Saturday Night Live

[Truth Movement]

While I basically agree entirely with your point, I am continually flabbergasted when people lump Blake Lively's episode in as one of the bad ones, and as a bad host, too. I honestly thought that was one of the best episodes of SNL I had seen in years, and that she in particular was quite strong. It was easily the least the host was utilized in an episode this season, but who's going to complain about that? Whose complaint aout SNL is "More Host!!" unless the host is Jon Hamm or Alec Baldwin (even then, they are used a completely adequate amount). However, anytime she was used in the episode, she was reliably great and committed, which is why I take particular offense to seeing her name placed next to January "breaking and being completely unsure of myself" Jones.

Take Potato Chip Astronaut. A divisive sketch, but however you felt about it, Blake both committed fully to the ridiculous premise, went all out with her character when it was called for, and also hung back and supported Forte and Sudeikis, not allowing herself to step on their funny. And the fact that she did not break character once is pretty remarkable. I mean, they're screaming at each other in gentlemanly Southern drawls just feet away from her. Could you manage to not bust out laughing?

I would be completely content if there were a rotating crop of like 5 hosts and she was one of them. The other four would be Hamm, Baldwin, Timberlake, and Fey.

Fair enough. Mentioning Blake was not necessarily an indictment on her performance as a host. Heck, Joshua Jackson made for a good host in 2000, but I would still label that choice as "flavor of the month." Same with the Charles Barkley episode, which I enjoyed. Good episode, but that doesn't mean that Barkley is any more relevant. The way I see it, Lively exceeded expectations; Fox met them and Jones broke new ground it what it meant to be a train wreck host (if you want to see a truly baffling hosting performance, check out the 1979-1980 episode hosted by Chevy Chase).

I thought the Potato Chip sketch was great.

I think SNL has to keep trying new hosts to keep things fresh. Sometimes they hit on something that works like they did last season with Jon Hamm, but most of the time its a miss. Truth is, though, you can usually tell who would be good. Paul Rudd was good. Jack Black is always good. NPH was good. I bet Jason Segal would be good. But I could have told you the first time that Jennifer Lopez would be not-so-good. The only guy that has surprised in recent history has been Ben Affleck, but he only surprised me when he hosted in 04. Every other time I knew he would be funny.

That said, I am not as crazy about Timberlake as others are. Each of his episodes have something strong, but the last one especially was marred by excessive repetition. I enjoyed Mother Lover, but the Barry Gibb Talk Show was only funny the first time and the Omeletteville sketches were never funny. He's an engaging performer, but he's not above lazy writing.

[BillBrasky]

The best hosts are the ones that you can tell come in with ideas that they want to do, and are actually excited about doing the show. Justin Timberlake is certainly that way, and Taylor Swift was as well (I think it was her idea to do the singing monologue). I try not to hold people's past acting credits against them; enthusiasm and willingness to look silly go a long way when you are an SNL host.

However, Blake Lively's episode was helped a lot by the good writing that week. They had a lot to work with; the Salahis, Tiger Woods, and the potato chip sketch would probably have been funny no matter who the host was. Conversely, the writing really sucked when Janary Jones hosted- I don't think anyone could have made that Grace Kelly sketch funny.

[James Smann]

I actually think Jack Black's episodes have been spotty at best...which is weird because I pretty love everything he does. It just always feels like they go "He can sing, so he should sing in every sketch." And it sometimes feels like his sense of humor doesn't quite fit on the show.

[Truth Movement]

Well, he did the Happy Birthday Song...which gives him "Awesome host" status for me.

[A Shot Glass of Humor]

Definitely on the same page with Brasky and Truth Movement, that strong writing can trump a flavor of the week host. SNL definitely has had quite a few this season but they've always had flavor of the week hosts. And like Truth mentioned sometimes their episodes are the funniest, like Joshua Jackson's episode... he was the host and N'Sync was the musical guest... and yet they had a lot of funny sketches. Probably due to the strong writing and maybe the host was also game and loose and ready for sketches.

That said, Blake Lively was definitely game, for many off the wall sketches. Hell even Taylor Swift was game but the writing wasn't all there in her episode and to top it off her acting ability wasn't as strong as it could've been. But I blame the sketches more than her ability. Either way, those were still solid episodes with Blake's edging out... hell if any episode outright disappointed me it was Drew Barrymore's and James Franco, both were returning hosts who stumbled through a lot of bad premises and recurring shit... actually Franco had one or two good sketches, but way too much recurring material(which is a huge weakness this season!) while Barrymore very little to laugh about and top it off with a HORRIBLE Sharon Osborne impression... those episodes disappointed me more because they have hosted before... and thus should be held to a higher standard. The sad part is that for recurring host, Ashton Kutcher had more laughs in his episode!

Oh and the new promo for the Zach Galifianakis episode is up!
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-li...nakis/1206147/
Enjoy!

[Itslikeimsayin]

Oh and the new promo for the Zach Galifianakis episode is up!
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-li...nakis/1206147/
Enjoy!

So far, so good!

[SlyBattery]

My brain is still having trouble believing this is real. I know because after that video I was able to ask it since it was blown out of my head.

[Mack Luster]

Great monologue. Let's hope the rest of the show keeps up.

[smartbunny]

This is so weird, it's like... Zach! On SNL? Really? Wowsers!

[Mack Luster]

So, right out of the gate with a rehashed bit to get easy giggles. Great work, gang!

[Cameron]

Zach on the Set was fucking fantastic. All the other sketches have been really terrible.

[Mack Luster]

I had the weirdest thing just happen. My hand started reaching for the remote before I even knew it was happening. I guess Keenan Thompson triggers some sort of Pavlovian response in me.

[dukerayburn]

I thought Zach was actually underused in the kissing skit. He might not have been game for it, since it's pretty cheap laughs. I still enjoyed it, but they need to put that one to bed now.

[phatty]

Great monologue but all downhill after that. Although just seeing Zach on camera makes me laugh.

[SlyBattery]

Couldn't sleep knowing this was on.

So far, its like SNL is still trying to suck as bad as it normally does, but Zach is making it enjoyable.

This is so weird, it's like... Zach! On SNL? Really? Wowsers!

Yea it was really surreal seeing him walk out on the stage.

[littlegirltree]

It's always sunny on series record hijacked my dvr. I missed between the Kathy Lee and What's Up With That. Did I miss much of importance?

[phatty]

Holy shit did he just shave his beard for this sketch? That's dedication.

[SlyBattery]

Why couldn't the whole episode have been like that last sketch?

[littlegirltree]

Bojangles?!? Shit yeah, y'all!

[Grubba]

Holy shit did he just shave his beard for this sketch? That's dedication.

And then he's back with beard at the end of the show.

The plot thickens....

Overall...nothing really too good. I was expecting more but it seems even Zach can't overcome the dungheap that show has become.
The opening monologue was the best part...and that was just Zach doing his thing.