Category Archives: SNL

Emmys 2013: What They Got Right

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I want a poster of this in my room.


Louie! Louie! Louie! Louieeeeeee

Every year I want to say that it’s “The Year of Louis C.K.” Let’s just say that this decade belongs to him. The comedian with many jobs continues to break more ground: this year he picked up multiple nominations. He wasn’t just nominated for his show “Louie,” which had its best season yet, but also for his hosting of “Saturday Night Live,” and his new special “Oh My God.” While “Oh My God” wasn’t the best standup that the master has ever done (though it is still leagues above most of the other stuff out there today), Mr. C.K. earned every nomination that he got. It’s nice to see that one of the funniest, most talented, and hardest working people in the business today is finally getting his due. And with Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine” coming to theaters next weekend, could the Oscars be next?



Veep Sweep

Armando Iannucci’s latest political satire got over any speed bump from season one for an incredibly smooth ride of a second season. This season, “Veep” displayed some of the sharpest writing on television as well as a brilliant performance from Julia Louis-Dreyfus and excellent work from the rest of the cast, including fellow nominees Anna Chlumsky and Tony Hale.

Breaking Bad

There are few things that I could say about “Breaking Bad” that hasn’t already been said over and over again. However, Vince Gilligan’s televised masterpiece deserves all the praise in the world. The first half of season five raised the dread. In a world of predictability, I can say that I have absolutely no idea how the hell this show is going to end. And I like that. “Breaking Bad” has only two more chances to win the Best Drama award. And I can confidently say that “Breaking Bad” will win the Best Drama award at least two times.


30 Rock’s Swan Song

Some great shows overstay their welcome. “30 Rock” realized that season seven would be their last and went out with an absolute bang. “30 Rock” has already won for Best Comedy three times so it wouldn’t be a big travesty if it lost. But like the show itself, which seemed to be saving some of its best lines (Liz Lemon answering her phone: “This is Lemon. Make lemonade.”) for the final season, the Emmys crammed in as many nominations as possible. Will Forte finally got a nomination for his turn as a Jenna Maroney impersonator, while Jenna Maroney herself, Jane Krakowski, has one last chance to walk home with a statuette. I’m not begging voters to give “30 Rock” another Emmy, but would it be so much to ask for one more win? For old times sake? After all, this is the show that changed the modern sitcom as we know it.

I dare you not to tear up at this.



Mandy Patinkin

To say “Homeland” hit some rough patches this season would be an understatement. As “Friday Night Lights” also proved, involving your teenage character in a hit-and-run murder plot never ever works. Even in an off episode, it was comforting to know that Mandy Patinkin would be there. As Saul, Patinkin always provided humor, warmth, and insight at all the right moments. Not to mention, he has a great Hebrew chant for every situation. Wait a minute, Patinkin has a big, white beard, and we can always rely on him for a joyful moment. Is he Jewish Santa Claus?



Bill Hader

This was Bill Hader’s last chance to get nominated for an Emmy for “Saturday Night Live.”* Luckily, voters delivered. Besides being a master impressionist, Hader also killed it with his original character. His most famous, Stefon (co-written by John Mulaney, one of my favorite comedians in the world), became an institution by the end of this season through an epic wedding send-off. Hader may have laughed through many of his sketches, but he always managed to make that the highlight. I think that will lead to great success for him in the future. I can think of another “SNL” alumni who laughed through most of his sketches, and he turned out just fine: Jimmy Fallon.

*But this may not be Hader’s last chance at the Emmys: he will be a full time writer for “South Park” next season.

Seth MacFarlane to Host the Oscars

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This morning, it was announced that Seth MacFarlane will be hosting this year’s Oscars. While my thoughts on MacFarlane are always a little mixed*, for once I can say that the Academy made a smart choice.

I like MacFarlane as a person, and have a lot of respect for him. I cannot even fathom how he has three shows on television and still has time to write and direct a feature film. Also, he did a fine job hosting “SNL” this season, because the guy just looked like he had a blast being there.

In recent years, the Academy has seemed to have trouble figuring out what kind of host they want. With MacFarlane, they get it all: he can sing show tunes, dance around, do impressions, and tell jokes. While he connects primarily with a younger audience, he will also keep the older voters and guests entertained with his Sinatra-like singing.

I can now anticipate that the show will be less of a drag to watch this year. MacFarlane will certainly be more lively than James Franco, and fresher than Billy Crystal. Maybe this will open some doors and in the future we will get other multi-talented hosts such as Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon (who had to back out from hosting duties). Still, I am going to take this time to complain, because this is the Oscars, and the Oscars always come with something to complain about. Can the Academy ever get a host who will be sharp, funny, and a little provocative in the same way that Jon Stewart was? Could someone like Louis C.K. or Patton Oswalt ever host? Only in my wildest dreams.

People Who Could Make Great Hosts in the Future: John Mulaney, Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, Donald Glover, Tina Fey, Jon Hamm, Neil Patrick Harris

*On the one hand, Seth MacFarlane created “Family Guy,” which had three of the best seasons of any animated show ever. On the other hand, Seth MacFarlane also ruined “Family Guy.” And again, on the other hand, he created “American Dad,” a show which is consistently underrated.

Here’s MacFarlane’s Spot-On Ryan Lochte Impression:

One of my favorite “Family Guy” moments ever. I can only imagine this is how MacFarlane felt upon hearing the good news:

Dumb Move of the Day: SNL Fires Michaela Watkins & Casey Wilson

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Unlike many out there, I still haven’t lost my faith in “Saturday Night Live.” It’s been on for 34 years now and every now and then it goes through a rough patch only to have a major comeback later on. But the announcement today that cast members Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson would be fired after just one year as featured players was a big blow to my faith in the show.

To be fair, Wilson was funny, but never provided anything too special. Then again, she was on for just a year and she did show promise. Also, she had a few very good celebrity impressions up her sleeve (including a very accurate one of Christina Hendricks on “Mad Men.”
Most disappointing to me is the decision to fire Watkins. She was on for barely one season. Is that enough time for a person to show their true talents? She was definitely one of the best recent additions to the show, and I really looked forward to seeing more of her work this season. During her short lived SNL career, she did pretty brilliant impressions of Ariana Huffington and Joan Rivers. She also became well known for her obnoxious blogger character which a lot of people found annoying but I liked because I’m also an obnoxious blogger.
So far, no reason has been provided as to why they were fired. However, just last week it was announced that Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad would be joining the cast. I thought they’d be additions, not replacements. Maybe the reason for this firing was budget cuts. Or maybe Lorne Michaels is trying to get SNL back on track. If so, he’s doing so the wrong way. Although I still find SNL funny, the real problem is the writing, not the acting (in fact, this ensemble is one of the best in years). If Lorne really thought it was time to make some changes, he instead would’ve demoted the writing staff to Leno and gave these two promising newcomers a second chance. 
This article is the closest thing to an explanation.