Saturday Night Live: Jason Sudeikis / Brandi Carlile
October 24, 2021 1:25 AM - Season 47, Episode 4 - Subscribe
Both first-timers.
- Cold Open - Bidens: James Austin Johnson, Chloe Fineman, Jason Sudeikis, Alex Moffatt
- Monologue: Jason Sudeikis
- Science Room: Jason Sudeikis, Cecily Strong, Mikey Day, Melissa Villaseñor, Kyle Mooney
- Mellen: Jason Sudeikis, Aristotle Athari, Chris Redd, Chloe Fineman, Alex Moffatt, James Austin Johnson, Pete Davidson
- Ricky: Melissa Villaseñor, Cecily Strong, Aidy Bryant, Ego Nwodim, Alex Moffatt, Jason Sudeikis, Heidi Gardner, Chloe Fineman, Mikey Day
- Parent/Teacher: Jason Sudeikis, Ego Nwodim, Kyle Mooney
- Jake's Non-Stick Underwear: Kyle Mooney, Alex Moffatt, Chris Redd, James Austin Johnson
- Brandi Carlile - Broken Horses
- Weekend Update: Michael Che, Colin Jost
- The Devil: Jason Sudeikis
- What Up With That?: Mikey Day, Oscar Isaac, Emily Ratajkowski, Nicholas Braun, Kenan Thompson, Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis, Ego Nwodim, Bowen Yang, Sarah Sherman, Kyle Mooney, Chris Redd
- Declaration: Kyle Mooney, Andrew Dismukes, James Austin Johnson, Jason Sudeikis, Alex Moffatt, Mikey Day, Aristotle Athari, Alex Moffatt
- Brandi Carlile - Right On Time
- Indecent Proposals: Jason Sudeikis, Heidi Gardner, Kenan Thompson
Absolutely mediocre show. Sedeikis was good enough, but not many of the sketches were standouts.
I liked the Bidens open. Good premise, especially when Alex came in.
The Monologue didn't really go anywhere and felt awkward at times.
*high hat starts playing*
I enjoyed Mellen but it went on a bit too long. Was Weekend Update shorter than normal or did The Devil just take up most of it?
*high hat intensifies*
The women weren't used enough.
That was my first time seeing or hearing Brandi Carlile and I thought she rocked!
*high hat gets louder*
And of course... What's Up With That? Ohhhhhhh... wee.... What's up with that? What's up with that?
What a fun sketch. Keenan is just so good in that role and I absolutely LOVE seeing Jason dancing in the track suit. Also, cousin Greg!
posted by bondcliff at 7:14 AM on October 24, 2021 [5 favorites]
I liked the Bidens open. Good premise, especially when Alex came in.
The Monologue didn't really go anywhere and felt awkward at times.
*high hat starts playing*
I enjoyed Mellen but it went on a bit too long. Was Weekend Update shorter than normal or did The Devil just take up most of it?
*high hat intensifies*
The women weren't used enough.
That was my first time seeing or hearing Brandi Carlile and I thought she rocked!
*high hat gets louder*
And of course... What's Up With That? Ohhhhhhh... wee.... What's up with that? What's up with that?
What a fun sketch. Keenan is just so good in that role and I absolutely LOVE seeing Jason dancing in the track suit. Also, cousin Greg!
posted by bondcliff at 7:14 AM on October 24, 2021 [5 favorites]
Before my diss, I'll say I'd imagine the Rust tragedy this week might've shaken a few SNL folks. But then again, I've seen them do a show the day our beloved Gilda died, and after national tragedies.
Glad someone else thought the monologue was awkward. He looked nervous, not like he'd been on the show 10 years. Kept saying, "OK? OK?" (And I speak as someone who once took a bucket-list trip to SNL, very mindful of the studio's history.)
As is often the case with SNL lately, I slipped away after a couple more sketches. (I used to watch through update, but I dislike Che / Jost so much, meh.)
I'll have to watch What's up with That, that was always fun.
posted by NorthernLite at 9:29 AM on October 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Glad someone else thought the monologue was awkward. He looked nervous, not like he'd been on the show 10 years. Kept saying, "OK? OK?" (And I speak as someone who once took a bucket-list trip to SNL, very mindful of the studio's history.)
As is often the case with SNL lately, I slipped away after a couple more sketches. (I used to watch through update, but I dislike Che / Jost so much, meh.)
I'll have to watch What's up with That, that was always fun.
posted by NorthernLite at 9:29 AM on October 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Oh Geez, I could have done without the Louis C.K. impression that completely normalized him without bringing up any of his gross and abusive behavior. Let this be submitted as Article 2,938,030 of evidence that "Cancel Culture" does not actually exist. I didn't even think it was a particularly good impression? Ugh.
Otherwise this was a fun episode. I am a proud member of The Cult of Ted Lasso and I was a LITTLE disappointed that there wasn't a Lasso parody, but his opening monologue was very Lasso-y so I was happy.
I liked the Annie sketch because of the commitment it took to that one weird idea. Bizarre but entertaining.
On rewatch I have to say that last week's "Angelo" sketch by Aristotle Athari has been my favorite sketch in recent years. It was so silly. Hope we can expect some more of that this season!
posted by rogerroger at 11:52 AM on October 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Otherwise this was a fun episode. I am a proud member of The Cult of Ted Lasso and I was a LITTLE disappointed that there wasn't a Lasso parody, but his opening monologue was very Lasso-y so I was happy.
I liked the Annie sketch because of the commitment it took to that one weird idea. Bizarre but entertaining.
On rewatch I have to say that last week's "Angelo" sketch by Aristotle Athari has been my favorite sketch in recent years. It was so silly. Hope we can expect some more of that this season!
posted by rogerroger at 11:52 AM on October 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
The opener; did not love James Austin Johnson, Sudeikis rescued the skit, and Moffatt totally brought it home.
Yeah, 'Mellon' was a total miss for me.
Science Room:"My sister says you should never ignore the balls."
I thought that it was a really neat juxtaposition to have Villaseñor play Strong's parent in 'Science Room' and then reverse, having Strong play the governess to Villaseñor's Annie in 'Ricky.' Strong does that dissolute young girl thing really well.
'Declaration' - Dismukes is still on this show? He's not bad. Loved the future-turn.
'Indecent Proposal' - went far too long for a turn of the old "We’ve already established that. Now we’re just haggling over the price."
posted by porpoise at 12:13 PM on October 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yeah, 'Mellon' was a total miss for me.
Science Room:"My sister says you should never ignore the balls."
I thought that it was a really neat juxtaposition to have Villaseñor play Strong's parent in 'Science Room' and then reverse, having Strong play the governess to Villaseñor's Annie in 'Ricky.' Strong does that dissolute young girl thing really well.
'Declaration' - Dismukes is still on this show? He's not bad. Loved the future-turn.
'Indecent Proposal' - went far too long for a turn of the old "We’ve already established that. Now we’re just haggling over the price."
posted by porpoise at 12:13 PM on October 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
I absolutely loved the What's Up With That skit, and Oscar Isaacs played it perfectly. It will never get old. I laughed at it ten years ago and I'm still laughing at it, so absurd. I was holding out hope until the end that they would do a riff on Jason as the stormtrooper in The Mandalorian who not only kills Kuiil but punches Grogu in his side saddle bag, would have liked to see how they would handle good old Ted Lasso being a really bad bad guy.
posted by the webmistress at 2:51 PM on October 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by the webmistress at 2:51 PM on October 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
Porpoise you touch on a difficulty I'm increasingly having this season: the resemblances between Melissa and Sarah Spencer, and Dismukes and Kyle Mooney. A funny problem to have!
My impression of the monologue was either that he was trying to do something new and Lasso it up (I also noticed he thanked a bunch of behind-the-camera people at the end, too), or he was caught between two worlds and was a little shaky on the tightrope. Sure you can go home again, but you aren't hungry the second time around, which I think characterizes the uneven output of former castmembers hosting.
posted by rhizome at 12:34 AM on October 25, 2021
My impression of the monologue was either that he was trying to do something new and Lasso it up (I also noticed he thanked a bunch of behind-the-camera people at the end, too), or he was caught between two worlds and was a little shaky on the tightrope. Sure you can go home again, but you aren't hungry the second time around, which I think characterizes the uneven output of former castmembers hosting.
posted by rhizome at 12:34 AM on October 25, 2021
Worth watching all the way through for Brandi Carlile alone. "Right on Time" is the epic power ballad I didn't know I needed!
posted by CheeseLouise at 9:22 AM on October 25, 2021
posted by CheeseLouise at 9:22 AM on October 25, 2021
Overall a solid enough show, I thought. Bubblegum reunion with Sudeikis. I would have watched only for "What Up With That" to watch Sudeikis in the track suit, perm and cig. Too bad Lindsey Buckingham was booked on the previous show!
I thought Sudeikis' "this is where it all happened" speech was cool—I had the same sense of chills when I got to visit Studio 8H on a school trip of all things. (Graduate school but still.)
The Parent-Teacher Night sketch was like a supercharged "Marriage Counselor Sketch" from good ol' Monty Python.
I liked that the Annie parody took the creepiness in the cannibalism direction rather than the pedo direction. (I think I just learned something about my ethical spectrae: cannibal > pedo.)
The one sketch I am totally sick of at this point is the Mr. Science sketch. Adults yelling at and smacking children who are portrayed as borderline developmentally disabled? Comedy's supposed to reveal the truth behind things, and this just didn't. Or, if it did, it was too on the nose and just not funny.
Mellen more like Lemon. no wait more like MEHlen. No, I thought it was a good enough sketch. The musical guest was the most surprising highlight of the show—a boomin' 70's/80's hard southern rock band, well done. I thought Mick Foley was on drums!
And this show was good enough. Not the best, but not a backyard full of dogshit by far.
posted by not_on_display at 4:27 PM on October 25, 2021 [2 favorites]
I thought Sudeikis' "this is where it all happened" speech was cool—I had the same sense of chills when I got to visit Studio 8H on a school trip of all things. (Graduate school but still.)
The Parent-Teacher Night sketch was like a supercharged "Marriage Counselor Sketch" from good ol' Monty Python.
I liked that the Annie parody took the creepiness in the cannibalism direction rather than the pedo direction. (I think I just learned something about my ethical spectrae: cannibal > pedo.)
The one sketch I am totally sick of at this point is the Mr. Science sketch. Adults yelling at and smacking children who are portrayed as borderline developmentally disabled? Comedy's supposed to reveal the truth behind things, and this just didn't. Or, if it did, it was too on the nose and just not funny.
Mellen more like Lemon. no wait more like MEHlen. No, I thought it was a good enough sketch. The musical guest was the most surprising highlight of the show—a boomin' 70's/80's hard southern rock band, well done. I thought Mick Foley was on drums!
And this show was good enough. Not the best, but not a backyard full of dogshit by far.
posted by not_on_display at 4:27 PM on October 25, 2021 [2 favorites]
The opener; did not love James Austin Johnson, Sudeikis rescued the skit, and Moffatt totally brought it home.
Agree, when Sudeikis came on I was like "I wonder what Moffat thinks about all this?" because I thought he did a good Biden and it must feel weird to have the new guy now doing it.
I thought the monologue was weirdly stilted. The guy going through a divorce talking about how he can't remember his kids' names? Not super funny. And I am a HUGE Sudeikis fan but I felt he was at his strongest in the Mr. Science sketch and his little looks in the Parent-Teacher Night sketch (which was otherwise too over the top for me but I appreciated that it had a wrap-up joke at the end).
I think I am so used to Lasso that I had maybe forgotten the ways in which Sudeikis is NOT Lasso, even though he was pretty good, SNL isn't Lasso.
Loved Brandi Carlile and the Hanseroth Twins, been a while since I've been really jazzed about a musical performance on SNL even when I've liked the musicians.
posted by jessamyn at 5:00 PM on October 25, 2021
Agree, when Sudeikis came on I was like "I wonder what Moffat thinks about all this?" because I thought he did a good Biden and it must feel weird to have the new guy now doing it.
I thought the monologue was weirdly stilted. The guy going through a divorce talking about how he can't remember his kids' names? Not super funny. And I am a HUGE Sudeikis fan but I felt he was at his strongest in the Mr. Science sketch and his little looks in the Parent-Teacher Night sketch (which was otherwise too over the top for me but I appreciated that it had a wrap-up joke at the end).
I think I am so used to Lasso that I had maybe forgotten the ways in which Sudeikis is NOT Lasso, even though he was pretty good, SNL isn't Lasso.
Loved Brandi Carlile and the Hanseroth Twins, been a while since I've been really jazzed about a musical performance on SNL even when I've liked the musicians.
posted by jessamyn at 5:00 PM on October 25, 2021
I kept expecting Kenan to show up during the monologue when he talked about being an old hand dispensing advice to the current cast.
posted by ckape at 6:01 PM on October 25, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by ckape at 6:01 PM on October 25, 2021 [2 favorites]
Heard there was a Sarah Squirm cut sketch they ended oddly before even finishing rehearsal. Wish they finished it and uploaded it at least. Hate how dang huge the cast is, no time for everyone to do anything. Need to lose like a dozen members at this point, I love a lot of these old players but SNL is supposed to have occasional sea changes with new folks bringing in new sense of humour.
posted by GoblinHoney at 1:06 PM on October 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by GoblinHoney at 1:06 PM on October 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm laughing more at the cut Guy Who Bought A Boat than at the rest of the show. What made it to air was mostly tired "cishet dudes are scared of this."
posted by travertina at 2:01 PM on October 26, 2021
posted by travertina at 2:01 PM on October 26, 2021
Yeah I think even though Guy Who Bought a Boat is super crude it's definitely funny wordplay and Moffat's Guy is supposed to be a terrible human being so much so that Colin (who is usually like the platonic White guy in these things) can't stand him.
posted by jessamyn at 2:32 PM on October 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by jessamyn at 2:32 PM on October 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
And it's good that he dialed down the small-dick comments. It doesn't fill out the character even if it was a fundamental premise at one time, and the wordplay is such a great strength of that bit. Would that they had originally made it a "rich guy music reviews" or something, I think that would have brought the character into full flower. Heck, just use "I have a small dick" as his sign-off!
posted by rhizome at 3:15 PM on October 26, 2021
posted by rhizome at 3:15 PM on October 26, 2021
Agreed that the "small-dick" jokes don't add anything. They are also reminiscent of Kevin Nealon's Mr. Subliminal schtick.
Other than that, Moffat nails it.
posted by not_on_display at 5:45 PM on October 26, 2021
Other than that, Moffat nails it.
posted by not_on_display at 5:45 PM on October 26, 2021
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James Austin Johnson Demo Reel
posted by rhizome at 1:45 AM on October 24, 2021 [2 favorites]