Saturday Night Live Recap: Mister Keaton’s Neighborhood

As a die-hard fan of Saturday Night Live, I must say that last week’s episode was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride! The return of Please Don’t Destroy sketches filled my heart with joy, and the grislier instructor played by Michael Keaton was simply brilliant. His character’s custody battle at 10,000 feet in the air was both hilarious and poignant, reminding us all that even the sky is not always the limit for some people!

In 2015, Michael Keaton returned for his fourth time as host on Saturday Night Live, and his performance showed he’s always ready for a laugh. One memorable sketch had him playing an eccentric Easter enthusiast who showcased his bizarre Easter basket items and sipped an egg salad cosmo. Upon rewatching, I noticed that the character never introduced himself, and it was only at the end when his assistant, portrayed by Kate McKinnon as a chilling version of Vanna White, revealed he was playing himself: “Happy Easter, Michael Keaton.” Indeed, a happy Easter to him. The promo for this episode featured an excited Keaton tearing off his pants and underwear in a Wrestlemania-style entrance, apologizing for the blurred crotch shot with an embarrassed tone, as if he’d just walked in on someone in a public restroom. As we approach this week’s episode, one can only wonder how much comedy rooted in Keaton’s past will be incorporated.

It appears that Keaton wasn’t utilized extensively in this episode, which isn’t surprising given how close the election is. Despite being given various roles like a modest cookie salesman, three different types of fathers, a Michael Myers dance instructor, and a friend of an Uber driver, he managed adequately with what he was given.

This episode had some exceptional moments, but also some awkward ones and a fair share of clips that KamalaHQ Twitter will probably repost soon. After Weekend Update, there was a noticeable dip in quality – the last three sketches were not great. The “Tableside” sketch, where Keaton played a dad who thought he recognized the waitress, seemed like it was heading towards something interesting before it ended abruptly. Overall, despite these issues, the episode wasn’t bad, considering all factors (if you think differently, don’t worry – Joe will return next episode). Here’s to hoping that Keaton has more significant roles when he joins the five-timers club.

Here are the highlights:

Cold Open

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Ur7KlIYh8rM

In about two weeks, the focus of the show will primarily revolve around the election, which implies a sudden appearance by Alec Baldwin as President Trump, given that it’s nearly Halloween. His portrayal of Fox News host Bret Baier involves interrupting Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris and posing questions out of context. While some viewers might find her use of internet slang during the interview off-putting, it seems to be resonating with the audience. It feels like there’s a sense of guilt over Trump hosting in 2015 or maybe Hillary Clinton is hanging from the outside of 30 Rock, but I’d rather have this than the alternative, I suppose? The segments featuring James Austin Johnson as Trump and Dana Carvey as Biden offer a nice contrast. The jokes come thick and fast, and while it can be challenging to watch Harris trying to win over Republicans instead of securing the progressive vote, I did laugh out loud several times. Overall, the piece is well-executed.

ShopTV: Halloween Cookies

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=6wyzKUmlw5c

In a humorous twist, Keaton infuses a playful Easter bunny vibe while peddling a massive cookie shaped like a breast on a shopping channel. The dumbfounded hosts, portrayed by Heidi Gardner and Mikey Day, struggle to divert the conversation away from the cookie’s resemblance. Not only can you grab one cookie for $14.99, but you can also snag a second for free along with some complimentary white glaze to decorate the “cookie boob.” Some viewers might find this sketch reminiscent of old SNL skits, but I personally appreciate the absurdity. After all, life can be tough. Why not add a whipped cream and icing joke to the mix on TV?

Digital Short: Skydiving

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=h3hMnJd4W-E

Recently, there was concern that the “Please Don’t Destroy” sketches might disappear forever, but luckily, that’s not happening. In the comedy “Skydiving,” John Higgins and Martin Herlihy are about to jump out of a plane, yet their instructor Ben Marshall feels uneasy. However, he doesn’t let it bother him. Keaton portrays a more grim instructor, stuck in the midst of a custody battle even at 10,000 feet above ground. Emil Wakim’s pilot, casually wearing AirPods, takes the unknown about flying a plane in stride. The absurdity adds to the humor in a delightful way, making it a definite highlight of the evening. I truly hope that a collaboration between PDD and Jane Wickline is on the horizon soon.

Weekend Update

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=S9YO0RAKkWM

Sarah Sherman recently took her place at the Weekend Update desk for a discussion on what true diversity at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show would entail for her. With jokes like “VS angels sporting infected belly button piercings” or references to “Pangea nipples,” “resting rabbi face,” and “happy trails that circle their back like a gorilla,” her humor, coupled with her signature friendly banter with Jost, made for an entertaining segment.

TikTok

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=d6ZwQMxqx1M

This starts as an onscreen text exchange between a viewer texting their partner that they’re on their way, despite actually scrolling through TikTok. We flip through a typically jarring For You page of trends and characters. Everyone shines! Saturday Night Live has been wanting to be more zeitgeisty, and this felt like a really effective way to do that. Some standouts included Heidi Gardner as a tradwife (“My kids wanted to color, but we were all out of paper. So I mashed up my law degree to make paper for my kids”), Marcello Hernandez as a gamer a little loose with the fireworks, Ego Nwodim as a Chili’s truther, and Chloe Fineman as Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper introducing the homeland security secretary onto the pod.

Cut For Time

In his speech, Michael Keaton humorously pointed out the unexpected resemblances between Saturday Night Live (SNL) and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: “Both were rich in puppet characters, yet surprisingly both shared a generous dose of ‘funny business’ behind the scenes.

In the Halloween cookie sketch, it’s possible for the character who makes the minions without a specific context to dress up as his own Halloween costume. Additionally, the phrase “Squishy is delicious.

Sherman’s journey towards the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show came to a point where she was determined to do whatever it takes to be part of it. She responds to Jost by saying “I’ll go for that Brazilian Butt Lift you’ve been offering,” to which Jost retorts “I offered to split the cost!” Their dynamic is adorable.

• The Uber Game Show sketch didn’t quite work for me, but there were some lines I liked, including, “He’s banned from Lyft, and he’s the smartest man I know,” and the Tiny Hot Water Bottle game (“Why is this water so hot?” “Because I keep ‘em between my legs”). Monologue jokes are hard to have fun with as a form, but I appreciated Michael Che’s national no-bra day joke. Between that and Sarah Sherman’s “Pangea Nipples” and the boob cookie sketch, big naturals are in!

2024-10-20 22:54