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Alec's Introduction To The SNL Scene

I'm so over this season to the point where I just can't wait for it to end. As I said in yesterday's review, I try my hardest not to go negative and even when I do end up complaining I also like to point out the positive of each episode unless they are very bad. Though I wouldn't say that this episode on its own was horrible being that it's eighteenth show of this so-so season this show ruined any hope that this season would end on a strong note.

I think that my major disappointment with this show, in particular, stems from my knowing Alec Baldwin's future with the show which led me to think this would be the turning point in this year's approach to the finish line. Unfortunately, though, the writing did give Baldwin any room to be funny and treated him like the hotty of the week.

It sucks that they seemed to go into default mode by only putting Baldwin into sketches where he seemed like a prop for the cast members to drool over because unlike other "hot" hosts who get this treatment you could see that Alec had both the attitude and ability to pull the role of a genuinely funny character.

Not only did this episode not use the host to his full potential, both the Middle-Aged Man and Nude Talk Show sketches had hilarious premises but failed to deliver the laughs. This really rubbed me wrong because not only do I love the Middle-Aged Man character's future appearances, I was also fully on board with the Nude Talk Show sketch but it was performed in such a super dry tone that it felt convoluted and dumb when it should have been more fun.

Once again, I feel that the big issue is that this collection of the cast has gone five years straight with barely any changes so I can't wait for next season when the new blood will mix things up.

Until then, it's time to move on from sharing my complaints to sharing what I saw, as I give you...

The Wicker Breakdown:

This week's show started with another Message From The President Of The United States where once again Dana Carvey as George Bush desperately tries to prove that he is doing a good job as president by playing up efforts as if they were major accomplishments. As always, this being the opening sketch, it ended with the announcement of, "Live from New York..."
Alec Baldwin then officially opened the show with a monolog about how he was nervous to do the monolog because he is more used to working on films where there is no live audience to have to impress. He then went on to do a dozen takes of different introductions to get in his comfort zone.
Greenhilly was a sketch that takes place in a country estate where Alec Baldwin and Jan Hooks just finished a tennis match. A bird flew into the room while the two were talking about the game and in their effort to get it to leave the two end up locking eyes before they started to make out. Jan then runs out of the room saying that this was a big mistake. This sequence of events then happened over and over again which each girl who entered the room. Alec would get involved to help the girl with their issue then they'd lock eyes and make out and the girl would realize it was a big mistake. The comedy eventually comes from the same sequence of events happening with both Phil Hartman and the family dog.
The Environmentally Conscious One was surprisingly the only sketch of the night that I couldn't find anywhere on the internet.
The Greta Garbo I Knew was a parody biopic where Alec Baldwin's character shares his experience with Greta Garbo as her butler where he had to play charades with the reclusive actress in order to share her excuses as to why she was avoiding the world whenever anyone would call or show up at the door.
Only In New York was a sketch that made fun of Cindy and Joey Adams while Cindy shares her gossip while Joey attempts to tell his jokes.
The B-52's then took to the stage to perform Cosmic Thing.
Once again, Dennis Miller gave us the news. This week, A. Whitney Brown dropped in for another Big Picture segment where he discussed the importance of Earth Day. Kevin Nealon also returned for another installment of New From 10 Feet Away where he reports on what the audience is doing while Dennis Miller just sits in the background and the director desperately attempts to cut the segment short going so far as to knock Nealon out with a sledgehammer.
The Nude Talk Show was a sketch that showed a behind the scenes look at the development of this Nude Talk Show. After witnessing the development phase we got a taste of the pilot episode that failed due to the fact that it was just a couple of nude guys sitting around having a mundane conversation. Following the failure, the developer of the show got the brilliant idea to make it nude women and it instantly became a hit that went on to win awards.
The Diner is a sketch that takes place at a diner where two dumb rednecks are enjoying their breakfast while the two waitresses do their job. Enter Alec Baldwin who plays the hot redneck type which leads the sketch to quickly turn the typical hot host sketch with Baldwin flirting with the head waitress while she fights to resist her urges.
The B-52's then returned to the stage to perform Channel Z.
Middle-Aged Man then made his debut to the show where this mystery man shows up out of the blue to give advice to the youth by sharing what he's learned from his half-life worth of experience. Tonight his main focus is Alec Baldwin problems in bed all the while worrying that the troubled couple is staring at his middle-aged gut.
Finally, Alec Baldwin closed the show by thanking the audience and saying his goodnights.

This makes four shows in a row where I feel like I really had to reach to find my three favorite moments of the night which in this case ended up being the following. First, I loved the Middle-Age Man because even though I was underwhelmed by this visit, I love the future appearances from this character. Next, I really liked The Nude Talk Show and even though I found it to be a little dry I still really like the concept and style of this sketch. Finally, I was a fan of Only In New York because even though I can't remember why, I do know that this was the only sketch of the night to generate an audible laugh.