Weekend TV Wrap Up

Weekend TV Wrap-up/ Shows I saw this weekend

SNL – The 40^th season of SNL is upon on us and it followed in the grand tradition of SNL by being merely okay.  Chris Pratt was by no means a bad host but he really wasn’t given much to do.  This seems to happen to hosts that are good ensemble players on other shows as they just blend into the cast.  Again, nothing against Chris Pratt, but nothing too memorable from our benevolent StarLord (a great film).  I’m not going to be stepping on any new ground here but the best part of the show was new cast member Pete Davidson and his Weekend Update monologue about sucking dick for money.  It was a bit that was hilarious and very relatable.  I literally had the same conversation about dick sucking the other night and we all came to the same conclusion that Davidson did.  Even his minor roles in sketches were spot on like his pronunciation of the word treason.  Here’s hoping he gets a chance to shine this season.  I also enjoyed the return of Leslie Jones as she brought some energy to a low key Weekend Update with her flirty repartee with Colin Jost (she flirted, he just stayed there).  Michael Che was shaky at first, but got better and I hope he does a good job in the anchor role as he was pretty good in his cameo with the Daily Show.  He already is better than Jost, which sadly, is not much of a compliment.  It should have been Cecily Strong and Michael Che doing the update, but there’s no use in complaining.  Let’s just hope that Jost and Che can develop some chemistry together or else the middle of the show is going to be a drag.  The sketches again were not that memorable and here’s looking to Sarah Silverman to bring it on home next week.  Hopefully she’ll mention how much she hated working at SNL back in the day.  One can only hope.

The Simpsons – The season premiere gave us a death and I was glad it was Rabbi Krustoswki and not Spencer Tracy’s most promising newcomer of 1959, Krusty the Clown.  Killing off a character was unnecessary, but I’m glad it was done to a minor one and gave us a chance to see fake Jewish heaven (I for one would love to slow dance with the Marx Brothers and Rodney Dangerfield).  The episode was enjoyable and the celebrity cameos were fine and not a distraction (it’s always cool to here Sideshow Bob’s soothing tones).  The stand out of the episode was the bizarre couch gag by Don Hertzfedlt which took us briefly into the past and then the future of the Simpson’s franchise.  It was an avant-garde beginning to the season and I enjoyed that they let the gag go on for a few minutes.  The guest artist couch gags have been a highlight of the last few seasons and I hope that they stay.  It shows the Simpsons dedication to being a truly unique and different television program.

Family Guy – Ah, nothing warms the heart like a crossover episode.  The Family Guy – Simpsons bits were okay, but after a while the continued knowing winks at the audience grew a bit tiresome.  My favorite bits to the episode were the surprise cameos by Bob from Bob’s Burgers and Roger from American Dad! (here’s looking to a great season on TBS).  The fight scene at the end went on too long, but the Stewie – Bart subplot was enjoyable and seeing Lisa act as a positive role model and all around good person is something I’ll never grow tired of.  The biggest surprise for me was watching the hostility Marge showed towards Brian.  I guess Quagmire isn’t the only person not particularly fond of Brian.  In the end, I think Homer said it best that they should agree to stay a half hour apart from each other.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver – As I write this piece, I am eagerly awaiting the real highlight of Sunday nights; the half an hour brilliance of John Oliver.  The show does some of the best investigative work on television in his signature 15 minute exposes that range from the disgrace that is FIFA to the disgrace that is the Miss America scholarship program.  The man is a wrecking ball of devastating humor and unparalleled insight.  Lately he’s outpaced the Daily Show and my beloved Colbert Report due to the freedom he is awarded by being on HBO.  That show is a treasure and it is unfortunate that we have to look to a comic for hard news.  Long live John Oliver!

Feel free to comment on my reviews and discuss your own favorite weekend program in the comment section below (yes I have a comments section and yes it is free to post).