Saturday Night Live
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Rami Malek makes his hosting debut after starring inNo Time to Die, the latest James Bond movie.
I anticipateSNLplaying with Ramis weirdness (they played with his piercing starein the teaser).
Its another strong cold open.
I give them a lot of credit for that.
Chris Redd coming on as Colin Kaepernick is a really fun moment.
Encouraging kids to dream.).
Bowen is hilarious here.
What does Daddy Long Legs eat?
My directors eye cant help but love how they staged this sketch.
Even though Kenan is presenting on a podium, hes positioned right next to Bowen.
So we get laughs watching Kenans reaction even when Bowen is just simply walking back to his spot.
Squid Game
SNLs digital sketch is an absolutely inspired send-up ofSquid Game.
RecountingSquid Gamein a country song fits perfectly.
The look on Ramis face as he tries to convert Korean won is gold.
Pete and Rami have terrific chemistry, and a movie starring these two would probably print money.
All the ingredients are here, with Kenan looking hilarious dressed as Prince.
Kenan, youre in costume, but you look nothing like Prince.
Celeb School Game Show
Kenan is the host of a game show calledCeleb School.
First things first, Rami playing Pete and Pete playing Rami is hysterical.
These two must know each other because their dueling impressions are tremendous.
Young Thug: Tick Tock and More Than Anything
Young Thug sings Tick Tock.
Young Thug sings More Than Anything.
Great job, no notes.
Che says he hopes Kyrie Irving does the right thing and buys a fake vaccination card.
I like thatSNLis having more fun with Che and Colins personas.
This week Colin pulls up an email from Che where he gets called a honky.
Its a fun choice, and they both display good humor about it.
Che brings out Chris Redd totalk about current events.
Chris wonders who drives blimps.
You ever see a fast blimp?
No, because that is a missile.
Mikey Day isLinus Minuswith Kenan as his volunteer Roy.
Under hypnosis, Keenan immediately pisses himself.
Mikey is a lot of fun as Linus Minus is struggling with Kenan.
We keep making discoveries, as Kenan reveals hes in love with Zendaya but thinks Linus killed her.
By finding new reasons for Kenan to get upset, the sketch stays sharp.
Mattress Store
Rami and Aidy are shopping for a mattress and are approached by salesman Bowen.
This is a character Aristotle did atNew Faces, and its a riot.
After a few bit parts, Aristotle gets to display his full comedic chops.
Rami soon joins as a dancer, and now were rolling.
A straight man in a sketch isnt just there to find things weird.
Compare this to the Car Shoppers sketch with Ben Affleck.
Josh and Laura derail it every time by devolving into dirty sex talk.
That was a soft-top; this one is a little more firm.
Now we can see how a firmer mattress influences Aidy and Ramys arguments.
As funny as they are, we dont want to keep seeing the same thing throughout the sketch.
We need to see the sketch evolve so they stay ahead of the audience.
Prince Auditions:We never really land on a strong premise.
We later learn more about what the Prince movie is about, but we needed more of that earlier.
Daniel Craigs entrance is a nice surprise, but it doesnt hit.
Celebrity School Game Show:I again find the impressions strong, but the sketch itself is lacking.
Firstly, it takes forever to introduce everyone.
Theyd be better served by introducing the characters when theyre asked a question.
We also need something a little more from the game show itself.
Angelo:My biggest issue with this sketch is Daniel Craig.
Hes just not fun as a straight man and keeps overplaying his lines.
Also, bringing back your surprise celebrity guest to straight man a sketch is an awkward fit.
Keeping Score
Bowen is my MVP for this episode.
He wasnt activated the first two weeks, but they leaned on him and played to his strengths here.
At this rate, hell be president of NBC by season 50.
My favorite thing about watching Bowen perform is he consistently makes choices.
Overall, this was a solid episode.
Rami showed strong commitment, and his acting really shined.SNLthrives off of these types of hosts.
It reminds me of how funny Christopher Walken was every time he was on.
But I think once they settle, well seeSNLtake risks necessary to produce a classic episode.
