Previously: Dr. Evil cold open, Serial parody, and “Singing Sisters”
Monologue
In a season 13 episode of The Simpsons, Bart asks Comic Book Guy if Stan Lee came back to the Android’s Dungeon. The Notorious CBG responds, “Stan Lee never left. And I’m starting to think that his mind is no longer in mint condition.” That’s how I feel about Kristen Wiig and SNL. She’s still got all her marbles, but which Studio 8H broom closest is Lorne keeping her locked in? Wiig has stellar chemistry with Amy Adams, but so does everyone with the Enchanted star — she’s a walking smile, one of the most charming, likable celebrities out there. We’ll never fully appreciate Wiig’s tenure on SNL if she doesn’t go away for awhile.
Asian American Doll
There’s been a noticeable increase in sketches this season about political correctness and the public reaction to gender and race issues. I’m thinking back to “The Dudleys,” and now “Asian American Doll,” the holiday season’s most focus-grouped toy. She may not be any fun to play with, but hey, at least she’s not a Native American named Flying Eagle.
Girlfriends Talk Show
Obviously One Direction was going to appear in a sketch, because teens run the Internet, so I’m glad it was “Girlfriends Talk Show.” It’s not a favorite, even if it’s fun watching Cecily Strong go from a bespectacled NPR announcer to a horny teen who’s dated every member of 1D, a.k.a. That Boy Band Where Every Member Is the One with the Hair. Also, this isn’t the first time Amy Adams has played an eternally perky cheerleader: she was in Drop Dead Gorgeous.
Office Christmas Party
Ain’t no party like an office Christmas party ’cause an office Christmas party usually isn’t very good. Fittingly, neither was SNL‘s “Office Christmas Party.” The idea is sound, and it had a Digital Short-ish vibe to it, but the song never really went anywhere — Pete and Jay just listed off people you might see at your office party, and that’s it. What made something like “Shy Ronnie” work is because it combined a sound premise (which this sketch had) with the unexpected delight of “BONER ALERT” (which it DIDN’T have). What I’m saying is, more SNL sketches need BONER ALERTS.
Weekend Update: Kim Jong-un Edition
Beside the cold open, the only other time SNL mentioned everything that’s going on between Sony and North Korea and The Interview was during Weekend Update, where Michael Che referred to Kim Jong-un as “Kimberly” and Bobby Moynihan came out as *notices red dots from sniper rifles on chest* *backs away from laptop slowly* Also, Fred and Kristen resurrected Garth and Kat, a form of torture worse than anything North Korea could come up with.
A Very Cuban Christmas
I mean, I guess having Kenan play Cuba Gooding, Jr. is one way of covering Cuba and the United States reestablishing diplomatic relations. This sketch was basically one giant shrug, a way of acknowledging something topical more out of obligation than because the writers had a solid premise to work off of. It’s a random assemblage of impressions, from Taran Killam’s Pitbull to Pete Davidson’s Elián González, with no real consistency, though I’ll admit I laughed at Bobby Moynihan introducing himself as world-famous Cuban “Hurley from Lost.”
Cat Christmas
I’m allergic to cats, but I would still buy nine of them from Kate McKinnon and Amy Adams, who had the time of her life poking at McKinnon’s boobs. This is the second time we’ve seen this sketch, the other being when Charlize Theron hosted, and it could be on five more times, and I still wouldn’t get sick of it. It’s a perfectly absurd 10-to-1 (“She has a wicked sense of humor and she’s 55 years old”), much like the ex-porn stars. Just with a different kind of pussy(cat).
