SNL 1-15-2005 Topher Grace (1 Viewer)

[Randy Tennison]

Cue cards don't bother me, consider they are re-writing the scripts up until airtime. There is no way to memorize scripts and changes that quick.

But, this weeks episode was pretty weak, overall. Even Weekend Update was poor.

 

[Bryan_O]

I loved the opening w/Bush & Bush & Cllinton. Darryl Hammond does a great Clinton, and whether or not Will Forte does a good Bush Jr. there were some great lines including:

Clinton "...and Monday is MLK day."

Bush Jr "Oh"

Being a life-long fan of SNL, you can see it always goes in cycles a few strong seasons, then a few weak ones. The recent cast is still reeling from the loss of Will Farrell. And even the haters of SNL since '75 have to admit he was involved with some of the best sketches since the shows inception.

 

[Chris]

I think the problem is, though, even when Farrell was on, that the vast majority of sketches wandered off into nowhere and seemed to conclude at a whim with no set ending.. people just wandered around until time ran out.. that's bad writing. Farrell was just able to save some sketches.

I'll admit, I started watching MadTV more a few years ago (primarily for the claymation Christmas bit which sold me) but the one thing I'll give them credit for: the sketches have a begining, story and end. Something SNL has been lacking for years. If you go back to the 80s, some portions of mid nineties and seventies, the sketches (even when not funny) had a through line of action where the ending seemed clearly defined. For the last few years, the sketches have become progressively worse about actually having substance to draw a conclusion from... just my opinion, but it's important that a sketch establish something, anything, to tell us what's going on.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Did anyone wince when Topher had the balls to say the SNL writers were really good (or the best, I forget the actual words) at the end of the show?

Topher was only funny in the dollar bill skit. He seemed really out of his element in all his other skits. I was praying that he was just getting punked, but it was not to be.

I thought Will Forte was going to blow a blood vessel while doing his Zell Miller bit.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Topher Grace was very funny in the bordello sketch. That sketch was custom made for cue cards since not making eye contact with Dratch serves the character. He underplayed his straight man role to pefection. By the way, she isn't the "oldest working prostitute", but she may be when "Big Momma" retires.

Regards,