The Cold Open naturally lampooned the recent second presidential debate between President Obama (Jay Pharaoh) and Mitt Romney (Jason Sudeikis) earlier this week, while highlighting new company member Aidy Bryant (who disappeared last week only to scream out the intro last night) as moderator Candy Crowley. The skit was pretty much a condensed version of the 90-minute debate. Pharaoh, with his hair frosted grey, stepped up his game, just as the President did, as he said, "This isn't Colorado anymore, this is sea level." They fielded questions from Long Island residents in the Town Hall-style debate, which included Kate McKinnon with her crazy eyes and teeth (she unfortunately took a backseat for most of the rest of the episode); Bobby Moynihan, who, after being asked why he wants to kick both of their asses, responds, "I don't know, I'm undecided"; and a reference to Tagg Romney (Taran Killam hilarious in his one second of "Let me at him"). Crowley tried to keep order while the two grown men conducted themselves like little boys, while betraying an affinity towards the President. Tom Hanks (he has hosted many times in the past and has Cloud Atlas opening next weekend), who remained the length of the episode until curtain, surprise-cameoed, with a blond wig and two pairs of glasses, struggling to ask his question before he just spurts out, "Libya."
In a skit allowing for Mars to do some singing impressions, there was the Pandora bit where "technicians" are in charge of certain playlists. When the power goes out, chaos ensues and they require intern Devin (Mars) to step in and fill in the vocals, which includes an wide array (Green Day, Aerosmith, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Louis Armstrong). However, his multiple Michael Jackson vocal renditions were pretty sick and had to have brought the house down.
Weekend Update with Seth Meyers was solid, focusing on making hay out of the previous few days of politics. He had his "Do's and Don'ts"--advice for the presidential candidates for the next debate. Bill Hader returned as Stefon and lost his shit like never before. I'm neither yay or nay at this point. He's pretty innocuous. I'm not sure if they'll ever retire him, but, so far, I'm not annoyed, yet.
In a prerecorded bit called Sad Mouse, SNL is surreptitiously trying to get back into the digital short business without Andy Samberg, while pretending they're not. Killam returned as Brad Pitt lampooning his recent nonsensical Chanel commercial in four different spots including pushes for Taco Bell tacos and dog condoms. There was the return of the Merryville robot brothers with Mars as an addition, as well as the hilarious inclusion of Hanks for the button. I never got Underground Records; sometimes, I want to shoot it, but I mostly ignore it. It keeps coming back from the dead like Ass Dan. I had forgotten Nasim Pedrad was a castmember, until it aired towards the end.
SNL may have been trying to get something started with Haters starring Sunny Taylor Tompkins (Cecily Strong). It's a Jerry Springer-type talk-show and had Moynihan and Mars doing drag. It wasn't my favorite, but they pulled the cord pretty quick. I'm not sure is Strong was strong here. There was also a wilderness lodge skit. It was mostly a cheesy sketch where Mars mysteriously looks into the camera with an eye-patch. The only funny moment involved Hader playing a Christopher Lloyd-type who declares, "I was repeatedly beefed in the A by a Yeti," only to be shortly thereafter ass-raped again out in the snow by his beloved.
Was this one for the books? Not really. Could I have done without it? Yes. Do I curse having watched it? I wouldn't say so. But, if you curious, I'd watch the Cold Open, as well as the Pandora skit for Mars' vocal impressions (the latter of which was not available at the time of post).
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