SNL alum Fred Armisen hammed it up in an attempt to support his Wednesday costar in her hosting debut.
Welcome to this week’sSNLin Reviewcommentary.
Tonight’s host isJenna Ortega, a modern scream queen with starring roles in horror films likeScreamandX.
Saturday Night Live/Youtube
This week, theSNLPR machine placedthis spiffy story inGQ, spotlighting the show’s next generation.
I asked Kroeger how that contrasts with his experience on the show.
“This new cast is as versatile as any.
Ever,” he says.
“When I was on the show, the world and media was very different.
NBC took a few publicity pictures.
Brad and I did a fashion shoot forEsquire.
And I remember being approached by16 Magazine, we turned them down.
But there wasn’t an industry ofSNLpromotion and we more or less had to fend for ourselves.
That’s just the way it was.”
Let’s jump in!
Cold Open
It’s the Oscars red carpet pre-show!
(Tyson has previouslybeen impersonated on the show.)
Nominee Jamie Lee Curtis (Chloe Fineman) stops by as well Fineman nails this impression.
Back in the day, Curtis herself hostedSNL.
Molly Kearney andMikey Dayappear as Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, whoappeared on the show earlier this season.
AndBowen Yangreturns as George Santos, I mean Tom Cruise.
Monologue
Ortega talks about her origins she started out in a Colgate commercial when she was 9.
(Originally, she was discovered when her mom posted a video of her on Facebook.
That leads to a joke about the app being to racism what TikTok is to dancing.)
HerWednesdaycostar and formerSNLcast memberFred Armisenis in the audience he comes on stage to pick up the slack.
He tries to be winning, but she shoos him away.
Regarding the now-iconicWednesdaydance scene that went viral, he adds: “The Wednesday dance found rarified air.
It became what it is because once you saw it, you had to see it again.
And again, the Wednesday dance is time-capsule worthy.”
“School vs. School”
Jay McCormick (Kenan Thompson) is hosting a PBS game show.
where teachers team up with students to win big prizes!
Today’s contestants: West Grove High School takes on Professor Zander’s Academy for Extraordinary Children.
It’s essentially Professor X and some of his mutant pupils.
“You are not ready, child!”
hollers Mikey Day’s Zander.
Molly Kearney is also funny as Knockout.
Kenan has a non-sequitur about a COVID-related lawsuit, which is more confusing than redemptive.
“just Don’t Destroy: Road Trip”
Ortega is feeling a little burnt out.
Luckily, our PDD heroes are going on a beautiful cross-country American road trip!
Tensions rise, as the bubbly song periodically kicks back in.
Dark turn at the end!
They are supposed to be frickin' twins!
Armisen is hamming it up alot giving a lot, that’s for sure.
Is he trying to compensate for Ortega’s inexperience?
I like that, in this remake, Ed Helms and Leslie Mann are supposedly the parents.
“Ridiculousness”
Mikey Day has a savage impression ofRidiculousnesshost Rob Dyrdek, who is almost 50.
This is especially funny given Day started out on MTV’sWild ‘n Out.
“Reset the vibe!”
Fineman is also really good here.
What happened to MTV?
Free bird redneck Mikey Day is tased and shot as the young couple breaks up, oblivious.
And a solid payoff at the end.
The band previously performed this pop diddy onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonlast fall.
They are performance artists, satirists, and pop musicians.
I likeBeing Funny in a Foreign Languagevery much.
I find it very sincere, while also iconoclastic.
And their visual presentations are funny while also being theatrical."
“Weekend Update”
Jokes about champagne and Rihanna!
This goes after his hypocrisy.
And this might be Kearney’s finest moment on the show to date.
James Austin Johnson comes on to fill time with random impressions like Batman readingWhere’s Waldoand Jay-Z downstairs.
He has a stockpile of useless two-second impressions.
Donald Trump ordering a Negroni is amazing.
I like this new trend of cast members coming on as themselves to riff.
Jost recently crossed the nine-year mark as an “Update” anchor.
Gary Kroeger recalls: “Colin has done everything almost perfectly.
Maybe not even ‘almost’ but ‘perfectly.’
He and Michael have been a perfect combination; different deliveries but compatible foils.”
Her neighbors are waiting for Father Murphy to help their possessed daughter.
“Y’all don’t have to wait for him,” says Mrs. Shaw.
“I’ll do it.
You don’t scare me sweetie!”
After all, she needs to get her eight hours of sleep, and will solve this situation posthaste.
When another priest warns that she may be in over her head, Mrs. Shaw says sh’es got this.
Ortega (channeling Linda Blair) levitates off the bed until Shaw takes control, summoning her husband.
The 1975 perform “Oh Caroline”
Another catchy pop song that was released last year.
Their law firm lives and dies on business driven by their TV commercial.
Final thoughts
Thank you to Gary Kroeger for his thoughts tonight!
What did you think?Vote hereor chime in below.
Erin also worked as a staff writer forSNLbefore more recently producing films likeRushed.
She will be missed.
