Now that the season is over, it’s time to continue with my reviews.
Cold Open
• Since this was the first episode to air after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we get a moving tribute from the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York. I can’t even tell you the last time SNL did a cold open that wasn’t a sketch, but I’m so glad they did. Instead of getting a shitty reenactment of the week’s events, we get a nice tribute to those poor innocent souls overseas.
Monologue
Mulaney talks about his intervention, breaking up with his drug dealer, and the birth of his son.
• It was nice seeing Mulaney in a good mood again after the terrible things that happened to him in 2021.
• After some amusing self-deprecating jokes about his terrible life, it gets kind of boring. But this is a big step up from his depressed sounding monologue from Season 46.
Sketch: Monkey Judge
A lawyer and his client face a different kind of judge.
• My hopes of this being a great episode were somewhat shattered when Mulaney entered dressed as a monkey.
• Another strike against this sketch is the long spiel “Tango” has about things that bother him. Wouldn’t it be better if he didn’t have to explain this to the audience and let them gradually find these things out for themselves?
• The boom mic is visible in most of the shots of Kenan’s character stating his case. I take it that asshole Jeff is manning the mic today?
• It’s kind of clever how Cecily is able to win the monkey judge’s favor by pampering him like a real monkey.
• While I didn’t find this to be as bad as I did the first time I watched this sketch, it still leaves a lot to be desired.
Fake Ad: Blue River Dog Food
A couple tries to convince their friend to switch to a different brand of dog food.
• Blah, another “LOOK AT THE CUTE ANIMALS!!!!” sketch.
• The pacing is slow as molasses. Our host doesn’t even show up until about halfway through.
• I wanted to destroy my eardrums when Cecily started speaking in a baby talk voice as her dog.
Sketch: Dinner Discussion
Discussing COVID puts a family on edge during dinner.
• Asian Terry Sweeney telling Heidi that nobody wants to hear about this article she read was pretty well-delivered.
• Kenan puts his old bug-eyes routine to good use once again. No matter how out of place he is today, he’ll always be good at that.
• I’m surprised at how good Asian Terry Sweeney is in this sketch. The part where he breaks his glass of water was great. I wonder what the “glass” was really made of.
• Not a big fan of the stupid prop comedy, though. But, overall, this sketch is coming off better the second time around.
• My least favorite part is Heidi using the Infinity Gauntlet to snap herself out of existence, because it’s just another pathetic example of sucking up to Disney.
• Oh, wait. I forgot about the ending, where a bunch of random stock footage plays, along with that old “I like turtles” kid from 2007. SNL, behind the times when it comes to memes yet again!
Please Don’t Destroy: Good Variant
Everyone celebrates after news of a new Coronavirus variant comes out.
• Second episode in a row to have a PDD sketch in it!
• I laughed at the fake Dr. Fauci tweet telling people to go outside and have fun.
• Random Paul Rudd cameo. It’s pretty funny, however.
• Famous Today Show buffoon Al Roker arrives with a submarine sandwich. How come they’ve never gotten him to host the show? I think that would be great.
• The photoshopped image of Fauci with Saweetie was hilarious.
• Hilarious twist where Martin Herlihy gets a positive test…for anal worms.
• Not even the random “FELLOW KIDS?” moment with Pokémon showing up in the real world ruined my enjoyment of this crazy sketch. And I do mean “crazy” in a good way. Please Don’t Destroy is the best thing to happen to SNL in years.
Sketch: Five-Timers Club
The time has come for Mulaney to be inducted into the Five-Timers Club.
• Oh, man, this sketch. I’ve got a lot to say about this one. For one thing, I like how it fades directly from the PDD film into this one.
• Steve Martin is back for the second time this season, and he’s brought Candace Bergen along with him! Wow, she hasn’t been on the show since the last time they did a Five-Timers sketch.
• ELLIOTT GOULD!!!! Words cannot describe how exciting it is to see him again! As far as I know, he hasn’t appeared on the show since the original Five-Timers sketch.
• As a reference to his role in the original Five-Timers sketch, motherfucking Conan O’Brien returns!!! I never thought I’d see him on another NBC show since his Tonight Show debacle.
• Oh, and Tina Fey’s there too. I wasn’t as excited to see her given that she makes way too many cameos.
• All of these cameos are taking away from the fact that this sketch is merely okay. But, still, the fact that we get to see Conan again bumps the score up for this one.
Musical Performance: “Thrills”
Weekend Update
• With the recent invasion, there’s a lot of Russia/Ukraine jokes here.
• A huge groan from the Tucker Carlson joke.
• Extremely distasteful “joke” from Che about how he’s never seen attacks like this on a white country. Even when people are dying, he still can’t resist his usual anti-white material.
• I didn’t understand the Harvey Weinstein reference Colin makes.
• Blah, the usual nonsense from these idiots. At least it was mercifully short, helped by the fact that there were no guest commentaries for the first time since Season 37.
Sketch: Subway Churro
A man learns why you should never order a churro in a subway station.
• *grooooooaaaaan* It’s that time again. We’re in for another Mulaney Musical sketch.
• Pete’s usual role in these sketches is taken up by Andrew. In fact, Pete’s nowhere to be seen tonight, as he’s away filming a movie.
• The cue that usually plays in these sketches whenever the offending item is ordered is different this time.
• That applause when Kenan comes out as a “mole person” disgusts me. I genuinely do not understand why everybody goes crazy for these sketches, or why SNL keeps doing them.
• Aristotle makes his only appearance of the night here, where he plays a rabbi. Also, they forget to properly light him.
• Ben Marshall from Please Don’t Destroy makes a rare sketch appearance.
• No comment on Kate wearing what appears to be a costume made from a garbage bag.
• Yet another lousy musical sketch. I beg of you, Lorne, PLEEEEEASE do not bring Mulaney back to the show next season!
Sketch: Behind The Slime
The history of Nickelodeon slime is discussed.
• Alex Moffat couldn’t look or sound anything like Marc Summers if he tried. I am at least surprised that they didn’t make an OCD joke about him.
• Chris as Nick Cannon: “Heads up, this show was made in Canada, so these kids white as hell!!!” Not the funniest joke on paper, but the delivery helps sell it.
• They did a great job a recreating the set of You Can’t Do That On Television. I think they even used some of the actual names of the children.
• The constant cutaways to Cannon and Summers explaining that this episode was made in 1980 are tiresome. Unsurprisingly, Mikey is credited as a writer of this sketch.
• The sound effect of the first bit of slime falling on Cecily is hilariously delayed.
• I chuckled at Cannon mistaking his co-host for Suzanne Sommers.
• It seems the writers have barely watched an episode of this show. There’s no way they would use the phrase “homo” on a children’s show, even in the 80s. I know it’s supposed to be a “joke”, but it has no basis in reality.
• PLEASE STOP WITH THE CONSTANT DISCLAIMERS!!!
• Aidy’s character is annoying and out of place.
• Again, I highly doubt that there would be a joke about girls having periods on children’s television!
• I wish they slimed Chloe’s character. That would have been so satisfying!
• Weak ending.
• It may sound like I’m being negative here, but this sketch isn’t that bad. I love seeing sketches where the cast gets all messy. If they got rid of all the framing scenes, this might have worked better.
Musical Performance: “Your City’s A Sucker”
• LOL! Mulaney is still covered in slime while he gives the intro!
Sketch: Cupid Shuffle
A man accompanies his wife to her family reunion.
• This is a sequel to a sketch from Mulaney’s second episode. Odd choice of a sketch to bring back, but okay.
• Seriously? The Cupid Shuffle? I haven’t heard that song in years. This is also a lazy rewrite of the first installment of this sketch, where the featured song was the Cha Cha Slide. What’s next? A sketch where they dance to Soulja Boy?
• A lazy, unnecessary rewrite of a sketch that didn’t need to be brought back. Ego’s performance was pretty good, though.
Cut For Time: Podcast Set for White Guys
A man is given a podcast set as a going away present.
• Part of me thinks that John’s line about deleting his old podcasts before getting promoted is a jab at Shane Gillis, the guy who was fired before joining the cast due to “offensive” jokes he made years ago.
• *sees title of sketch* Oh, I wonder who wrote this? *looks at writer’s list* What a surprise, it’s Michael Che’s work.
• I like how this product is being released by Fisher-Price, of all companies.
• Despite a slow start, this starts to get better once we actually see the product in action.
• John’s inflatable co-host is an inspired and hilarious idea, especially his pre-recorded phrases like “That’s so funny, man!” and “You’re so right!”
• The ending is kind of abrupt and awkward with the twist that he’s been filming this all along, despite the podcast set not being able to record anything, but, overall, this was surprisingly good for a Michael Che anti-white tract.
Final thoughts: While not perfect, this was miles better than Mulaney’s previous episode. He seemed to be in a happier mood, and his sharp delivery was back to normal. The material itself was about as good as it usually is when he hosts, but I’m starting to get the feeling that his episodes aren’t as strong as people want us to believe.
Best sketches: Cold Open, Good Variants, Five-Timer’s Club, Podcast Set for White Guys (Cut)
Worst sketches: Blue River Dog Food, Subway Churro, Cupid Shuffle
Next review: Oscar Isaac/Charli XCX
