SNL underutilizes Claire Foy’s charms and comedy chops in her debut as host.
Man, this one was frustrating. SNL is back from holiday break, with a fun new host (Claire Foy, who’s mostly known here for The Crown but is getting lots of raves for her performance as Neil Armstrong’s wife in First Man). It felt like SNL couldn’t quite figure out what to do with her this week, sticking her in sketches as a side character when she was totally able to carry leads.
What You Missed
Cold Open: Trump in Argentina
Ugh, Alec Baldwin’s Trump. Thank goodness we have Kate McKinnon’s Giuliani. I can take or leave Ben Stiller’s Michael Cohen. I was very excited to see Horatio Sanz as MBS, until I realized it was Fred Armisen. The whole take on “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” was okay, but ultimately this feels very skippable.
Monologue
These are very good British jokes.
Netflix Ad
This is so good and I would watch 5 seasons of Leslie Jones in a Van Getting Batteries.
Morning Joe
I look forward to more of Melissa Villasenor’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in sketches other than this one. Skip this one!
The War in Words
This sketch heightens so well.
Dad Christmas
Things I loved about this sketch:
- an inside cigarette
- Deirdre
- Jimmy Buffett
- Aidy’s full song
Weekend Update
- Leslie Jones! She’s the only part of this you need to watch.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
“and for dessert, memories of bread”
This is an angle on the four-grandparents-in-the-bed part of this that I did not expect and found really delightful
HSN
Cecily having a fit on live HSN was great, as was the setup of Candice Cameron Bure bodysuits.
“They’re smashin’ my weiner, but I LIKE the feeling!”
Good Morning Goomah
This felt very specific, yet very funny.
A Holiday Message From the Women of SNL
This was a fun take on Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” that didn’t make it online, probably because it is largely just “All I Want for Christmas is You”.
Cut for Time: Cars
This was cut? I love its quiet surrealism and riff on 90s sitcom styling.
