Saturday Night Live: Nate Bargatze / Foo Fighters
October 29, 2023 7:29 PM - Season 49, Episode 3 - Subscribe
Christopher Walken pronounces "Foo Fighters" correctly for the first time.
Nate Bargatze / Foo Fighters
S49E03
Nate Bargatze / Foo Fighters
S49E03
- Cold Open - Biden and The Spirit of Halloween: Mikey Day, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, Christopher Walken
- Monologue: Nate Bargatze
- Chef Showdown: Heidi Gardner, Nate Bargatze, Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson, Punkie Johnson, Devon Walker, Mikey Day, Padma Lakshmi
- A Stab at Love: Chloe Fineman, Nate Bargatze, Punkie Johnson, Mikey Day
- American Measurements: Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, Nate Bargatze, James Austin Johnson, Mikey Day
- Lake Beach: Nate Bargatze, Andrew Dismukes, James Austin Johnson, Devon Walker, Heidi Gardner, Dave Grohl, Michael Longfellow
- SAG Halloween: Nate Bargatze, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman
- Foo Fighters - Rescued
- Weekend Update: Michael Che, Colin Jost
- J.J. Gordon, Colin Jost's Agent: Sarah Sherman
- Second Best Job: Devon Walker, Chloe Fineman, Andrew Dismukes, Nate Bargatze, Chloe Troast, Bowen Yang, Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Dave Grohl
- Foo Fighters - The Glass (feat H.E.R.)
- Dawg Food: PDD
Good episode. Always seems like a risk to have a first-timer who's mostly a stand-up comedian, (especially on a third episode in a row) but he seemed really like he was ready to go all out and he was great (especially in the Chef Showdown "sorry" and American Measurements sketches).
I was glad to see some Weird Sarah Sherman energy in the SAG-AFTRA sketch, but I have to agree that it was a little off. Sort of like she said "I can do Fran Dresher" and they just said "okay we'll add some kids and make it a thing."
It did, though, seem a little short/light. Not sure if they had to cut some material or if the Foo Fighters songs were too long (the first one seemed really long). Found this Reddit account of the dress rehearsal which seems to suggest a lot was cut, but not sure if it was more than normal. Seemed weird to have only one live sketch post-Weekend Update, and only five live sketches overall. (Also just felt really fast when watching on DVR without commercials.
Fun piece of trivia: "As of November 7, 2020, Dave Grohl is the most frequent musical guest, performing on fourteen shows since 1992." (Well, make that fifteen now.)
Lake Beach seemed almost too realistic a song to be a parody. I'm like 65% sure I've heard that exact song on a contemporary country music station.
posted by General Malaise at 7:00 AM on October 30, 2023 [4 favorites]
I was glad to see some Weird Sarah Sherman energy in the SAG-AFTRA sketch, but I have to agree that it was a little off. Sort of like she said "I can do Fran Dresher" and they just said "okay we'll add some kids and make it a thing."
It did, though, seem a little short/light. Not sure if they had to cut some material or if the Foo Fighters songs were too long (the first one seemed really long). Found this Reddit account of the dress rehearsal which seems to suggest a lot was cut, but not sure if it was more than normal. Seemed weird to have only one live sketch post-Weekend Update, and only five live sketches overall. (Also just felt really fast when watching on DVR without commercials.
Fun piece of trivia: "As of November 7, 2020, Dave Grohl is the most frequent musical guest, performing on fourteen shows since 1992." (Well, make that fifteen now.)
Lake Beach seemed almost too realistic a song to be a parody. I'm like 65% sure I've heard that exact song on a contemporary country music station.
posted by General Malaise at 7:00 AM on October 30, 2023 [4 favorites]
I don't really follow stand up so I had to google the host to find out who he is. He's very funny. I loved his monologue. "We kick it a little."
He seemed a little wooden in some of the sketches, but he doesn't seem to have any acting credits so it makes sense that he's not used to this sort of thing.
That first Foo Fighters song sure was a Foo Fighters song. I like the Foo just fine but they really have a formula for their songs, don't they? I liked the second song a lot better, nice to see HER guesting with them. I've only really seen her on the show but I'm down for some nice guitar playing anytime.
Lake Beach was wonderful, if a bit too long.
Agree about the SAG-AFTRA sketch. Sherman is funny in everything she does but that one seemed a bit off.
Really enjoyed American Measurements.
This was the first show I've seen of the season. Did they really add another Chloe? I don't recall seeing Molly anywhere in the show.
posted by bondcliff at 7:29 AM on October 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
He seemed a little wooden in some of the sketches, but he doesn't seem to have any acting credits so it makes sense that he's not used to this sort of thing.
That first Foo Fighters song sure was a Foo Fighters song. I like the Foo just fine but they really have a formula for their songs, don't they? I liked the second song a lot better, nice to see HER guesting with them. I've only really seen her on the show but I'm down for some nice guitar playing anytime.
Lake Beach was wonderful, if a bit too long.
Agree about the SAG-AFTRA sketch. Sherman is funny in everything she does but that one seemed a bit off.
Really enjoyed American Measurements.
This was the first show I've seen of the season. Did they really add another Chloe? I don't recall seeing Molly anywhere in the show.
posted by bondcliff at 7:29 AM on October 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Chloe Troast is the only new featured player this season. She's worked with PDD a bunch and is in their upcoming movie.
Molly Kearney appeared in the first two episodes of the season, but not this one. Not terribly surprising since she's only a featured player (Marcello Hernandez also didn't appear this week).
posted by General Malaise at 7:39 AM on October 30, 2023
Molly Kearney appeared in the first two episodes of the season, but not this one. Not terribly surprising since she's only a featured player (Marcello Hernandez also didn't appear this week).
posted by General Malaise at 7:39 AM on October 30, 2023
Nate Bargatze is really having a moment right now. He's one of the few comedians that everyone can laugh with. His humor is clean, self deprecating, and even my ultra-Trump father-in-law went to see him on tour.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:54 AM on October 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:54 AM on October 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Bargatze has a couple specials on Netflix and his latest is on Amazon Prime. American Measurements was a great fit for his delivery and comedic timing.
posted by Gary at 4:27 PM on October 30, 2023
posted by Gary at 4:27 PM on October 30, 2023
I don't know the host and I don't care for his comic delivery. But I thought the cold open was great. Mikey Day doing Biden was pretty good. And the wobbly ladder is a perfect callback to Chevy Chase in SNL season one or two when he did President Ford falling. And then Walken schooling Michael Longfellow a serious lesson in comic timing in real time.
posted by Catblack at 5:18 PM on October 30, 2023
posted by Catblack at 5:18 PM on October 30, 2023
I was a little worried that having Sherman in character would mean she wouldn't be needling Jost as much as when she's on Weekend Update as herself. I needn't have.
I wonder if the SAG strike is making it easier for Lorne to get cameos
posted by ckape at 5:18 AM on October 31, 2023
I wonder if the SAG strike is making it easier for Lorne to get cameos
posted by ckape at 5:18 AM on October 31, 2023
I wonder if the SAG strike is making it easier for Lorne to get cameos
Seems likely. I didn’t know the host before this episode either and thought he was funny! I’m enjoying all the cameos.
posted by ellieBOA at 6:09 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
Seems likely. I didn’t know the host before this episode either and thought he was funny! I’m enjoying all the cameos.
posted by ellieBOA at 6:09 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I liked him and had only seen ads for standup specials in places I can't recall (Netflix? Roku? Someone please make universal stream search an antitrust issue).
Lake Beach is probably the best music piece they've done since any of Chris Redd's, and while my personal jury is still out on Andrew Dismukes, he does seem to be showing up in good sketches.
I thought the SAG sketch needed more than a jacket to convey Fran Drescher (who doesn't bug me). It wasn't much of an impression, and maybe one that was foisted upon her, or perhaps just that she just took up developing it 100+ days ago.
posted by rhizome at 9:32 AM on November 4, 2023
Lake Beach is probably the best music piece they've done since any of Chris Redd's, and while my personal jury is still out on Andrew Dismukes, he does seem to be showing up in good sketches.
I thought the SAG sketch needed more than a jacket to convey Fran Drescher (who doesn't bug me). It wasn't much of an impression, and maybe one that was foisted upon her, or perhaps just that she just took up developing it 100+ days ago.
posted by rhizome at 9:32 AM on November 4, 2023
I’ve since watched his latest Netflix special, The Greatest Average American (will get round to posting here) and it was really funny! He’s got a more recent one on Prime too.
posted by ellieBOA at 10:46 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 10:46 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
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The SAG-AFTRA Halloween sketch was the low point for me. It was didactic, overlong, not funny enough, overly dependent on child actors, and mocked only SAG-AFTRA and its president despite siding with them. I fully support SAG-AFTRA but this sketch seemed like a satire fumble.
posted by ejs at 9:28 PM on October 29, 2023 [7 favorites]