S43.E07: Saoirse Ronan / U2

[Mumbles]

The fact that Alex Moffatt almost broke when it came time for the janitor to reveal his wife was dead, and Kenan kind of smiling when he started to yell at the kid, makes me think that this sketch must have been a hit in the writers room. I also wondered how it played during the rehearsal show. They didn't cut it, fwiw.

Like I said before, I really liked it. It surprised me. And I thought Null did a good job acting in it. He was totally hateful at first and then acted genuinely remorseful.

[possibilities]

I think it was one of the bits they do that's not so much hilarious as surprising. Usually the bully wins, everyone is intimidated, and he just keeps getting away with making everyone miserable. In this sketch, they all told him off and he kind of crumpled. Then Beck's guy comes in and he uses flattery to get attention, not insults, and it works. It wasn't so much funny as a trope subversion. I'm on the fence about whether it worked. I don't blame Luke for it, though, either way. I think he executed it well. So the question for me is with the writing, not his performance.

[SomeTameGazelle]

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

I don't blame Luke for it, though, either way. I think he executed it well. So the question for me is with the writing, not his performance.

Or possibly with the direction. It seemed like there wasn't quite enough going on with the non-verbal reactions from the rest of the class and that was what created the confusing feeling that we didn't know how to react either. But I thought the way he crumpled was extremely well done.

[Milburn Stone]

I totally agree Luke gets no blame--in fact, he should get praise for so convincingly portraying the character. The thing is, I'm not ready to "blame" the writing or direction, either--because presenting the audience with a character who was incredibly discomforting and impossible to laugh at may have been precisely their intention. After all, the whole point was subverting expectations when we hear the responses of his classmates. That part wouldn't have been nearly as funny if we hadn't been forced to take the bully character seriously. In fact, it would have been pointless; the whole second half of the sketch just would have laid there. So--a daring experiment, perfectly pulled off by all concerned in front of and behind the camera.

[vb68]

I watched the show over last night and enjoyed it much more the second time. I have to disagree though that Luke gets none of the blame for that classroom sketch. He didn't bring enough to it, whether you want to call it presence or charisma.  Something was missing.  I can't believe the show would so willingly throw a newbie off the deep end without a life vest of some guarantee of laughter from the audience.  Luke even more than Heidi and Chris is still trying to get his sea legs.  If that was a deliberate choice, shame on them. I still feel like the sketch could have been constructed better, but unfortunately I think Luke choked as well.  I could see it on his face. 

Edited December 9, 2017 by vb68

[helenamonster]

Saoirse seems sweet and put her all her effort into this episode, but I had a feeling she was going to get kinda lost in the middle of things. The writers always seem to drop the ball with her "type" of host: conventionally attractive Oscar-caliber actress. It's like they'd rather save their "good stuff" for the more sillier, more out there hosts, even if someone like Saoirse is more than capable. And her only really shining moment, her monologue, I wasn't a fan of. I find jokes that just make fun of how hard someone's name is to pronounce incredibly juvenile. They did a promo bit on the socials similar to this with Gal Gadot. It all felt very fifth grade, like "let's all make fun of the girl with the funny-sounding foreign name." Be better, Show.

I was hoping the Floribama Shore parody would go in a different direction, that the hurricanes would prevent them from getting crazy and they'd just be stuck playing Parcheesi and watching bad horror movies on cable or something.

Agreed on the brilliance of Welcome to Hell. When I was home for Thanksgiving, one of my dad's friends was complaining about how he wouldn't be able to watch House of Cards anymore. Like, yeah, that's the real crime here.

My previous job was as a coordinator for a city council campaign. Our opponent was just like Cecily's character in the KMart sketch, constantly going on Facebook live to be confrontational. Not with anybody in particular, just the world in general, but these people do exist and are convinced their unhinged ramblings will "go viral."

Weekend Update was baaaaaaaad. To quote our esteemed president: "Low energy! Sad!" The Leslie and Mikey bit...y'all have been talking about the news so I know you know what's going on and you thought now was the right time for this?

I am mad at the show and Luke Null for subjecting me to a case of secondhand embarrassment so bad that it eclipsed some of my worst first hand embarrassment experiences. I know there was eventually a point and a punchline but nothing, and I mean nothing, is worth going that long without even a sympathy laugh. I hope Luke's ready to join Jon Rudnitsky and Brooks Wheelan in whatever closet they were banished to after getting kicked off the show.