Justin Timberlake brings back Saturday Night Live

Article first published as  Justin Timberlake brings back Saturday Night Live on TheTVKing.

NBC's Saturday Night Live has good episodes and bad. In recent years, after the 2008 election, the bad weeks have outnumbered the good by quite a few. But all it takes is a fantastic host and a bevy of wonderful guests to turn things around, and last week's episode, which features Justin Timberlake as both the host and musical guest, does just that.

Right from the opening where Timberlake does a wonderful Elton John impersonation with a "Candle in the Wind" parody, the episode takes off. Timberlake is obviously a musician, having contributed to many of the best musical numbers in the series in previous episodes, and he uses that skill again in this gig. A good episode plays to the host's strengths, and this one most definitely does.

Besides the opening, he also sings with recurring characters like the parody-singing advertising mascot (this time a block of tofu, and ending with a Harlem Shake in Veganville) and a return of the "D*** in a Box" guys with Andy Samberg. Sure, it takes time to build up a recurring character's popularity, but the ones that the writers and actors love are usually the ones that the fans love to, so the effort is worth it. Timberlake manages to have a couple of very popular characters with only a limited number of appearances. It's quite impressive.

Besides Samberg, many other Saturday Night Live alumni dropped by. This is done in celebration of Timberlake joining the "5 Timers Club," since this is his fifth time hosting, so other frequent hosts including Steve Martin, Candice Bergen, Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin, and Chevy Chase appear. The cast of SNL is a very important clique. But so is the job of host. Only a few have reached this pinnacle, invited back over and over again, and they all ooze with talent. Seeing them gather together, along with Martin Short, Paul Simon, and Dan Akroyd, is not only thrilling, but hilarious, as these are some of the funniest people of their generation.

Sometimes, though, guests can be wasted. That is not the case in Timberlake's episode. It isn't practical to include all of those named in other sketches, of course, because too many showed up. But Martin and Akroyd dust off their Wild and Crazy Guys for a bit, and Martin, Chase, and Short don their Three Amigos costumes, thankfully altered to accommodate their current bodies. It's these kind of touches that make the episode memorable, and worth the time of these non-hosts who show up.

There are plenty of sketches in this episode that will provide laughs for years to come, unlike the "5 Timers Club," which is fantastic, but not inherently funny. These all have one thing in common: a current cast member holds their own against the host and/or veterans. The dating game show, where poor Bobby Moynihan competes against two pairs of recurring characters is amusing, especially because of Moynihan's role in it, not in spite of it. He knows he can't compete against the others and embracing it, making him a valuable part of the sketch, rather than a throw-away. And the commercial where Timberlake dates a girl with a penis (played beautifully by Nasim Pedrad) will elicit a giggle or two.

I'm not a fan of the musical performances, and often skip them. I will say, though, that I stuck with "Suit and Tie," despite being lukewarm on the song itself, and it was a terrific performance. The stage looked great, the dancing was incredibly impressive, and tone was perfect.

Overall, Justin Timberlake once more delivers for Saturday Night Live. Let's hope they invite him back soon.

Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11 p.m. ET on NBC.

Saturday Night Live sees Baldwin break hosting record

      In the quest to make an epic thirty-seventh season premiere, Saturday Night Live enlisted Alec Baldwin to host for a record breaking sixteenth time last night. A few years ago, Baldwin tied with Steve Martin for most times hosting, then Steve returned to keep upping the record. Finally, Baldwin not only tied, but broke it. Martin showed up to playfully challenge him, though seem none too upset to lose his title.

     In the monologue, Martin inquires whether Baldwin might be on any performance enhancing drugs. To figure out this fact, Martin brings a full medical team and Seth Rogen, a "drug expert." It's all for showmanship, because Steve only needs to taste the yellow sample to determine if Alec has been taking drugs. Baldwin is declared clean in a very gross, but hilarious, bit, and the show moves on. Unfortunately, that's as funny as it ever gets.

     Baldwin has been on long enough that he has a number of recurring characters. Yet, none of th memorable ones are trotted out in this episode. There is mention in the monologue of Schweddy Balls now being a Ben & Jerry's ice-cream flavor. To celebrate, wouldn't a return to that sketch be appropriate? Or something to remember him by?

     In fact, it's really odd that only Martin and Rogen guest star. Steve and Alec's contest has been littered with many celebrities popping in, as they are always big event episodes. But last night, that fanfare and gravitas of the legendary moment were absent. The record was broken with little of the ceremony expected from such an occasion, especially considering how long the title has been in contest.

     It wasn't a wasted evening. There were a handful of amusing sketches. A goodbye to All My Children really captured the soap opera spirit, as plenty of "startling twists" were revealed by various crew members. The game show "Who's On Top?" asked which celebrity would be the top in a gay sex encounter, suggesting straight men as choices. And, of course, Weekend Update had some great zingers from Seth Meyers. But other than that, there wasn't much to fawn over.

     Undoubtedly, though he has mostly left comedy behind, Steve Martin will host again. Perhaps even before Baldwin does, so Alec can once more break the record. But if Saturday Night Live's best days are over, what's the point? The bright spot on the horizon is the 2012 election, though the GOP debate sketch was more dud than laughable. But the 2008 election was the last time the series really worked. So maybe...

     Saturday Night Live continues to air Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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Where did all the good Saturday Night Live go?

     With the close of the latest season of NBC's Saturday Night Live, one question hangs over our heads: why does SNL currently suck?  It still includes most of the same cast that made it such a hit during the 2008 election.  Kristen Wiig is still a comic genius.  Andy Samberg still makes Digital Shorts, though the laughs come less often.  Will Forte is taking his MacGruber sketch to the big screen very soon.  Bobby Moynihan can still deliver with his impersonation of Snooki from Jersey Shore.  Seth Meyers remains the head writer, and the Weekend Update segments are as funny as ever.  But the rest of the show largely falls flat on it's face.

     To get an answer, perhaps we should ask why any season of Saturday Night Live has sucked.  On the air for thirty-five years, the series run in hit and miss cycles, and we are currently in the middle of a low point, made all the more obvious by just high they got in fall 2008.  Even Betty White, bringing a host of alumni with her, delivered only mediocre stuff.  Don't hate on me for saying it.  I was enthralled with the beloved actress and her posse as anyone, but had the season been where it should have been, that episode would not have seemed as good as it did.  At best, it was good, not great.

      Perhaps in an effort to salvage something, uber-host Alec Baldwin was brought in for the season finale this weekend, tying Steve Martin's record of 15 hosting episodes.  Sadly, he, too, left something to be desired.  Let me say that again.  Alec Baldwin had a bad episode.  That just doesn't happen.  So why, with all the golden ingredients, is SNL not doing better?

     I can come up with no satisfying explanation.  I remember how good the show is when it hits it's peaks, and so I'll just do what any of us can do.  Keep watching, hoping it gets there again soon.

Tina Fey hosts best Saturday Night Live of the season

     In a year of mediocrity, Tina Fey (30 Rock) returned to her old stomping ground on NBC's Saturday Night Live last night and proved that the show can still deliver.  With an opening monologue that featured a brief cameo from comic legend Steve Martin, Fey knocked it out of the park from the get-go.  She also was allowed to flex her Weekend Update chops, returning to the desk alongside the man who now has her former job, both as anchor and head writer, Seth Meyers.  Of course, no Fey episode would be complete without the character that brought her back to the show a number of time in the last few years, Sarah Palin.  The Sarah Palin Network, a new station being launched, featured a number of hilarious ideas, including Palin playing a parody of Fey on 30 Main Street, and her husband Todd solving crimes in the big city while riding a snow machine.  It was funny enough, I wish it were real.

     The success can't all be credited to Fey, as talented as she is.  The opening featuring Fred Armisen as Barack Obama going over this year's Census form made me laugh harder than anything in recent memory.  Although the questions were not the same ones featured on the actual census, they played to every right wing eccentric's fears, asking where the firearms are kept and when the residents would not be home.  The SNL version also queried several sexual topics, and asked which members of the household did not support the health care overhaul, so that they would not receive care in the inevitable shortage to come.

     Also of note was Jason Sudeikis's portrayal of The Devil during Update.  It seems even the ruler of hell objects to what priests are doing to young children, and how dare they claim that He had anything to do with it.  Top tier comedy.

     The low point, unfortunately, was the musical guest.  Sudden teen sensation Justin Bieber performed his own numbers decently, but stunk up a couple of sketches.  Particularly, the one where he had a number of lines as a student that a teacher, played by Fey, was in love with.  Bieber was required to sing several parodies of his own music, which he performed not very well, and with no emotion.  He also was incredibly lame on the dialogue.  It begs to question, is his voice polished by computer and every live performance is lip synched?  Or does he just practice certain things many, many time until he finally gets them right, and did not have time to do it for SNL?  Either way, tween fans would probably object strenuously, but Bieber stunk.

     Fey will soon return as part of a 'Women of Comedy' episode on Mother's Day Weekend with Betty White and other SNL alum.  Saturday Night Live airs Saturday nights at 11:30pm on NBC.

Neil Patrick Harris only bright spot of The Oscars

Wow, what a disappointing Academy Awards!  Gone were the performances of the Best Song, past winners presenting to new winners, and even the tribute song seemed a little short.  Where was Farrah Fawcett in there?  Overshadowed by Michael Jackson again!  The winners really had few surprises.  All of the acting categories went to who was expected, even it was the disappointing Sandra Bullock.  The Hurt Locker took far more awards than it deserves, especially Best Director.  James Cameron created a whole new camera system and spent ten years making Avatar, single-handedly launching 3-D movies into newfound popularity, and he gets snubbed?  Even if the plot of his blockbuster was only so-so, he deserved the Director award.  Avatar did take a few awards, and it was nice to see Star Trek get one, even if it was just makeup.
The hosts continued the snoozefest.  Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin have wicked chemistry!  Have you seen their Saturday Night Live rivalry?  Why, then, did they just stand around and make mostly dumb jokes?  I was excited when it was announced they were doing the show, but wholly disappointed in what they did.
The biggest, best thing at the Oscars was Neil Patrick Harris.  Star of How I Met Your Mother and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog, Harris recently hosted both the Emmys and the Tonys, among other things, and was tapped to open the show with a big number.  Is it clear to anyone else he should have taken the full duties?  His star has never been higher.  He will appear in the Joss Whedon-directed episode of Glee this spring, and then starring in the Smurfs movie, as well as doing a sequel to the internet smash hit Dr. Horrible.  Why not NPH?  despite being snubbed at the Emmys, he has massive popularity.
Oh, well.  There’s always next year.  If anyone is still tuning into the Oscars by next year.  Ratings have been on an overall downward trend for years, and last night’s lackluster performance will only drive them lower still.

Parenthood: fresh or stale?

NBC has something new.  Ok, so not so new.  Like many, many television shows and movies nowadays, it is a remake.  We steal shows from other countries (The Office, American Idol, Ugly Betty), remake old ones (The Rockford Files, 90210), or do spinoffs (Private Practice, Joey, Law & Order: SVU).  We hire the same show runners to make the same type of show they’ve done before (Bryan Fuller’s Pushing Daisies or Bill Lawrence’s CougarTown), either to give them a second chance, or capitalize on their success.  Modern Family and Parks and Recreation use the mockumentary style that is popular with The Office.  And now, in Parenthood, NBC was not only taken from a 1989 movie starring Steve Martin, Diane Wiest, Keanu Reeves, Rick Moranis, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mary Steenburgen, but it was also a short lived television show in 1990 with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jayne Atkinson (24).  Can’t our culture do anything new?  Is it even worth our time to watch it?
Yes.  The new shows works, but not because of it’s similarities to the old movie.  In fact, while some plots did sort of line up, it’s the differences that make the modern version worth tuning in for.  It has lost the goofy comedy, although there are still funny moments, and added not just a time frame update, but a healthy does of realism.  Yes, the young son still has problems, but now it’s Asperger’s Syndrome, instead of vague ‘emotional disturbances’.  The youngest adult sibling is a slacker, but he holds a job, not gambling and floating around the country on the money he (didn’t) win.  A single mom, struggling with two children, can’t afford her nice home, so moves back in with her parents, instead on inexplicably keeping it.  The two things missing that were great in the movie was the senile but wise grandmother and the parent pushing his child to be a genius.  However, those were done fairly campy in 1989, and so it didn’t gel with the new version.  In fact, I’d say this show is more like ABC’s Brother & Sisters, with a bigger focus on the kids, than the old movie Parenthood.
The other thing that really helps this new show is the cast.  Like the movie, it is packed with names.  While the characters names are different, Peter Krause (Dirty Sexy Money, Sport Night, Cybil, Six Feet Under) fills in for Steve Martin.  Monica Potter (Boston Legal, Trust Me) is his wife.  Dax Shepard (When in Rome, Baby Mama), Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard, The Division), Craig T. Nelson (Coach, The District), Erika Christensen (Swimfan, Six Degrees), Sarah Ramos (American Dreams), Mae Whitman (Arrested Development, State of Grace, In Treatment) and Sam Jaeger (Eli Stone, Catch and Release) are all also part of the cast.  Again, reminds me of the stars aligned for Brothers & Sisters.  One of the two best parts of the cast, though, are the fantastic young Max Burkholder (Family Guy, Brothers & Sisters) as Max, the child with Asperger’s, and does it well.  The other is the triumphant return of Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls) to weekly television.  She has been sorely missed, and although she isn’t exactly playing a clone of Lorelai Gilmore, in a way she has returned to us.
Check out Parenthood on NBC Tuesdays at 10pm, and if you missed the pilot, it will rerun Saturday at 8pm on NBC, 5pm on Bravo, and Sunday morning at 11am on USA.