Adam Driver hosted the first episode of SNL in 2016, but unfortunately much of it was a dud. That's not due to him though, as he showed quite a range and really went for it, but too many of the skits were weird tonight and bizarrely unmemorable.
COLD OPEN: We get yet another Republican debate that skewers the whole field, but this one's a lot less funny than the last. The jokes are lame and nobody stands out, except for Jay's Ben Carson, who can't not be funny, apparently. It's a meh start to the show.
MONOLOGUE: Oof- this monologue was truncated and it seemed like they just didn't have any ideas for it. Adam comes out and is accosted by rabid Star Wars fans, but the the whole thing lasts like two minutes and then we're done. Um, okay?
NFL: Adam and Beck are announcers in a skit that targets the NFL's tendency to show excruciating replays of major injuries- Pete is a player who gets his legs bent backwards- this is an old joke that could have been done 20 years ago. Seriously, guys? How about some effort here?
UNDERCOVER BOSS: Ok, this one's better. A pre-taped bit that spoofs the reality show with Adam as Kylo Ren going undercover as "Matt" at Star Killer Base. Adam makes this work, as he zeroes in on his character's whiny brat personality who gets offended by everything his employees do. It's actually kind of amusing, especially on rewatch (goes on a little too long though).
ALADDIN: Adam and Cecily sing "A Whole New World" on the magic carpet while stuff keeps falling on Cecily's (as Jasmine) head from the sky- yeah, this is terrible. The joke loses itself and the sketch has no idea how to end and turns into a bizarre, surreal finish with Leslie and Beck as random air control people all of a sudden.
AMERICA'S FUNNIEST CATS: Adam is the uptight host of a cat clip show (and he really commits to this bit, funnily enough), while Cecily and Kate come on as French people who can't comment right on the cat videos. Another oddity and really not funny at all- they've almost all been like this, with only Adam's efforts to appreciate here.
UPDATE: Colin and Michael diss the GOP contenders again and the Oscars diversity controversy (although Michael advocates for them nominating box office hits only- an argument that makes me want to tear my hair out; money does NOT equal quality, people!); Pete comes on and does some rambling stand-up bit (not funny), and then Vanessa appears as her child correspondent to read inappropriate stories again- that one's kind of amusing, but I'm distracted by the fact that she's played that exact character in past sketches.
SOCIAL PUPPETEERING: Cecily and Adam lecture students on not playing elaborate pranks on other kids- you got it, another pointless and unfunny skit here. Man, are we getting to the end yet?
BOWIE: Fred Armisen comes out and introduces a clip of David Bowie performing on SNL in 1979, but they don't even play the whole performance! Dude, if you guys are going to do a tribute, play the whole damn thing.
GOLDEN GLOBES: A pre-taped bit about Kyle and Kate as kids whose parents Adam and Vanessa win Golden Globes on TV and tell them to "go to bed" from the stage, while they go out and start partying like crazy. The bit goes into surreal territory at the end when Liev Schreiber shows up as himself- this one's kinda bizarre but actually better than most the skits tonight.
PORN VIDEO: That terrible Aidy sketch ends the night where she's the naive, unknowing student who keeps interrupting 70's style porn video activities, this time between Adam as a doctor "examining" athlete Beck. I hated this one before and I still hate it.
So it ends on a low note, and the two mildly amusing skits were the pre-taped stuff, but on the other hand, Adam was an above average host I'd say. Too bad the writing wasn't on par with his skills. I give it a D. I don't have a lot of hope for next week with Rhonda Rousey coming on (athletes are notoriously awful SNL hosts anyway), but I'll be there, tuned in as always. See you guys then!
