Saturday Night Live: Chris Hemsworth / Zac Brown Band
March 8, 2015 6:10 AM - Season 40, Episode 15 - Subscribe
A lot of discussion of how dreamy Chris Hemsworth is, a couple of rocking performances by Zac Brown Band, a lively if blooperific Weekend Update, and another goddamn Former Porn Stars sketch give us an essentially "filler" episode this week.
Nothing really stood out, though I always enjoy the Kyle Mooney / Beck Bennet films and the reality TV takeout or cook thing was pretty good.
Who was the dude who played with the Zac Brown Band in their second set. He sounded familiar. Was it the guy from Soundgarden or one of those 90s grunge bands? I'd never heard of that band before. They were ok, though I think they should remove a couple members and a top hat or two. I don't need my lead singers to look like chimney sweeps.
The show was mostly so-so, but I had no idea who the host was (yeah, I get that he played Thor now) so I usually enjoy the shows less when that's the case.
Whenever I watch the show and I don't know the host or the musical guest, that's when I know I've gotten old.
posted by bondcliff at 9:13 AM on March 8, 2015
Who was the dude who played with the Zac Brown Band in their second set. He sounded familiar. Was it the guy from Soundgarden or one of those 90s grunge bands? I'd never heard of that band before. They were ok, though I think they should remove a couple members and a top hat or two. I don't need my lead singers to look like chimney sweeps.
The show was mostly so-so, but I had no idea who the host was (yeah, I get that he played Thor now) so I usually enjoy the shows less when that's the case.
Whenever I watch the show and I don't know the host or the musical guest, that's when I know I've gotten old.
posted by bondcliff at 9:13 AM on March 8, 2015
Yeah, it was Chris Cornell from Soundgarden/Audioslave etc.
I thought Hemsworth did a great job. He had a lot of enthusiasm and wasn't afraid to make a fool of himself.
posted by the webmistress at 11:49 AM on March 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
I thought Hemsworth did a great job. He had a lot of enthusiasm and wasn't afraid to make a fool of himself.
posted by the webmistress at 11:49 AM on March 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is Kate McKinnon the star of SNL now? That's absolutely as it should be.
The chicken sketch was delightful to me in its absurdity, and Hemsworth interacting with the chicken (who, I presume, was kind of doing its own chicken thing) was a joy to behold. The episode made much of Hemsworth's pulchritude, but what makes his Thor fun to watch is the dude is just fucking hilarious, and he was very funny last night. In general, the writing seemed a lot more consistent than it has this season, and nothing was a real dud. (The sketch that relied on familiarity with The Jeffersons probably didn't do a lot for anyone high school-aged, though.)
posted by kittens for breakfast at 12:38 PM on March 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
The chicken sketch was delightful to me in its absurdity, and Hemsworth interacting with the chicken (who, I presume, was kind of doing its own chicken thing) was a joy to behold. The episode made much of Hemsworth's pulchritude, but what makes his Thor fun to watch is the dude is just fucking hilarious, and he was very funny last night. In general, the writing seemed a lot more consistent than it has this season, and nothing was a real dud. (The sketch that relied on familiarity with The Jeffersons probably didn't do a lot for anyone high school-aged, though.)
posted by kittens for breakfast at 12:38 PM on March 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
Is Kate McKinnon the star of SNL now? That's absolutely as it should be.
Yeah, it seems like they finally noticed how brilliant she is. Aidy Bryant was hardly in the show last night though, which is a shame.
posted by bondcliff at 12:40 PM on March 8, 2015
Yeah, it seems like they finally noticed how brilliant she is. Aidy Bryant was hardly in the show last night though, which is a shame.
posted by bondcliff at 12:40 PM on March 8, 2015
Was the Empire sketch the first time Che was in anything other than WU?
posted by Small Dollar at 12:44 PM on March 8, 2015
posted by Small Dollar at 12:44 PM on March 8, 2015
I did think the "Helmsworth is so dreamy" stuff got a little repetitious, and his fake American Express commercial running immediately before Mindy Kaling's real American Express commercial was awkward timing at best. The only bit I thought really flopped was the opening monologue. The show's monologues are rarely the high point but that one felt like they never had a real idea so they just went with a few random elements. Kenan Thompson as Helmsworth's adopted brother didn't really go anywhere, and neither did McKinnon as the mom. They just did broad Australian accents, and that was kind of it.
(The sketch that relied on familiarity with The Jeffersons probably didn't do a lot for anyone high school-aged, though.)
That was an odd one. The Jeffersons was broad, but this was some whole other crazy deal. When they said Thompson had been an acting coach on The Jeffersons for one day, I think they were trying to suggest that he was just some nut and a one-day gig on an old sitcom was the biggest credit on his resume.
McKinnon has definitely been the MVP lately, and if she's their Hillary Clinton now I think her job is quite safe until November 2016 at least.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 5:20 PM on March 8, 2015
(The sketch that relied on familiarity with The Jeffersons probably didn't do a lot for anyone high school-aged, though.)
That was an odd one. The Jeffersons was broad, but this was some whole other crazy deal. When they said Thompson had been an acting coach on The Jeffersons for one day, I think they were trying to suggest that he was just some nut and a one-day gig on an old sitcom was the biggest credit on his resume.
McKinnon has definitely been the MVP lately, and if she's their Hillary Clinton now I think her job is quite safe until November 2016 at least.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 5:20 PM on March 8, 2015
I am unashamed to admit that I LOL'd at the chicken sketch. Hemsworth really made it work.
posted by Dr. Zira at 5:43 PM on March 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Dr. Zira at 5:43 PM on March 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
The chicken sketch made me hungry. :-(
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 2:04 AM on March 9, 2015
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 2:04 AM on March 9, 2015
Two little touches that made the chicken sketch for me: the Star Trek-like boson whistle when the captain came on the bridge, and some of the background music was also very Star Trek-like.
If it weren't for the retired porn stars sketch I would have thought Vanessa Bayer had quit or got fired.
posted by drezdn at 4:36 AM on March 9, 2015
If it weren't for the retired porn stars sketch I would have thought Vanessa Bayer had quit or got fired.
posted by drezdn at 4:36 AM on March 9, 2015
Liam Hemsworth has shown up just for the monologue twice this season. It would be hilarious if he showed up at least one more time, when someone who isn't a costar or his brother is hosting.
posted by doctornecessiter at 5:01 AM on March 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by doctornecessiter at 5:01 AM on March 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
How is it that Kate McKinnon is in nearly everything and I still want more of her?
Except for the monologue, I thought Hemsworth was pretty great. Thor was definitely better than Hawkeye.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 6:48 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Except for the monologue, I thought Hemsworth was pretty great. Thor was definitely better than Hawkeye.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 6:48 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
If it weren't for the retired porn stars sketch I would have thought Vanessa Bayer had quit or got fired.
I have that thought every time she comes on screen. "Oh, hey, Vanessa's back. That's nice of her to come on for... no, wait... she's still in the cast, isn't she..."
posted by Etrigan at 6:59 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have that thought every time she comes on screen. "Oh, hey, Vanessa's back. That's nice of her to come on for... no, wait... she's still in the cast, isn't she..."
posted by Etrigan at 6:59 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
For at least the second episode in a row, Hulu leaves out the music performances, but then puts them up as clips. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
posted by drezdn at 8:05 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by drezdn at 8:05 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I really enjoyed Weekend Update finally which comes after a really long time of disliking Colin Jost. They're getting a bit more loose and better at bouncing things off of each other. I don't know what the deal with the "small penis" but was, but it was just the sort of thing you'd want Jost to be getting stuck in. The Leslie Jones bit wasn't as good as she usually is in that part though.
All in all I think these shows go better if the person is a younger star who is able to laugh at themselves and work okay in ensemble pieces. I felt like Hemsworth this week and Johnson last week were both game for whatever and the shows were stronger for it. I thought both shows were more consistently funny which means no real high high points but most skits worth watching. We always try to figure out who seems to have the week mostly off. Bayer and Bryant were both barely in the show last night but I'm happy to see more of Kyle Mooney.
And yeah Chris Cornell in the second music piece. Yay!
posted by jessamyn at 7:19 AM on March 10, 2015
All in all I think these shows go better if the person is a younger star who is able to laugh at themselves and work okay in ensemble pieces. I felt like Hemsworth this week and Johnson last week were both game for whatever and the shows were stronger for it. I thought both shows were more consistently funny which means no real high high points but most skits worth watching. We always try to figure out who seems to have the week mostly off. Bayer and Bryant were both barely in the show last night but I'm happy to see more of Kyle Mooney.
And yeah Chris Cornell in the second music piece. Yay!
posted by jessamyn at 7:19 AM on March 10, 2015
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posted by dogwalker at 8:52 AM on March 8, 2015