Tina Fey returned to Saturday Night Live this weekend to play vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The episode, which was hosted by House Bunny actress Anna Faris, was a slight return to form for the show. While I have been disappointed in the lack of laughs from the show as of late, this one managed to bring a few more than usual. Saturday Night Live may never return to the greatness it achieved in its early years, but with a little effort it can be funny.
Cold Open: "Katie Couric Interviews Sarah Palin" (Grade B)
As I stated earlier, Tina Fey once again donned the Sarah Palin (or Tina Fey) glasses and '80s hairstyle to portray Sarah Palin. She was good, but it just wasn't what it was the first time. Personally I think Fey returned too soon; it has only been two weeks since her first appearance as Palin. I thought they would wait until after the vice presidential debates (which are this week) to bring her back. Sometimes less is more. The sketch itself was pretty funny, particularly the parts lampooning Palin's assertion that she has foreign policy experience because Alaska is in between Russia and Canada. Anyone who didn't watch the Katie Couric (played by Amy Poehler in the sketch) interview may not have gotten as much out of the jokes, as this was very specific parody.
Opening Monolgue: Anna Faris (Grade D)
I was really looking forward to Anna Faris hosting the show because she showed a natural comedic talent in the Scary Movie films. Unfortunately this opening monolgue didn't showcase any of that talent. The bit revolved around Faris playing herself, a ditzy blonde who is actually smart, but then turning to a hidden camera to reveal she is actually stupid. The bit didn't suit Faris at all. She seemed awkward during the whole thing, and none of it seemed genuine.
"Making New Friends" (Grade B)
A couple (Anna Faris and Jason Sudeikis) were driving home from a party. Having dropped another couple off, they discuss what they thought of their "new friends" on the way home. This sketch was kind of clever in the way the things they thought the new friends wouldn't like about them increased in outrageousness. At first the husband was worried that he shouldn't have asked how much money they made. By the end the couple wondered if "saying the 'N-word' nine times" was "too much." There were several laughs in this one. However, the ending shot of their car driving over a cliff and then bouncing back to the top before exploding left me scratching my head.
Article comments
1 - Jordan Richardson
I think Fey absolutely had to come back and do the Palin thing when she did. You simply can't let something like the Couric interview go without parody.
2 - handyguy
Yes...it was almost as funny as the actual interview.
Some of us are hoping for more yuks on Thursday night. Last Friday's debate was notably short on laughs.
With the world falling apart around us, is it too much to ask that our candidates be entertaining?
3 - CallmeMaddy
The debate was amazing. Besides, weekend update, it was the best thing of the night.