Thursday, September 27, 2012

Mini-Episode Review: "The Office" Season Premier Episode- "New Guys"


It's hard to say goodbye to a television show. When the final season of a long-running show begins, it's quite bittersweet; considering that while you are watching the first in a run of all new episodes, in your mind you are aware that the end is clearly around the corner. When a beloved series comes to end you know that the only times you'll see the faces of your favorite characters will either be on repeats or on DVDs. When a favorite show comes to end, you'll always be remembering the times you sat comfortably on your couch and laughing; either by your self or with your friends and families. Simply put, knowing that one of your favorite shows is coming to its inevitable conclusion is slightly disheartening.

But what if the quality of the show in question has suffered on account of poor writing? This past summer, it was announced NBC's hit series “The Office” will be officially ending after its ninth season. The series, which started in Spring 2005, focuses on the lives of the employees working at Dunder Mifflin Paper Scranton. While I've enjoyed the performances I was quite saddened by the significant amount of overstated storylines and shoddy writing that struck the series this past season. While I've approved of Ed Helms' dependable performance of Andy Bernard, the former paper salesman that assumed the title of Regional Manager- previously held by Steve Carell's Michael Scott, who left towards the end of the seventh season- I was rattled by the writers resorting to overdone physical comedy and consuming episodes with unremarkable storylines.

And now, this past Thursday, NBC aired the premier episode of the series' final season. The episode, entitled “New Guys,” was both written and directed by Greg Daniels, focused on the addition of two new employees named Clark and Pete; portrayed by Clark Duke and Jake Lacy respectfully. And when watching the episode, I recall slightly grinning at times; mostly due to the fact that there was a couple of genuinely amusing sequence. Unfortunately, however, I was troubled by the episode's reliance on strained material.

One problem I had with the episode was that it appeared that a majority of the episode's comedy appeared forced. Throughout the episode, the was a great amount of physical comedy that seemed over-the top, For instance, in the episode's opening, Dunder Mifflin Accountant Kevin Malone, played Brian Baumgartner, recounts how he tried to save a turtle that he ran over. However, the state of affairs concluded with the animal dying before the character can successfully repair its shell. Not even the actor's comical performance could improve the sequence; as it appeared to be a desperate attempt to get laughs from viewers. Another sequence that irked me was when, in an attempt to prove his worthiness, Raiin Wilson's Dwight Scrhute attempted to ride a bicycle across a tight-rope that ran from the rooftop of Dunder Mifflin to a telephone pole. The whole scene was completely overstated; as it did not posses the subtle humor that was present throughout the earlier seasons of “The Office.” It's sequences like these that make me sigh heavily rather than laugh loudly.

Another problem I had with the season premier was the setup of a story-arc for workplace lovebirds Jim Halpert and Pam Halpert-Beesly, played by John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer respectfully, that will most likely consume the remaining episodes of the season. Ever since the beginning of the series, we have been rooting for characters to get together. And several conflicts emerged along the way that made us doubt that they would ever become a couple. Then, in the series' sixth season, the pair were married and they've been happy together ever since. Unfortunately, their marriage seemed like the perfect storybook ending for them; as they eventually became the parents of two children and they've been happy ever since.  And unfortunately-but-ture, this caused them to become slightly uninteresting.

So what does Episode Writer Greg Daniels do spice things up? Try to create conflict for the couple. With the arrival of Jake Lacy's Pete, John Krasinski's Jim Halpert realizes that he's been working at Dunder Mifflin for a long time. So, rather impulsively, Halpert eventually takes up his college friend's offer to join a sports enterprise. Unfortunately, Krasinki's character does so without informing his wife; obviously setting up future problems. While I applaud Krasinski's performance during this particular scene, the entire plotline seems like a forced way to cause friction between the actor's character and Jenna Fischer's Pam Halpert-Beesly. We know now that the two characters are going to have to deal with the repercussions; as well as the fact that Krasinki's on-screen persona took the job offer in secret. Hopefully, this story-arc will play out in a well-written and well-performed manner throughout the series' final season.



These are just a couple problems I have with the episode. There were a couple moments in the episode that caused me to chuckle; such as John Krasinski's Jim Halpert and Jenna Fischer's Pam Halpert-Beesly address the camera crew that's bee following around the Dunder Mifflin employees throughout
the series. I also admit that the interactions between Raiin Wilson's Dwight Shrute and new employee Clark, played by Clark Duke, were quite humorous and featuring good comedic timing between the two actors. In addition, I laughed when hearing the humorous summation of the day's events by eccentric Dunder Mifflin employee Creed Bratton; the on-screen alter-ego of the musician-tuned-actor. These sequences prove that there still is humor present in the long-running NBC series; even though much of the writing has become stale and overdrawn.



So who knows? Maybe the rest of final season of “The Office” will be good. This was just the premier and hopefully the writers can finish the show on a high note. Otherwise, this will be one viewer that wouldn't be truly upset to see Dunder Mifflin Paper close its doors forever.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

All in all, a Show that was Rich in Good Performances, But Weak in Writing

Just like last week, the show suffered from a case of mediocre writing.  Fortunately, also like last week, the performances by the show's cast and host saved the sketches.

The Kelly and Michael cold opening was alright and it featured decent performances from Jay Pharoah and Nasim Pedrad.  Unfortunately, they weren't given great material at all.  I'm happy to see Jay Pharoah open the show two weeks in a row and I can honestly say that he's become a better sketch comedy performer this season.  Bill Hader did a good impression of Robert Pattinson; but I wish he was given more to do.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt had a lot of energy in his monologue.  However, it must be said that the monologue was just an excuse for the actor to show off his body for the audience.  In addition, the monologue was very rushed and the ending was quite abrupt.  Nevertheless, Gordon-Levitt did a good job and he looked like he was having a good time.

The detective sketch was quite good and Bill Hader and Gordon-Levitt gave good performances.  The drawings of Hader's character got funnier as the sketch went on and I liked the reactions Gordon-Levitt made as his character.  However, the ending of the sketch appeared tacked on.  Depite this, the writing was very good and it was an enjoyable sketch.

The hypnotist sketch was good; and it featured strong performances from Gordon-Levitt and Taran Killam.  I will say, however, that Killam's performance got slightly over-the-top towards the sketch's conclusion; but I did laugh in all honesty.  The ending was also funny and Gordon-Levitt has continued to do well as the show's host.

"Weekend Update" this week was a mixed bag.  Seth Meyers' first few jokes weren't very funny; but his jokes aimed at Brad Pitt and Paris Hilton were funny.  Meyers also seemed to be taking his time a bit more this week; rather than rushing through every joke like he did last week.

Fred Armisen's and Vanessa Bayer's "...Two Best Friends" characters weren't funny at all.  Their routine was basically the same as previous installments, though the slight cracks at the new SNL castmembers at the end of the segment were slightly humorous.

I liked Kate McKinnon's performance as Ann Romney.  Though the writing was weak, McKinnon gave a strong performance.  I'm finding her ti be a good performer.  And I can't believe that this is only her seventh show as a castmember.

Jay Pharoah gave a good performance as Stephen Smith; despite being given weak material.  He's definitely improved as a castmember this season and I'm looking forward to seeing him do more as the season goes on.

All in all, a better installment of "Weekend Update" than last week.

The song memories sketch was quite enjoyable; mostly due to the fun performances from Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, Bill Hader, and Gordon-Levitt.  Though the stories their characters told were very awkward, I enjoyed seeing the four of them have fun singing together.  I also enjoyed seeing Mumford and Sons involved in the sketch; and they appeared to be having fun also.  I loved seeing everyone dance into the audience at the end of the sketch; mostly because I enjoy seeing the fourth wall broken.  This is a variety show after all; and I love seeing everyone have a good time.
  I just wish the writing was better.

The "Finer Things" talk show sketch wasn't very funny at all.  I'm happy that Jay Pharoah is getting more to do; even though he keeps being given weak material.  His chemistry with Kenan was good; despite the fact that they had nothing funny to work with.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt gave a good performance; but alas, the good writing wasn't there at all.  I do see this sketch becoming a reoccurring segment; as the format can be easily repeated.  Not a great sketch,

The sketch featuring Fred Armisen, Kate McKinnon, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt was alright; but mostly that sketch was an excuse to have the latter dress up as a woman.  Nevertheless, Gordon-Levitt gave a strong performance and he made the sketch better than it could have been.  Fred Armisen and Kate McKinnon gave a good musical performance and I enjoyed Gordon-Levitt's engaging performance.  The ending, however, felt tacked on as well as abrupt.

The real-estate fake-commercial sketch with Nasim Pedrad and Tim Robinson was alright; but it suffered from weak writing.  They both gave good performances and I'm happy that Tim Robinson is getting to do quite a bit.  Gordon-Levitt's  involvement  was good as well; though I feel the conclusion of the segment appeared rushed. 

And that's the episode.  I'm really happy to see the newer castmembers like Jay Pharoah, Taran Killam, and Kate McKinnon get more to do.  It appears that they, with the addition of Vanessa Bayer and new Featured Player Tim Robinson, are slowly becoming the new stars of the show.  I hope that Featured Players Aidy Bryant and Cecily Strong get more to do as well. 

Like his first time on the show, Joseph Gordon-Levitt gave a great performance as the host.  His performances greatly improved the quality of the sketches and he worked very well with the cast.  I hope he hosts again soon.

Mumford and Sons gave very good performances and I was happy to see them involved in a sketch.  They are much better than Frank Ocean.

And that's my review.  Thank you all for following me tonight.  I just want to take this time to say that my review of the season premier of "The Office" will be posted by sometime this week at the latest; most likely by Thursday.  I want to take my time with it and I want it to be good.  So expect it up by Thursday at the latest.  I apologize for the delay but it will be worth the wait,

Thank you all for following me and stay tuned for more Nater-Tainment!  Good night everybody!

Good to see one more sketch

Two shows in a row where Tim Robinson stars in the final sketch.  The performances by Robinson and Pedrad are decent the writing isn't that great as usual.

The three of them have been given weak material for this final sketch.  Not a great way to end the show

That was a strange ending

That has to be the final sketch of the night

We are back

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is wearing a dress.

This is kind of silly.  They are doing quite a bit of musical sketches tonight.  They are trying to get the crowd going a lot.  Gordon-Levitt is giving a very good performance.

His acting has saved a majority of the sketches tonight

Commercials

This is a good song.

Nice and mellow.  Good music and good vocal performances. 

Mumford and Sons once again

Commercials

The writing in this sketch isn't great

But I can DEFINITELY see this as a reoccurring sketch.  It's a simple formula that can repeated easily.  Decent performances but nothing really special

Good to see Jay Pharoah star in another sketch!

I could see this being another reoccurring sketch.  SNL loves doing simple talk show sketches. 

Next sketch coming up

Aside from the Sandusky joke

That was a fun sketch. 

Gordon-Levitt has been giving a good performance tonight

YES!!! They went dancing into the audience!!!  I LOVE when sketches break the fourth wall like that.  Very entertaining and fun sketch!

That was an awkward joke

But Hader's performance made it good

Nice to see Mumford and Sons in a sketch

I like when they do these types of sketches.  Seems like they added Kenan as the fourth guy. 

We are back

Next sketch is coming up

commercials

Good performance from Jay Pharoah

Not a great Update, but McKinnon and Pharoah gave great performances.  In addition, I must say that Seth Meyers DID have a couple good jokes tonight. 

I liked Seth Meyers' Brad Pitt

ANOTHER commentary!  Good to see Jay Pharoah again.

He's improved this year as a sketch comedy performer.  His performances are saving hi skits; which are being greatly affected by the not-so-stellar writing.

Good Pris Hilton joke

McKinnon is giving a good performance

The writing is alright but McKinnon's performance is saving the bit. 

Kate McKinnon as Anne Romney

Good to see her get some screentime.  She has a lot of energy and does well portraying offbeat characters

Fred Armisen and Vanessa Bayer do these characters all the time

They just copy-and-paste the same routine everytime they do these characters. 

Armisen's and Bayer's characters were originaly meant to be Kaddafi's two best friends and then Ken Jong Un's best friends.  And now this.

The crack about the new castmembers was alright but just a rtacked on way to end the bit

That joke was decent

Decent joke about Facebook by Seth Meyers

Not terrible jokes so far

Seth Meyers' material is alright

"Weekend Update" is up now

commercials are still going on

Commercials

This is a good musical performance

MUCH BETTER than Frank Ocean last week

I really like the guitar work in this song.

Mumford and Sons' vocal performance is very good. 

And mow.. Mumford and Sons

I like this band.  They got a good sound and I liked some of their songs from a couple years ago

Musical performance is coming up

Commercials

It seems like the writers are using quite a bit of risque humor this season

I guess they are trying to make the show a bit more edgy.

Alright, Now it's going a bit over-the-top.

And now it's gotten a bit better.  Another abrupt ending

I like seeing Killam star in a sketch

He's a really good sketch comedy performer and I'm glad they are using him more

The performances of Gordon-Levitt and Taran Killam are pretty good

Good to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in another sketch

We are back

Next sketch is coming up

This is a good sketch

A little abrupt ending though

And now another commercial parofy.  The performances were good.  But it dragged a little bit

Daniel Craig is an interesting choice for a host.  I wonder who else will be hosting in October

This looks like it could be an interesting sketch

This is creative.  Bill Hader is good as always.  He seems to be given some major starring roles this season

Is this sketch spoofing something?

We are back

Next sketch coming up

Very short monologue

Joseph Gordon-Levitt doing stripper moves

The ladies in the audience must be swooning.  Just like his first time, Gordon-Levitt has A LOT of energy

He's in four movies this year

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's second time on the show

I hope tonight's show is good

Decent opening

Jay Pharoah has now said "Live From New York..." two shows in a row!  Very good for him!

Jay Pharoah is doing well

I like Bill Hader's Robert Pattinson impression.  But I'm a little surprised that Joseph Gordon-Levitt isn't playing him.  Hader's good and all, but he's a bit too old to play Ronert Pattinson

The writing is okay so far

Nasim Pedrad's Kelly Ripa impression is alright

Live with Kelly and Michael Parody

I'm really happy that Jay Pharoah is getting more screentime.  He's a very good impressionist.

And We are Live...NOW!!!!!

It's Getting to that Time

In just a little over two hours, my live coverage of tonight's episode of "Saturday Night Live" will begin.  At 11:30pm, be sure to have your televisions set to NBC and my blog on your computers.  Jeep refreshing your screens so you can see my latest comments about the performances, writing, and anything else that comes to mind.  Please feel free to comment on any of my posts; as your feedback means a lot.

So thank you all for following me and I'll see you at 11:30pm!

Reminder About Tonight

Tonight, beginning at 11:30, I will be live-blogging this week's episode of "Saturday Night Live;" which will be hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and will feature Mumford and Sons as the evening's musical guest.

Throughout the show, I will be posting my opinions on the performances, the writing, as well as anything else that comes to mind.  Please feel free to share your own opinions by clicking the "comment" link underneath every one of my posts.

So be sure to have your televisions set to NBC by 11:30pm and have my blog on your computers.  Keep refreshing your screens so you can see my latest comments.

Thank you so much for following me and I'll see you tonight!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

What to Expect on My Blog By the End of the Weekend

Well, the weekend is almost here.  And I have two events planned.  By Sunday night at some point, here's what I hope to accomplish:

1.  Tonight at 9:00pm, NBC is airing the season premier of the ninth and final season of "The Office."  I will be watching tonight's episode very closely and by the end of the weekend, I'll be posting a mini review of the episode.  I'll be talking about the central plotline of the episode-- which is entitled "New Guys" and focuses on the hiring of two new characters; to be played by new castmembers Clark Duke and Jake Lacy.  In my critique, I'll be talking about the writing of the episode as well as the performances by the show's cast.  I'm hoping the final season of the hit NBC series to start off on a good note; as this will be the final season premier.



Image of "The Office" cast (from left to right):  Craig Robinson as "Darryl Philbin", Zach Woods as "Gabe Lewis," Phyllis Smith as "Phyllis Lapin-Vance," Brian Baumgartner as "Kevin Malone," Oscar Nunez as "Oscar Martinez," Creed Bratton as "Creed Bratton," Ellie Kemper as "Erin Hannon," Ed Helms as "Andy Bernard," Raiin Wilson as "Dwight Schrute," Kate Flannery as "Meredith Palmer," Leslie David Baker as "Stanley Hudson," Angela Kinsey as "Angela Martin," Mindy Kailing as "Kelly Kapoor," BJ Novak as "Ryan Howard," Paul Lieberstein as "Toby Flenderson," John Krasinski as "Jim Halpert," and Jenna Fischer as "Pam Halpert" taken from http://www.officetally.com/the-office-season-9-poster

2.  This weekend, the second episode of Season Thirty-Eight of "Saturday Night Live" will be airing.  This week's episode will feature Joseph Gordon-Levitt; who is hosting for his second time.  I enjoyed Gordon-Levitt's first hosting stint, which aired on November 21, 2009, as he proved to have a lot of energy and succeeded in bestowing keen performances throughout the evening.  Throughout this week's show, I will be blogging live; commenting on the performances, writing, and anything else that comes to mind.  And as I blog live, feel free to comment by clicking the "comment" link underneath every one of my posts.  Your feedback means A LOT and I'm looking forward to a fun-filled evening.


Image of (From left to right):  "Saturday Night Live" Castmember Jason Sudeikis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4ADFA_enUS473US477&biw=1440&bih=672&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsuo&tbnid=HyIPkr-nU3T9YM:&imgrefurl=http://celebrity-gossip.net/saturday-night-live/joseph-gordon-levitt%25E2%2580%2599s-snl-promos-watch-now-729208&docid=QLVXCcp0U8WPDM&imgurl=http://cdn3.gossipcenter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_header/photos/levitt-snl-promos.jpg&w=420&h=300&ei=kahbUPXICOrk0QGH3IGYDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=575&vpy=316&dur=4063&hovh=190&hovw=266&tx=162&ty=103&sig=113274352029504757689&page=1&tbnh=158&tbnw=193&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:100

So stay tuned.  By the end of this weekend, there will a good amount of Nater-Tainment for you to read and enjoy. Thank you for all your support and I'll see you this weekend!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

That's the Show

All in all, it wasn't terrible.  It was alright but the writing was weak as usual.

The opening sketch featured decent writing.  But I was very happy with Jay Pharoah's impression of President Barack Obama.  He had the voice down and he had plenty of energy.  We got to see Jason sudeikis' good impression of Mitt Romney as well as the debut of Taran Killam's Paul Ryan impression.  All the performances were good and the writing wasn't terrible.  I'm very happy to see Jay Pharoah get to open the show and I'm looking forward to seeing him do more this year.

Seth MacFarlane did a good job with his monologue.  I figured that he would do a musical number at the start of the show.  He dis good voice work.  And I like how he was able to go from one voice to the next at the blink of an eye.  MacFarlane is a good singer and he started off the show on the right foot.

The return of Fred Armisen's surly talk show producer character was unfunny and I didn't like the fact that the writers used cheap sexual and dirty humor to get laughs from the audience.  The sketch follows the same format every time and I'm very tired of this character..  Fred Armisen needs to do something new this season.  Otherwise, he's going to be in the same rut he was in for the past couple seasons.

The sketch about the Internet dancer celebrity "Psy" was alright and I liked the performances.  But I probably would have liked it more if I've seen this guy's Internet videos.  I figured that he was the surprise appearance at the end of the sketch; but I wish I had seen his video before the show.  Nevertheless, all the performances were good and Bobby Moynihan is actually an alright dancer.

I had a feeling that SNL would make fun of Clint Eastwood's RNC appearance.  Bill Hader once again did a great job with his impression and he made me laugh quite a bit.

And speaking of Bill Hader, I very much liked the puppetry class sketch.  Hader stole the spotlight with his war vet character and his delivery and acting made me laugh throughout the sketch.  The writing was good and the performances from everyone else were pretty good as well.  This sketch would go to be the best of the night.

Tonight's installment of "Weekend Update" wasn't terrible; but most of
Seth Meyers' jokes weren't anything special.  He may have had either one or two good jokes.  Other than that, his jokes weren't very hilarious. 

I liked seeing Vanessa Bayer get to play a main character on the weekly fake news segment.  Her portrayal of Honey Boo Boo was fine; though she did go slightly over the top towards the end.  Bobby Moynihan was alright as Honey Boo Boo's mother; but he wasn't  given a lot of funny material.  Both performers had good chemistry; though the writing wasn't great.

Seth MacFarlane's portrayal of Ryan Lochte was alright; though the weak writing hurt the bit.  Nevertheless, MacFarlane gave a good performance and I liked seeing him on 'Weekend Update."

Cecily Strong wasn't given great material for her first appearance on "Weekend Update."  Though she did give a good performance.  Hopefully she gets better material in the future.

The army general sketch was very predictable and the ending just appeared rushed and tacked on.  Nevertheless, Seth MacFarlane gave a good performance.  The rest of the cast did well and I liked seeing Tim Robinson get some screentime after speaking just one line in Fred Armisen's producer sketch earlier in the show.

The blind date sketch wasn't bad.  Seth MacFarlane and Nasim Pedrad gave good performances and they exhibited good chemistry.  Pedrad does very good voicework and I liked seeing her and MacFarlane engage in rapidfire impressions.  The sketch got slightly silly as it went on but the performances of everyone were good. 

The quick sketch at the end with MacFarlane and Tim Robinson as the Amishmen was very quick and mainly consisted of an obvious joke.  Nevertheless, their performances were good and I liked seeing Tim Robinson get some screentime alone with MacFarlane.  I look forward to seeing more from him.

As I look back on my review, I realize that this episode wasn't at all awful.  Seth MacFarlane did a good job as the show's host and he worked very well with the cast.  The best sketches of the night were the puppetry class skit and the blind date piece. Once again, I am very impressed with Jay Pharaoh's impression of President Barack Obama and I look forward to seeing him act alongside Jason Sudeikis for the inevitable parodies of the upcoming debates.  There were many great performances throughout the night and I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the season play out.  I just hope the writing improves in time for the election.  I also hope that SNL gets some better musical guests; as Frank Ocean proved to be a rather forgettable performers.

And that concludes my coverage of tonight's season premier of "Saturday Night Live."  I look forward to live-blogging next week's episode; which will be hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and will feature Mumford and Sons as the musical guest.

Thank you all for following me and stay tuned for more Nater-Tainment!  Good night everybody!

That was avery quick sketch

The main joke was that these two Amishmen aren't familiar with the Internet.  Very lackluster way to end the show

This hasn't been a terrible season premier

Seth MacFarlane was pretty good and the cast did alright as well (Especially Bill Hader!!!)    It's the writing that's the problem.

This is a pretty forgettable performance.

Frank Ocean wasn't anything special. 

Another performance by Frank Ocean

This guy doesn't have a truly unique voice.  He's not terrible but I'm not crazy about his performances. 

Looks like this sketch is just an excuse for Seth MacFarlane and Nasim Pedrad to speak using different voices

This sketch is alright.  Good performances by everyone.  The writing is decent and I liked that dig at "Family Guy" at the end.

Next sketch is almost up

That wasn't a very funny sketch at all

And now.. commercials

Seth MacFarlane is giving a good impression

But the writing just isn't very funny.  What else is new?

We are back with Kenan Thompson as Steve Harvey

He's done this impression before.  It's a decent impression

Vanessa Bayer is getting a lot to do now that Kristen Wiig is gone.

Seth MacFarlane's character is meant to look like a white version of Kenan Thompson's portrayal of Steve Harvey.

This sketch isn't very funny so far.

Next sketch is coming up

Commercials

That was a very rushed sketch that didn't have a great payoff

At least MacFarlane's been giving a good performance as the host. 

This sketch has good performances by the cast

But it's slightly predictable

We are back

Seth MacFarlane is playing a drill sargent.  He has a lot of energy in this sketch so far.

Good to see Tim Robinson in another sketch.  He's getting decent screentime tonight

pretty weak installment of "Weekend Update"

Seth MacFarlane's bit was probably the best; even though the writing wasn't entirely great.

That last bit was pretty weak

I think that was new Featured Player Cecilt Strong.  Her performance was alright but the writing was great. 

Seth Meyers' jokes haven't been that funny tonight

As I said before, he's trying

This bit is alright

And Seth MacFarlane has proven to be a good sketch comedy performer so far.  I'm happy with the job he's doing

Seth MacFarlane as Ryan Lochte

I always like it when the host appears on 'Weekend Update"

Seth Meyers' jokes tonight are either weak or just OK

Bayer's performance is alright but she seems to be going a tad over the top on her delivery

Moynihan was alright.  But that bit wasn't anything special

Bobby Moynihan and Vanessa Bayer as Honey Boo Boo and Momma

I've never watched this show but I've heard of it. 

Not entirely great jokes so far

Seth Meyeres seems to be trying.  But the material isn't stellar

First "Weekend Update" of the season is up now

Commercials

This guy's alright

But he doesn't truly amaze me at all. 

I think Mumford and Sons are going to be much better next week.

This song doesn't sound bad

Frank Ocean's got an alright voice.  But he sounds a little like Usher and some other R & B singers out there

And now.. Frank Ocean

Musical guest is coming up

Commercials

That was the best sketch of the night so far.

Great performance by Bill Hader and good writing.  Very enjoyable!

This is agood sketch

This just goes to show how valuable Bill Hader is to the show.  He's going to get A LOT more screentime now that Andy Samberg is gone.

I can tell that he's going to have a REALLY GOOD season

Bill Hader's giving a great performance

The writing is actually very good so far in this sketch

Bill Hader is great!

I have a feeling that this is going to be a new reoccurring character for Bill Hader

This is a way for the castmembers to use their voicework abilities

We are back

This looks like it could be a good sketch

I'm still missing Kristen Wiig. I hope the new female castmembers end up being great performers

Is that the actual guy?

I've never heard of himbefore.  So I unfortunately missed out on a couple jokes/

All the performances were very good though

And I'm looking forward to seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt host next week,

The performances in this sketch are good.

I just wish I knew more about this Internet celebrity

This is a reference to an Internet sensation that I guess apparently got big

I've never heard of this Sy personaloty before.  I guess I need to watch his online video

Next skerch

Is this a reference to something?  I don't get it.

I LOVE Bill Hader's impression of Clint Eastwood

Bill Hader as Clint Eastwood!

I had a feeling they would make fun of his appearamce at the RNC at some point

That wasn't funny at all

Good to see Tim Robinson on screen for the first time

It follows the same format everytime

The writers are relying on dirty humor to get laughs

This sketch is pretty much the same thing every time it takes place

They've done this sketch a few times before

I've grown a little tired of this character.  Fred Armisen's performance as this character is pretty tired by now

We are back

Next sketch coming up

Commercial break

This is a decent spoof of political ads

They did something like this back in 2004

Kenan Thompson's bit is alright

Not completely hilarious but alright.

Bill Hader is good as always.

I like that he's back on the show for another season

Good Kermit the Frog voice

Seth MacFarlane is a very good singer. 

He did a good job on the monologue

I liked his "Droopy" impression

That's an alright Michael J. Fox impression

Called it! A musical monologue

MacFarlane's basically talking to himself for his monologue

"Family Guy" reference

And a mention of "Ted"

He's doing his voices of "Peter Griffin" and "Stewie Griffin."

That was an awkward joke

I hope Seth MacFarlane is a good sketch comedy performer

I'm looking forward to seeing what the new featured players add to the show

That was a good line

WOW!!! Jay Pharoah got to say LFNY on the season premier.  Good for him.

And I like the new montage.  Glad to see they changed it.  The last one was used for three years or so.

Sudeikis is good as always. I'm happy he's back

The writing is alright so far

But I'm liking Pharaoh's impression. 

And there's Taran Killam playing Paul Ryan.  He does a good impression as well.

I always like Sudeikis' impression of Romney

That's a pretty decent impression by Pharoah

It's good to see him play an important role in the opening.  And there's Jason Sudeikis as Mitt Romney

We are livr now!

And Jay Pharaoah is playing President Obama!

And We are Live.....NOW!!!!!

It's Getting to That Time

In just about one hundred minutes, my live-blogging coverage of tonight's season premier of "Saturday Night Live" will begin.  I will be commenting on Seth MacFarlane's performance as the show's host as well as the acting by the cast.  I will also be commenting on the quality of the writing as well as the performance by Musical Guest Frank Ocean.

Be sure to have your televisions set to NBC by 11:30pm and have my blog on your computer screens.  Be sure to keep refreshing your screens so you can see my latest comments.  Feel free to post your own comments underneath my posts by clicking the "comment" link.  Your feedback means a lot and I thank you for following my blog.

So get ready for my live-blogging coverage.  See you at 11:30pm!

A "That's Nater-Tainment!" Special Report: Seth MacFarlane Hosts the Season Premier of "Saturday Night Live" Tonight!


Well tonight's the night. At 11:30pm, Season 38 of “Saturday Night Live” will begin airing on NBC. After three months of waiting, audiences will once again be treated to sketches that skewer current political events as well as the latest news in pop culture. And despite the departures of Abby Elliott as well as Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg, each of whom spent seven memorable years on the show, I am still looking forward to seeing the talented cast perform sketches alongside a special guest host every live show. What's more, I have heard that three new performers have joined the cast as featured performers: Aidy Bryant, Tim Robinson, and Cecily Strong.. Despite not seeing footage of them perform, I am always excited when new people join the cast. I am looking forward to seeing what they contribute to the show this upcoming season. With three new people joining the cast as well as the departures of three performers, the 2012-2013 season of “Saturday Night Live” is going to feel different from previous seasons.



For tonight's season premier, Seth MacFarlane will be hosting for his first time. MacFarlane had a big summer; as he directed perhaps the year's biggest comedy “Ted"; which starred Mark Wahlberg; who, as a boy, wished that his beloved teddy bear would become real.   In addition to directing the film, Seth MacFarlane voiced and performed the motion capture work of the titular character.  Seth MacFarlane received much praise for his directing and "Ted" became perhaps the year's most successful comedy so far.



However, it should be mentioned that , Seth MacFarlane is very well-known for creating the popular animated series “Family Guy;” which will be premiering its eleventh season on September 30th at 9:00pm on FOX. On the series, MacFarlane voices three characters: “Peter Griffin,” the loudmouth patriarch of the series' central household, “Stewie Griffin-” the brainy and devious baby of the animated household, and “Brian Griffin”- the anthropomorphic family dog who possesses a dry wit and is interested in dating human women.


Image of (from left to right" "Brian Griffin" (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), Matriarch "Lois Griffin" (voiced by Alex Borstein), "Peter Griffin" (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), son "Chris Griffin (voiced by Seth Green), Daughter "Meg Griffin" (voiced by Mila Kunis), and Baby "Stewie Griffin" (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4ADFA_enUS473US477&biw=1440&bih=672&tbm=isch&tbnid=XeUx6SPc3j6Q7M:&imgrefurl=http://www.poptower.com/family-guy.htm&docid=FahosdZNewTRUM&imgurl=http://img.poptower.com/pic-14113/family-guy.jpg%253Fd%253D600&w=600&h=491&ei=oQ5VUNu2GujG0QGluICoAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=530&vpy=318&dur=5828&hovh=203&hovw=248&tx=123&ty=47&sig=113274352029504757689&page=2&tbnh=143&tbnw=167&start=20&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:20,i:144


In addition, Seth MacFarlane is also the creator of the animated series “American Dad;” which is about a CIA Agent named “Stan Smith”- voiced by MacFarlane, who spends more time working for the government rather than taking care of his own family. Furthermore, Seth MacFarlane is also the creator of “The Cleveland Show;” a spinoff of “Family Guy” that centers on the life of “Cleveland Brown,” voiced by Mike Henry, the Griffins' former neighbor that is living with his new family in Virginia. All three series air Sunday nights on FOX and have been nominated for Emmy Awards. In addition, Seth MacFarlane has musical career; having released a studio album entitled “Music is Better than Words” on September 27, 2011. I have seen some Youtube videos of MacFarlane singing and, in all honesty, he is quite talented; as you can see in this video of him singing  while being accompanied by The John Wilson Orchestra:


While Seth MacFarlane is known for his vocal work, I haven't seen him do much acting. I have seen him appear on talk shows like “Conan” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;” and he comes off as very enthusiastic. So it's a rather interesting move that he's hosting the season premier of “Saturday Night Live.” Episodes of “Family Guy” appear more edgy than what is typically seen on “Saturday Night Live” in recent years. “Family Guy” can often make risque jokes involving drug use, intercourse, and violence. However, both “Family Guy” and “Saturday Night Live” poke fun at movies, television shows of the past decades, and trends in pop culture. So maybe, Seth MacFarlane will prove to fit in with the cast. Nevertheless, I am intrigued to see how he acts with a comedic ensemble on live television. He does well on talk shows; as he has good rapport with Conan O'Brien whenever he's on his show. So maybe Seth MacFarlane will interact well with the cast. I'm hoping that tonight's show will be fun.

That being said, I now present to you:

Three Predictions for Tonight's Season Premier of “Saturday Night Live:”

  1. Since Seth MacFarlane is a skilled singer, I wouldn't be surprised to see him perform a musical number for his monologue. I could see him performing a song while being accompanied by the “Saturday Night Live” band. Such a monologue would get a positive reaction from the audience and it would be a very energetic way to get the show going.
  1. Since “Family Guy” is popular, I could see Seth MacFarlane portray “Peter Griffin” in a sketch or even on “Weekend Update.” It would be interesting to see the character in live-action form partake in one of the show's current reoccurring sketches. I just hope the writers would come up with good material in the event that MacFarlane plays the character,

And finally:

  1. Since he starred in “Ted” this past summer, I wouldn't be surprised to see Mark Wahlberg make a surprise appearance at some point during the show. What's more, if Wahlberg were to make a cameo appearance, perhaps Andy Samberg, who portrayed the actor in sketches. I remember that Mark Wahlberg actually did appear in a sketch in which he confronts Samberg over his displeasure in the funnyman's impression. This was followed by Wahlberg poking fun at himself in the very same manner that Andy Samberg portrayed him. So perhaps Mark Wahlberg would show up at some point; maybe even leading to a cameo by the former “Saturday Night Live” castmember. This could end up being a very funny and memorable sketch that would be fitting for a season premier.

So there you go. Hopefully tonight's episode is enjoyable as well as a good way to start the 2012-2013 season of “Saturday Night Live.” I'm looking forward to live-blogging the show right when it airs; commenting on the performances of Seth MacFarlane, the cast, Musical Guest Frank Ocean, as well as the quality of the show's writing. Be sure to keep refreshing your computer screens during the telecast so you can view my latest comments.  Please feel free to share your own opinions by replying to any of my blog posts. Your feedback means allot and I appreciate your support.

So stay tuned. My live coverage begins right at 11:30pm when the episode starts airing on NBC. My blogging is going to be a lot of fun and it will all be LIVE!!! See you at 11:30pm.

Friday, September 14, 2012

A "That's Nater-Tainment!" Special Report: My Thoughts on the Upcoming Season of "Saturday Night Live"


Well it's almost that time. Tomorrow night, the premier episode of “Saturday Night Live”'s 38th season will kick off at 11:30pm on NBC. The long-running sketch-comedy program returns after the warm months to once again skewer politics and pop culture. And when the new season kicks off, the cast of the program will once again be entertaining viewers through various comedy segments. However, this year, some performers will not be returning for the new season. Long-time Castmembers Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg have left the show after staying on the show for seven years. Their departure is disappointing; as they have bestowed many memorable performances during their tenure as castmembers.

Andy Samberg's seven-year stint as a castmember were enjoyable; especially when you take into consideration the digital shorts he created along with his writing partners and good friends Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer. The trio formed the comic group “The Lonely Island;” and week after week, viewers were bestowed with humorous musical segments featuring various members of the “Saturday Night Live” cast as well as the episode's designated host. And while some of the shorts proved to be quite silly and slightly forgettable, on account of the writing, a good amount of them became hits with the audience. And throughout his stay on “Saturday Night Live,” Samberg's comic performance saved a number of sketches that suffered from weak writing. His presence of the show will be missed and I'm hoping that “Saturday Night Live” will continue to the practice of entertaining viewers with short films filled with catchy melodies, colorful characters, and top-notch comedy.


Image of Andy Samberg taken from http://snl.jt.org/season.php?i=2011

While Andy Samberg's exit is indeed significant, it is the departure of Kristen Wiig that I'm more concerned about. Throughout her seven years as a castmember, Kristen Wiig treated the audience to hilarious performances that were always memorable. And whenever the writing proved to be lackluster, Wiig's engaging performance in a sketch made it watchable. Kristen Wiig was always fearless; always doing whatever she could in order to bestow a comical performance. Whether she was portraying trouble-making student “Gilly,” overly-excited “Sue”- who could go through great lengths to keep from revealing a surprise, or the constantly braggadocios “Penelope,” Kristen Wiig shined always; resulting in the quality of the sketch improving thanks to her engaging performance. Wiig was more-than-adept at providing comical performances; leading to much laughter and applause from the audience. She was a valuable performer and “Saturday Night Live” was lucky to have her. Now, with Kristen Wiig gone, all the female castmembers on the show must do whatever they can to provide much laughter and memories for the viewing audience. It's going to be a difficult task; one I'm hoping that will be carried out in the new season.


Image of Kristen Wiig as "Sue" taken from http://snl.jt.org/char.php?i=739

It should also be mentioned that Four-Year Castmember Abby Elliott will not be returning to the show for a fifth season. Throughout her stay on the weekly sketch-comedy program, Elliott presented to the audience some keen impressions of Angelina Jolie, Anna Faris, Rachael Maddow, and Zooey Deschanel; the later of which was featured in a segment that was executed twice the previous season. The piece, entitled “Bein' Quirkywith Zooey Deschanel,” featured Elliott as the actress hosting a talk show from her kitchen and would engage in activities with her celebrity guests; such as making crafts and riding a bicycle made for three passengers. The sketch actually first premiered this past February when Zooey Deschanel hosted the late-night program. Though the actress did not appear as herself in the sketch, and instead portrayed Mary-Kate Olsen, it was intriguing to watch Elliot present the impression on stage with Deschanel. Nevertheless, despite her impressions, Elliott was not given much to do during her four years on the show; often being assigned bit parts in sketches. Henceforth, her absence will be nowhere as noticeable as the voids left by Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg; both of whom will be missed greatly.


Image of Abby Elliott as Zooey Deschanel taken from http://snl.jt.org/imp.php?i=3115

The departures being said, I am looking forward to the season premier. And, as a way of getting the ball rolling, I thought it would be interesting to briefly list some aspirations for the 2012-2013 season. And so, without any further ado, I present:

Three Quick Hopes for Season 38 of “Saturday Night Live”

  • Clever Political Humor: With the 2012 Presidential Election approaching, I am hoping the writing staff will create sketches that will prove to be very humorous and unforgettable. I am looking forward to seeing castmember Jason Sudeikis return to the show to portray Gov. Mitt Romney as well as Vice President Joe Biden. Sudeikis always provides an engaging performance whenever he portrays these political figures. Joining Sudeikis on the stage will be
    Jay Pharoah; who will now be portraying President Barack Obama. Seeing as Pharoah is in his third year as a castmember, it is exciting to see a still relatively-new performer be front-and-center for the upcoming season. During his first two years as a featured performer, Pharoah performed some dead-on impressions of celebrities like Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith. Now, we are going to see the comedic performer get more screentime and obviously participate in more of the show's cold opening as the President of the United States. I am looking forward to seeing Jason Sudeikis and Jay Pharoah work together throughout the season; and I'm hoping the two castmembers exhibit great comedic chemistry. And hopefully, the writing staff, led by “Weekend Update-” Anchor Seth Meyers, come up with great sketches that will have the audience laughing and applauding.

Image of Jay Pharoah as Denzel Washington taken from http://snl.jt.org/imp.php?i=2943

  • More Screentime for Other Castmembers: With Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg gone, “Saturday Night Live” will need to give the lead role in sketches to other castmembers. For instance, Taran Killam, who is now in his third year as a castmember is going to have the opportunity to headline more sketches. After becoming well-known for the reoccurring cafe dance-off sketch “Les Junes de Paris,” Killam is now going to be getting to star in more sketches and hopefully create some new reoccurring characters. I am very interested in seeing Killam get more screentime; as he's proven to be a good physical performer in sketches. In addition, with Kristen Wiig gone, castmembers Nasim Pedrad and Vanessa Bayer are going to get more chances to portray lead characters in different sketches. Though Wiig was a great performer and one of the best female castmembers in years, I am fascinated in seeing Pedrad and Bayer get more screentime and entertain audiences by establishing reoccurring sketches. In addition, Kate McKinnon, who joined the cast this past April, is going to have more opportunities to star in sketches as well. I remember her humorous portrayal of Penelope Cruz in Sofia Vergara's episode last season; so I'm hoping that she gets more to do now that she's returning for a full season.

Image of (from left to right) Kate McKinnon as Penelope Cruz and Sofia Vergara taken from http://snl.jt.org/detail.php?i=2012040714

And Finally,

  • Great Writing For the Show's Hosts: This past season, many talented hosts were mostly given sketches that were either done multiple times before or pieces that weren't funny at all. I remember groaning when Former Castmember Will Ferrell returned this past May to host for his third time and he was allotted some sketches that didn't allot him imaginative humor. In addition, I remember this past November when Emma Stone hosted, she was mostly given reoccurring sketches as well as a couple original segments that weren't rich in clever writing. The best segment of the episode was a piece in which Stone and members of the cast portrayed office workers crying when listening to Adele's hit song “Someone Like You.” The sketch was original, hilarious, and very memorable. And though the performances of Emma Stone and the cast were all great throughout the show, the poor writing greatly affected the evening. I will say, however, this past season featured a truly great episode hosted by Former Castmember Jimmy Fallon. On December 17, 2011, every sketch was well-written as well as well-performed and Fallon's enthusiasm shined brightly; thus establishing him as the best host of the season. However, the season did suffer from immensely poor writing; leading me to wish that everyone had been given better material so that all the episodes would be terrific-- just like Fallon's. Thus, I am truly hoping that the writing greatly improves this upcoming season and that the writers give all the season's hosts plenty of opportunities to star in memorable sketches.

Image of (from left to right) Jimmy Fallon, Andy Samberg, and Vanessa Bayer taken from http://snl.jt.org/detail.php?i=201112172

So there you go. I am looking forward to tomorrow night's season premier; which will be hosted by “Family Guy-” Creator Seth MacFarlane and will feature Frank Ocean as the show's musical guest. Before the episode airs, I will share my thoughts on MacFarlane hosting the premier as well as any predictions as to what could take place during the designated ninety minute runtime. And then, beginning at 11:30pm, I will be live-blogging the show; commenting on the performances, the writing, as well as anything else that comes to mind. I am very excited to be posting my opinions as the show airs and feel free to comment on any of my posts. Your feedback means a lot and I appreciate your support very much.



So get ready. My blogging activity will begin tomorrow with my Season Premier Prelude. Thank you so much and I will see you tomorrow!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Coming Soon to My Blog: Fall 2012 Television Season Edition


It's that time of the year again. Classes are starting again. The weather is getting cooler and leaves are starting to change color. And in the coming weeks, the Fall 2012 Television Season will begin. Fresh episodes of all your favorite shows will premier; all of them featuring new adventures, new laughs, and more memories. And, in addition to reviewing upcoming movies, I plan on posting critiques of specific television series. Here's a quick look at some of what I have in store for your reading enjoyment:

File:Saturday Night Live Title Card.jpeg

1. On September 15th at 11:30pm, Season Thirty-Eight of “Saturday Night Live” will debut on NBC; which will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane-- the creator of the long-running FOX Animated Series “Family Guy.” MacFarlane is also the Director of “Ted;” which starred Mark Wahlberg as a grown man who, as a child, wished that his beloved teddy bear would gain the ability to speak. In addition to directing, MacFarlane performed the voice-work and motion capture of “Ted;” and he also wrote the movie's screenplay along with fellows Screenwriters Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild. MacFarlane received praise from critics for his directorial debut and now he will be hosting the season premier of “Saturday Night Live.”  Other hosts lined-up for this upcoming season include Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who will be emceeing the program for his second time on September 22; as well as Daniel Craig; who will be starring on the program for his first time on October 6.

 

Image of Seth MacFarlane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Daniel Craig taken from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4ADFA_enUS473US477&biw=1440&bih=672&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsu&tbnid=krIKltsnX1kdWM:&imgrefurl=http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/08/saturday-night-live-seth-macfarlane-and-frank-ocean-kick-off-season-38.html&imgurl=http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/snl-hosts-2012.jpg&w=520&h=350&ei=3ulEUJr2J6r46QG304DACw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=579&vpy=312&dur=172&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=116&ty=87&sig=113274352029504757689&page=1&tbnh=135&tbnw=201&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:104

Prior to the start of the season premier, I will be posting a prelude; which will outline my feelings about the upcoming season. As castmembers Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg, and Abby Elliot have departed, the long-running sketch comedy program is entering an all-new era.  I will be discussing the current state of “Saturday Night Live” as well as what this upcoming season needs to do in hopes that it will be successful. In addition, I will share some thoughts on Seth MacFarlane hosting the premier as well as some predictions for the episode. Then, as I did during the 2011-2012, I will be live-blogging the premier as well as many episodes of the season; commenting on the performances by the cast, the host, the musical guest as well as the overall quality of the writing. Needless to say, Saturday nights will be featuring A LOT of blogging.



2.  On Thursday September 20, the ninth season of NBC's hit sitcom “The Office” will begin. But most importantly, it has been announced that this upcoming season will be the last. The previous season featured a severe drop in the quality of the show's writing; as the episodes' plots have become more unconventional than in previous seasons. I plan on paying close attention to the upcoming final season; as I plan on writing brief reviews of some episodes. I'm truly looking forward to commenting more on “The Office;” as, after nine years, it will be sad to see the doors close on Dunder Mifflin Paper in May 2013.

3.  In addition, I also plan on commenting on the state of NBC's comedy sitcoms in general. Since the network is debuting quite a few new series this fall, it's easy to say that the face of the television network is indeed changing. I will be looking at some of the network's new series and how they stand against current and past NBC sitcoms. Needless to say, I will be focusing A LOT of my blogging on NBC.

In addition, I plan on posting other writings including:

  • The State of current late-night television comedy
  • A look at some of the comedies airing on CBS, ABC, and FOX,
  • My opinions on some reality series
  • And More!!!

So stay tuned. The coming weeks are going to be very exciting. Be sure to keep checking my blog for updates and feel free to comment on any of my articles, critiques, and other writings. Your feedback means a lot and I thank you for your support. So stay tuned for more Nater-Tainment!