October 26, 2019 – Chance the Rapper (S45 E4)

by Vax Novier

TRUMP RALLY
impeached Bill Clinton (DAH) speaks at Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin) rally

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— A lousy start so far with yet another lame Trumpwin malaproper.
— Even though it’s just a sketch, it still feels a bit disturbing to have all those extras in the background portraying proud Trump supporters.
— Relating to the point above, the response to Aidy’s “white lord” line got a bigger reaction than it really should’ve.
— Pete’s walk-on gets a round of applause, which is slightly justified considering it’s only the second episode he’s appeared in this season.
— A lot of this is reminding me of the season 39 premiere cold open where different speakers got the spotlight during an Obama press conference. The problem with reusing that premise here is that having Trump as the straight man is a misguided approach.
— Darrell Hammond makes his first onscreen appearance in years. Interesting to see him next to Baldwin’s Trump considering his bitterness over losing the role.
— Fred Armisen makes his 10 millionth unnecessary cameo, and the first of MANY in this season alone!
STARS: *½

MONOLOGUE
KYM & Chicago native host rap how they like things deemed second-best

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— Chance brings up the Chicago teacher’s strike going on at the time (the union is referenced on his shirt), and addresses his support.
— Good premise with Chance giving praise to the second best of different things.
— Funny aside between Chance and Kyle over justifying the inclusion of an isthmus as the second best to islands.
— Although it’s just a silent, background part, Heidi and Melissa are making the most of their role.
— An energetic monologue carried by Chance, making it a slight step up from his first one.
STARS: ***½

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
befuddled Lazlo Holmes doesn’t know what to make of an esports tournament

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— The return of Chance’s clueless sports correspondent, Lazlo Holmes, who appeared the last time he hosted, even getting moved up from post-Update to the opening sketch. Around the same time, Chance had recorded multiple interviews with NHL players that were shown throughout the month during intermissions of hockey games. 
— Future cast member-Andrew Dismukes makes a photographic cameo as the event’s regular correspondent (third screencap above).
— Chance makes himself break as he delivers the line about “white and Asian kids doing [E-Sports] while black kids were inventing hip-hop.”
— Some funny comments from Chance when trying to decipher the game clip.
— Chance, in response to an online chat comment: “That means nothing to me.”
— This is following the same beats as the last installment (confusion over the sport, refusing to pronounce a player’s name), but Chance is still carrying the material.
— Good bit with Chance’s stunned reaction and response to all the fangirls for Bowen’s character.
STARS: ***

FIRST IMPRESSIONS COURT
(host) summarily judges (Jason Momoa) & others

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— The concept of Chance as a decisive judge has some good potential.
— So far, while the content may be entertaining on paper, it’s almost coming across as “Haha, isn’t it funny that black people who dress bizarrely are criminals?!”
— Okay, now this sketch is starting to take off with Kyle as the plaintiff immediately ruled guilty for bringing on a puppet, as it prevents the material from feeling too repetitive and diminishes any racial undertones that were present.
— Another break from Chance during Bowen’s walk-on.
— Kate gets some scattered applause just for entering the scene, which is immediately followed by a random Jason Momoa cameo to keep the crowd going.
— A bit of a troubling start, but this ended up working just as well as the execution could make it.
STARS: ***

TASTY TOASTER TARTS
(host) & fellow kids can eat Tasty Toaster Tarts thanks to his parricide

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— I like the natural buildup with the long list of snacks Chance has in the pantry.
— A good twist when it’s revealed Chance seemingly murdered his strict parents.
— Tons of standout moments between Chance’s excessive denial over his missing parents, coupled with the drawn out rattling of all the snack names.
— Great ending with the mood turning sinister when it appears the ruse is up, only to become cheerful again after presenting the toaster tarts.
— A short and sweet piece that managed to pack a lot in!
STARS: ****½

GRAVEYARD GHOSTS
on Halloween, ghost (host) reluctantly shares embarrassing cause of death

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— This is definitely a patented Day/Seidell concept, as it feels reminiscent to the graveyard sketch from Jim Carrey’s season 40 episode (Paul and Phil), but there’s still potential to go in a different direction.
— Funny shift with Chance simply going “We can skip me!” when it’s his turn to share his death.
— I’m liking the different ways Chance attempts to avoid talking about his death by leaving out details during his song, then claiming, “A ghost never tells.”
— Some well-timed chyron effects in the background while the stories are presented. Same goes for the animatronic owl and skeleton.
— And now the reveal of Chance’s death being that he stuck a pole up his ass and got struck by lightning for a reaction. What makes this tale land is Chance feeling compelled to justify his actions and explain certain aspects along with the details on how he was torn apart by the strike.
— Chance, while justifying his humiliating death: “I was a kid. Kids do weird stuff.” Aidy: “You died in your 20s.”
STARS: ***½

MUSICAL GUEST INTRO
host introduces himself as Kensli Bennett [real] sings “Impossible”

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MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
host introduces himself as Kensli Bennett [real] sings “Impossible”

host performs “Zanies & Fools”

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— Blue: Haha, Chance’s self-introduction was hilarious.
— Very cute home video of Chance’s daughter singing a song from Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. The strings in the background are giving it a major old-school Disney vibe.
— Right off the bat, excellent rapping from Chance.
— Love the drumline in the background, especially the glitter flying up from their drum heads! Very cool visual effect, and their sound is satisfyingly heavy..
— Also love that the string parts are being performed live.
— Tasteful black and pink color scheme from the performers..
— Love how much the dancers are adding to the performance instead of being the sole thing that keeps it interesting.
— Chance is stumbling a bit on the higher notes in the second chorus/break.
— Very impressed by Chance’s rapping on the long phrase that opens the third verse.
— The pre-recorded backing vocals sound so heavenly on the third verse.
— Oof, that last “it’s possible!” was painfully flat.
— That was a very joyous, uplifting performance. So great!
STARS: ****½

WEEKEND UPDATE
Donald Jr. (MID) & Eric (ALM) back pa Trump’s Biden nepotism allegation

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— This week’s appearance comparison refers to Matt Gaetz as “live action Quagmire”. What was once a cheap burn, became more relevant by the time Pete would go on to play Gaetz in one of the Britney Spears cold opens next season and incorporate some forced Quagmire traits into the impression.
— A technical gaffe just now, as an intended film clip that doesn’t start right away, causing extended silence. Colin makes a noticeable reaction to the delay just as the clip finally begins. This is fixed in reruns.
— A good breakdown from Michael over the downfall of Giuliani. I especially like his line about how he “went from the mayor of 9/11 to the 9/11 of mayors!”
— Che’s Bernie joke gets some applause at the mention of his endorsement and then a ton of groans after the punchline.
— The Trump brothers return to Update for the first time in over a year. After frequent appearances at the desk, these commentaries have become an annual offering for the remainder of Trump’s presidency.
— Mikey’s Don starts out by making reference to the last couple of Bernie jokes saying, “Can you believe they made fun of a Democrat?” in what sounds like a thinly-veiled response towards criticism of the show’s political content being too biased. Having it come out of a reviled Trump family member has to be their (potentially) misguided way of claiming the upper hand.
— A barely audible fart noise can be heard while Colin is talking. The fact that no one commented on it has me to believe it wasn’t intentional.
— We get the usual funny bits from Alex, such as awkwardly holding Mikey’s hand when he reaches over, and this edition’s distraction as he plays with a pin toy.
— Che has a solid tangent about the state of Kanye, followed by Colin’s reaction when he ends it shortly after comparing him to Bruce Jenner.
— A funny line about how Kavanaugh is the best known Supreme Court justice, the same way Jared Fogle is the best known sandwich mascot. Che‘s follow-up response is just icing on the cake.
— Colin’s last joke causes him to crack up during their sign off.
— Two commentaries were cut from this Update after dress rehearsal. One featuring Ego as Che’s intrusive aunt, and the other with Cecily as Faye Dunaway that involved an antsy monkey puppet and a walk-on from Bowen as her assistant. Ego would probably have a better chance of getting her character on air in the present day, and Cecily’s seemed to go off the rails based off the description. If it meant a certain sketch later in the night got cut for time (though they probably would’ve cut a different one since it stars Kate and Aidy), I wouldn’t have minded seeing either of these pieces make it to the episode.
STARS: ***½

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
love-at-first-sight leads (host) & (CES) to literally float on air

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— Off to an amusing start with Chance’s stilted delivery of “I’m nice, but I’m also shy.” when introducing himself.
— Cecily: “Do they have dancing here?” Chance: “I don’t care. If they don’t like it, they can kill us.”
— Beck is only now making his first appearance, in the post-Update half of the night. (He did have a part in the cold open as a Giuliani associate that got cut after dress.) I remember at the time it felt like he was being phased out during the first couple months of this season while people like Alex were getting a bit more to do. This only lasted until December, unfortunately, as the established hierarchy was put back into place. Unless we hear otherwise in an interview down the line, it’s likely that Beck was planning on leaving after this season until the pandemic delayed his departure to the following year.
— Now they’re starting to say Chance’s character is a psycho, yet the progression of the sketch hasn’t really warranted the need for that detail.
— This already charming sketch is raised (no pun intended) by the two flying, or “low hovering”, with the use of wires to display their love.
— I’m loving the exchanges between Chance and Cecily, respectively, such as “They’re just jealous of me.” “And me, too.” “Sure.” followed by “Have you ever had champagne?” “No, what is it?”
— Yet another segment with a lot of breaking. In this case, though, it adds to the delight I’m having watching this.
— I like Chloe’s deadpan response after they mess up her seafood platter.
— Great turn with Chance immediately rejecting Cecily, sinking to the ground after they kiss, and her subsequently begging him to “come back up here where all the love is.”
— Yes! I’m getting the live version where it took a while to apply the wires onto Beck and they’re forced to extend the bit with Cecily grabbing her purse in midair as Heidi and Ego try to console her. The three of them are doing a good job stalling for time with their little ad-libs. Even though this bit is removed in reruns, it doesn’t detract from the quality of this sketch. 
— A fantastic sketch, overall, that I loved just about every bit of! Written by James Anderson and Kent Sublette along with Cecily, this is one of the better outputs of the duo.
STARS: *****

SPACE MISTAKES
fatal flubs doom astronauts (host), (BEB), (KYM) in film

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— It feels a bit odd seeing something like this so late in the night, compared to when these types of pre-tapes are usually placed.
— This is a funny take on the trope of disasters in space movies.
— I enjoyed Kyle dramatically addressing his mistake before bursting on impact.
— A great rapid montage of different mistakes taking place, especially Bowen spilling a coffee cup in the control room and exclaiming “No, a mistake!”
— The scenes with Ego really standout, as she’s providing an exceptional performance.
STARS: ***½

DAZZLE DESIGNS
(AIB) & (KAM) peddle unattractive show choir attire

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— Has every episode this season so far featured a sketch starring Kate and Aidy that gives them free rein to do whatever the hell they want!?
— This one, in particular, feels too similar to their Apple Picking sketch from only three episodes ago.
— The only laughs I’m getting out of this are the cutaways to Chance, Chris, and Pete as the choir boy models.
— I’ve got nothing else to say about the piece. It’s all just template Kaidy material by this point.
STARS: **

MUSICAL GUEST INTRO
Jason Momoa (real) introduces host

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MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
Jason Momoa (real) introduces host

host & Megan Thee Stallion [real] perform “Handsome”

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— Blue: Jason Momoa! Hello!
— The opening to this song sounds more rooted in R&B than Chance’s previous offering.
— I like the stage’s blue lighting.
— Mildly amused by Chance skipping a word to take a very noticeable breath.
— I find Chance’s singing less interesting than his rapping, but his energy makes up for it.
— Digging this song’s rhythm section. The melodic bass runs are particularly great.
— Megan Thee Stallion! Yessss! Nice to see her make a sort of cameo before she went on to perform in the opening episode of season 46.
— Megan’s rap is so sick, I love it. So much power in her voice.
STARS: ***½

DANCE REHEARSAL
in a dance studio, instructor (KET) poorly hides werewolf transformation

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— According to Matt, this was cut from the Jennifer Lopez episode way back in S35 with J-Lo playing the instructor. I can only imagine what that version of this sketch looked like, knowing in retrospect that they could’ve waited four more episodes and revived it with her.
— There’s Kenan’s first utterance of “OHHH THE MOON!!!” He makes it work so well, I just can’t help but laugh.
— It looks like the wrong camera was cut to just now since we get a profile shot of Chance while he’s talking.
— A hilarious response from Heidi towards Chance mentioning he got a fax, playing with the 90’s setting of the piece.
— This has a similar premise (I’m saying that about a lot in this review. After 45 years, you’re bound to have frequently repeated material) to the werewolf sketch with Christan Slater when he hosted in 1991. In fact, this episode aired exactly 28 years later to the day as that one (October 26).
— I know some people may despise the repetition, but for me, the execution, carried by Kenan’s commitment, is so dumb that it works. Between this and the flying sketch, Anderlette is providing rare, strong material tonight.
— And Chance is breaking yet again. At this point, it would be easier to list the segments where he doesn’t break.
— Chris is supplying a couple of excellent straight man moments.
— Interesting delivery from Chloe for her one line.
— A funny beat to end on. Not only because of the final bit, but for the detail of both Chance and Chris staying behind after the incident.
STARS: ****

GOODNIGHTS

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— Chicago residents in the cast can be seen wearing Chance’s shirt from the monologue, showing their support towards the teachers’ strike.

CUT FOR TIME: 80’S DRUG PSA
an anti-drug public service announcement goes off the rails

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— I’m getting some laughs from the presentation for the intentionally cheesy PSA.
— A good turn with Kenan going against their anti-drug message and getting hooked after being told some of the advantages.
— Parts of this almost feel like a precursor to That’s The Game, and other similar shorts starring Chris Redd, where the straightlaced character slowly reveals their lack of insight and devolves into incompetency.
— The premise was pretty one-note and predictable for the most part, but the performances were likeable.
STARS: ***

OTHER DRESS REHEARSAL SKETCHES
— Shoutout to the Reddit poster for putting together these dress rehearsal reports, and to Matt for sharing the links to them.
— Bowen, Heidi, Melissa, Kyle, and Chance perform at a hipster coffee house for an open mic. Chance come on and mentions reading an article about feminism so now he knows everything. He performs a rap about women and one about poor people later in the sketch. This would be cut from dress during Kristen Stewart’s episode the following week with that version being posted online. John will go into more detail about the sketch, but Chance’s character is replaced by Kate and Kristen as a singing duo.
— Beck, Aidy, Chance, and Kate are parents in the bleachers of a high school football game who comment on the game they’re watching and engage in small talk between each other. Ego makes a walk-on as Chance’s girlfriend after it’s revealed he’s cheating on his wife. 

IMMEDIATE POST-SHOW THOUGHTS:
— Another standout episode hosted by Chance! There was a lot to like throughout the night, including the endearing breaking. Getting him back for a second time during the outskirts of his peak turned out to be perfect timing, although it would be nice if he ever returned to host in the future.

MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF “BEST OF” MOMENTS FOR THIS EPISODE, REPRESENTED WITH SCREENCAPS

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RATED SEGMENTS RANKED FROM BEST TO WORST
Love At First Sight
Tasty Toaster Tarts
Dance Rehearsal
Monologue
Graveyard Ghosts
Weekend Update
Space Mistakes
CFT: 80’s Drug PSA
First Impressions Court
League of Legends World Championship
Dazzle Designs
Trump Rally

TOMORROW:
John takes a look at Kristen Stewart’s return to the show, disproving the notion that dropping the f-bomb is an instant ban.