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Julia Louis Dreyfus Was Goddamn Terrifying, Hilarious as 'SNL' Host

By Dustin Rowles | Saturday Night Live | April 16, 2016 |

By Dustin Rowles | Saturday Night Live | April 16, 2016 |


Cold OpenSNL began the show with the obligatory coverage of the Democratic debate, and with Julia Louis Dreyfus as host, it only makes sense to bring back Larry David to play Bernie and have JLD play her Seinfeld character in the sketch. Vanessa Bayer’s Rachel Greene (from Friends) is just gravy. It’s the Seinfeld reunion we were all yadda yadda yadda. (Score: 7/10)

Julia Louis Dreyfus Monologue — We’re getting off to a fantastic start, with JLD recounting her career leading into a great cameo from Tony Hale as his Veep character. (Score: 7/10)

Heroin A.M. Commercial — It’s exactly what you think, and it’s amazing. I mean, what parent doesn’t need a little heroin to get through the morning. No judgement here. (Score: 9/10)

Huge Jewelry — A parody of Long Island aesthetics and culture. It’s big. It’s classless. It’s sadly not that funny (but does feature the first of a few Nick Jonas appearances). (Score: 4/10)

Pool Boy — JLD plays a bored housewife having an affair with her pool boy who decides to break it off. She tries to offer the pool boy a long explanation, but he really, really doesn’t care. Cute, but the Nick Jonas kicker seals it. (Score: 6/10)

Cinema Classics — JLD plays a classic movie star inspired by Brando who leaves bits of dialogue lying around the set so she can come to the information naturally and react in the moment. It’s one of those silly SNL sketch ideas that actually shouldn’t work, but does because JLD sells it. (Score: 6/10)

Mercedes AA — A second pre-taped commercial this episode, this for a Mercedes that’s powered by NINE THOUSAND double AA batteries! It’s so good and JLD is so deadpan in it that it took me a second to realize it was fake. (Score: 7/10)

Weekend Update — A solid “Update” with a few great political jokes, a couple of mediocre segments, and the terrific return of One-Dimensional Female Character from a Male-Driven Romantic comedy. Great energy from Jost and Che, even if the jokes weren’t always there. (Score: 7.5/10)

Who Works Here A game show where contestants have to determine if someone inside a CVS does or does not work there. Great so-funny-it’s-true premise, but the joke doesn’t support an entire sketch. (Score: 5/10)

Alien Single Women — I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON HERE BUT IT IS FREAKING ME THE HELL OUT. This sketch is far more terrifying than funny. (Score: 6/10)

God is a Boob Man — This is a parody trailer for God is Dead 2, but since I’m the only SNL viewer who has seen the movie, I’m not sure how well it will go over with everyone else. The parody, however, is more perfect than you might realize, and this may be the sketch of the night. Also, God definitely is a boob man. (Score: 8/10)