[ad_1]
The second episode of the 46th season of Saturday Night Live opened with a remarkably low-energy sketch that sparked last week’s vice presidential debate.
Mike Pence (Beck Bennett) is repeatedly criticized by Kamala Harris (Maya Rudolph) for interrupting her, though it effectively puts her on the defensive by turning to “the two problems Americans care about: swine flu and fracking.”
The question about fracking makes Harris flinch and dodge, as does a later question about court packaging.
But this is no match for the pesky bug that claims Pence’s snow-white dome. Turns out it’s actually Joe Biden (Jim Carrey) who, sensing Harris needs his help, teleports into the debate but transforms into a half Jeff Goldblum / half fly creature in the process. (For those unaware of his David Cronenberg, this is a reference to the classic Goldblum, starring The Fly.)
The show goes the long way to make what is essentially an unspoken (and brutal) joke on Joe Flyden, but at least it’s finally annoying something, rather than just lazily repeating actual quotes from your goals. That has to count for something.
Comic Bill Burr presents for the first time. The easily angered common man, who has slowly but steadily broken into the mainstream for the past two years, sits on a lighthearted stage in which he encourages people who don’t wear masks (“If you’re that dumb and you want to kill to your own family members, of course they do! It’s literally a dream come true! “), cheerfully recounts Rick Moranis’ recent assault in New York (” That’s what happens when you put up a M&M in Time’s Square! ”), And bemoans the cancellation of the culture (“ They’re trying to cancel John Wayne… God did that 40 years ago! ”). The highlight sees him criticizing white women for” kidnapping the awakening movement, “noting that” white women swung their Gucci feet over the fence of oppression and stood at the front of the line. “
It was clear that the (paid) audience was on the fence the entire time, and a quick read of social media reveals that culture warriors on both sides of the political divide took the bait, but whatever one thinks about Burr’s worldview, at least his monologue made for a decent change of pace for SNL.
In the first sketch of the night, a group of friends hang out in person for the first time in months. Things quickly get complicated when one of the couples corrects themselves for their mispronunciation of the word “unprecedented” (they had been pronouncing it “un-PRESIDENT-ed”) and the phrase “new normal” (“normal noon”). There is a lot of screaming and banging, but it all ends with a groan.
On The Blitz, Burr’s sportscaster gloats over his favorite team’s victory, only to be horribly embarrassed when his two black co-hosts mourn the latest racist police murder. Unfortunately, this clever premise is hampered by Burr noticeably altering his lines and losing his tracks.
Enough is Enough is a decent, but quiet, shipment of goofy celebrity viral videos. A desperate C-list actor is deservedly embarrassed by his terrible spoken poem against Trump and tags other celebrities, including Jason Momoa, who shows up only to accuse him of being a loser.
The evening’s musical guest was supposed to be Morgan Wallen, but earlier this week, images surfaced of the country star carelessly partying in Alabama without a mask and unconcerned about social distancing protocols. So in a major trade-off case, SNL ripped him off and replaced him with Jack White, who performs an apocalyptic blues ballad seemingly written directly in response to these difficult times.
Next is the weekend update. Burr’s sense of spleen appears to have rubbed off on the hosts, and Michael Che found the silver lining in Trump’s (apparent) health rebound: “Either Trump is telling the truth and we finally have a cure for COVID, or he’s lying and is still dying. I’m not saying it’s a win-win, but it’s not a lose-lose. “Meanwhile, Jost is puzzled to see someone come out of a near-death experience without learning anything:” It’s like watching a guy smoke. a cigarette through a hole in the throat. “
Kate McKinnon plays the first guest, Wayne Weknowdis, an eccentric doctor who talks about Trump’s health through silly variations of the phrase “we know that.” Turns out this somewhat baffling character is the way McKinnon copes with the pressures of the world. Next, Pete Davidson talks about his disappointment at JK Rowling’s recent string of transphobic comments, saying, “It hurt because I have a close connection to those movies – I even look like Dobby the Elf, if he becomes a Tik rapper. -Tok “.
In the penultimate sketch, Burr plays an Italian mobster who has just returned from prison. He is dismayed to find that his subordinates no longer care about his cheeky and politically incorrect style as they woke up after #MafiaSoWhite became trending on Twitter. Mafia stereotypes are always good for a few laughs, but this mostly plays like a lazy retreading of snippets from Burr’s monologue.
Short and sweet, Jack-O Pumpkin Ale is a commercial for Sam Adams’ new fall season beer. The brewers do a taste test with real Bostonians, including a Southie scumbag (played to perfection by Burr) who drinks several bottles, though he says it “tastes like shit,” and fights his eldest son.
For the second week in a row, the musical guest closes the show. White performs Lazaretto, playing an Eddie Van Halen guitar in tribute to the late great rocker. (Their bassist, meanwhile, wears a T-shirt that says: PRINE, in honor of the brilliant country singer John Prine, who died over the summer.) This is followed by a short clip of Van Halen similarly shredding a past appearance.
This episode was a small advance over last week’s season start, thanks mostly to Burr’s monologue and White’s performances, though the show was once again unable to produce any memorable sketches. Meanwhile, election-oriented cold starters are practically a lost cause.
