Minding the P’s and Q’s of SNL

QUALITY: Trivia Club would LOVE to hear feedback on the Saturday Night Live Fantasy League! Comment in the blog's comment section, on Trivia Club's facebook page or in our twitter feed. We want to hear from you, as we make our way through Season 40! LISTEN TO THE PODCAST! Subscribe to us on iTUNES! Do the same on YouTube!
QUALITY: Jay Pharoah is back as Barack Obama, and more importantly Dwayne Johnson is back as The Rock Obama. Bobby Moynihan’s is not perfect as Ted Cruz. There’s just something wonderful about Sasheer’s Michelle Obama turning into She-Rock Obama, as portrayed by Leslie Jones.

PROBLEMATIC: A “Franchise Viagra” song is all well and good, especially when you’re knocking at the door of The Five-Timers Club, but Dwayne… let’s not be too proud of that Journey To The Center of the Earth sequel. Now a follow-up to Zero Dark Thirty where-in you kill Bin Laden’s joke, on the other hand…

QUALITY: Every weird detail of the Wrestlemania Promo sketch worked out for me, as a wrestling fan. The quasi-referential names and looks that would even make a local independent promotion blush, that both fans of wrestling and detractors of wrestling can get a kick out of. Killam as a modern-day, smartpone-obsessed “Mean” Gene. Escalating mind games. An amazing sketch.

“That’s right…I catfished your ass!”

“That’s so intricate!”

PROBLEMATIC: Though there were some high highs on this episode, the episode just didn’t seem to evolve past single note hooks (Interrogation, Brogaine, Cooking With Paul), or unfulfilled observations (when McKinnon can do Robert Durst THAT well, you should do SOMETHING with the sketch).

PROBLEMATIC: George Ezra, like Hozier, was someone that I knew nothing about heading into the episode. Unlike Hozier however, I’m going to refrain from looking into Ezra. If I need to hear a 20-year-old try to sound more mature, while also mumbling a solid 98% of the time, I’ll call my younger cousin. (oh HEY, I just became a certified Grumpy Old Man, and I’m not even 30 until Thursday!)

QUALITY: Writing and musical guest problems aside, and The Rock’s ever-inflated proportions neither here nor there, I can’t hate Dwayne Johnson as a host. He hasn’t become a four-time SNL host by accident. Still, not the strongest of episodes this season. I would put him just above Sarah Silverman (but below Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz, et al), so far this season.

REPERTORY CAST

Kate McKinnon, 51 points

Taran Killam, 43 points

Cecily Strong, 43 points

Bobby Moynihan, 36 points

Jay Pharoah, 36 points

Aidy Bryant, 32 points

Kenan Thompson, 27 points

Vanessa Bayer, 15 points

FEATURED CAST

Kyle Mooney, 55 points

Sasheer Zamata, 46 points

Beck Bennett, 36 points

Pete Davidson, 29 points

Leslie Jones, 17 points

HOST

Dwayne Johnson, 98 points

REPERTORY LEAGUE

PARDO GROUP

NATALIE PORTMAN'S DRY CLEANING - Sarah R

Kate McKinnon - 51

Bobby Moynihan - 36

Kyle Mooney - 55

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 142

THE FUTURE MRS. RANDY GOLDMAN - Leah

Taran Killam - 43

Sasheer Zamata - 46

Aidy Bryant - 32

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 121

THE TEAM YOU WISH YOU HADN'T STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH AT A PARTY - Brian

Jay Pharoah - 36

Bobby Moynihan - 36

Pete Davidson - 29

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Budapest & 2) Blame It On Me

5 points - first song

10 points - second song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 116

THE NOT READY FOR FIRST PLACE PLAYERS - Kevin M

Jay Pharoah - 36

Cecily Strong - 43

Beck Bennett - 36

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Blame It On Me & 2) Budapest

2 points - song

2 points - song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 119

THE IGNORANT SLUTS - Matt

Kate McKinnon - 51

Vanessa Bayer - 15

Beck Bennett - 36

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Budapest & 2) Blame It On Me

5 points - first song

10 points - second song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 117

KEYROCK, KHAN, & ASSOCIATES - Saad

Vanessa Bayer - 15

Aidy Bryant - 32

Kyle Mooney - 55

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 102

ISOLATED ARCHIPELAGO - Rob

Taran Killam - 43

Kenan Thompson - 27

Pete Davidson - 29

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.
2 points - Vin Diesel impersonation

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 101

BILLION DOLLAR MURRAYS - Russel

Cecily Strong - 43

Kenan Thompson - 27

Leslie Jones - 17

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Budapest & 2) Cassy O

5 points - first song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 92

FEATURED LEAGUE

MCKAY GROUP

PARDO ME - Hannah

Taran Killam - 43

Aidy Bryant - 32

Kyle Mooney - 55

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 130

SKANKY LITTLE PROSTITUTES - Mike

Aidy Bryant - 32

Cecily Strong - 43

Sasheer Zamata - 46

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Budapest & 2) Cassy O

5 points - first song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 126

THE NIGHT CRAWLERZ - Kevin K

Taran Killam - 43

Jay Pharoah - 36

Beck Bennett - 36

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 115

DAMIAN AND THE FELINE SOCIOPATHS - Andrew

Kate McKinnon - 51

Vanessa Bayer - 15

Kenan Thompson - 27

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Budapest & 2) Blame It On Me

5 points - first song

10 points - second song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 108

THE VONDRUKES - Samantha

Jay Pharoah - 36

Leslie Jones - 17

Cecily Strong - 43

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 96

FALLON IN LOVE - Johnny

Kenan Thompson - 27

Bobby Moynihan - 36

Pete Davidson - 29

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 92

FEY GROUP

THE LAND SHARKS - Jason

Kate McKinnon - 51

Kyle Mooney - 55

Aidy Bryant - 32

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 138

THREE LEGGED JEANS - Lori

Kate McKinnon - 51

Bobby Moynihan - 36

Kenan Thompson - 27

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Budapest & 2) Cassy O

5 points - first song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 119

SANTA'S MY BOYFRIEND - Megan

Taran Killam - 43

Cecily Strong - 43

Aidy Bryant - 32

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 118

MY DOLL'S NAME IS JENNY - Doug

Vanessa Bayer - 15

Bobby Moynihan - 36

Kyle Mooney - 55

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Budapest & 2) Cassy O

5 points - first song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 111

MARTHA STEWART'S HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: TOPLESS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL - Robb

Taran Killam - 43

Vanessa Bayer - 15

Sasheer Zamata - 46

MUSICAL GUEST - George Ezra - SONGS: 1) Blame It On Me & 2) Listen To The Man

2 points - song

EPISODE SIXTEEN TOTAL 106

PHIL HARTMAN TROPHY STANDINGS (after Episode 40x16)

FEATURED LEAGUE STANDINGS for the GILDED RADNER

For the first time Natalie Portman’s Dry Cleaning has gained the TOP SPOT in the Chase for the Phil Hartman Trophy! This is the first time The Ignorant Sluts has lost the led since episode 40x13, and only the fifth episode so far this season in which The Ignorant Sluts aren’t still in the top spot at the end of the night (The Future Mrs. Randy Goldman led after episodes 13 and 10, while The Team You Wish… started off the season leading in the first two episodes). It’s quite the change of pace, after The Ignorant Sluts had spend most of Season 39 chasing the top spot. Can they regain the lead NEXT WEEK?

Michael Keaton is set to host the April 4^th episode of Saturday Night Live, seemingly three or four months after his expected window of opportunity. Alas, it seems winning the Best Actor Oscar isn’t a prerequisite to hosting SNL (so, uh, suck it Redmayne?), and Keaton will be joined by musical guest CARLY RAE JEPSEN!

Speaking of calling it, Three Legged Jeans lead GROWS on the rest of the Featured League, with four or so episodes remaining in the 40^th Season for everyone to make up ground. That’s without noting that Three Legged Jeans did in fact pick Michael Keaton as a perspective Host! Congrats to Three Legged Jeans, and congrats as well to Billion Dollar Murray! Is there a chance that Billion Dollar Murray could best their season-high standing of THIRD in the rankings? We’ll have to see next week!

Taijari P. Henson was also announced to host the April 11^th episode of Saturday Night Live, though she wasn’t drafted by any of our SNL Fantasy Leaguers, with musical guests Mumford & Sons! Before that though, see you NEXT WEEK for Michael Keaton, yes Birdman Returns.



Russel Harder hosts Trivia Club at Cardinal Rule (5 Roncesvalles Ave) every WEDNESDAY, at Hitch (1216 Queen St East) every SECOND and FOURTH MONDAY of the month, and Lou Dawg's (76 Gerrard St E) on every other TUESDAY!