Minding the P’s and Q’s of SNL

PROBLEMATIC: This wasn’t the strongest episode of the season, suffice to say though it wasn’t nearly as problematic as the Chris Rock episode though. In the unofficial Host Power Ranking for the season, I would put it higher then Jim Carrey, and likely higher then Sarah Silverman, but not quite as good as Pratt, Hader, or Harrelson in ascending order.

QUALITY: And I gotta say, this is the second week where the musical guest has been aces. Though last weeks was a transcendent talent in Kendrick Lamar, this week Mark Ronson helped show that Lorne Michaels needs a better musical producer on the show, by showing what a PROFESSIONAL producer is capable of putting together. Bruno Mars and Mystikal had crossover appeal, played to most demographics, while also bringing an interesting look and fun feel to the Musical Guest stage. Oh, and one hell of a set too!

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!

REPERTORY CAST

Vanessa Bayer - 59 points

Kate McKinnon - 59 points

Aidy Bryant - 52 points

Kenan Thompson - 52 points

Cecily Strong - 42 points

Jay Pharoah - 40 points

Bobby Moynihan - 30 points

Taran Killam - 24 points

FEATURED CAST

Kyle Mooney - 47 points

Beck Bennett - 44 points

Leslie Jones - 41 points

Sasheer Zamata - 32 points

Pete Davidson - 8 points

HOST

Cameron Diaz - 59 points

REPERTORY LEAGUE

PARDO GROUP

THE IGNORANT SLUTS - Matt

Kate McKinnon - 59

Vanessa Bayer - 59

Beck Bennett - 44

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Feel Right

5 points - first song

10 points - second song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 177

KEYROCK, KHAN, & ASSOCIATES - Saad

Vanessa Bayer - 59

Aidy Bryant - 52

Kyle Mooney - 47

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: No songs chosen.

2 points - Jamie Foxx impersonation

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 160

BILLION DOLLAR MURRAYS - Russel

Cecily Strong - 42

Kenan Thompson - 52

Leslie Jones - 41

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Daffodils

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 140

THE NOT READY FOR FIRST PLACE PLAYERS - Kevin M

Jay Pharoah - 40

Cecily Strong - 42

Beck Bennett - 44

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 131

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

Jay Pharoah - 40

Bobby Moynihan - 30

Pete Davidson - 8

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Gorilla

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 83

FEATURED LEAGUE

MCKAY GROUP

DAMIAN AND THE FELINE SOCIOPATHS - Andrew

Kate McKinnon - 59

Vanessa Bayer - 59

Kenan Thompson - 52

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Locked Out of Heaven

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 175

DAN AKROYD RAGE - Mark

Kate McKinnon - 59

Bobby Moynihan - 30

Beck Bennett - 44

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Gorilla

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 138

SKANKY LITTLE PROSTITUTES - Mike

Aidy Bryant - 52

Cecily Strong - 42

Sasheer Zamata - 32

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Valerie

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 131

THE VONDRUKES - Samantha

Jay Pharoah - 40

Leslie Jones - 41

Cecily Strong - 42

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: No songs chosen.

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 123

THE NIGHT CRAWLERZ - Kevin K

Taran Killam - 24

Jay Pharoah - 40

Beck Bennett - 44

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Daffodils

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 113

FALLON IN LOVE - Johnny

Kenan Thompson - 52

Bobby Moynihan - 30

Pete Davidson - 8

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Daffodils

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 95

FEY GROUP

THREE LEGGED JEANS - Lori

Kate McKinnon - 59

Bobby Moynihan - 30

Kenan Thompson - 52

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Valerie

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 146

MY DOLL'S NAME IS JENNY - Doug

Vanessa Bayer - 59

Bobby Moynihan - 30

Kyle Mooney - 47

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Valerie

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 141

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

Taran Killam - 24

Vanessa Bayer - 59

Sasheer Zamata - 32

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) Valerie

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 125

SANTA'S MY BOYFRIEND - Megan

Taran Killam - 24

Cecily Strong - 42

Aidy Bryant - 52

MUSICAL GUEST - Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson - SONGS: 1) Uptown Funk & 2) some sort of mashup, also bruno mars will wear a hat

5 points - first song

EPISODE SEVEN TOTAL 123

PHIL HARTMAN TROPHY STANDINGS (after Episode 40x07)

FEATURED LEAGUE STANDINGS

A strong night overall, with season nights for McKinnon and especially for Bayer making waves for a number of teams. In the Featured League the standings were uncharacteristically stable, with Damian and the Feline Sociopaths making a big jump in the standings and Three Legged Jeans inching ever closer to the top spot still held by Santa’s My Boyfriend.

With the first third of the season over, the Race for the Phil Hartman Trophy continues it’s dramatic chase as our reigning champions The Ignorant Sluts widen their lead atop the standings jump when they looked their weakest! Isolated Archipelago slip to the bottom of the top half of the Reparatory League standings, while the Billion Dollar Murrays climb to the top of the bottom half!

SNL’s hosts for December were announced, and for the first time in a couple of seasons they aren’t bringing in a former cast member for the Christmas episode! In two weeks, our next three week run will begin with James Franco as host, then shift to Martin Freeman’s hobbit heavy Saturday night, before brining in Amy Adams of all people for the Christmas episode!

An Oscar-nominee is a hell of a way to change up a recent tradition, and yes, in TWO WEEKS on December 6^th SNL’s ersatz documentarian James Franco will be hosting Saturday Night Live with Musical Guest (with a hell of a lot easier to peg second song at that, as far as Suck It Trebeck would hope) Nicki Minaj!

Recent history in mind, the chances for nudity points are HIGH!

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!