Minding the P’s and Q’s of SNL
QUALITY: Feedback! Hearing from you helps not only us improve, and feel awesome, but it also puts more eyes on the kind of things that you enjoy! 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: J.K. Simmons is an inspired choice as a host, and something that the Fantasy League was quite excited to see. I feel that Blake Shelton did quite a good job as quite the opposite end of the spectrum, a musical guest first and host second who also happened to be a reality show judge. Simmons, as a front-runner Oscar nominee for Whiplash instead arrives with a pedigree, cinema geek favoritism, and high expectations. With the 40th Anniversary Special right around the corner you have to wonder how much heat this show had, but Simmons delivered. The show didn’t hit from top to bottom, but Bayer did wonderfully with the Activity Pack short, the Whiplash gag in the monologue showed why Leslie Jones has become a much needed weapon in SNL’s arsenal, and pantsless Simmons made an otherwise half on the mark music video into a memorable sketch!
QUALITY: J.K. Simmons is an inspired choice as a host, and something that the Fantasy League was quite excited to see. I feel that Blake Shelton did quite a good job as quite the opposite end of the spectrum, a musical guest first and host second who also happened to be a reality show judge. Simmons, as a front-runner Oscar nominee for Whiplash instead arrives with a pedigree, cinema geek favoritism, and high expectations. With the 40th Anniversary Special right around the corner you have to wonder how much heat this show had, but Simmons delivered. The show didn’t hit from top to bottom, but Bayer did wonderfully with the Activity Pack short, the Whiplash gag in the monologue showed why Leslie Jones has become a much needed weapon in SNL’s arsenal, and pantsless Simmons made an otherwise half on the mark music video into a memorable sketch!
QUALITY: Moynihan is the only current cast member that could
make “Pushie” work.
QUALITY: God DAMN D’Angelo! Can we keep this kind of musical
guest selection up, SNL?
PROBLEMATIC: As positive as I’m being, there was a pacing
problem in even the best sketches. Mike O’Brien was great to see, but the gag
of The Jay-Z Story wore out pretty fast. As I noted before, Teacher’s Snow Day
was full frontal Simmons away from being a non-starter. The ideas are
excellent, the execution just didn’t fully land.
QUALITY: I’m still giving J.K. Simmons high hosting marks
for the show. He was game, and he’s one of those high I’d ride for… SO I’d put
him somewhere between Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz this season.
QUALITY: Speaking of this season, has someone told you that
it’s the FOURTIETH season of Saturday Night Live. To put that in perspective, I
wasn’t even alive the last time Eddie Murphy hosted the show in December 1984.
But he’s coming back, and he’s not the only one. Here is the first promo.
REPERTORY CAST
Aidy Bryant, 54 points
- 7 points - cold open
- 5 points - dancing
- 10 points - monologue
- 5 points - sketch (Miss Trash 2015)
- 5 points - dancing
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
- 2 points - swearing ("pretty tought ass")
- 5 points - sketch (Letter to Phil)
- 3 points - post-songs sketch (Japanese Messy Boy)
Jay Pharoah, 52 points
- 7 points - cold open
- 4 points - swearing ("punk ass mayor", "happy ass shaggy dog")
- 10 points - "LIVE FROM NEW YORK...!"
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Super Bowl Activity Pack)
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (The Jay Z Story)
- 5 points - rapping/dancing
Bobby Moynihan, 44 points
- 7 points - cold open
- 5 points - dancing
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Super Bowl Activity Pack)
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
- 5 points - sketch (Letter to Phil)
- 5 points - dancing
- 3 points - post-songs sketch (Japanese Messy Boy)
Cecily Strong, 39 points
- 5 points - sketch (Miss Trash 2015)
- 5 points - dancing
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
- 2 points - swearing ("zero f*cks givin'")
- 7 points - Weekend Update
- 5 points - reoccurring (One-Dimensional Female Character)
- 3 points - post-songs sketch (Japanese Messy Boy)
Kenan Thompson, 34 points
- 5 points - promos
- 7 points - cold open
- 5 points - sketch (Cinema Classics)
- 5 points - reoccurring (Reese De'What)
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
Kate McKinnon, 32 points
- 5 points - promos
- 5 points - sketch (Miss Trash 2015)
- 5 points - dancing
- 5 points - sketch (Cinema Classics)
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
Taran Killam, 32 points
- 7 points - cold open
- 5 points - sketch (Cinema Classics)
- 7 points - Weekend Update
- 5 points - reoccurring (Jebidiah Atkinson)
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (The Jay Z Story)
- 1 point - sketch voiceover (Japanese Messy Boy)
Vanessa Bayer, 17 points
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch sketch (Super Bowl Activity Pack)
- 5 points - dancing
- 5 points - sketch (Miss Trash 2015)
FEATURED CAST
Pete Davidson, 46 points
- 7 points - cold open
- 5 points - dancing
- 10 points - monologue
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 2 points - swearing ("thought my teachers were bitches")
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (The Jay Z Story)
- 3 points - post-song sketch (Japanese Messy Boy)
- 5 points - host hug
Kyle Mooney, 41 points
- 7 points - cold open
- 5 points - dancing
- 10 points - monologue
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
- 4 points - swearing ("motherf*ckaaas")
- 3 points - post-song sketch (Japanese Messy Boy)
Sasheer Zamata, 39 points
- 7 points - cold open
- 5 points - dancing
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (The Jay Z Story)
- 5 points - reoccurring (Beyonce)
- 3 points - post-songs sketch (Japanese Messy Boy)
Leslie Jones, 25 points
- 10 points - monologue
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
- 3 points - post-song sketch (Japanese Messy Boy)
Beck Bennett, 14 points
- 7 points - cold open
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch sketch (Super Bowl Activity Pack)
HOST
J.K. Simmons, 83 points
- 2 points - swearing ("kiss my ass")
- 10 points - pre-taped sketch (Super Bowl Activity Pack)
- 5 points - sketch (Miss Trash 2015)
- 5 points - singing
- 5 points - sketch (Cinema Classics)
- 10 points - pre-taped sketch (Teacher's Snow Day)
- 5 points - dancing/rapping
- 4 points - swearing ("ass")
- 15 points - nudity (full frontal)
- 5 points - sketch (Letter to Phil)
- 10 points - pre-taped sketch (The Jay Z Story)
- 5 points - post-songs sketch (Japanese Messy Boy)
- 2 points - embraces guest first
Fred Armisen, 10 points
- 10 points - monologue
Jason Sudeikis, 7 points
- 7 points - pre-taped sketch (The Jay Z Story)
REPERTORY LEAGUE
PARDO GROUP
THE TEAM YOU WISH YOU HADN'T STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH AT
A PARTY - Brian
Jay Pharoah - 52
Bobby Moynihan - 44
Pete Davidson - 46
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 147
THE FUTURE MRS. RANDY GOLDMAN - Leah
Taran Killam - 32
Sasheer Zamata - 39
Aidy Bryant - 54
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Going Ain't That Easy
& 2) Sugah Daddy
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 125
NATALIE PORTMAN'S DRY CLEANING - Sarah R
Kate McKinnon - 32
Bobby Moynihan - 44
Kyle Mooney - 41
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Ain't That Easy &
2) Really Love
2 points - song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 119
ISOLATED ARCHIPELAGO - Rob
Taran Killam - 32
Kenan Thompson - 34
Pete Davidson - 46
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Back In The Future (Part I)
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 117
BILLION DOLLAR MURRAYS - Russel
Cecily Strong - 39
Kenan Thompson - 34
Leslie Jones - 25
Fred Armisen - 10
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 113
KEYROCK, KHAN, & ASSOCIATES - Saad
Vanessa Bayer - 17
Aidy Bryant - 54
Kyle Mooney - 41
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: No songs chosen.
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 112
THE NOT READY FOR FIRST PLACE PLAYERS - Kevin M
Jay Pharoah - 52
Cecily Strong - 39
Beck Bennett - 14
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Another Life
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 110
THE IGNORANT SLUTS - Matt
Kate McKinnon - 32
Vanessa Bayer - 17
Beck Bennett - 14
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 68
FEATURED LEAGUE
MCKAY GROUP
SKANKY LITTLE PROSTITUTES - Mike
Aidy Bryant - 54
Cecily Strong - 39
Sasheer Zamata - 39
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 137
PARDO ME - Hannah
Taran Killam - 32
Aidy Bryant - 54
Kyle Mooney - 41
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: No songs chosen.
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 127
FALLON IN LOVE - Johnny
Kenan Thompson - 34
Bobby Moynihan - 44
Pete Davidson - 46
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: No songs chosen.
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 124
THE VONDRUKES - Samantha
Jay Pharoah - 52
Leslie Jones - 25
Cecily Strong - 39
Jason Sudeikis - 7
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: No songs chosen.
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 123
THE NIGHT CRAWLERZ - Kevin K
Taran Killam - 32
Jay Pharoah - 52
Beck Bennett - 14
Fred Armisen - 10
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
1000 Deaths
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 113
DAN AKROYD RAGE - Mark
Kate McKinnon - 32
Bobby Moynihan - 44
Beck Bennett - 14
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2) Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 95
DAMIAN AND THE FELINE SOCIOPATHS - Andrew
Kate McKinnon - 32
Vanessa Bayer - 17
Kenan Thompson - 34
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 88
FEY GROUP
SANTA'S MY BOYFRIEND - Megan
Taran Killam - 32
Cecily Strong - 39
Aidy Bryant - 54
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 130
THE LAND SHARKS - Jason
Kate McKinnon - 32
Kyle Mooney - 41
Aidy Bryant - 54
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: No songs chosen.
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 127
THREE LEGGED JEANS - Lori
Kate McKinnon - 32
Bobby Moynihan - 44
Kenan Thompson - 34
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: No songs chosen.
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 112
SUCK IT TREBEK - Sarah C
Jay Pharoah - 52
Cecily Strong - 39
Beck Bennett - 14
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 110
MY DOLL'S NAME IS JENNY - Doug
Vanessa Bayer - 17
Bobby Moynihan - 44
Kyle Mooney - 41
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: No songs chosen.
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 102
MARTHA STEWART'S HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: TOPLESS CHRISTMAS
SPECIAL - Robb
Taran Killam - 32
Vanessa Bayer - 17
Sasheer Zamata - 39
MUSICAL GUEST - D' Angelo - SONGS: 1) Really Love & 2)
Sugah Daddy
5 points - first song
EPISODE THIRTEEN TOTAL 93
PHIL HARTMAN TROPHY STANDINGS (after Episode 40x13)
- The Future Mrs. Randy Goldman - 1, 614
- The Ignorant Sluts - 1, 604
- Natalie Portman's Dry Cleaning - 1, 597
- Isolated Archipelago - 1, 586
- The Team You Wish You Hadn't Started A Conversation With At A Party - 1, 522
- Billion Dollar Murrays - 1, 498
- The Not Ready For First Place Players - 1, 474
- Keyrock, Khan, & Associates - 1, 293
FEATURED LEAGUE STANDINGS
- Three Legged Jeans - 1, 723
- Santa's My Boyfriend - 1, 669
- The Night Crawlerz - 1, 600
- Dan Akroyd Rage - 1, 580
- Damian and the Feline Sociopaths - 1, 551
- Pardo Me - 1, 547
- Fallon In Love - 1, 542
- Martha Stewat's Home for the Holidays: Topless Christmas Special - 1, 525
- The Land Sharks - 1, 517
- The Vondrukes - 1, 456
- Suck It Trebek - 1, 443
- Skanky Little Prostitutes - 1, 376
- My Doll's Name is Jenny - 1, 370
Yes, once again The Future Mrs. Randy Goldman is on top of
the leader board in this Chase for the Phil Hartman Trophy. Wonderfully
supported by an MVP night for Aidy Bryant, trashing it up as Miss Delaware
among other things. Also, making a big play on The Ignorant Sluts’ uncharacteristically weak Saturday Night, are Natalie
Portman’s Dry Cleaning who are now nearly tied with our reigning Fantasy League
champions, thanks in part by an excellent night from Bobby Moynihan! Save for
possibly Keyrock, Khan, & Associates (who we still can’t mathematically
rule out… probably) Season 40 could still be ANYONES year!
Three Legged Jeans held fast atop the Featured League
standings, continuing a strong second-half to Season 40. The rest of the
Featured League otherwise stayed as it was, save for Pardo Me and Fallon In Love
making the biggest moves, hopping into the top half of the League over Martha
Stewart’s Home for the Holidays: Topless Christmas Special.
And speaking of specials! Some table setting, as it were, in
preparation for the 40th Anniversary Special Spectacular on the 14th
of February! As some of you may have noticed, we have given out points to those
cast members who have appeared along-side former SNL hosts or cast members.
These points won’t be given during the three-hour special. That would be
insane. We WILL though, still give points for cast members appearing in scenes,
and all the requisite activities. As well, all prognosticated Host picks that
appear would also receive points for doing whatever it is that they do.
I’m really excited for this. And not just because of the
names mentioned during the SECOND promo, aired during the Super Bowl.
MURRAY! Alright, see you all on February 14th,
ladies and gentlemen! We’ll likely have a live podcast on the YouTube channel
so look for THAT, and there will also be plans and announcements pertaining to
the season finale and what we at the Saturday Night Live Fantasy League have in
store!
Stay in the conversation! Trivia Club would LOVE to hear feedback on the Saturday Night Live Fantasy League and how we could even improve on it all! Comment in the blog's comment section, on Trivia Club's facebook page or in our twitter feed! LISTEN TO THE PODCAST! Subscribe to us on iTUNES! Do the same on YouTube! Seriously, the more you like us the better we are at this.
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!
Stay in the conversation! Trivia Club would LOVE to hear feedback on the Saturday Night Live Fantasy League and how we could even improve on it all! Comment in the blog's comment section, on Trivia Club's facebook page or in our twitter feed! LISTEN TO THE PODCAST! Subscribe to us on iTUNES! Do the same on YouTube! Seriously, the more you like us the better we are at this.
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!
