Saturday Night Live
Melissa McCarthy & Haim
May 13, 2017
What can be said about Melissa McCarthy and Saturday Night Live that I haven’t already said in her other four appearances as host? Melissa McCarthy is a comedy genius and such a natural fit on Saturday Night Live and last night was no exception and even my husband who harbors an unreasonable hatred for Melissa McCarthy agrees that the Sean Spicer bits are pretty hilarious and it is patently absurd that she has hosted the show exactly as many times as Scarlett Johansson what is that even about.
The episode began with a spoof of this week’s insane Lester Holt interview with Trump in which — and this is a thing that actually happened — Trump basically admitted that he fired James Comey because he didn’t like the Russian investigation. “Oh! Did I get him?” Michael Che as Holt responds when Baldwin’s Trump makes the confession. But then checking with his producers via earpiece: “No, I didn’t? Nothing matters? Absolutely nothing matters anymore?” And this was great! Cynical and depressing because it was so horribly true, but great nonetheless. And then the sketch went on for another four minutes. TOO LONG. WAY TOO LONG. (Still, the jokes about Ryan eating dogfood and Trump sitting on every chair like it’s a toilet were pretty golden.)
Grade: B+
Melissa McCarthy’s opening monologue, in which she treats a mom from the audience to a backstage tour before bringing her out onto the stage to help her introduce the show, was a nice enough idea, but it didn’t really land any big laughs. Also, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are there for some reason? I don’t know.
Grade: B
In this game show sketch, contestants either win money or are hit in the face with a pie. Guess which Melissa McCarthy’s character gets? It’s a funny enough sketch that just goes on a little too long.
Grade: A-
While everyone came for the Sean Spicer sketch, for my money the Amazon Echo Silver commercial was the best bit of the night. The “Uh huh” feature alone, y’all, was genius. And the way to order it? Bellissima.
Grade: A++
As soon as Melissa McCarthy was announced as host for this particular week, we all knew that her Sean Spicer would be making an appearance. I, for one, thought that there was not a small chance that by the time the episode came around, Sean Spicer might not still be in the job. And, as it turns out, that’s pretty much what this entire sketch is about.
It starts off strong, with another hilarious Spicey press conference, makes a left turn with film of Spicer driving around New York City on his podium looking for Trump, and then lands with an unceremonious thunk when Spicer and Trump come face-to-face and Trump gives him a Godfather’s kiss. I know what they couldn’t resist putting Baldwin and McCarthy in a sketch together, it’s just a shame that the writing for that particular bit wasn’t stronger. If this is the last we see of McCarthy as Spicer — and it very well could be — it’s a shame it didn’t stick the landing.
Grade: B-
“Weekend Update” is pretty good! I didn’t get angry at anyone this week! Granted, there was plenty of material to work with, but still! I didn’t get angry at Michael Che even once!
Grade: A-
I do not care about your masturbation habits, Pete Davidson. No thank you, please.
Grade: C-
The “Weekend Update” desk was also visited by Kathyanne, Cecily Strong’s paranoid drug addict character who I have a hard time with for a number of personal reasons. But she’s got some valid points about the GOP needing to find a God damned backbone.
Grade: B-
Hey, it’s that recurring Kate McKinnon character, Debette Goldry, the old Hollywood actress, and Melissa McCarthy can’t keep a straight face around her.
Grade: A-
I happen to really like the Leslie and Kyle relationship sketches, and this week is no exception. We learn that in this alternative universe, Leslie and Kyle have married, had a kid and are now hitting a rough patch in their relationship. But it’s Lorne Michaels who steals the show here.
Grade: A
Yeah, I don’t even know what the hell this is. No clue.
Grade: C-
In the final sketch of the night, a logo designer pitches a variety of logos to a movie production company, mostly featuring Melissa McCarthy as a weirdo in a robe. It basically is McCarthy doing a classic McCarthy-esque character which is the only reason it works.
Grade: B+
Finally, Steve Martin joins the end credits to present McCarthy with her very own 5-Timers robe, which I include simply because it’s a nice moment.
Final grade: B+
Next week: Dwayne Johnson & Katy Perry
Saturday Night Live airs at 10:30/11:30 p.m. Saturdays on NBC.
When she called Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds “The Lively’s” during the monologue it killed the wife and I for some reason. She’s so good at dropping those little beats that others would miss.
You also didn’t mention the bass player for Haim’s weirdo faces. I could not stop looking.