or...

My Birthday Episode: Year 9

If this wasn't a birthday episode, the subtitle to the post would be, "Oh No, Another Dynasty Host," because I've yet to be impressed by any guest from that show or Soap Opera style actors/actresses in general. Right out the gate, it felt like my prediction from yesterday's review was true as I felt this started with the tone of a slump episode.

First off, they skipped the opening sketch and went right into a boring monolog. Though Pamela Sue Martin is adorable and seems like she'd be really nice but the moment that she pointed out her connection to Dynasty I felt I knew the exact type of show this would turn out to be and ended up being right.

There's just something about this brand of dramatic actor/actress that feels a little off for live sketch comedy. It's as if they bring their stage acting experience and treat the acting so serious that their characters seem too proper to be fun which I feel was the case tonight.

The other problem with this episode was that it was front loaded with the same repeat characters that I've been feeling burnt out on for the past several episodes. Hell, the even half-assed their way through the news which seemed extra short with only one special guest.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's review because with Mr. T and Hulk Hogan as dual hosts I can't help but think that even if it does turn out to be bad it'll have to be so bad that it's good.

Until then, it's now time to move on and share what I saw as I give you...

The Wicker Breakdown:

The week's show starts directly with Pamela Sue Martin's monolog about why she left the show Dynasty joking that acting in commercials is her ultimate goal then goes on to joke about Joan Crawford who Belushi portrays in the crowd.
This was followed by the second replay of the Strategic Airborne Contraceptive that was also first aired earlier in the season.
The Joe Franklin Show for another boring segment. Again, I'm only aware of the reference material but the fact that they mainly make fun of the Joe Franklin being boring makes the actual sketch rather boring with a couple laughs from the quirky guests.
Belushi then played half of A Couple Of White Guys, the rap group from when Alex Karras hosted who now teamed up with Pamela Sue Martin as his wife to perform another '80s style of stereotypical rap song.
We then got a tape segment with Fernando at A Night Of 100 Stars where the character interviews several famous people who should up for the prime time event.
Rich Hall then got a segment to do one of his stand-up routines.
We then got a sketch that started with Gary Kroeger as an old timer cleaning up the SNL set and reminiscing about the old days before he throws to a prerecorded sketch where Jim Belushi is at a Children's Hospital and makes a Babe Ruth-like promise to a dying kid. we then went back to the old timer who goes on to share how Belushi's promise to kill in his drag-themed sketch ended up playing out where he fulfills the kid's dying wish and ends up being how the said kid was brought back to life.
Willie and Frank then returned for another round of You Know What I Hate? Only this time their back to their original job as messengers to do the same old, but funny, routine.
Once again, Christopher Guest gave us the news. This week we got a lesson in Chroma Key, aka green screen technology, when Guest answers a viewer letter about how the screen on the wall actually works only to find the when he takes the green screen down he is completely wrong and it actually Gary Kroeger's warbly voiced documentary announcer character who runs everything through a projector even though it would be impossible to really work that way.
Power Station then took to the stage to perform Some Like It Hot.
For either the second or third time in a row, I couldn't find this week's installment of First Draft Theatre available anywhere on the internet and am now ahead of the site that I used to reference so I have no idea what this sketch was about.
We then got a fake ad for the upcoming Linda Evans & Joan Collins Catfight Album called Dynasty's Greatest Fights but there wasn't even one example of a parody song.
Tom, Dick & Horny is another sketch that I couldn't find anywhere on the internet by due to the title I ended up with some very interesting results.
Power Station returned to the stage to perform Get It On (Bang A Gong).
Bullet Cartoon was the third sketch of the night that I couldn't find anywhere in order to watch it and have no idea what it's about.
Finally, Pamela Sue Martin closed the show by thanking the audience and saying her goodnights.

Between the fact that this was a somewhat boring episode from the get go, and the fact that three of the sketches could not be found, I had a very hard time coming up with these three moments but here what I managed to come up with. First, I loved, Rich Hall's Stand-Up routine because I'm still a fan of his work. Next, I really liked this week's Willie and Frank visit because even though I sort of burnt out on them their jokes are still pretty fun. Finally, I was a fan of the news because I really like Gary Kroeger's impersonation of the movie projector's warbling voice.