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So What? You Like "SNL"? That Doesn't Mean You're Gay. It Just Means You're Awful

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under TV Reviews | Comments (26)

jane-lynch-saturday-night-live-gilly.jpg

Jane Lynch hosted what’s so far been a lackluster season of “SNL,” despite hosts like Bryan Cranston and Amy Poehler. Surely, Jane Lynch could improve upon the season, right?

She started out well. The opening monologue — where she sang her made-up “Glee” theme song — was fantastic, notwithstanding Fred Armison’s unwelcome bitch-face (sorry, Fred. I haven’t had coffee yet).


The Commercial for the Dammit My Mom’s on Facebook App was funny … two years ago! Amiright? Amiright? Actually, it was still kind of funny last night, too.

“The New Boyfriend Talk Show” also veered into the mildly amusing territory.

Kristen Wiig’s Christine O’Donnell commercial? I didn’t laugh, but I didn’t not laugh, either. Thumbs sideways!

Have you ever seen anyone do a Denzel Washington impression? No? Me neither. It’s pretty fucking fantastic. Seriously: If they hired Jay Pharoah to do only one thing, and that one thing was a Denzell Washington impression, it was totally worth it. If you only watch one skit from last night, this is the skit you should watch.

The Sunday Night Football skit was almost funny, and by “almost funny,” I mean: Not funny at all.

Finally, here’s the Digital Short, but only because I feel obligated.

And those, folks, were last night’s highlights. What that says about the other 50 percent of the show, I’ll let you decide.










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Comments

I've started going to bed early on Saturday nights only so I can safely say that I did not bother watching Saturday Night Live. Dear Lord, this is what my life has come to.

Posted by: spoobnooble at October 10, 2010 9:38 AM

"New Boyrfriend Talk Show" was kind of inspired, and I actually liked the digital short. But that Denzel skit? Fucking painful. Fucking PAINFUL. And seemed like it went wrong at the end - like an improv that no one knows how to close.

How can you waste Jane Lynch that badly? It's like making Hamburger Helper when you have filet mignon.

Posted by: Tammy at October 10, 2010 10:25 AM

I've already expressed my disappointment on FaceSpace, but damnit SNL...you've been in my life for most of it. I've been with you through the ups and downs and all arounds. It's getting hard to defend you with this crap. Please stop sucking so badly. Kthanxbi!

P.S. What's with the rerun next week already? ALREADY?

Posted by: Green Lantern at October 10, 2010 11:15 AM

People are still watching this show? I'm really not trying to be mean. I'm just surprised.

Posted by: xoxoxoe at October 10, 2010 11:19 AM

"lackluster season of “SNL,”" So nothing new in the last decade and half or so.

Posted by: clancys_daddy at October 10, 2010 11:54 AM

They need to overhaul the writers, seriously. The Will Ferrell era got great material even when they had lackluster hosts or not so great cast members, but when you have can't miss people like Jane Lynch (hello, she can improv with her eyes closed!) it's not all the casts' fault. Who is writing some of these sketches?!

Posted by: scorzi at October 10, 2010 12:37 PM

It's definitely the writers. The Seth Myers club of dumb-ass fratboy humor has killed the show. It was better in the Tina Fey days, at least.

Posted by: maxwell edison at October 10, 2010 12:41 PM

The problem with SNL is that unfortunately the cast just isn’t that funny. The acting is horrible and the skits are painful to watch. Someone over there at NBC should tell Loren Michaels it's over.

Posted by: Pookie at October 10, 2010 1:33 PM

Seriously, this show is STILL on?

All snark aside it seems to be going through one of its cyclical slumps (meaning it sucks even more). Things will remain like that until some new writers come on board or one of the players breaks out. It would have to be someone new seeing as how Wiig has plateaued and so has Samberg. They've got NOTHING going on right now.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 10, 2010 1:47 PM

Seth Myers is made of suck! His writing team completely wastes good talent, there is no reason that the Jane Lynch episode and the Zach Galifianakis episodes should not have been stellar. Worst writers ever.

However, the Denzel impression was awesome and the boyfriend sketch was actually funny.

Posted by: Mebe at October 10, 2010 2:04 PM

Can we bury Gilly? Preferably in a way that ensures no sign of her remains?

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at October 10, 2010 4:34 PM

Can we bury Gilly? Preferably in a way that ensures no sign of her remains?

Preach, Optimus. And that Denzel impersonation was eerily good. Too bad they will use him for absolutely nothing else all season, except of course for a throwaway part in drag, because people LOVE watchin' black men in drag.

Posted by: welldressed at October 10, 2010 5:17 PM

No single SNL epsisode has ever made me more disappointed than the one last night. Jane Lynch was WASTED. That Glee/Gilly skit was pure awful, the whole cast seemed awkward.

Jay Pharoah though KILLED it as Denzel. He also did a pretty good Will Smith impression last week as well.

Posted by: citizen_cris at October 10, 2010 5:56 PM

It's over. Kill it with fire. Bury SNL with a shovel and then bury the shovel.

Posted by: Kobie at October 10, 2010 6:29 PM

Wait, there was a Gilly sketch? I watched the episode on Hulu & it didn't include that. Advantage: MelBiv!

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at October 10, 2010 7:29 PM

@maxwell

As a member of a fraternity I should let you know that even we don't find Seth Myers funny. Seth Rogan? You got us.

Posted by: Jared at October 10, 2010 8:13 PM

Hey everyone did you know that SNL is terrible now, but it used to be good before? This strangely, and in violation of the rules of time, is true every single year somehow. Maybe it was never good, you just smoked more pot then??

Posted by: John G. at October 10, 2010 10:39 PM

Aries Spears did a way better Denzel. Like 5 years ago.

Posted by: junierizzle at October 11, 2010 1:26 AM

"Hey everyone did you know that SNL is terrible now, but it used to be good before? This strangely, and in violation of the rules of time, is true every single year somehow. Maybe it was never good, you just smoked more pot then??

I always want to know this. Was it really ever any good? Because, despite the many very funny sketches I've seen, every episode I've ever watched has been fucking terrible. And yet everyone always talks about this halycon past when it was totally funny, and how it's only rubbish now.

Posted by: Ender at October 11, 2010 4:55 AM

I enjoyed it. Most of it. Like 70%.

Posted by: superasente at October 11, 2010 9:36 AM

Worth watching for the Denzel Washington impression, which had me rolling...but that's about it.

Posted by: Malcolm at October 11, 2010 11:22 AM

The Denzel sketch was really unfunny but that guy nailed Denzel. Too bad they couldn't have come up with something funny for him to use his skills on.

Posted by: PaddyDog at October 11, 2010 12:23 PM

>>Was it really ever any good?

Sure. 1976-1979. 1982-1984 or so. 1986-1991(ending abruptly when they played along with the Gulf War propaganda machine, vague reference to which was made in Bob Roberts, which features the best critique of what SNL has been ever since). Bits and pieces in the very late 90s.

And it coasts on people's fond memories of those occasional gem seasons.

Posted by: John Roberson at October 11, 2010 7:14 PM

People who are not old, and did not see the "original" SNL in the 70s, may say, "Duh, never any good, der, you guys are lame" - although they won't actually SAY it, they'll just "post" it on their Face-y Spaces and their Tweety-twats, but yes, children: SNL was good in the 70s. Even BETTER if you smoked a lot of pot, but still funny even if you didn't.

Jane, you ignorant slut!

Posted by: MM at October 11, 2010 9:28 PM

My partner and i adore each movie with Denzel Washington, he's such a fantastic actor. I can't think of virtually any movie he's in that is not a terrific film.

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