Season 38
NBC Television
Saturday Nights 11:30 PM
Five Scoops of Bosco
Reviewed by Allen Bacon, The Daily Bosco
With the first week of the 38th Season of Saturday Night Live in the books, that swooshing sound you heard this week is the network exhaling a big sigh of relief.
The first show wasn't that bad.
With the departure of the two biggest stars, Kristen Whig and Andy Samberg, you got the sense that this may not go off so well. And indeed, the updated theme music seemed slower and long time announcer Don Pardo seemed like he was having issues adjusting to the new cadence.
Even the opening sequence where Jay Pharaoh takes over the Barack Obama impersonating chores from Fred Armisted was a bit awkward.
But as in times past, everybody stepped up and the show got better from there as soon as host Seth McFarland hit the stage.
SNL. under the continuing leadership of Lorne Michaels, is like that perennial great college football team that runs like a well oiled machine season after season. Just plug in the new players from the nation's finest comedy clubs and stick to the system.
Of course, the first show benefited tremendously from the very funny Seth McFarland (voices for Ted and Family Guy) and it was smart to build the show around him.
The Weekend Update feature stays strong with Seth Meyers still at the helm and benefited from a very funny spot with McFarland playing Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte.
The two stars that will certainly rise this season, and who have been very funny in past seasons, are Bill Hader and Jay Pharaoh.
But, for all the great impersonations Pharaoh has in his repertoire, his Barack Obama is my least favorite. Maybe we'll warm up to it as the season moves along. I just didn't think Fred Armisted's Obama was all that bad.
An extremely funny skit with puppets and Clint Eastwood talking to a chair featuring Hader shows what he can do comedically.
Now if he can keep himself from cracking himself up...that will go a long way.
Jason Sudakis stays solid and does a great Mitt Romney.
And you couldn't beat the music again with Frank Ocean in the lead spot and a very funny spot with Korean Rapper Psy singing and dancing with his signature song.
Yes, after 38 years, this show just might make it.
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