Saturday, January 7, 2012

From the Mind of Nate: My View on the State of "Saturday Night Live's" Thirty-Seventh Season


Image taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?q=%22Saturday+Night+Live%22+%2B+%22Season+37%22&hl=en&biw=1229&bih=570&tbm=isch&tbnid=PrNomTZNSUkoLM:&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_(season_37)&docid=zuFTz80Jge7QyM&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b3/Saturday_Night_Live_Title_Card.jpeg&w=300&h=169&ei=Y7wIT5HEMorbggf7xLzKBQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=375&sig=103715830871851290833&page=1&tbnh=113&tbnw=161&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=105&ty=53

Well it’s officially 2012! The New Year has begun and the current television season has reached its halfway-mark. As various talk shows have returned to the airwaves this week with brand new episodes, we can easily look forward to to many surprises. And tonight, NBC’s Saturday Night Live’s” Thirty-Seventh season returns from its holiday break with its eleventh episode; which is being hosted by Former Basketball Player Charles Barkley-- who will be joined by Kelly Clarkson as the show's musical guest. And, as preparing to live-blog this evening’s show, I can wholeheartedly look back on the current state of my favorite sketch-comedy program. Throughout the past ten episodes, I have seen sketches which contained routines and puchlines that were repeated in an effort to fill up time; as well as sketches that din't contain any humor whatsoever. However, in all honesty, I have to admit that the many performances by the cast and the hosts have allowed me to laugh repeatedly as well as sincerely. Thus, in all frankness, I can say:











Even Though the Writing's Not Entirely Great, “Saturday Night Live’s” Thirty-Seventh Season Has Been Fine; Thanks in Large Part to Good Performances by the Castmembers and the Hosts



During the 2010-2011 season, “Saturday Night Live” was in a dismal state. The writers were hardly showing any effort when creating sketches for the long-running sketch comedy series. Talented castmembers like Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig were assigned to play one-note characters that delivered the same shtick every time they appeared. Also, in an attempt to get cheap laughs from the audience, the writers loaded-up many segments with juvenile humor; such as man-on-man kissing and frequent jokes about intercourse. In addition, talented first-time hosts like Bryan Cranston and Ed Helms were subjected to playing minor roles in sketches that didn't enable them to bestow a mmemorable performance. In other words, the series’ thirty-sixth season could be considered a one of the most listless years in the history of the program; seeing as there was hardly any effort being done to make the show memorable.





Image of Andy Samberg and Ed Helms taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?q=%22Saturday+Night+Live%22+%2B+%22Ed+Helms%22+AND+%22song+memories%22&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1229&bih=570&tbm=isch&tbnid=hf7wq5UNw1YiDM:&imgrefurl=http://hotoffpress.wordpress.com/2011/05/15/snl-helms-simon/&docid=qYrHYBM7vh3CzM&imgurl=http://hotoffpress.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/onetaketony.jpg&w=691&h=388&ei=M8QIT56XNcqRgQenq_mzAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=156&sig=103715830871851290833&page=1&tbnh=115&tbnw=155&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0&tx=54&ty=50



However, when the show’s current season kicked off on September 24, I noticed that there was a significant change in the air. I noticed that all through the premier show, which was being emceed by Alec Baldwin, who was celebrating his record-breaking sixteenth hosting stint, I felt as if the show’s writers were trying to come up with original and creative ideas for sketches. In fact, throughout the first half of the show, which started off with a very funny sketch poking fun at the most recent Republican debate, was rich in both inspired writing and great performances by the cast and Baldwin. It should be mentioned that the opening segment contained humorous portrayals of the GOP candidates; among which including Jason Sudeikis hilariously-portraying a very overly-modest Mitt Romney as well as Kristen Wiig comically-depicting a sharp-tongued Michelle Bachmann. In addition, Baldwin’s representation of a rambling Rick Perry proved to be the icing on the cake; thus starting off the premier episode on a high note. The momentum continued throughout the show; including the monologue, in which Steve Martin, who previously held the record for hosting the program for the most times with a total of fifteen instances, subjected Baldwin to a drug test that was designed to see if he was hosting the show without the aid of supplements. And even though the show’s writing began to wither throughout the second half of the program, Baldwin and the cast presented the audience with great performances that truly saved the show from becoming unremarkable. Thus, thanks to Alec Baldwin, “Saturday Night Live’s” thirty-seventh season really did begin on a very energetic note. And it would not stop there.


Image of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?q=%22Saturday+Night+Live%22+%2B+%22Alec+Baldwin%22+AND+2011&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1229&bih=570&tbm=isch&tbnid=ysFdQxlJ9Md7DM:&imgrefurl=http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2054012160/tt0072562&docid=_AaO7UFOUm1gyM&imgurl=http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTk0MjY3MzcxM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTcyNzI4Ng%2540%2540._V1._SX600_SY400_.jpg&w=600&h=400&ei=cLQIT_aXOI3gggfUwdSBDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=375&sig=103715830871851290833&page=1&tbnh=115&tbnw=163&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:0&tx=103&ty=42



On October 1, Melissa McCarthy, who proved to be a major scene-stealer this past summer R-rated comedy “Bridesmaids,” served as the sketch-comedy program’s host for the first time. Though many of the sketches suffered from inadequate writing, seeing as most of the sketches did depend on the same punchlines being repeated, McCarthy’s vast enthusiasm proved to be a tremendous asset for the show. The first-time host was willing to go the extra mile in every sketch; including excitedly dousing herself with salad dressing during one particular segment in which she portrayed a member of a focus group that was asked to taste new samples of Hudson Valley Ranch Dressing. It should also be mentioned that McCarthy had very good chemistry with the cast; primarily Jason Sudeikis; who, during one sketch, portrayed a hapless employee that was being subjected to an overly-flirtatious employee that was being portrayed by the comedienne. McCarthy even got the opportunity to work alongside her “Bridesmaids” co-star Kristen Wiig for a couple of segment; including the monologue, during which the two ladies demonstrated series of comical dance moves. In other words, the whole episode proved to be quite memorable; primarily due to Melissa McCarthy and strong commitment to giving a truly hilarious performance. Thus, as we saw on the season premier, the performances of the hosts and the castmembers enabled the quality of the show to be much better than it could have been.
Image of Melissa McCarthy taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?q=%22Saturday+Night+Live%22+%2B+%22Melissa+McCarthy%22&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1229&bih=570&tbm=isch&tbnid=AZmvbD_9J4-3hM:&imgrefurl=http://theweek.com/article/index/219893/melissa-mccarthys-fearless-saturday-night-live-hosting-stint&docid=oqCw-ZBolQoWOM&imgurl=http://2.images.theweek.com/img/dir_0066/33428_article_main/first-time-host-melissa-mccarthy-played-an-overzealous-taste-tester-in-a-saturday-night-live-skit.jpg&w=240&h=301&ei=hrMIT_65BcaSgwehupydAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=125&sig=103715830871851290833&page=1&tbnh=111&tbnw=89&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0&tx=39&ty=52




And this concept is evident in most episodes that followed. Even though the writing has been unsatisfactory, the performances by the hosts and the castmembers guaranteed laughter. And when certain jokes keep being repeated throughout a designated segment, the performers’ acting and deliveries emerge as a significant bright spot. For instance, in a segment that took place on November 19, Kristen Wiig played an employee that was being encouraged to give a speech about her retiring employer; played silently by fellow castmember Fred Armisen. Throughout the piece, Wiig’s character constantly screeched that she had nothing to say at all; causing her fellow employees to be very put off. Though the writing was very insufficient, Wiig’s overall delivery was enough to make me laugh; mainly due to her over-the-top performance. In addition, episode host Jason Segel amusingly played a fellow worker who repeatedly claimed that he had a shocking revelation about his retiring boss; thus adding an extra dynamic to the sketch. Thus, even though certain plot points kept being repeated throughout the segment, the overall performances turned in by both Kristen Wiig and Jason Segel made the sketch worthwhile.




Another sketch that took place this season that suffered from bad writing took place on November 5 when Jason Sudeikis’ “Horrible Bosses” co-star Charlie Day hosted for his first. In this particular segment, Day played an actor filming a family movie about a boy’s relationship with a dolphin. Throughout the segment, Charlie Day’s character was being constantly annoyed by the dolphin’s trainer, played by Featured Player Taran Killam, who kept stomping his foot and making noises in an attempt to get the aquatic mammal to behave properly. The joke of Day’s character being irritated by the trainer’s actions wore thin and made it seem like it was an attempt to drag out the sketch. Nevertheless, the acting of both Charlie Day and Taran Killam made up for the joke being dragged into the ground. In addition, castmember Kenan Thompson, who played a boom mic operator that constantly was unable to get a sound out of Day’s character, managed to get laugh out of me when he kept claiming that he could do a better job with the scene—mainly due to the manner in which the dialogue was spoken. Furthermore, in a segment towards the end of the show, Charlie Day played a detective investigating a murder that constantly denied that he knew of various pop culture allusions brought forward by a police officer; played by Jason Sudeikis. Though the writing was unsatisfactory throughout the sketch, the brilliant chemistry between both performers was a delight to watch and their antics made me laugh wholeheartedly. In other words, even when the material being presented by the show’s writers was very insufficient, the top-notch acting by the performers guaranteed a positive impact. Image of Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?q=%22Saturday+Night+Live%22+%2B+%22Charlie+Day%22+AND+%22Jason+Sudeikis%22&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1229&bih=570&tbm=isch&tbnid=MV1tXQsvimfcSM:&imgrefurl=http://warmingglow.uproxx.com/2011/11/get-excited-for-charlie-day-on-snl&docid=XYIEVIzRXrqKvM&imgurl=http://cdn.wg.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/charlie-day-snl.jpg&w=650&h=369&ei=sbUIT8_xGYqrgwf1x_GzAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=391&sig=103715830871851290833&page=1&tbnh=109&tbnw=147&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0&tx=62&ty=62




This is further proven when observing the performances of some other hosts. For instance on December 3, Steve Buscemi too to the stage for his second time: his first being on April 4, 1998. Throughout the show, Buscemi's acting skills helped elevate the quality of some of the weaker sketches; one of which centered abound one of Kristen Wiig's reoccurring character. This particular on-screen persona of Wiig's, an overly-excited emplyee named Sue, grew more excited over a co-worker's surprise promotion as the sketch went on. While Wiig gave an amusing performance, the sketch suffered to the fact that the format followed the exact same format as every other instance in which the character appears. Nevertheless, in addition to Wiig's performance, Steve Buscemi enabled the sketch further due to his ability to hold his ground and portray a very good straightman. In addition, Buscem's overall performance as host was very memorable; as his comic delivery meshed well with the acting of the cast. Furthermore, we got a couple of segments in which Steve Buscemi got to play a well-developed character; such examples included a coach that was being suspected of conducting inappropriate behavior towards high school students-- even though there was no evidence that proved such a thing. Henceforth, just as we have seen with Alec Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy, Jason Segel and Charlie Day, Steve Buscemi went on as being a host whose acting and comic skills was enough to vastly improve the quality of the sketches in a given show.


Image of Jason Sudeikis and Steve Buscemi taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?q=%22Saturday+Night+Live%22+%2B+%22Steve+Buscemi%22+AND+%22Coach+Bert%22&hl=en&biw=1229&bih=570&tbm=isch&tbnid=JZEBN31v1kSOjM:&imgrefurl=http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/2011/12/snl_comedians_syracuse_penn_state_bernie_fine_jerry_sandusky.html&docid=Ost8RxO6S_MfxM&imgurl=http://media.syracuse.com/entertainment/photo/10323051-large.jpg&w=380&h=291&ei=0bkIT76RFZLCgAf08uCnAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=83&vpy=253&dur=1015&hovh=196&hovw=257&tx=202&ty=90&sig=103715830871851290833&page=1&tbnh=115&tbnw=146&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0



However, this is not always the case. There have been instances this season in which the performances by the castmembers and a specific host are not enough to save a given sketch or even a large portion of a specific episode. For example, on November 12, Emma Stone, who first hosted on October 23, 2010, was unfortunately given an assortment of sketches that weren't etirely funny or unforgettable. In one such sketch, the actress played an out-of-touch party guest at a bridal shower who gave out very badly chosen gifts to an about-to-be bride played by Kristen Wiig. Though Stone gave a good performance, the sketch proved to be very awkward and didn't really go anywhere. In addition, the enthusiastic performances by Stone and the cast were not enough to save most of the episode; as many sketches consisted of sketches that weren't written well at all. Only one sketch proved to be funny and memorable; as it took the form of a group of co-workers getting emotional when listening to Adele’s hit song “Someone like You.” All the performances were good and I liked the idea of a group of people coming together through the power of music. Nevertheless, even though the sketches were performed well, the episode was grealy affected by poor writing.


Image of (from left to right) Fred Armisen, Emma Stone, Nasim Pedrad, Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg, Kenan Thompson, Bill Hader, and Bobby Moynihan taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?q=%22Saturday+Night+Live%22+%2B+%22Emma+Stone%22+AND+Someone+Like+You&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1229&bih=570&tbm=isch&tbnid=yeEIJBFiUTyAmM:&imgrefurl=http://unassumingeuonym.com/2011/11/13/saturday-night-live-recap-emma-stone-and-coldplay/&docid=Pk4DSnOjqNnnfM&imgurl=http://unassumingeuonym.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/vlcsnap-2011-11-13-14h50m18s204.png&w=852&h=480&ei=p7gIT9D9O8Wzgwf-m4zaDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=220&vpy=262&dur=15&hovh=168&hovw=299&tx=142&ty=102&sig=103715830871851290833&page=1&tbnh=88&tbnw=156&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0



It should also be mentioned that the overall performance of a specific host can be cause an entire episode to be a complete failure . On December 10, singer Katy Perry took the stage as the show’s host and failed to give a great performance. Nearly every sketch revolved around Katy Perry singing; thus causing her to be a very one-dimensional host. And, whenever she didn’t sing, Katy Perry appeared very uncomfortable and failed to display any good comedic timing. This also caused the show to be filled with many segments that consisted of no humor whatsoever. Thus, Perry failed to turn in a memorable performance; thus resulting in her being the season’s worst host. She also caused this particular episode to easily be the worst of the season so far.




At this point, you might be wondering who I think was this season’s best emcee so far. Well, on December 17, the last episode of 2011, we were treated to a very special Christmas episode. Former Castmember and current host of NBC’s “Late Night” Jimmy Fallon returned to bring the holiday cheer. Nearly every sketch this particular episode consisted of intriguing writing, first-class performances, and genuine humor. Fallon treated us to a rousing musical monologue that successfully combined celebrating the holidays with his returning to host “Saturday Night Live” for the first time. We were also treated to some very creative sketches; such as Fallon portraying Ludwig Van Beethoven introducing the members of his orchestra- as well as a segment in which theatergoers were presented to an unconventional staging of the well-known play “War Horse.” We even got to see surprise appearances by Jimmy Fallon’s fellow alumni Rachel Dratch, Horatio Sanz, Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Amy Poehler, and Tina fey; the latter two joining “Weekend Update” Anchor Seth Meyers and Former Comedy Joke-Newscaster Fallon for an exciting and humorous “Weekend Update Joke-Off.” But, most importantly, throughout the show, Jimmy Fallon’s comedic talents and genuine zest shined brightly in every sketch even during a weakly-written sketch that he and Kristen Wiig were able to save thanks to their great performances. In other words, Jimmy Fallon proved to be the season’s greatest host so far; and his episode may well have been the best one this season as of yet! That truly is a major accomplishment!



Image of Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Amy Poehler taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?q=%22Saturday+Night+Live%22+%2B+%22Jimmy+Fallon%22+AND+Christmas+2011&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1229&bih=570&tbm=isch&tbnid=7Gh0SGpUtRlGbM:&imgrefurl=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/snl-jimmy-fallon-amy-poehler-tina-fey-dratch-275104&docid=SNhjqdqwoOFQIM&imgurl=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/thumbnail_570x321/2011/12/snl---weekend-update.jpg&w=565&h=318&ei=6roIT7nYMMHvggfL6b3TCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=249&vpy=135&dur=1344&hovh=168&hovw=299&tx=162&ty=86&sig=103715830871851290833&page=1&tbnh=112&tbnw=181&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0



When looking back on my writing, I can honestly say that even though the writing hasn’t been entirely great, Season Thirty-Seven of “Saturday Night Live” really is a much better season than last year’s; thanks in large part to many of the great performances by the cast and many of the show’s hosts. I am really excited about the second half of the season; which will start tonight. I greatly hope that Charles Barkley can continue the energy ignited by Jimmy Fallon. I look forward to live-blogging the show; commenting on all the performances by the cast and our host. And who knows? Maybe tonight’s show will be a good one. All we can do is just wait and see. After all, we don’t know how 2012 will turn out for all of us. Hopefully, this year will be great for us and “Saturday Night Live.” Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: I’ll see you once the show starts at 11:30pm on NBC!










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