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Let There Be Life

Where last week's episode ended hours before I was born, this was the first episode where I was out and alive. It also seems to be the episode where the show seems to be becoming alive as well.

Not only are the characters and reoccurring segments becoming more robust, but the writers and performers are also now adding extra layers as they become more familiar with the material. This is leading to better choices being made, at the same time, the sets are also becoming less high school stageplay-like in the non-prefilmed bits, and the actual cast members seemed to be developing their personas as well.

Finally, I also am noticing that there are more sketches about Chevy Chase being unhappy with the show and it's starting to feel less like Chevy's show and more like the ensemble program that it is supposed to be. Though I like Chevy Chase in movies, I'm starting to see that the show is actually better off without him because there shouldn't be just one stand-out star.

Though this is another episode without any sketches that I would consider an all-time favorite, it was a solid show and very interesting to see the comedic side of Anthony Perkins. With that, I give you...

The Wicker Breakdown:

Chevy Chase reads fan mail criticizing the show for dragging out the sketch with unnecessary padding, only to pad the sketch as he goes by searching for words and drawing out each sentence.
Anthony Perkins opens the show, excited to be himself and not Norman Bate, to then act in ways that are even creepier than the psychotic killer, like eating a fly and pulling a band-aid off slowly to feel every hair.
The was followed by a segment called A President's View on Marijuana where idiot Ford tries to roll a joint to only fail really hard.
There was then a psychotherapy session that I was fully prepared for emphasis to be on psycho but it turned out Perkin's would sing Hello Dolly every time Jane Curtin tried to explain her situation. She couldn't focus on her problem because she was too focused on trying not to sing along. I kind of think this therapy might actually work.
Gilda Radner then plays a housewife talking to a friend on the phone explaining how she hired a housekeeper from the back of The Village Voice. It turns out the ad was using cleaning codes for S&M activities, and the housekeeper is actually a dominatrix which takes a while for Gilda to do the math to clearly see.
Next was a fake commercial for the Norman Bates School of Hotel Management.
The Muppets then join Anthony Perkins on the stage and complain about how they are being treated by the show. Again it feels like a blend of fact and fiction as I believe this collaboration breaks up after season one.
Perkins and the Muppets introduce Betty Carter who sings Music Maestro, Please.
Once again we see that idiot Ford can't roll a joint.
Which is then followed by the news which just keeps getting better and better as they give more details about the stories being satired over the assumption that the common knowledge level would make it easy for the audience at the time to understand at that time.
The news commercial was the first new one I've seen in a while. It was kind of funny as it parodied medical ads that map out the inner workings of the sinus system on some bald guy's face.
The news returns with Belushi as a meteorologist that explains how March will come in like a lion and out like a lamb, only to get enraged by the list of similar analogies. There was also a really quick segment with Emily Litella where she confused the treatment of natural resources with natural racehorses.
This was followed by a lame sketch where Perkins apparently starts affairs with strangers by merely asking because woman apparently can't say no, but I did like the end when Scred interrupted the sketch asking to host the news or at least replace Emily Litella as he confused people eating muffins with people eating Muppets.
Ford still can't roll that joint.
Next was another short film that was YouTube like as it was filled with more interviews of people talking about their pets.
A student is then given a B on her test, only it's the Belushi Bee and not the grade.
Anthony Perkins then stepped out onto the stage and introduced a string of parodies of his cheapo follow-ups to Psycho, including Terror Lunch, Dressed to Kill, and Driven to School.
Next was the home video of the week. This time it was a stop motion film about peanuts plotting revenge on the guy who ate their family.
Betty Carter returned to sing Swing Brother Swing, and I Can't Help It.
Dan Aykroyd then played a cop who hosts a dance show where he constantly breaks up the fun. The towns call Butt County which also led to a lot of laughs.
Finally, Perkins returns with the Muppets to say their goodnights.

My three favorite sketches this week were, the singing psychoanalyst sketch because I really loved following Jane Curtin being pulled in to sing along because it felt kind of real, the way it worked out. Next, I love Belushi's high strung meteorologist character and was happy to see his premiere. Finally, it was simple but sweet, but I laughed like a child at every mention of Butt County.