Saturday Night Live 10/11/14 - Bill Hader returns as host

[robyrob]

I was really looking forward to last night's SNL - I'm still upset that Bill Hader left the cast, he was so good at so many things and could make the dumbest sketches still worth a watch. Anyways, ny thoughts on the show:

Kim Jong-Un Cold open - I've never been the biggest fan of Bobby Moynihan (or the cold opens for the most part) but I think he makes this character funny; there just wasn't a whole lot of substance to this sketch, really just a one-note joke that went on a little long.

Bill Hader's monologue - I never knew that BH worked for Iron Chef, that's just plain weird. I also did not realize that he had never sang on the show, it almost seems not possible. I'm not a fan of the singing monologues unless it is something weird or funny like Zach Galifinakis's last one.

Herb Welch - I love Bill Hader's character here, the one-liners are hilarious.

The Group Hopper - I get what they were trying to do, but it seemed too long and overproduced for the amount of laughs it generated, for me anyways.

Hollywood Game Night - this seems like the classic type of SNL sketch where they just plug-in a bunch of celebrity impersonations with varying degrees of success; it actually worked pretty well this time - Hader as Al Pacino is the best though.

HelpFund - I loved this sketch - parodying the ubiquitous commercials begging for only 39 cents per day, it just worked so well and didn't drag on.

Weekend Update - they had a couple of quick throw-away news jokes, I still don't like Colin Jost at all; he is just so boring the way he is just so obviously reading off of the cue cards - may as well just show the audience the cue cards and get rid of Jost. Michael Che has at least improved considerably from the season premiere where he stumbled quite a bit. BH showing up as Stefon had some funny lines, but I've never really like the Stefon bit - it always goes on too long and is really just the same one-note joke just twisted around a bit.

Puppetry For Advanced Students - I loved this sketch; Bill Hader's war-ravaged/shell-shocked character exposing his demons through his puppet, and then the Naam puppet flashback was hilarious.

Inside SoCal - I'm just going to say that for the most part I don't get these shorts with Kyle Mooney, i like him in other sketches, but these just seem like he is trying way too hard to be funny and it doesn't work.

The Cat In The Hat - this again seemed like another classic Bill Hader sketch that just worked for me, it might have gone on a little long, but it was still pretty funny.

I really have no idea who that musical guest was, i guess that it is good that they don't have the pop-idol of the minute on every week, but whatever happened to having a little diversity and occasionally bringing back some classic bands and big time groups? It seems like they are trying too hard to only please the youngest viewers with the musical acts, and really maybe they wouldn't actually be turning them all away if they brought in some real music occasionally.

Anyone else have thoughts about this episode?

[McGillicuddy]

I'm glad Bill and Kirsten Wiig paid tribute to Jan Hooks. I also enjoyed Bill Hader being back!

[robyrob]

Originally Posted by McGillicuddy

I'm glad Bill and Kirsten Wiig paid tribute to Jan Hooks. I also enjoyed Bill Hader being back!

I actually forgot to mention that - I thought it was very appropriate the way they remembered Jan Hooks.

I just wish they had picked a funnier sketch of hers - she had so many great characters and bits; of course it would be very difficult to pick just one. I do understand why they went with what they did, it was pretty classy.