Jack Straw

I really like Hader and Sudekis. That walk-on with Armison during WU as a sexual harrasser was an off-shoot of Parnell's "Merv-The-Perv" skit without the funny clever writing. I was very sorry to see walk out the door when Parnell left the show.

nightwing82

I enjoyed most every skit last night, which is a first for me in a long time. Off hand the only one I Tivo'd through was the New York Times one. Franco was good, except he just needs to work on not squinting his eyes when reading the cards.

slop101

That was actually a surprisingly good episode of SNL where most (though not all) of the sketches were funny. Franco was great, and KoL sounded pretty good - too bad only about one or two episodes of SNL per season turn out this well.

Big Boy Laroux

so does Franco need to have his eyes checked or what? he was squinting BADLY.

Daytripper

Which was met with zero enthusiasm. No body in the audience clapped or screamed when she walked on.

This episode, as per 99% of the SNL episodes in the last 7 or so years, sucked.

nightwing82

You still watch it even though you've hated it for the past 7 years?

Anyway, I didn't recognize it was Cameron Diaz at first. I still thought the skit was midly funny though. And, she was the funniest in it (and I don't even care for her normally).

CharlieK

The writing and cast gets a lot of criticism, deservedly so for the most part. But one thing I noticed last night was a real laziness with regards to the direction and camerawork.

That OJ skit would have been so much better if they just tightened up the camera work. There's always so much dead space in between lines, and switching from camera to camera, that it really creates a sluggishness to the skit and saps whatever humor there may be in there.

Daytripper

Have you not been reading all the SNL threads week after week? A lot of the people here share the same sentiment. I only watch for two reasons. One, I'm hoping something miraculous will happen and the show will improve. And second, nothing else is on and I just have it on in the background.

gmanca

To me it seems the show has fewer skits, which is leading to major dragging. Like the NYT skit could have worked if it was tightened up , and there's a lack of the taped material that the 90's SNL's used to have that were great.

Agent 4:20 and the Digital Short were pretty bad IMO, but the OJ, Dafoe, and McCain skits were great.

Rypro 525

maybe he was stoned?

NiCK Crush

it was better than the season opener that is for sure. I'm not looking forward to next week's at all... i cannot stand Anna Faris.

JeffTheAlpaca

I hope Hader brings back the Dafoe character


the Murray Place digital short with Franco complaining about his package was funny.

TGM

again, I thought this episode was awful. downright unwatchable..........

nightwing82

Can't say I have been. I only watch when I think the host will probably be good. I didn't watch the previous week since I hate that Olympic swimmer who needs to go away.

It just seems to me that if the show has indeed sucked for the past 7 years (which I disagree), then I don't see why one would bother to even put it on in the background. Don't torture yourselves people!

Kelkee

They really need to retire this show and come up with something new and fresh.
Every week its them trying to rekindle and era long gone.

The show was relevant 30 years ago when actors, comedians, and musicians had real talent, something to say or satire on, and there was really no other outlet to watch them.

Today who cares?

nightwing82

People who enjoy sketch comedy.

Daytripper

I enjoy sketch comedy. But this show is like a bad junior high school variety show. I think most of the cast is o.k. It's the writing that is so dreadful.

Kelkee

Oddball "Falconer" skits and rehashed material from 30 years ago is enjoyable sketch comedy?

Want good sketch comedy turn to BBC.
Talented, fresh, skilled writers/actors.

TGM

Man Stroke Woman !!!!!!

TGM

what I hate most of all, is when SNL spoofs a character from a movie that tanked. I mean, Agent 420? Pineapple Express was a flop. Barely anybody saw it, so spoofing the stone character was just totally lame.

islandclaws

Ageed that this was a lame episode. Franco's skits fell flat horribly. Some of these would have been better with a little finesse, but they all felt more like a rehearsal than the real deal. Pretty weak overall.

RichC2

I'm confused by that post, was that sarcasm?

(Just to get it out of the way, SNL still tries to aim for college students, the group mainly responsible for turning Pineapple Express into such a big hit ($87m on a $25m budget). Makes sense to me.)

fujishig

Also, isn't that the whole reason Franco was hosting in the first place?

Goldberg74

I thought it was because he was going to Columbia and it was one of the options for a class assignment.

JeffTheAlpaca

I don't understand the people who say Mad TV is better.

has there ever been anything on Mad TV that transcended the show and entered the cultural mainstream?


I don't remember Mad TV ever doing something like the cowbell sketch or anything memorable.