'Saturday Night Live' Recap - Martin Freeman & Charli XCX

Before we get to tonight’s episode, hosted by “The Hobbit” (and original Office) star Martin Freeman, there are a few *new* sketches I want to draw your attention to. Despite the fact that last week’s show was rather tepid, two sketches cut from last week’s episode have appeared online midweek. It’s a smart move for Saturday Night Live to stay relevant during the week by posting new sketches but what isn’t a smart move is the fact that SNL cut both of these in the first place. This average joe take on a VH1 countdown (which you can watch here) is really detailed and funny and could have easily replaced the dismal troll sketch. But the star is really a quite brilliant Ferguson sketch that would have, hands down, been the best sketch of the night (and one of the season so far) had it aired. Where they scared of it? That’s the only reason I think of cutting this while letting that clunker of a Ferguson cold open stay.

Like I always do, I’ll be writing the recaps “live,” meaning I’ll watch a sketch and immediately write a short blurb reviewing and recapping it. For each segment, I’ll rate it on a scale of 0-5 stars. At the end of the piece, I’ll share some quick overall thoughts and the best/worst sketch of the night.

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Charlie Rose: * * * *
Charlie Rose interviews the two psychologists who came up with the torture techniques for the CIA. Turns out they also work for Time Warner. It’s a really funny concept, one that doesn’t skirt the issues but also isn’t totally about torture either. It sort of went off the rails a bit by the time the guys started talking equating torture to self checkout, but this was by far the best cold open of the year by a country mile.

Opening Monologue: * * * ½
Despite having to go through his entire resume so the audience will know who he is, Freeman (who calls himself the “funny George Clooney”) seems to be having a grand old time so far. He plays off the audience really well (especially when dealing with the weirdo who wooed for “racial unrest”) and has fun when dealing with two of his English actor friends Maggie Smith and Allen Rickman (McKinnon and Killam) who came to visit. There wasn’t a huge amount of jokes here, but it was all worth it for McKinnon’s killer Maggie Smith.

Sump’n Claus: * * * *
Kenan Thompson’s the most tenured SNL player on the show (by a wide margin) and yet is often lost in the background. I love when he emerges center stage and this music video was a good avenue for him. While it was more entertaining than actually funny (and could have been pushed even further), there was a really cool vibe to the whole thing and I dug how it told the full story of who this guy is. Plus, the image of Thompson looking like a mix of a Christmas pimp and the Rent Is Too Damn High guy is quite hilarious in and of itself.

NBA Wedding: * * * * ½
This one took a while to get going (and often felt a little disjointed due to the many characters fighting for airtime) but when this sketch hit its stride, it really, really worked. The set-up – in which a mismatched couple is stopped during their wedding by a multitude of people telling them why they should not get together – is so simple and so funny. It also let’s the cast show off with a bunch of different hilarious character including the bride’s father and an ER doc who treated the groom’s shattered penis (yikes). Bes of all was McKinnon’s old lady who wondered in from off the street to protest. Her small cameo was so funny it even made the infallible Leslie Jones break. This one didn’t break any new ground but it was very funny all the same.

The Office – Middle Earth: * * * ½
Here’s the thing, I have never seen the original British Office. I’ve only even seen a few episodes of the American Office. So it’s quite hard to judge this one, just based on the fact it’s probably a whole lot funnier when you get what it’s parodying. That being said, it’s a fun (and extremely well produced) parody that will probably be enjoyed a lot.

Right Side Of The Bed: * *
I used to be an intern for a local morning talk show quite like this one, so I really wanted to like the concept. Unfortunately, it didn’t go anywhere. It could have been funny had we stayed with the effeminate host and his wife (like a riff on the Christopher Lowell/Chris Kattan sketch) but every time we cut to some unfunny bit with a handyman, the thing just deflated. Not even McKinnon’s Keith Urban could save it. And that’s saying something!

Christmas Mass Spectacular: * * * ½
Remember how I said I couldn’t adequately review the Office sketch ‘cause I don’t watch The Office? Well, here’s the thing. I don’t go to church either. As a certified, Bar Mitzvah-ed Jew I’ve never been to a Christmas church service in my life. All that being said, I enjoyed the Underground Music Fesival-esque vibe and a few of the characters made me laugh. But unlike Music Festival, this one seemed a bit too laid back and lazy. I wish they had pushed some of the characters a bit further (and cut about 30 seconds from the sketch).

Weekend Update: * * * * ½
I love when I see a stand-up routine about a very everyday topic I’ve never noticed. Zamata’s take on the fact that there’s no black Emojis (but two dragon ones) was super funny and inventive (if not delivered a bit stiffly). After that, things were pretty smooth sailing (if not routinely predictable) for the rest of Update. Some funny Update jokes, a Cecily Strong character that went on for too long and…wait Jacob’s back?! For those who read my recaps last year might remember I have a big soft spot for Jacob despite the fact it’s the same exact shtick every single time. Everything about his character just makes me laugh out loud. So I’m happy every time he trots his Bar Mitzvah speech, especially when he does that spectacular tear-wiping routine. So forgive the higher rating than this probably deserves.

Assembly Line: * ½
I have no clue what to make of this sketch? Why was a mentally handicapped man working a conveyer belt a funny sketch idea? Why did the dialogue have the snappy rhythm of a 1940s newspaper picture? No, idea all around.

Pine River Lodge Tree Lighting: * *
This sketch starts out as an unfunny variation on What’s Up With That (a favorite of mine) and ends up with a surreal five-car-pile-up of a sketch. Each part is weirdly funny (the sax player’s criminal past, the singer’s obsession with red boots) but none of it really makes sense together. That being said, this feels like the kind of sketch I may really like the second time around. We’ll see.

Waterbed Warehouse: * * * *
This is the kind of sketch that, on paper, I usually hate. But damn it if I didn’t laugh every single time Bryant sang her “Waterbeds are the best!” ditty. Perhaps it’s because I’ve officially been awake for 17 hours, but this just made me oddly giddy. Waterbeds are the best, y’all!

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Best Sketch: The Wedding one

Worst Sketch: Assembly line hands down.

Musical Guest: Charli XCX
I don’t know much about Charli except she sings the hook on “Fancy.” (A quick Google search reveals she’s also British and two years younger than me!). Her performances tonight were fine if not forgettable, with a certain vintage Madonna meets early Gwen Stefani feel.

Overall Thoughts:
Freeman was a pretty good first time host despite the fact he mostly stayed in the ensemble for most of the night. And overall, the first half of the show was very good. It went downhill fast after update but it had a good run in the first hour.