The Drake Hosted 'Saturday Night Live' Was Brutal

By Dustin Rowles | Saturday Night Live | May 15, 2016 |

By Dustin Rowles | Saturday Night Live | May 15, 2016 |

Note: In past recaps, I included videos for each sketch. However, the high number of NBC videos was causing the page to crash. Therefore, I am including only video for the recommended watches. Hyperlinks are provided for those that are not recommended.

Cold Open — The Trumpcentric cold open sees Donny Trash trying to select a running mate with the help of Chris Christie, who keeps suggesting himself as Trump’s VP. Tepid and predictable. (Score: 3/10)

Drake Monologue — Drake, who was a solid host his last time around, kicks off the show with an off-key song, #MoreThanAMeme, about how much it hurts to have Instagram constantly turning him into memes. As charming as Drake can be, he continues this season’s fine tradition of bad monologues. (Score: 3/10)

Rental Car — I have absolutely no idea what the point of this sketch was. There was no premise. A couple shows up for a rental car, and two rental car employees spend 5 minutes explaining that they have no cars, while the couple argues with them. Jay Pharoah talks like Tyler Perry’s Mad Black Woman. That’s it. (Score: 2/10)

American Ninja Warrior — You could see the punchline for this sketch coming from 6 miles away, which would’ve been fine if it had been better executed. It was not. It’s going to be a long night. NBC may want to reconsider their plan next season to air 30 percent fewer commercials to make time for more sketches. (I will concede, however, that watching Bobby Moynihan attempt to run on water provided a second and a half of solid entertainment.) (Score: 3/10)

Dennis Wallis — Did Drake show up to the set for the first time on Saturday morning and just say, “F**k it, we’ll wing the show tonight?” This is another sketch that goes absolutely nowhere. Did the cast take off all week to focus on next week’s season finale with Fred Armisen? What is going on? (Score: 2/10)

Baby Boss — Remember the grown-ass adult who had the body of a baby? He was reasonably funny the first time around. The third time, however, and he’s being suggested as a third-party candidate against Donald Trump. Rough week in the writers’ room. This is the worst. #theworst. (Score: 3.5/10)

Weekend Update — They should really change the name to “Trump Update,” because 60 percent of every “Update” is devoted to Trump. Fortunately, insulting Trump is still funny, and a mediocre “Update” is miles better than anything else in tonight’s episode. (Score: 6/10 +1 for the Bathroom Bill joke)

Black Jeopardy — It’s not a great sketch, but it’s easily the best of the night, so far, and I have no idea why they held it back until this late in the episode. The “Oven Heat” joke is on point. (Score: 6/10)

Drake Beef — I take it back. This is the best sketch of the night: Drake, in a pre-taped segment, dis-raps about minor slights around the SNL’s offices. Did they inadvertently air all the sketches in the reverse order tonight? (Score: 7/10)

Professional Chaperone — Repetitive and dumb, but not totally without merit. (Score: 4/10)