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It simply makes sense that the best episode of the season would be followed by the worst episode of the season. Water always finds its level, or whatever, and Saturday Night Live’s level is somewhere in the vast and vacillating spectrum between brilliant and painful. I do think that there is one thing that this show has going for it and will always have going for it, and that is the burnished shine of the rich and powerful. You know when you see some Richie Rich fresh off the yacht who just looks great? He or she has strong looking teeth and their clothes look brand new and their skin seems to shine with satisfaction? That is what this show is like. Which is why even with a dud of a host like Jude Law (and I am talking king dud of dud mountain) the show still demands your attention. Even when Jerry Seinfeld drops by for a surprise installment of Really? With Seth and Bored Multi-Millionaire Trying Desperately To Shill His Latest God Awful Vanity Project That Is Seriously A Nightmare And Why Don’t We Burn The Whole Network To The Ground At This Point If They Have No Respect For US it still earns goodwill.
I want a yacht! But all I have are these clips from Saturday’s show:
Jude Law’s opening monologue was so bad (maybe the worst of all time?) that I would hate to make you watch it again (or for the first time, if you are lucky enough to not have seen it) and yet just for the historical record I feel duty-bound (haha, right, duty-bound, I’m sure) to post it here for posterity. Because it is really something awful!
Wooooooooof. I mean, there’s not even any point in comparing that to Zach Galifianakis’s herstoric monologue from last week, but if you do compare them then it is just double yikes. He seemed like he was channeling his character from Stephen Spielberg’s A.I.: “ladies and gentleman, your host, BROKEN SEX ROBOT!” They actually make an A.I. joke in a later sketch, which is also about Hamlet, because Jude Law is so impressed with having been in Hamlet that he thinks we are equally impressed. We are not. Enough, Jude Law, with the Hamlet already. Is what I would say to him. In a deli. Or in line at the bank. Anywhere that I saw him, really.
The best sketch of the night, because let’s just Tom-Hanks-at-the-2010-Oscars this thing and get the job done, was probably the digital short music video for “Boombox” with Andy Samberg and Julian Casablancas:
That’s right. The best sketch of the show was a pre-taped music video for a song that came out a year ago and didn’t feature the guest host at all. Not that Jude Law was completely worthless, he was just mostly worthless. Although the Secret Word sketch was good, and he was even pretty good in it.
Awww! Good job, Jude Law! You were good in one sketch! And you know what they say, when the producers give you Jude Law, make Jude Lawmenade. Which is to say that he was basically a prop and a punchline in this sketch about his auditioning process for Hamlet (HAMLET HAMLET HAMLET!) and with him mostly just sitting there as a visual reference to his own IMDB page, it allowed everyone else to do their jobs.
Honestly, one of the highlights of the whole night for me was watching Pearl Jam, and it’s not like I’m a big Pearl Jam head. I rarely watch the musical guest on this show even when it’s someone I listen to (currently, not in 1992). I probably just liked watching them for the simple fact that unlike Jude Law, they weren’t drenched in flop sweat.
And that was about it. The Twilight Zone sketch was decent. And, despite Jerry Seinfeld’s surprise appearance (although it was no surprise how bad it was! Zing), I really think that Seth Meyers is so good at Weekend Update. Maybe the best run of that segment was when he and Amy Poehler did it together, MAYBE, but it’s basically just as good with him alone. But again, that has nothing to do with the former star of Hamlet, Jude Law. Who stinks and who stunk.
UPDATE: Whoops, I forgot the Broadview Security parody ad, which was actually the best sketch of the night. Again: pre-taped and no Jude Law is the key to success. It’s like that book, the 48 Laws of Power, except there are only two laws, and it’s not about power it is about laughs. (Ugh. Mondays, right Garfield?)
NOTE: I know that some readers have complained in the past about the unavailability of Hulu clips to non-U.S. residents. The thing is, Hulu just looks nicer than most other video players. But you guys (or should I say, you “lorries”) should be able to watch most of the aforementioned clips here.
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This guy knows what Gabe is talking about
Pah!
A Boom Box is not a toy!
I laughed throughout the episode. Out loud. Start to finish. I did watch it after getting home at about 4:30 in the morning, which may have had something to do with my enjoyment.
<3 Julian
Yeah, he’s awesome, but what’s with the dyed hair? Dude looks like a character from Lilo and Stitch with those red and blue highlights.
if the andy samberg sketch was the best of the night, it must have been truly awful. i feel like i am missing something with him – especially with the lonely island, but i just don’t get what’s funny about it.
See, and I loved the Twilight Zone spoof. I thought it was one of the best sketches in a freaking long time. And the ending! Gold.
With that being said, the opening monologue was really painful, as was most of the rest of the episode. Cold opens are just the worst, man. But there were some good laughs and I don’t think it was too terrible.
“Myrtle Beach, South Carolina … and The Twilight Zone.”
I also enjoyed that skit! Though it’s the only one I watched and I might be biased because it has my favorite band in it.
ugh, jude law. he always looks like he is about to cry.
I only saw the opening monologue, and it was horrible, but I liked when Law took a stab at Jeremy Piven. Douche-off?
Also: Look at me. Finally commenting on V’gum 2.0!
I enjoyed it, not Jude of course. He was pretty bad. But after last week where all the skits were bad and only salvedgable when they actually used Zach’s talent, I was happy to see the Word, the music festival advert skit, and most of all Julian Casablancas.
Playing Devil’s Advocate here: the writing seemed clearly phoned in. I mean the entire opening monologue was about Hamlet? (Yikes) Two movie spoofs and another two skits about “Being Jude Law”.
The man is about to premiere a film about organ debt collectors, co-starring Forest Whitaker. Doesn’t that sound like something begging for a spoof!
I agree that this episode was pretty weak, but I didn’t think Jude Law was entirely to blame for that. The material he was given to work with was just not funny. I think under the circumstances, he did alright. Also, I appreciated the fact that he was game to use his failures as jokes (Alfie, A.I., that whole impregnating that random woman last year thing). Way to laugh at yourself Jude! Because not very many people were laughing WITH you!
GIANT AGREE. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone make fun of their own love child on national television before. Your move, Johnny Edwards.
I wish Ass Dan were still around so he could do his He-Man impression. THAT would have been a lot funnier than this crap. R.I.P. Ass Dan.
I’m here for you, Cabbageface!
i love how this SNL showed that commercial as if it were an entirely new and original prospect. NBC seems to take after ABC by displaying old news as new news (locke isnt really locke, HES THE SMOKE MONSTER!!!)
Mrs. Potato Dick = Team Smokey.
Jude Law is a prince. A beautiful brilliant prince. And can be great and is great in anything that he does. But we’re on different wavelengths here bro-bro, I thought they totally wasted Zach last week, and for the most part didn’t play to Judes strengths this week. the season was great up until they took a break and returned with J-Lo…. “Tim and Eric” on Funny or Die this past Friday is blog worthy. Blog about that.
I thought there were a lot of great sketches in this episode (no thanks to Jude, but still…):
The Broadview Security parody:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/134720/saturday-night-live-broadview-security
I also liked the last sketch with Nasim and Fred…
And a second airing of the GOTJ Infomercial parody. More love for Mrs. Potato Dick.
I give this episode high marks!
http://i43.tinypic.com/2m045i.png
I didn’t think it was so so bad, either, and if it was, it was definitely more the fault of the writers than Jude Law. It’s weird how much I tend to disagree with Gabe on his SNL reviews, considering we are two of what can only be a handful of 78 year olds who obviously watch/look forward to it every week.
Oh, and Ravish was straight adorbs. I love his “excited face”!
I feel like this would be a good time to share that there is a billboard in Hartford, CT for the local alt-station that says:
“Traffic Jam? PEARL JAM.”
And this never ceases to make me laugh.
Bell peppers? RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.
Drug addiction? JANES ADDICTION
Pavement? PAVEMENT.
im no good at this.
sorry…
House fire? ARCADE FIRE.
speed limit? the LIMITS OF CONTROL by Jim Jarmusch
Foreigner? FOREIGNER
seriously.
i suck.
“Tire chains? ALICE IN CHAINS.”
“No U-turn? THE U-MEN.”
“Semi truck? GRUNTRUCK.”
“Pothole? HOLE.”
I love you so much for these grunge references, KajusX.
Seriously, I have not seen one mention of probably the best part of the episode: Whoopi Goldberg talking about her pee-pee pads commercials. I know they straight-up joke-jacked from this site, but still, very funny. Who can’t laugh at this:
Other than that,Boombox was good, but old, same for the Underground Records festival (seriously, the exact same scene? At least change some jokes up or something. Looks like the writers were already at Spring Break), the Spanish skit TERRIBLE, the Twilight Zone thing meh.
I was going to commentate on how the Whoopi thing was worth mentioning, very funny stuff. Watching that I was reminded that back in the 90s she was on star trek the next generation as the token magic space negress. For a second, I got her confused with Q and thought she had magical powers and could teleportate on to the ship and do mischief. But she was actually just a simple bartender dispensing nuggets of magic space negress wisdom.
Space negress? That’s borderline racist. they like to be called Pandorean-Earthlings, kind sir!(Because Whoopi is basically a Na’vi, right?)
I don’t mean to get too serious about the “token” remark, but Star Trek has been one of the most progressive franchises in the history of television when dealing with racial issues. Uhura may have been a token black member of the original cast, but that was in 1966 when there was no such thing as a token black member of a tv show cast, especially not a sassy female one that was seen as an equal. That was true groundbreaking stuff there, and I think that Whoopi’s role as Guinan was sort of a continuation of that role.
She wasn’t an actual member of the crew, so she couldn’t be ordered to do anything, and was depicted as a higher order of being, perhaps even rivaling Q in power. That, to me, doesn’t suggest a token role as a simple bartender (though, thats what she wanted the crew to think she was).
Forgive me if I read too much into your comment. I think peeing your pants is hilarious, but I feel like you took it to a new level with your comment, and that your evaluation of her character on Star Trek TNG and the show itself is flat out wrong.
Eh, it was a mediocre episode. Also known as a SNL episode. Just like last week’s episode. Which wasn’t that good. Which is why I watch them on Sunday afternoons, cause SNL episodes are basically made for Sunday afternoon chilling. But hey! At least they finally took the mickey out of Vicky Cristina Barcelona! That movie has been just sitting around unparodied for too long. Some writer’s Netflix queue must have just got to the end of a Woody Allen kick.
Also, nice try Gabe, but the NBC site don’t work either for me. The world will stop at nothing to slightly annoy Canadians.
talkingstove is right. NBC = Not Broadcasting (for) Canada
But good effort Gabe. Nice try. We appreciate it.
Wow, a “k.d. lang is a man” joke. Very timely. I can’t wait for SNL to take the piss out of Sarah McLaughlin.
Since I have nothing good to say about this past episode that isn’t PJ-related, here are my top PJ moments of the night, in .gif form!
Eddie being cool:
http://www.gifsoup.com/view/234266/pearl-jam-snl-unthought-known.html
Eddie SMILING:
Eddie SMILING EVEN MORE BEAUTIFULLY:
Jeff and Mike doing their thing. I love how this was basically “Eddie Vedder and a couple of guys that meh they’re not as interesting”. You go, guys!
http://www.gifsoup.com/view/234165/pearl-jam-snl-unthought-known-o.gif
And this, which was actually funny:
http://www.gifsoup.com/view/234123/pj-snl-skit-o.gif
Whoops, here is Eddie being cool. EDDIE U R SO KOOL I LUV U PLZ GIV ME A HUG:
This reminded me of the worst part of the entire episode:
The next episode’s musical guest is the Bieb. I’ll contain my rant to just one advice to SNL: no.
Yes but this will give the SNL guys an opportunity to make fun of that stupid little girl and her horrible youtube video. Do you know what I’m talking about?
Well this gives RAAAAAAAANDY!!!(with 8 A’s) a chance to retaliate on live TV.(Tape delayed for Mountain and Pacific Time Zones)
Definitely not the worst episode of the season. It was a bit hit or miss, but I laughed a lot, which is more than I can say for most of the episodes.
Agreed with all of the sketches and segments everyone’s mentioned (though I’m surprised it took them that long to make a Brinks Security parody when I’ve been saying essentially the same thing for a year). And I know you’re pretty much required to hate everything Seinfeld does at this point, but I didn’t think he was THAT bad. I laughed during the segment.
my favorites were definitely Ravish’s talk show and the Twilight Zone skit. Jude Law is a peen.
also the security system one was awesome. Bill Hader is the greatest announcer since Will Arnette.
I truly thought SNL had reached its nadir when Will Farrell was the breakout star, still clinging one footed to SNL while “starring” in movies. It can’t get any worse than this, I thought. Farrell’s fratboy, shouty humor would never be looked back upon as a golden age of laffs, right?
Well I was wrong. SNL just keeps getting worse and worse (worser?). It is the Lawrence Welk Show of comedy.
As for Jude Law, I find it funny that people will say “good for the host for laughing at himself” because the host is still flogging their latest film in front of millions of people and then going home to their gold-covered Manhattan loft. If you’re going to host a erstwhile “comedy” show, be funny. That’s not too much to ask. But then again, this show is the worst, so Jude Law fits in well with that theme.
“Brought to you by the wicked-fun, wallet-smart Mazda 3″ should be the new catchphrase of 2010. We finished with “self-potato”, didn’t we?
The only things that really caught my attention were Boombox (seeing a Spanish Guy do the Bartman is on my bucket list) and the Security commercial (as I too break into random homes if they are owned by single women).
Can I just add that I feel dirty having to use Facebook to use Videogum now?
I have to say I loved Fred Armisen as the court recorder. That was my fave of the episode.
I just used all my letters playing the word “lorries” on a triple word score in Scrabble getting 74 points. I owe my success to Videogum.
I was glad that Lonely Island finally made a video for Boombox, as it is one of my favorites from their album. However, I was disappointed that they cut out the second verse. Also, it turned out to be pretty much the same as this WoW Boombox video from over a year ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiI2P-ZRCds
More than 10% of these comments are gifs. (Math!)
This week’s SNL was mediocre at best. Jude Law was pretty bland, and the writing was lazy. SPRIIIIING BREAAAAK or whatever.
Oh and Gabe, the NBC site is restricted too. You’ve tried sending us there instead before… it was restricted then too. Stop trying to trick us foreigners!
Was I the only one that liked the episode? I didn’t really get the impression of Jeff Dunham’s puppet Achmed in Spain, though…
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6pnwv9&s=5
http://tinypic.com/r/6pnwv9/5
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