S42.E10: Casey Affleck / Chance the Rapper

[Irlandesa]

37 minutes ago, Dee said:

Since it was an SNL Christmas episode, I was hoping for a Stefon appearance, but I guess Bill Hader was busy.

I didn't think of it because it was a Christmas episode.  However, since Ben Affleck is Stefon's brother, I imagine Casey is too.

[candall]

11 hours ago, Lizzing said:

Goodman is looking healthy these days.  I was impressed he showed up with gusto to do this after 2 performances of The Front Page earlier in the day. 

The pretaped stuff (Obama's last Christmas, Dunkin Donuts, Hill Actually) were the best parts.  Seems like the good writers got to leave early for the holiday.

Agree all over the place. 

I used to think Goodman was going to keel right over in front of my eyes.  He looks good now.

There have been some brilliant SNL videos for the ages, but the last year or so, they've really been knocking them out of the park at a steady pace.

At the end of the show, I was thinking they'd used a lot more stuff that "didn't make the cut" than just a few one-liners, but I appreciate the writers stuck around and applied themselves for the political stuff, because . . .

9 hours ago, WhosThatGirl said:

I wish I could like the cold opens but with this being the New Reality it's not funny. 

I know what you mean, but I think it covers "funny" well enough and goes on to be downright "imperative."  It IS the New Reality and there's sure as hell no one else saying it.

[peeayebee]

Quote

I think the social commentary was supposed to be in the fact that neither of the robots had to be gay or have any explicit sexuality at all. They were only supposed to make workplaces more efficient. It seemed to be lambasting the trend diversity/inclusion/"political correctness" for the sake of diversity/inclusion/"political correctness" but didn't quite hit the mark, imo.

I thought it was pretty good. I actually loved Casey's reaction and the way he asked questions. The robot programmers made the robots stereotypically gay, but the joke wasn't really the 'gayness' of the robots; it was that Casey was bothered that the robots were sexual at all, and the MS people kept perverting his objections into homophobia.

The episode was uneven. The Cold Open was great. Beck makes a terrific Putin. Goodman was a surprise -- as was his weight loss -- and it was wonderful seeing him again. His guy and Putin being old buddies -- "Putie!" -- was perfect. My only complaint is Cecily's Melania accent. Didn't she do it before? Here she sounded bad.

The monologue was ok. Loved the song fake-outs.

I really loved the Dunkin' Donuts sketch. That was outstanding and hilarious. 

Christmas 2016, the Last Christmas Before Trump was good. I'm not familiar with the original song and didn't even know there was an original song until I read about it here. 

I didn't quite get the New York Now funny Christmas play thing. I mean, as a character piece, it was ok. My favorite part was Chance the Rapper as the Three Wise Men doing the Can't Touch This song. "Da-dada-da, da da, da da. Three Wise Men. Da-dada-da, da da, da da. Three Wise Men."

The Love Actually/Hillary sketch was great. I didn't recognize Kate as Hillary at first. Anyway, it was sad and sweet and funny.

I wasn't happy to see the elves again. 

That last sketch was strange. I feel like I missed something. I get that the people there were all hesitant to do or say things, but why? Is that a regional thing? 

Anyway, Casey Affleck didn't make a big impression, but there also wasn't that much to work with. I really liked him in the robot sketch and the Dunkin' Donuts sketch.

[Milburn Stone]

1 hour ago, peeayebee said:

I thought [the robot sketch] was pretty good. I actually loved Casey's reaction and the way he asked questions.

I agree. When I read the posters here saying he was a lousy host, all I can say is that this is why the phrase YMMV was invented, because I thought he was excellent from start to finish. Shows what happens when they have a good actor as host and that actor doesn't phone it in.

[Lantern7]

Saw "Jingle Barrack" online. Did anybody on set know who briefly pops up in Home Alone 2: Lost In New York? Yeesh.

ETA: Saw a picture of the would-be Secretary of State with Putin. The guy does look a little like John Goodman.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I thought the Hillary/Love Actually sketch was fantastic!  The rest, meh.

Edited December 19, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[absnow54]

I was in New England this past weekend, and while at a Dunkin Donuts in one of those rest stops off 395, an employee was lamenting over the fact that she had to figure out how to unclog the urinal that was stuffed with toilet paper. So, yeah, the Dunkin Donuts sketch was pretty funny.

[butterbody]

On 12/17/2016 at 11:32 PM, Lantern7 said:

"Dear Jay . . . we got Fred on, but he's not playing Obama. That's my Christmas present to you. Love, Lorne."

Next episode takes place before January 20. That means one last chance for Alec to don the wig while Obama is still in office. After that, I don't know where he'll be going.

John Goodman's mind: "I have a career. I do stuff. But I do like the show, and I wouldn't have to wear women's makeup and a skirt. Man, what happened to Linda Tripp, anyway? I feel like I owe her money or something."

Kate-as-Hillary for the win. And I never saw Say Anything.

ETA: Love Actually, actually. Thanks, @DrScottie!

Please promise me you will see that movie!

[slowpoked]

I know that Hillary Actually skit was played for laughs, but it made me sad - especially when the camera made a close-up to the cardboard "I still care about this country." and then right next to Kate's Hillary's poignant smile.

Kudos to the skit for the topical message and STILL getting the Hillary-isms perfectly.

[WhosThatGirl]

49 minutes ago, slowpoked said:

I know that Hillary Actually skit was played for laughs, but it made me sad - especially when the camera made a close-up to the cardboard "I still care about this country." and then right next to Kate's Hillary's poignant smile.

Kudos to the skit for the topical message and STILL getting the Hillary-isms perfectly.

I felt more sad as well. It's why I can't really laugh at the cold opens with trump anymore. 

[mtlchick]

Quote

What I think would have made it even better would have been if Casey's brother Ben and Matt Damon did a cameo, gave Casey a double-knuckle noogie on his head and called it his "initiation." 

I don't know about Matt as he only hosted once but I was hoping for his big bro to explain to him how to make the 5 timers club in a few steps. 

The Dunks ad is scarily accurate. I know too many people from MA who live it. 

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

See The Highlights From Casey Affleck's Debut Turn As Saturday Night Live Host

Did the actor's non-presence ruin the Christmas show? Not so much!

[BatmanBeatles]

I think the alien abduction skit is lightening in a bottle. It's not as funny the second or third time.

[Bruinsfan]

Ryan Gosling cracking up over Kate's lines in the original was half of what made it funny.

[Ohwell]

I don't know what the hell Chance the Rapper was singing, not sure I liked it, but he was pretty funny in his skits, and I think he's cute as a button in those Kit Kat commercials.  I'd like to see him host.

[JZL]

9 hours ago, Bruinsfan said:

Ryan Gosling cracking up over Kate's lines in the original was half of what made it funny.

Yeah, and then Cecily improvising the cover, "Look at him, he's crying."

IMHO, the second time for the abduction sketch wasn't so bad, but last week the only funny bits were Kate's euphemisms for her naughty bits. 

[nowandlater]

Wow, this is so riveting.

[VCRTracking]

Wowzers, that was tense to watch! Now I know why they always take so much time announcing the cast members!

Edited December 22, 2016 by VCRTracking

[JZL]

Git outta there, IT'S GONNA BLOW!!

[WhosThatGirl]

On 12/22/2016 at 2:58 AM, VCRTracking said:

Wowzers, that was tense to watch! Now I know why they always take so much time announcing the cast members!

It was, I was nervous there for a second when the last guy couldn't get the right poinsettia correct and the stage guy was like "it's okay just go just go!"

[JZL]

21 hours ago, WhosThatGirl said:

It was, I was nervous there for a second when the last guy couldn't get the right poinsettia correct and the stage guy was like "it's okay just go just go!"

I thought he couldn't decide on the red wire or the blue wire.  : )