The introductions to these Saturday Night Live recaps have gotten somewhat stale lately: I talk about the shows inconsistencies, note that there are some highlights nonetheless, and then get into the meat of things. This time around, lets look at five things that are really working this season as a whole. Individual episodes have had ebbs and flows, but these aspects have really been clicking since the fall.
1.Mike Day might have been designed in a lab for the specific purpose of being great on SNL. The marriage between talent and comedic sensibilities between the man and the entity are perfect. While its too early to truly say this, its also easy to see him ending up on a first- or second-string all-time cast list when things are said and done.
2.While she didnt get a lot to do last year, Melissa Villaseor has made the most of her opportunities this season. Shes no longer just appearing to do impressions, but has honed her character work as well.
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3.It took a few seasons, but Colin Jost and Michael Che have figured out their rhythms on Weekend Update. You could look back to earlier seasons (though I wouldnt recommend it), but the repartee, comedic angles and back-and-forths are really strong on a weekly basis.
4.The show is really starting to consistently convey a jittery, on-edge energy for at least half of each weeks material. SNL should always convey the energy of the country, and its topical sketches have produced discomfort in a way that feels honest.
5.The show has realized that talking about President Trump is more effective than actually portraying him onscreen. Alec Baldwins performance drew attention and eyeballs for a while, but had overstayed its welcome by the fall. Focusing on figures around him (Trumps children, Jeff Sessions, Robert Mueller) has kept the show topical but the perspectives fresh.
Lets now look at what people will be discussing until Will Ferrell hosts what will probably be the final episode before the Winter Olympics.
Google Talk
In terms of sheer execution, the Chris Redd-led Fresh Prince parody wins by a landslide. Its the Trapped In The Closet of theme show parodies. It goes onand onand on, adding layer after layer to the songs simple premise. On the other hand, I appreciated it more than I loved it. Thats not damning it with faint praise, but there was a sameness present after the initial reveal of what was going on. All of this is a way of saying that while admiration goes a long way, straight-up spitting out my drink at the sight of Mikey Days Bert Sampson goes further.
Upon rewatch, one has to admire the way the sketch hides its punchline in plain view. Alex Moffats professor sits in the foreground, with the camera placement putting Sampson directly behind him. Another camera then pans over the staid crowd as examples of bullying are listed, finally revealing Sampson at the moment his problem is revealed. Its a dumb sight gag in a sketch with a lot of dumb Simpsons references. But its also hugely funny in a way that only works thanks to Days underplaying: This is a guy who tries to be as unassuming as possible even while standing out like a sore thumb at all times. Had he gone over-the-top, this just wouldnt have worked. Even in something this simple, Day adds depth.
What Even Matters Anymore
Or, as I call this sketch: My Twitter Feed On Super Bad Days.
Heres a great example of a sketch executing points #4 and 5 above: Its a sketch about Trump that delivers the brittle anxiety that comes from constantly reformulating ones worldview to incorporate the latest knowledge. Its easy to call that anxiety overkill, but that doesnt make it any less real for those trying to keep on top of the latest outrage without their mental state devolving into one in which the falcon cannot hear the falconer.
Whats great is the balanced approach, in which host Jessica Chastain (who is revealed in-sketch to be playing herself enacting her own angst) is being utterly defeatist and the contestants are trying to keep her off the ledge. Were this simply four characters complaining about the world, it would be fine but a missed opportunity. This is a conversation posing as a game show, and its a conversation thats worth having.
Weekend Update: Robert Mueller
Once again, Im going to hedge here. If you forced me to answer under oath, Id probably select the Stormy Daniels Update segment as the better one, whatever better means in the subjective world of sketch comedy. It had a subtler theme, a vicious Cecily Strong performance, and a more brutal assessment of the current time. However, this will get more buzz, not only because of Kate McKinnons giddy performance, but also it will spark a ton of debate between those that want this investigation to be over, one way or another.
Im including it here less about its quality so much as its confidence: The last time the show was this confident about the imminent demise of Trump wasbefore the election. Go back and watch the Season 42 episodes leading up to November: You see an extremely smug show, one that couldnt even believe there was a chance that Trump could win. That smugness turned to self-introspection with McKinnon-as-Hillary Clinton singing Leonard Cohens Hallelujah. To be fair to the show, almost no one saw the election results coming. Nevertheless, especially paired with the previous sketch, its interesting to see such a bold (albeit comedic) prediction about the presidents fate. Thats what will spark an incredible amount of dialogue over the next week.