Category: saturday night live

Jon Hamm finally returns to ham it up on a great ‘Saturday Night Live’

by Therese Odell, posted in saturday night live: season 50

Saturday Night Live
Jon Hamm & Lizzo
April 12, 2025

Last week, we learned that Jack Black hasn’t hosted Saturday Night Live in over 20 years, and this week we learned that Jon Hamm — SNL and 30 Rock favorite, Jon Hamm — hasn’t hosted in almost 15 years? What is even happening because neither of these things can possibly be right, could they? It feels like Hamm has been hanging around 30 Rock forever! And yet, this is only his fourth time actually to helm the show, the last time being all the way back in 2010. HOW CAN THIS EVEN BE?

Because the thing is, Jon Hamm is great on SNL. His leading man good looks allow him to play both to and against type. Hamm uses that square jaw of his to be both the serious news anchor/straight man/Don Draper and the dimwitted buffoon with absolutely nothing going on behind those pretty eyes. (Which is also what made him so perfect on 30 Rock as Liz Lemon’s dimwitted doctor boyfriend, Drew Baird, a man so handsome he unintentionally manipulates everyone around him. “So Handsome…so, so stupid!”)

And in this week’s episode, he made the most of both of those types in an episode that was almost all hits, zero misses. I don’t know what has been in the water at 8H for the past couple of weeks, but this was another consistently very funny episode, buoyed by a confident and capable host. Lorne, if you don’t give this man a Five-Timers jacket by the end of 2025, I … well, I don’t know what I’ll do other than be very upset. MORE HAMM.

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‘White Lotus’ feuds, tie-ins, loose ends and other business

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

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Treat yourself to a damn fine cup of Joe and a slice of cherry pie: it’s ‘Twin Peaks’ anniversary

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

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Let’s talk about that ‘White Lotus’ finale …

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

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‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Hacks,’ ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ ‘Your Friends and Neighbors,’ ‘Black Mirror,’ and everything else you don’t want to miss on TV this week

by Therese Odell, posted in set your dvrs
The Last of Us (HBO)

 

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After a 20-year absence, Jack Black returns to give ‘Saturday Night Live’ a kick in the pants

by Therese Odell, posted in saturday night live: season 50

Saturday Night Live
Jack Black and Elton John & Brandi Carlile
April 5, 2025

I don’t know why it’s been 20 years since Jack Black hosted Saturday Night Live — did he have something against Kate McKinnon? — but he came roaring back this week with more energy than all the other season 50 hosts combined. Jack Black is a reliable comedic force. Is he a bit much? Yes, often. But sometimes SNL needs that wackiness, it needs someone who can — through a sheer act of will and ability to mug for the camera — force a laugh out of the audience. The sketches in this episode were for the most part very dumb, but thanks to Black’s insistent clownery and manic energy, I found myself amused more often than not. SNL needs to not wait another 20 years to bring him back; he’s more than earned that five-timers jacket next time around.

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Last chance to declare your ‘White Lotus’ theory!

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

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Morgan Wallen has doubled down on his feud with ‘SNL’ for some reason. (The reason is he’s terrible.)

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

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Mikey Madison needed more to do on ‘Saturday Night Live’

by Therese Odell, posted in saturday night live: season 50

Saturday Night Live
Mikey Madison & Morgan Wallen
March 29, 2024

I’m not going to talk about Morgan Wallen. I think he’s trash, I think his music is trash: someone described it as “music for 26-year-old men who buy White Claws for high school girls,” and I’ll never be able to top that. But I’m also angry that his little temper tantrum and stomp off at the end of the episode distracted from the wonderful Mikey Madison’s first time hosting Saturday Night Live.

Was it a successful outing for her? Not exactly, but not because Madison was an unsuccessful host. The writers clearly didn’t know what to do with her, or maybe they didn’t trust her to do sketch comedy, so aside from a couple of sketches, she was relegated to the background. But when Madison was brought forward, she held her own just fine, including in the cold open, something that the hosts rarely participate in. Ultimately, it was a shame because the Oscar-winning actress’s first big break was on a comedy series — Madison has the chops, she just needed a chance.

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‘Dying for Sex,’ ‘The Bondsman,’ ‘Pulse,’ ‘The White Lotus’ finale and everything else you don’t want to miss on TV this week

by Therese Odell, posted in set your dvrs
The Bondsman (Prime Video)

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