web
counter
 

Highlights from "Saturday Night Live": Ummm, "Weekend Update" Was Pretty Good

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under TV Reviews | Comments (24)



farisanna.png

Anna Faris hosted “SNL” for the second time in two years last night, and the show was as tepid and unfunny as it was the first time around, proving once again that Anna Faris is really not as funny as people want her to be. She seems very likable, very earnest, and very determined to be the next Goldie Hawn/Kate Hudson. I just don’t think the world needs another likable ditsy blonde. But she does make up half of one of Hollywood’s most adorable couples with Chris Pratt, so she at least has that going for her. It was also the Halloween show (which means no more new episodes until November, but the good news is, Charlie Day is the first host back). For a Halloween episode, it was remarkably short on Halloween skits.

As for the highlights. They were thin. In fact, there were only two highlights really worth checking out. The first was another GOP debate skit, and mostly because Jason Sudeikis is a phenomenal Mitt Romney and Keenan Thompson holds his own as Herman Cain.

The other was “Weekend Update,” not for the segments, but for Seth Meyers’ headlines, easily the biggest highlight of last night’s show. The video-game joke killed.

The rest of the show was kind of terrible. I’ll include the Digital Short, however, because it’s educational for the seriously unhip folks like myself. It’s a series of interviews with Drake, the musical guest. I had to look him up because I had no idea who Drake was. Apparently, he was discovered by Lil’ Wayne, and what’s funny is that he sounds exactly like Lil’ Wayne, but he looks like he walked off the set of a Nickelodeon show.

Here’s one of his performances, if you want to see him in action.He also ended up being in nearly as many skits as Faris last night, which either says something about his star power or Faris’ lack thereof.

Finally, I’ll include the Lifetime Game Show because it had a few decent lines, although I’d hardly call it remarkable.









Each Time You Like, Share, Tweet or Stumble a Pajiba Post, An Angel Does the Paul Rudd Dance



TV Title Sequences, Actors Who Left their Castmates in the Dust, Baby Bumps and Crappy Films | You Look So Absurd, You Look So Obscene: The Most Memorable Movie Psychopathic Characters (Masked, Maimed and in Make-Up)









Comments

It looks like Drake walked off a Nickelodeon TV show cause he did walk off a Nickelodeon TV Show...Degrassi. I'm kind of sad that I knew that>.

(Ha! I guess I didn't do enough research. That makes sense. -- DR

Posted by: Melissa at October 16, 2011 10:54 AM

I find these recaps fascinating. I HATED the Melissa McCarthy ep, and zero of its skits garnered a laugh from me (JESUS she was trying so. hard. I found her excruciating).

This one was uneven, sure, (and Drake is much funnier than Anna Faris) but the GOP debate was gold, I liked the Digital Short (especially the "A Racist Interview with Drake" bit), "What's Wrong With Tanya" was solid if not brilliant and showed off the insanity that is Bill Hader, and the soda-shop "Tell Him" was funny enough that my husband looked at me and said "Tina Fey could have written that!"

Even a few of last night's lesser skits got at least a couple hearty laughs out of me: Sudeikis killed in the J-Pop Talk Show, for instance.

SNL: The Great Divider.

Posted by: Tammy at October 16, 2011 11:05 AM

You may know him as Drake, but I will always and forever know him as Jimmy Brooks, wheelchair bound, former all-star athlete, humbled by his own mistakes, but found beauty, understanding, and growth through tragedy.

Now he's last name ever, first name greatest.

Posted by: Brian at October 16, 2011 11:15 AM

Anna Faris couldn't tear her eyes off the cue cards.

Posted by: RedDirtGirl at October 16, 2011 11:18 AM

I like Drake's first single, Best I Ever Had, but when it first came out, I could not take him seriously. I had seen some of Degrassi, annd his character on it was an earnest, ex-basketball player in a wheelchair, and wow, are they really trying to pass off the muppety Degrassi guy as a rapper?

I still can't take him seriously, but I've come to terms with it a little more.

Also, I'm with Tammy, to the extent that I watched any of the Melissa McCarthy episode. I stopped after that first clip you posted where she was the office worker seducing Sudeikis. Terrible. TERRIBLE! And this Drake digital short was funny.

Posted by: SaBrina at October 16, 2011 11:22 AM

There is only room for ONE Anna F in this business, and I will move mountains for it to be Anna Friel and not Anna Faris.

Posted by: A-schaef at October 16, 2011 11:27 AM

I actually really liked the "Tell Him" sketch a lot, and my utter adoration for Taran Killam means I thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese TV show sketch. Also, I like when they give Paul Britain the chance to do things, because everything he does is ridiculous and weird.

Posted by: Courtney at October 16, 2011 11:36 AM

Charlie Day? Holy hell. I'm actually going to watch an episode of SNL.

Posted by: maka at October 16, 2011 11:37 AM

I had no idea who Drake was or nikki minaj and the performance was flat and pretty bad. Cool stage set up though. The bizarre Dancing Lord skit was the highlight for me. It was random but I was laughing the whole time. Also the Mitt Romney and Herman Cain answers were all good.

Posted by: TylerDFC at October 16, 2011 11:45 AM

The whole "Lil Wayne" family is fucking terrible, including Lil Wayne.

Just bad.

Posted by: A Guy at October 16, 2011 11:54 AM

Drake sounds nothing like Wayne.

The Lifetime sketch is unbelievably hilarious, as was the Digital Short.

The rest of the episode? Shit.

Posted by: ChristianH at October 16, 2011 11:59 AM

SNL = Someone's Not Laughing

Posted by: Kenny G. at October 16, 2011 12:01 PM

I know zip about Drake the musical artist, but my roommates and I were big Degrassi fans, and one time we saw him walking down the street. We all involuntarily yelled "Oh my god, Jimmy!" and he turned around and said hi and waved. Therefore in my mind he will always rule.

Posted by: Mrs. Drake at October 16, 2011 12:10 PM

Jimmy! It's funny, everytime I see him I'm happy he can walk again.

Also 'Degrassi' isn't a nickelodeon show. It originally aired in the 80s on CBC. It then got resurrected about 10 years ago on CTV. It currently airs on MuchMusic. Anywhoo, Nick airs the episodes in the US, they might be doing a cross funding situation but its not their show.

Posted by: kilmo at October 16, 2011 1:32 PM

"Weekend Update" was amusing. That's all. Not funny, amusing.

Posted by: The Wanderer at October 16, 2011 3:07 PM

Umm...can we please talk about how awful Vanessa Bayer was in the Debate sketch? I mean, it seems obvious that she was reading off a teleprompter and didn't know her lines (maybe she was tacked on last minute) but still...it like almost completely ruined that sketch for me.

Posted by: Littlejon2001 at October 16, 2011 3:32 PM

Best I Ever Had was pretty good, but the rest of Drake's stuff is like Wayne's output: boring and self-indulgent.

Posted by: Uncle Mikey at October 16, 2011 5:52 PM

Drake's bit was funny. I always liked Anna. She reminds me of Terri Garr (sp?).

Posted by: Adrien at October 17, 2011 2:24 AM

I think Anna Farris is a talented comedian when she's going off good writing, but I cannot get past what she has done to her face.

Posted by: Jenn Lewis at October 17, 2011 3:10 PM

charge, communisem ruuuulz

Posted by: Shiloh at October 19, 2011 1:15 AM

I must say, its worth it!,i'llcheck back asap,cheers

Posted by: candy machinery at November 18, 2011 3:02 AM

I must say, its worth it!,i'llcheck back asap,cheers

Posted by: used extruders at November 18, 2011 3:03 AM

I must say, its worth it!,i'llcheck back asap,cheers

Posted by: candy machines at November 18, 2011 4:04 AM

An fascinating communication is designer report. I guess that you should make much on this issue, it power not be a inhibition someone but generally grouping are not enough to verbalise on specified topics. To the next. Cheers like your Highlights from "Saturday Night Live": Ummm, "Weekend Update" Was Pretty Good.

Posted by: LA Weight Loss at December 11, 2011 5:30 AM