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Jon Hamm Kisses Jason Sudeikis and We Still Can't Muster Any Enthusiasm

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under TV Reviews | Comments (30)

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I’m certain the last two years had a few highlights. Betty White. Jon Hamm. Tina Fey. Justin Timberlake. It’s hard to believe, however, that — more or less — the same cast is responsible for this season, which has had nothing so far that’s been in the least memorable, despite better hosts, on average, than in year’s past. Last night’s episode revealed part of the reason: The “SNL” cast, for the most part, has pushed its excellent hosts (Hamm, Jane Lynch, Bryan Cranston, Emma Stone) into supporting roles. They’re not giving the guests meaty roles. Remember the better eps of “SNL” in the past? It’s not the cast you remember. More times than not; it’s the host’s performances: Walken, Tom Hanks, Timberlake, and even Peyton Manning.

Last night, they wasted another host in Jon Hamm, who had proven he was one of the best in his two previous appearances. That it’s the weekend before the election and Halloween should’ve given the cast plenty of material to work with. Instead, what we got was another lame cold open, another Vincent Price skit, and a lot of filler. The only good part of last night’s episode were the Back to the Future auditions, mostly because of the new guy who does killer impressions (of Denzel, Will Smith, and last night, Eddie Murphy) and Bill Hader’s ridiculously amazing Alan Alda impression (seriously, for a moment, I thought Alda was doing voice-over work for Hader).

Otherwise, a whole lot of dull, starting with the uninspired Rihanna/Andy Samberg Digital Short.

The Jon Hamm monologue — where he attempted to be a real-life Don Draper — was super goddamn lame.

The YouTube inspired interview show as no good, either, although I admit I laughed a little when whatshisface — the overweight guy — punched through his computer monitor, but the Hamm cry? Humiliating.


Here’s the Vincent Price skit. I discourage you from watching it.

If there was one upside to last night’s “SNL” episode, the news headlines were better than usual:

And though the Garth and Kath segment was too painful to embed, Hader killed it again with his James Carville segment.

One last note: I love both Jason Sudeikis and Kristen Wiig, but they’ve both outgrown “SNL.” They’re much better big-screen appearances than they are on “SNL” now. Here’s Sudeikis kissing Jon Hamm, if you can be bothered.










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Comments

" I love both Jason Sudeikis and Kristen Wiig, but they’ve both outgrown “SNL.”


I don't know about Sudeikis but you are right on the money with Wiig. SNL is just damaging her career at this point. Does anybody know if there was a change in writers or something? The drop in quality is just too much to ignore. Weren't the skits supposed to be pitched by the players and then fleshed out by the writing team?

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 31, 2010 12:47 PM

I hate to say it, but who cares?

Posted by: schrome at October 31, 2010 12:53 PM

HAAAAMmm...

Damn SNL. They're going to make me watch this because of the Hamm, but...argh. Bastards.

Posted by: figgy at October 31, 2010 1:08 PM

Oh man I just saw that digital short again and found it hilarious. One just has to view it as a parody of Rihanna's shiteous auto-tuned pseudo music and it works. I don't know if Samberg meant for it to be subversive in that way though.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 31, 2010 1:28 PM

Weekend update was usually good for a least a few laughs but Seth Myers was twisting in the wind last night. It was dead silent after some of the jokes (Especially the ones with the "Leno" punchlines) and it was starting to get a little awkward. Seth: Leave the singing improv with your friends as an exercise and let's not see it again.
Rhianna was by far the best thing last night, and I've loved John Hamm's past performances (Hamm and Buble's Ham and Bubble Restaurant is a favorite).
I knew they those two were going to kiss as it was the only thing that sketch was leading up to, the rest of that skit was filled with half ideas that went no where.
The Back to the Future skit was funny, just like the Star Wars one with Kevin Spacey as Walter Matheau. Please writers, do a few more from there so you can see what everyone can do impressions and build off from there.
I have high hopes for the Scarlett and the Anne Hathaway ones in the next weeks. Please don't mess up these lovely ladies with dumb skits (Bring back Anne's Mary Poppins routine which was great).

Posted by: MTGColorPie at October 31, 2010 1:28 PM

I for one love the Vincent Price sketches. This one wasn't as funny since the jokes were recycled from the last time Jon Hamm was on, but I think it kind of clever.

Posted by: kelsy at October 31, 2010 1:50 PM

"I’m certain the last two years had a few highlights. Betty White. Jon Hamm. Tina Fey. Justin Timberlake. It’s hard to believe, however, that — more or less — the same cast is responsible for this season, which has had nothing so far" So what your saying is that the show bats less than average as a whole. It is so past the time for NBC to put this show out of our misery.

Posted by: clancys_daddy at October 31, 2010 2:03 PM

I hadn't thought of that: the SNL cast making the host a supporting part. Cause usually, the best episodes either played to the host's strenghts or found ways to showcase the host in new lights. Think of the Alec Baldwin eps, the Tom Hanks eps, the Walken eps.

Posted by: Fredo at October 31, 2010 2:21 PM

I refuse to watch any more "Garth and Kath". NO MORE. Truly awful, just AWFUL. Why do they keep that skit going?? It is just dead.

Posted by: Hayden Tompkins at October 31, 2010 3:12 PM

John Hamm is Robin Williams? Come on! That was awesome - 50 percent actually good, 50 percent WTF am I watching?

Posted by: jakers at October 31, 2010 3:55 PM

This is just a thought...if you don't like SNL, well, then just don't watch it. You CAN turn your TV off. Thing is, what are you gonna watch in its stead at midnight on Saturday night?

Face it: the show is still culturally relevant, and even though it often has more misses than hits, it's still worth watching and talking about.

If it wasn't, then you wouldn't have a weekly column devoted to it, right?

Posted by: The Pink Hulk at October 31, 2010 4:20 PM

I'll second that Robin Williams comment. It was a great impression, especially since it was coming from Hamm.
And people might just need to realize when they're too old for SNL.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at October 31, 2010 4:33 PM

I can't help it - I love those Vincent Price skits. I'll take that over the umpteenth What's Up With That? or Gilly sketch.

The Back To The Future bits were enjoyable as well.

Agreed on Sudeikis. He and Hader are both the best cast members and both horribly misused.

And Seth Meyers is a horrible showrunner. Weekend Update hasn't been worthwhile since Norm MacDonald got fired. Actually, The Daily Show and Colbert Report have both made Weekend Update completely irrelevant nowadays.

Posted by: Hoju at October 31, 2010 5:05 PM

Face it: the show is still culturally relevant

Just because John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his VP candidate and just because Tina Fey is beyond talented and did gold with her doesn't mean the show is still "culturally relevant."

Or were you talking about "Dick in a Box"?

Posted by: Fredo at October 31, 2010 7:03 PM

C'mon guys...no love for the nightclub skit with Wiig and Hamm? THAT was funny. Was he actually playing the keyboard in the scene? Sure looked like it.

And I'll second both Hamm's AMAZING Robin Williams' impression and Hader's note perfect Allen Alda impression. I too thought he was being voicovered. Damn, Hader...

Posted by: Green Lantern at October 31, 2010 7:50 PM

I'm not one to usually rag on SNL's quality, and I realize that taste is subjective...but last night's episode was brutally bad. I can't stand Wiig and her one-note characters at all, and the fact that she was in almost every damn sketch drove me crazy. I would pay Keenan Thompson whatever he wanted if he would heckle Wiig (and anyone else who was bombing) during the show like he did during the nightclub skit. There are plenty of other talented female cast members this season - Abby Elliot and Nasrim - but I'm convinced that Lorne decided to screw them and focus on Wiig just to hype Monday's Women of SNL special (where, of course, they will try, and fail, to put Wiig on the same pedestal as the truly great women castmembers of SNL).

Posted by: P-Funk at October 31, 2010 8:06 PM

That was the best SNL episode this year.

Posted by: myfax at October 31, 2010 8:14 PM

Shit doesn't go so well when Carla's not cleaning up your messes for you anymore.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at October 31, 2010 9:28 PM

I usually love the Vincent Price sketches, but this one didn't impress me. The only skit I liked was the Back to the Future one, and that was mostly because of Jay Pharoah. Hamm's impression of Robin Williams was hilarious too.

Posted by: Uda at October 31, 2010 9:29 PM

Another bad one. The Back to the Future stuff was good, and I liked the Rhianna sketch. I always enjoy Vincent Price, though this was prolly the worst on of those so far. "Garth and Kath" continues to blow, just like Fred Armisten as the "comedian" who just reads the headlines- hate those. Most of this episode was painful to fast forward through, much less watch.

Posted by: EJ at October 31, 2010 10:05 PM

There should be a law against so criminally wasting a talent like Jon Hamm. We don't need to cancel the show, as people keep saying. It's a huge machine for young comedians to cut their teeth on, and those that have talent move on.

Posted by: john G. at October 31, 2010 10:53 PM

I'm sure I'll get hammered for saying this, but it drives me crazy when people write "prolly" instead of "probably". Come on - is it that much more difficult to write it out properly? Sorry, EJ. . .

As for SNL, I can't bring myself to sit down and watch episodes anymore. They are a snoozefest to me. I just wait for clips to come onto Hulu and watch the ones that interest me when there is a host I like. Otherwise, it's not worth my time.

Posted by: prairiegirl at November 1, 2010 12:24 AM

i am not above admitting i laughed a lot at the autotuned jon hamm cry.

Posted by: memily at November 1, 2010 3:37 AM

Price was OK but it's been better, I liked Shy Ronnie, I liked the BTTF screen tests and... yeah that's about it.

The last "What's Up With That" with Ernest Borgnine as a guest was the best one so far. It started off sooo slow I thought it was going to be really really bad but it ended up being pretty hilarious. But yeah, that sketch is pretty tired.

Bring back Justin Timberlake. He's SNL's only hope.

Posted by: Poptart at November 1, 2010 9:00 AM

Used to try to stay up but then there would be some intro from the white house or some US governor personality that eluded me. WHo cares. Was better before when yes Sandler did his boy scout thang, C Walken and his champagne thing but being so centered on US govt/US politics esp. about US things..eludes halff the audience. Its like CNN now. Goodbye SNL

Posted by: JaneSpotting at November 1, 2010 10:34 AM

"The It's Alive! Show" had "Night of the Living Dead."

Posted by: , at November 1, 2010 11:07 AM

Sorry I annoyed you prairegirl, but for some reason I'm too lazy to write out "probably." I think I've been called out on it before, but I make no apology. I just like "prolly" better. Look, I know the difference between there, their, and they're, I don't substitute bemused for amused, I correctly use its and it's and your and you're. I like "prolly," and I'm not gonna stop using it.

Posted by: EJ at November 1, 2010 11:39 AM

And where can I hear Bill Hader impersonate Alan Alda?

Love me some Alda.

Posted by: grace b at November 1, 2010 11:53 AM

Uh...what? The Garth + Kat skit was one of the funniest parts of the night. It's always hilarious when an actor breaks character so much, especially so early in the sketch + this was no exception. Their cracking up in laughter was infectious + I think some of you critics need to loosen up.

P.S. You might not care about Jon Hamm + Sudeikis kissing, but there's about a zillion others (a conservative estimate) who were beside themselves as a result.

Posted by: Fredo777 at November 1, 2010 12:49 PM

With the kiss, I was thinking that it must have been a very nice day at work.

Posted by: Sara H at November 1, 2010 2:53 PM