Segments are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars
COLD OPENING
senators try not to upset Robert McFarlane (PHH) at Iran-Contra hearings
— Second episode in a row with a sketch set at the Iran-Contra hearings, and with Phil playing a person being questioned. Both sketches even have Akira Yoshimura as one of the senators.
— I like the senators sugarcoating their criticisms while coddling Phil as a suicidal Robert McFarlane. By the way, the only reason I’m familiar with Robert McFarlane and his then-infamous suicide attempt is because of jokes that were made about it in some of the earlier Weekend Updates this season. Otherwise, I’d be completely lost during this cold opening.
— Kevin’s delivery is particularly funny as one of the coddling senators.
— Great part with the senators all gasping in unison when Phil’s McFarlane slowly reaches in his pocket for something, as if he’s going to pull out a gun to commit suicide, only for it to just be a tissue to wipe off his sweat with.
STARS: ***
MONOLOGUE
host does stand-up about girlfriends past & present
— Very funny story about meeting a girl who’s hair is on fire.
— When talking about making love to a woman for 1 hour and 15 minutes, I love the reveal that it was the day you turn the clocks ahead.
— I like this meta premise of his monologue material being him doing stand-up about not knowing what to do for his monologue.
— Great ending with him walking off the stage, going across the studio, and arriving at the next sketch’s set after he decides not to do a monologue and to just move on to the sketches. Excellent way to segue into the next sketch.
STARS: ****
RETURNING A SWEATER
host screws up a department store sketch by breaking character & 4th wall
— The great meta theme of tonight’s episode continues in this sketch, with Garry constantly breaking the fourth wall, speaking to the camera, addressing cast members by their real name instead of their character name, etc.
— Phil is absolutely hilarious as a Frank Nelson-esque (a.k.a. the “Yeeessssssss?” guy) character.
— Ha, and now Garry stops in the middle of the sketch to flat-out do a direct-to-camera stand-up routine about sweaters.
— Phil’s angry, exaggerated delivery of “Thank you for shopping at BAAAAAMBEEEERGERRRRRRS!!!” absolutely slayed me.
STARS: ****½
THE PUPPY
jewel thief’s (DAC) canine mannerisms evade detective (PHH)
— I’m already getting a laugh just from Phil’s snooty Brit mustache, which looks as if it’s on upside-down.
— The gradual reveal of Dana’s puppy-esque actions are well-done.
— I’m especially laughing right now at Dana repeatedly jerking his head to the side as a hint to Phil that he’d like Phil to throw the ball again.
— Pretty solid and well-performed sketch overall, and Dana was very funny as the lead character.
STARS: ***½
SUPPORT GROUP
(host) tells his support group terrible, false stories about his mother
— I like Dana’s delivery in this. There are also hints of his Garth voice from the future Wayne’s World sketches in there. I think I recall hearing Dana based this voice on his own little brother.
— Love all these horror stories we’re told about Garry’s mother.
— I’m enjoying the progress of this sketch, with the outraged group members now heading over to Garry’s mother’s house to confront her.
— Very funny shocking reveal that the professor Garry had a sexual relationship with is his own father.
— Some really good reactions the group members have to Garry revealing he knew the professor was his father all along and that it’s what made their sexual relationship so exciting. Dana’s agoraphobic character especially has a funny response to that: “I love my apartment. I’m never going out again.”
— Wow at the reconciliation between Garry and his mother gradually turning into a passionate make-out session. Nice touch with Jon peeking in through the window after he and the other group members have left in disgust.
— Another fourth-wall break tonight, with Garry dropping character to humorously tell us “This is the worst character I’ve ever had to play.”
— An overall hysterical sketch that got funnier and funnier the more disturbing it became. This was fantastic.
STARS: ****½
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “Is That All There Is”
WEEKEND UPDATE
Jimmy Stewart (DAC) dislikes the colorization of black & white movies
— Already starting off hot with a very strong Gary Hart/Donna Rice joke.
— In the rerun version I’m reviewing, there was a VERY obvious cut after Dennis’ Oliver North/Fawn Hall underwear joke. Right when Dennis turns to the straight-ahead camera to say something, there’s an abrupt cut to him facing the side camera as he starts the next joke. What was removed?
— Dana’s Jimmy Stewart is making some good arguments about why it’s wrong to colorize old black-and-white films, but where are the laughs here? This commentary is kinda coming off as what people today would consider preachy or “clapter bait”.
— Okay, now the Jimmy Stewart commentary is finally getting funny with him getting worked up, threatening to kick the ass of anyone who colorizes any of his films, and warning Dennis not to push him.
— I like how it’s become a running gag these last two Updates for Dennis to talk about a random story in the news and then suddenly reveal it prompted George Steinbrenner to fire Lou Pinella.
STARS: ***
TEENY CAFÉ
Babette’s exclusive, pricey Teeny Cafe seats only five people
— I usually don’t care for this Babette character, but this particular sketch seems quite different and interesting.
— A laugh from the visual of Dennis Miller playing a hair-in-ponytail dignified waiter.
— The cutaway to Kevin eating in a closet was really funny.
— Not crazy at all about the song being performed now, even if Jon has some fairly amusing lyrics.
— Overall, this sketch started out interesting, but gradually devolved into a big ol’ pile of meh, which this Babette character is no stranger to.
STARS: **
HOLLYWOOD MOM
actress’ (Tracy Ullman) neglected baby gets even
— Random Tracey Ullman-starring film.
— This is already providing some good laughs right from the start, and unsurprisingly, Ullman is giving a funny performance.
— I like the sounds heard from SNL’s studio audience when the baby gets a hold of a big pair of scissors.
— Some more amusement from other dangerous things happening to the baby due to Ullman’s neglectful handling.
— Heh, the audience seemed too disturbed to laugh at the baby getting ahold of a gun. Guess that’s where the audience draws the line.
— Good dark ending with the baby shooting Ullman off-camera and then somehow driving away in a car.
STARS: ***½
REDNECK AIRLINE
(host) & (VIJ) are drenched with spit in plane’s chewing tobacco section
— Some funny gross-out humor from the initial visual of fake chewing tobacco liquid being sprayed onto Garry and Victoria from off-camera.
— Phil’s characterization here is great.
— Loved the reaction Phil’s character had to accidentally swallowing his chewing tobacco.
— A decent overall sketch, even if it didn’t really go much farther than the initial joke that was established early on.
STARS: ***
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
musical guest performs “One Time, One Night”
HAPPY COUPLE
reconciliation & argumentation marks couple’s (DAC) & (JAH) anniversary
— I liked Dana’s overly-calm “Don’t do that again… don’t EVER do that again” to Jan.
— Whoa at Dana unexpectedly throwing a drink in Jan’s face.
— A good laugh from Jan putting out her cigarette in Dana’s meal and ordering him to “eat around it!”
— Garry’s funny as the pleasant waiter, especially his friendly “No necking!” when he walks in on Dana angrily strangling Jan.
— Yet another fourth-wall break tonight, with Garry as himself just casually informing Jan and Dana that the sketch is over. Proper way to end tonight’s episode in general.
STARS: ***
GOODNIGHTS
IMMEDIATE POST-SHOW THOUGHTS:
— A consistently solid episode. Teeny Café was the only thing all night that I didn’t care for. The rest of the sketches ranged from good to fantastic to hilariously disturbing. This episode was also helped by the unique touch Garry Shandling gave the show, with his meta, fourth wall-breaking style adding a great change of pace to SNL’s format.
HOW THIS EPISODE STACKS UP AGAINST THE PRECEDING ONE (Mark Harmon):
— a fairly big step up
My full set of screencaps for this episode is here
TOMORROW:
Season 12 comes to an end, with host Dennis Hopper