is Russell Crowe. Could be good.

[Shopgirl406]

I like Weekend Update - but where is the funny over the college students traumatized over "chalk".  I know this is a very liberal show, but there has to be more than Trump jokes around..........

[giovannif7]

I wish SNL had put together a punk/new wave-style music video of Peter doing "Space Pants" - it's the best Devo song I've heard that wasn't written/performed by Mark Mothersbaugh and crew.

[vb68]

 

Looks like Peter & Aidy took restaurant recommendations from Stefon.

 

 

Ha! I didn't think of that!  That was totally a Stefon type of place.

 

 

Kate looked so pretty as Emilia Clarke as Danaerys Targayren.

I actually thought it was Emilia at first.

 

I agree it was a very middle of the road episode, though Leslie and Peter just killed me in Naked and Afraid.  And Update is just so good now.  I think the two weeks, two weeks off schedule they've had since January really messes with the momentum and rhythms of the show.  It really showed here with all the technical mistakes everyone has pointed out.  

Edited April 3, 2016 by vb68

[buttersister]

I'll watch Dinklage do anything, so this was officially the most SNL episode I've watched in a long time. It also contained all the graceless stuff I try to miss (Pete laughing at himself, the completely not ready for prime time player, meh skits, Gwen Stefani's face, etc.), but it brought Naked and Afraid, so worth it. Disturbingly, I fear that I could watch Peter Dinklage in a Sia wig singing Space Pants for hours.

[AriAu]

Rarely laughed...even Update was off and way off its highs...and laughed even less when the host was on stage. Not his fault-the material was just not good. The Naked and Afraid was funny and totally because of Leslie when mixed with Peter's straight man ability

[Ottis]

One thing I did appreciate last night is that it felt like a lot of the sketches didn't go on too long.

 

 

YMMV, they all seemed too long to me. The only bits I didn't FF through were WU, Naked and Afraid and the honeymooners (because i was paying bills and half watching). I love Game of Thrones and I even FF the GoT sketch, because there was no payoff, just one long gag.

[yogi2014L]

Naked and Afraid was Hilarious, best one of the night IMO. I died when hes like when do we get naked and Lesley hops out of the Uber already naked LOL.

 

I liked the cold open, and the honeymoon one. I cant really remember weekend update, lol I also liked the danish sketch lol.

 

Also...I did not understand the Winnie the Pooh thing..whole thing was awful. 

[AdorkableSars]

Cold Open: I live in Canada, so I get pretty much all of my US political news from SNL (although I’ve been following it a bit more, because of SNL, if that makes sense). But I appreciated Kate’s reactions to all the crazy stuff Cecily was saying. They sold it.

Monologue: Meh. I don’t watch Game of Thrones, but it was still funny enough. Loved when Vanessa came out to show her tatas because “screentime is screentime.” And Beck singing about dipping his chips made me laugh harder than I probably had any business too!

Winnie The Pooh: Probably my least favorite sketch of the night. Although I will say that the cast and Peter sold their characters. It just wasn’t very funny.

Naked & Afraid: Celebrity Edition: Everything about this was amazing to me! Leslie being Leslie, Peter being the perfect alarmed straight man. This cracked me the hell up.

Mobsters: I think this was my favorite sketch of the night. (Despite whatever the hell happened with Rudnitsky…) “Space Pants” made me laugh so hard. Peter sold this. And I loved Bobby M. in this sketch too! So weird, but the weirdest and most obscure sketches always make me laugh the most.

Glory Hole Restaurant: Again, weird as hell. But I liked it. All the actors were great. Peter and Aidy chowing down through the glory hole, and Beck and Vanessa acting like any normal human would in that situation.

Game of Thrones: Don’t watch GoT…so I skipped this one!

Weekend Update: Laughed at the first line about how Women’s History Month ended. The rest of the jokes were alright, but I always enjoy the banter back and forth between Jost and Che, and how they laugh at each other’s jokes. Even though Pete Davidson did his usual thing, he’s charming and funny enough to make it enjoyable. And I always love when Kenan plays David Ortiz. He just plays it with so much energy and gusto, I crack up everytime!

Underwater Hotel Room: So weird, and kind of morbid, but I thought it was still quite funny.

Vacation Nightmares: Aidy and Kate were hilarious, being “Danish” in this one. Everyone played their characters well too.

Magician: Liked this one too. Peter and Taran were hilarious, and even the brief cutaway to Vanessa dressed like Peter was fantastic.

[Mumbles]

the Pooh sketch seemed a lot more like a post-Update sketch than a show opener

Yeah I thought, if THIS is their lead sketch, the rest of the night is going to be awful. I just imagined sketch after sketch that exploited Dinklage's physical stature. Luckily that did not happen. He's too good.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Mumbles

[90PercentGravity]

I want a Space Pants t-shirt.

[augmentedfourth]

Aside from Naked and Afraid, there really weren't a lot of super-funny bits. (Though I'll admit that Kate and Aidy answering their "Danish phones" got a laugh from me since it was so bizarre and over the top.) However! To give credit where credit is due, the writers didn't fall back on their usual sketches - game shows, Kate making out with the host in Kenan's bar, a "deleted scene" from a well-known movie, etc. The sketches may not have been hilarious, but at least they were different.

[mtlchick]

 

I died when hes like when do we get naked and Lesley hops out of the Uber already naked LOL.

 

I chuckled more that Leslie was picking a wedgie out despite the blurriness.  

[kassa]

Drunk Uncle HAS to come back. You know he's a Trump guy.

 

My favorite was the honeymoon at Atlantis -- just this past week the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stayed at the Atlantis in Dubai, and one of them stayed in that room with the aquarium outside.  I'm guessing somebody saw that, envisioned a body and voila... a sketch was born.  When the net smashed him up against the glass to drag him to the surface, I had to pause the tivo and just shake laugh for a bit.

 

Dinklage was really impressive in the morbid crime reenactment show.  Couldn't stand the reenactment gag and didn't think it was funny, but I loved him as the creepy host/narrator.  (I used to love Hader's version, too, but his was outright pervy.  Dinklage was just earnest).

 

Kate looked gorgeous in a couple of the skits.  She must be in love or something.  I'm glad she's not just playing the oddball characters any more.  

 

Aidy has been MIA in recent weeks.  Work outside the show? 

[helenamonster]

I want a Space Pants t-shirt.

 

I want Space Pants. One of my friends in high school had these leggings that the rest of us used to call the "galaxy leggings" which were essentially space pants and they were all I could think of during this sketch.

[OpieTaylor]

the Space Pants song sure seemed like a copy (or heavily inspired by) Jimmy Fallon's "Tight Pants" song-sketch he's done at least a couple of times on The Tonight Show

[Princess Sparkle]

They released a digital exclusive/cut sketch from this week called "Establishment Shuffle" (a parody of the Super Bowl Shuffle):

I wish this would've stayed in the show; this was hilarious.

[vb68]

Why in the world did they cut that?  I guess they had too many pre-taped pieces, but that would've been one of the highlights of the show.  It was much better than the Game of Thrones  taped piece.

 

Everybody did a great job in it.  How is Clarence Thomas not a regular Kenan character? And Kate as Lindsay Graham just slays me.

[possibilities]

That was fabulous!

[SlackerInc]

What elevated this show for me was Dinklage's complete commitment to the material, and some thoughtful prep work in creating the character.  This came through to me at the Glory Hole sketch - his studied, languid, pretending-to-be-too-cool-for-the-room-but-totally-falling-for-a-trend tone could be heard anywhere bourgeois Bohemians or hipsters assemble. Also in the hotel manager sketch - close your eyes and that sounds like a fastidious and unctuous manager of a boutique hotel.

 

Also loved the Glory Hole sketch because it lampoons a creepy trend of making something "cool" at a place that was previously known for some less than above-board (e.g. the ironically named "Liberty Hotel" in Boston that was a former prison, or a bar in New York that used to be a massage parlor).

 

Space Pants was a thing of art. A nice touch was the number preceding Space Pants was an old-fashioned jazz guy. Just added to the weirdness.

 

Yes, +1 for me on all of this.  I have found that Dinklage does a cringeworthy job of repping a British accent on Game of Thrones, but I was really impressed with the various North American accents he used here.

 

I agree that this was a pretty middle-of-the-road episode, but one thing it really had going for it was that while very few of the sketches were really inspired (maybe just the "Naked and Afraid" one), they were almost all solid.  In a normal week, there are at least three sketches that I bail out of about thirty seconds in, because they are just not working for me and life is too short (as long as the show is, I would not look forward to watching it as much if I didn't have that option).  This time, I didn't do that for a single sketch, although I did skip the musical numbers (and I agree I'd like to see them go back to more indie bands) and the majority of the David Ortiz segment concluding WU.  But that last one almost doesn't count, because the characters they bring in for the last few minutes of WU almost never work for me, so that was just par for the course.