SNL: Gaga for the YouTube Moments, but God Is in the Details

What's more important to SNL, comedy or buzz? To the writers, players and guest hosts, it's probably the former; to Lorne Michaels and the suits at NBC, it's ultimately probably the latter. The show can't exist without being funny, at least some of the time -- that's its raison d'être. But it's also not on at 2:00 PM Saturday on Comedy Central for a reason: this isn't just about people being funny, it's about which people are being funny. A punchline knocked home by Sarah Palin is a knockout heard 'round the YouTube-o-sphere; it takes a little longer for the quality work of a Kristen Wiig or a Jason Sudeikis to penetrate.

But don't take that for granted, not for a second -- because surrounding those "OMG" YouTube moments (Madonna wrestling with Lady Gaga! Jenny Slate dropping the F-Bomb!). There's a reason last season was a banner year for SNL.

Short-term, the buzz will get people tuning in -- Who's the host? Who's the musical guest? Might this be one of the fifty episodes where Justin Timberlake cameos?). Long term, though, the repeat viewer will be drawn in by the quality, too (think "SNL isn't funny" vs. "Bill Hader/Andy Samberg/Fred Armisen/Kristen Wiig cracks me up, dude"). When the parade of cameos is over, at the end of the day there's got to be something else there to keep viewers giving a damn.

This episode is a terrific example of just that. The Madonna-Lady Gaga girlfight was the take-away moment of the "Deep House Dish" sketch -- but it also featured Wiig and guest host Ryan Reynoldsdo two of their own funny bits. Reynolds was an excellent, team-player of a host -- happy to play support and ensemble roles rather than being a greedy frontman -- and it showed. It was a big improvement over last week's slightly bland effort starring Megan Fox (maybe that's what happens when your sketches aren't all excuses to dress the hot host in sex-kitten outfits).

If you missed it -- you do have a life! -- here are all the clips from the episode, with my thoughts on what made them great. Darrell Hammond as Arnold Schwarzenegger or the "Family Feud" sketch riffing on Mackenzie Phillips didn't get the ink of Gaga or Madonna, and that's to be expected, but they were among my top moments in an pretty stellar episode ("So You Committed A Crime And Think You Can Dance" was another). Videos and recap below.

Cold Open: Obama on his Track Record

Ouch. Scathing sketch on what Obama has/has not accomplished in his 8 months in office (though realizing we're a month shy of the one-year-anniversary of his election is a shock). Armisen's Obama impression, which I've always liked but which others have impugned, is a little lax to start, but since he nails the "Nnno!" and that word gets lots of play during the sketch, it's a win. Also a win for the truth-hurts subject matter. (Though of course, to be fair, re: the Olympics and health care and even Afghanistan, who wants a president who signs on just because it's easy and he's sure he'll win? Come on.)

Ryan Reynolds' Monologue

Ryan Reynolds was a terrific SNL host. Did he have those break-out YouTube moments? Nope - that's because he was a total team player, through and through. There was no insistence on self-promo, no star-turn diva moments - he was there to partcipate and play parts across types and support the sketch as a whole, not just his screen time. The monologue is decent but I'm going to turn what I just said on its head because it's the one place he deserved that star turn - Reynolds has been effortlessly carrying scenes since Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place (once on the WE network right after Felicity - so yes, I watched it) - he would have been equal to anything they threw at him, and happy to do it. A musical number, a battling-Wolverine bit, or at least using the women in the cast to underscore his romantic lead status (a Definitely, Maybe nod?) -- amping up the energy would have made the monologue pop more. Still, perfectly decent.

70's Family Feud with the Osmond and Phillips Families

Yes, incest and child abuse is not a joke. Obviously. But how could SNL ingnore the Mackenzie Phillips story -- especially when she put it front and center on Oprah and across the rest of the dial? This handling of it was pitch-perfect, placing the joke within a larger context that allowed so much more opportunity for jokes subtle (sets, costumes, Osmonds) and and not so much ("Things You Do With Your Father!"). Hader was at his best creepy weirdo here, too; glad they played Mackenzie down; better to focus on the Osmond-love between Reynolds and Abby Elliott. Loved Sudeikis as Richard Dawson too. Only thing missing was the kissing (for you young 'uns - host Dawson used to kiss all the ladies).

Porcelain Fountains! With Scarlett Johanssen

Nice - bringing back Scarlett Johansson to reprise a sketch she did when she hosted SNL. Happy marriages are good for SNL ratings.

I Threw It On The Ground (Digital Short - Andy Samberg)

I am sure people out there got this -- I didn't, but I am not the target demo of the patented Lonely Island rap parody. (Confession: When I first saw, "I'm On A Boat!" I was like, this is stupid. Yeah, I'm in touch with the kids, all right.) I did double-take at Elijah Wood though. Frodo! Frodo on a boat would be even more fun. Free Willy!

>>>MORE: Weekend Update, Plus Madonna Taking Down Gaga By The Throat

More Sketches From The 10/3 SNL:
Deep House Dish, feat. Lady Gaga and Madonna
Mostly Garbage Pet Food (Commercial Parody)
Update: Darrell Hammond as Gov. Arnold Schwarzennegger
Update: Mr. & Mrs. Ahmadinejad
Update: Charles Barkley
So You Committed A Crime...And Think You Can Dance
Norwegian Actor's Playhouse
Lady Gaga and Andy Samberg Wear The Same Outfit (and Kiss)
Lady Gaga: Paparazzi
Lady Gaga: Bad Romance/Pokerface/Love Game Medley

This post is a slightly modified version of one which ran earlier at Mediaite.com

 

 

Follow Rachel Sklar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/rachelsklar

Comments

[mama1974]

I think SNL needs to stop up-dating skits that are dated. The "biker-chick" was a Wayne's World wanna-be, without the funny. I liked the family fued skit but celeb jeopardy was funnier. We've seen Madonna cameos before, remember "Coffee Talk"? The only consistent part of the show is "Week-end Update".

[Jorge Al-Subbad]

I dunno.. maybe I'm just too old as well. How can you have a show where they tell you "You don't think it's funny cuz you're just not hip to what people in their 20s today find funny." And then you see a skit based on the Family Feud. I mean there have to be significant chunks of Gen Y who have never really sat and watched this show. In fact any skit which references local talk shows or public access might not make sense to this generation. Also... the entire post MTV television sphere is what SNL should have been goofing on for years and you really only see that from Andy Samberg on a regular basis. What percentage of SNL jokes involve Keenan Thompson playing a black woman? That's clever? STILL? Jason Sudeikis is brilliant? I've yet to see him do anything but shout loud and then wait for the laugh teeth bared. They fired Chris Parnell for this?

Either I'm wrong or right, but anyone who says this show, particularly these last 4 seasons is as funny as Howdy Doody was .. I just don't know what their reference is. The show is just plain weak.. always.. it's most significant moments of comedy still come off like a soggy sponge. Kristen Wiig is as funny as Will Ferrell and when SHE does a string of movies doing Target Lady shtick 100 different ways she'll run into the same brick wall.

[Fridaynightfilms]

Lonely Islands rise to fame is my inspiration. Please watch my 2 minute short on how bad these drug/pharm ads have gotten where the side effects are not worth the cure. Thanks in advance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRyWcLtA8Q4&feature=channel_page

[monkeymuggs]

The show sucked, I mean at least the writers could have done more with Megan Fox and if that's the crap they came up with over the Summer, then Michaels needs to have a clean house.

Ryan Renoylds is actually a funny guy, and still the show sucked, I mean listen for the laughs and they are barely there.

[Mitochondria]

I thought on a boat was dumb at first too. Actually I still think it is dumb. I like a lot of the lonely island stuff, but that one was not for me, perhaps due to my advanced age of 35. Sadly that "on a boat T-pain," bit created an auto-tune parody monster, so the power of snl is undeniable. I thought the first sketch they did this year on Joe Wilson was very clever, having him leave the room when they all decided to not say, "you lie."

Nice work on this piece Rachel.