SNL Scorecard: John Mulaney/Thomas Rhett
It's hard to find a hotter name in comedy right now than John Mulaney. The comedian has shot from "well-respected in comedy circles" to "selling out NBA arenas" in remarkably short time. Unsurprisingly, his hosting gig at Saturday Night Live, a return to where he began-- as a writer -- many years ago, was one of the most anticipated of the season, despite Mulaney hosting less than a year ago.
So, did the episode live up to the hype? If you ask most entertainment outlets, yes. Multiple sources such as Vulture and GoldDerby were quick to label it the year's best, unequivocally. If you ask this resident harumph, the answer is No. By no means was it a bad episode, but relative to the expectations, this go-round felt less inspired than John Mulaney's first time hosting. I was talking with a friend and fellow SNL nerd earlier, and she explained "the whole episode smacked of fulfilling his SNL dreams - resurrecting old sketches that got buried and that he never got to act in," rather than formulating original, fresh ideas. Though the end result was a good episode-- one of the better ones on the season, in fact --the critical reaction in proclaiming it the clear episode to beat in Season 44 has, I think, reeked of John Mulaney being “now” and people wanting this episode to be amazing. All this to say, all snark aside, a good night of comedy on the whole.
Here's the sketch-by-sketch breakdown of the 14th episode of the season:
Sketch of the Night
“Michael Cohen Hearing Cold Open”: 7.5/10
Apart from the Kavanaugh Hearing open to start the season, this was one of the best cold opens of the year. It helps of course, to have all-time great Bill Hader sub in for a majr role, but really, everyone was great in this one. Ben Stiller’s Cohen is one of the most underrated SNL celebrity cameos of the Trump administration, and the dramatic pause after his bold proclamation that Trump is a racist was gold.
The Good
“Monologue": 8/10
Poor Don Cheadle. The actor’s monologue last episode set the bar for the season’s monologues, only to be immediately usurped by John Mulaney, who, in all fairness, does stand-up comedy for a living. This was, true to form, delightfully wacky and hilarious.
“To Have And Have Not": 7/10
Another instance in which Mulaney's 'straight man' played perfectly off a wackier character, this time being the Queen of Wacky, Kate McKinnon. McKinnon's Lauren Bachall delivers her famous movie line but can't seem to master the mechanics of how to whistle, and honestly, I found this scene more sexy than the actual film sequence. Maybe I need help.
"Weekend Update": 7/10
This was a short segment, but a much-needed solid outing for Weekend Update after a couple relative snoozy performances of late. McKinnon and Aidy Bryant (and more specifically, their stinky raw meat) really stole the show, though.
“What's That Name": 6.5/10
Not the traditional game show format you’re used to, probably. Conversely, this was a delightful character study (i.e., which character do you hate the most?). It wasn’t quite as funny as other well-known SNL game show skits, but Bill Hader, the quintessential game show host, was magnificent to watch.
“Cha Cha Slide": 6.5/10
A pretty simple joke here, but the twist was developed well. It's no secret that John Mulaney is one of the whitest people there is, so it was fun to see a sketch portray that with such delightful (and ironic) glee.
“Legal Shark Tank": 6/10
I was a little surprised by how short this skit was, considering how rich in material the Robert Kraft and Jussie Smollett stories were. This was good, good enough to warrant watching and rewatching, but could have been better.
“Chad Horror Movie": 6/10
This was not the best appearance of Pete Davidson’s Chad, and in fact, I’m not sure it’s a joke or character that should be used as much as it has. But I do appreciate how many different genres they’re finding out how to shoehorn him into.
The...Less-Good
“Bodega Bathroom”: 5/10
Look. I know this will probably get me skinned alive by most fans, as this was universally declared the best skit of the night. But before the show, I thought to myself 'I really hope they don't try a "Diner Lobster" sequel,' and the aforementioned friend put it best: part of "Diner Lobster's" appeal was how random it was - this "Bodega" thing was trying so hard to be a natural followup that it failed. It still gets credit for incredible set design, and an enjoyable theatre medley, but why try to improve on such a great thing?
“Toilet Ejector": 5/10
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t laugh at all the missed launches. But overall, pretty morbid joke, and a fairly monotonous skit.
Musical Performances
Thomas Rhett.: 6.5/10
I have long been a hater of the Bro-Country-Pop style of music that Thomas Rhett represents. To Rhett's credit, though his sound has every bit the studio-produced-twang of his obnoxious peers, he seems to be a little more genuine in his saccharine delivery. And he was pretty good! Musically, the songs were nothing to write home about, but the first performance in particular helped keep up the show's energy, and for a first appearance on a stage notorious for swallowing its performers, Rhett looked comfortable and didn't sound half-bad.
OVERALL SCORE: 6.46 (Comedy Only score: 6.45)