One of the unique perks of working collaboratively with six other highly-talented writers is that all of us have our own opinions surrounding the show, as well as the stances and takes that come with it. I thought that it would be a fun idea, then, to take advantage of our different voices and individually share our thoughts on the season as a whole! It’s just a fun thing that we’re doing because we can.
This is a lot more laid-back and casual (or alternatively, a lot more essay-driven) than the sort of Stooge-inspired reviews we’ve been contributing to the site; we’re just gonna share our thoughts on Season 43 as a whole, talk about our favorite sketches, episodes, and experiences, and maybe even share some hot takes to re-roll on others’ evaluations! Vax has also generously calculated average episode scores, and we’ll cap everything off with a best-of selection of our favorite moments from the past season. Let’s roll! -Matt
ANTHONY:
What are your general thoughts on the season?: I usually lump 43-45 together as seasons of the show where I fell off of the show a bit. I would still watch each week, but unless it was a guest I was really excited about like Sandler or Murphy I would never watch live, usually watching the sketches on YouTube the next day instead. While there were a few clear highlights, a lot these years have honestly pretty quickly been lost to the fog. Revisiting it, this is probably the best season of the chunk I just mentioned at least. Obviously, the Trumpwin stuff is pure bile, with the back to back cold opens from Mulaney and Glover possibly representing the nadir of that for this whole era (or just, you know, comedy in general), but a lot of the other problems that would plague the next couple of the seasons (same-y feeling sketches, cast members sticking around despite having shown us everything in their toolkit, “how you do you do, fellow kids?”) are there this season, but in a much more nascent form. Similar to how season 18 has a lot of the issues that would plague 19 and 20, but still manages to keep things together enough for everything to still be fun. Get past the chillys in each episode, and you’re basically there with 43. Still think that Hader episode was pretty lame, though, give or take a sketch or two about poop and old man boners (because, if nothing else, I want to be known as a man of sophistication).
What was your favorite thing that you covered this season?: The Chance episode. While I still don’t go full 5 on anything there, I’d probably bump a couple ratings up (namely “History of Rap” & “Career Day”, which both deserve probably at least another half a star each). The whole thing is just such a damn fun affair. Chance storms in with this ebullient, kid brother energy that serves as a nice anchor for each sketch while never soaking up too much limelight—it feels like everyone gets some solid bit of business that episode, a sadly increasingly rare feat in modern SNL.
Favorite sketches?: I mean, all the sketches we gave 5 stars to? Which feels like a cheat, but I think everyone chose well. I do want to specifically note “Beers,” “The Race” and “Undercover Office Potty”—Ruby, who some of you may recognize from the comments on this and the previous site, referred to those 3 pretapes from this season as possibly being Beck and Kyle’s three best offerings, and after some thought I think I might have to agree.
Favorite episode(s)?: Mulaney wins this for me overall, but I do have to note the quietly excellent run from Haddish to Ronan.
Hot takes?: Although it was rated pretty highly by Kabir, I’d bump up “The Game of Life: DACA Edition” by about a star. It’s so rare to get genuinely strong satire on SNL, especially in the Trump era, but I think Julio Torres (a guy I can’t gush over enough, though I’ll try) seems to be one of their few writers who can actually leave bite marks. His “Through Donald’s Eyes” sketch is not only far and away SNL’s best sketch having to do with Trump, but one of the best, most fully realized pieces of comedy I’ve seen on the guy period. “Game of Life” isn’t quite that strong, but I think it manages to portray the hoops immigrants have to go through in this country in a way where you can feel the pure rage and catharsis coming from Torres without ever sacrificing the laughs (that expansion pack joke is gold).
I also don’t want to quibble too much with the guy who inspired this whole thing but I definitely don’t rate Larry David’s second episode quite as highly as Stooge, even if I do adore “Beers”.
CARSON:
What are your general thoughts on the season?: We’re in Trump hell. It’s like SNL had a bouncy balloon that they got to play with. Then Trump got elected and that beautiful balloon started to deflate. Now SNL is still throwing the completely deflated balloon into the air and saying “Wheeee!” in the hopes that no one notices. Of course there are bits and pieces that rise above the fray (Eric and Don Jr.), but SNL’s political material has never had a poorer batting average. We still have several years to go, so strap in.
If SNL is a show of upward trends and downward trends, seeing the most long-tenured cast in the middle of its run feels, even in hindsight, like a show treading water. We still get great pre-tapes and even some new classic live pieces, but this season really feels like nothing more than the SNL establishment holding sway. And that can be a great thing! I think SNL was at its best during Seasons 14 and 15 when the core group had hit their stride and were enjoying a sort of flow state with their comedy. That’s where we’re at here: everyone is kind of chipping along in the way they always have. Kenan’s the stalwart, Kate the star, Leslie the scene-stealer, Cecily the actress, Beck the everydude, Kyle the weirdo, etc. If you’re down with the formula, you’re down with this era of SNL.
Me? I can take it or leave it. I’m one of those fans who appreciates SNL as a renewable resource, constantly morphing into a new thing each season. We are in the era where SNL evolves much more slowly. This is essentially what the show has been since 2013 and what the show continued to be until 2020 (and what it’s striving to be once again). The “core” overpowers, new arrivals battle for scraps and straight roles, Pete giggles, Kenan reacts, Mikey explains. Round and round we go.
What was your favorite thing that you covered this season?: Despite everything I’ve written, I am NOT an eternal pessimist. I didn’t exactly get a treasure trove of timeless episodes to review during the 2017-18 season (Hart, Barkley and Schumer are nobody’s favorite episode), but I’m pretty bullish on the Tiffany Haddish episode (even if it was far from perfect), so I can’t complain. That episode had my sole five star review, so that would hold up in the traditional sense of what my “favorite thing” would be.
I think the most general surprise for me is how many pieces I had completely memory-holed in just a few years. I used to be absolutely encyclopedic in my SNL knowledge, but this era eludes me a little more. Seeing everyone’s reviews really forced me to go back and re-discover some real winners (Chantrix, My Drunk Boyfriend, Za, Google Talks, Natalie Portman’s monologue), for which I am grateful.
Favorite sketches?: Here’s how I would put together a 2017-18 Best Of special if I were so lucky to be tasked (12 sketches including four pre-tapes, plus all the rest):
COLD: George W. Returns (Will Ferrell) – An actually funny open.
MONO: Natalie Portman – Clever and ambitious, shows the cast.
COMM: Undercover Office Potty (Bill Hader) – Counting it as a commercial parody to sneak on an extra pre-tape.
SKETCH 1: Family Dinner (Sterling K. Brown)
SKETCH 2: Switcheroo (John Mulaney)
SKETCH 3: Papyrus (Ryan Gosling)
SKETCH 4: First Date (Gal Gadot)
SKETCH 5: Boo Boo Jefferies (Tiffany Haddish)
SKETCH 6: The Race (Saoirse Rosen)
WU 1: Eric and Don Jr. (Larry David)
WU 2: Pete Davidson (Chance The Rapper)
WU 3: White Woman Named Gretchen (James Franco)
SKETCH 7: Za (James Franco)
COMM: Floribama Shore – another cheap excuse
SKETCH 8: Marcus Comes To Dinner (Sam Rockwell)
SKETCH 9: The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air (Jessica Chastain)
SKETCH 10: Girlfriends’ Game Night (Bill Hader)
SKETCH 11: Beers (Larry David)
SKETCH 12: Diner Lobster (John Mulaney)
Favorite episode(s)?: I think I still might stump for the Tiffany Haddish episode.
Hot takes?: I was too nice to the Kevin Hart episode. I mean, I don’t think it was classically bad, but I probably skewed everything a half point too high. Nothing from that episode should have edged out Marcus Comes To Dinner.
JOHN:
What are your general thoughts on the season?: 43 is not widely considered a transition season, as no major cast members left (sorry, Luke), and the new arrivals who stayed (Chris and Heidi) have been quality additions, but have still often been in the shadows of many of those who started before them. There was also no behind the scenes chaos which early season 44 would become defined by. However, I would argue that 43 is still a very important season in modern SNL history, as well as a key transition season.
43 was likely the final roundup for a number of semi-frequent hosts (Kevin Hart, James Franco, Charles Barkley), and very possibly for some legends and past staples (Bill Murray, John Goodman, who both had showy cameo roles). Nasim Pedrad and Vanessa Bayer, underrated SNL ladies of the early-mid ‘10s, also returned for their (to date) only cameos. Then there are Tina Fey, Bill Hader and Larry David, each very important to SNL of the ‘00s and ‘10s in their own ways, and who have yet to host again. There are also the hosts who are likely one-episode wonders, there because of one show or film or another which will be a trivia question within a few years. That isn’t new, but is given an extra dimension due to increased diversity in the hosting pool.
There is also the heavier standup focus—David, Tiffany Haddish, Kumail Nanjani, John Mulaney, Amy Schumer—which continued the theme of past, present and future in this season.
The cast transitions are subtler, but still noticeable. This is our last season with Pete before he became a tabloid magnet. This is our first season with Kate, Cecily, and Aidy officially taking over the spot of longest-serving women in the cast, and where we see the real beginnings of Aidy and Cecily’s paths to Emmy nominations and more recognition in their own right, alongside the beginning of that strange navigating line of when Kate was “supposed” to leave for better things vs staying on the show (and the breaking point of just how many political impressions she could be is handed at any given time). Melissa, meanwhile, gets a number of standout parts, live and pre-tape, and feels like a full cast member—one of the few seasons where that is the case. This is our final season for Beck and Kyle as a real duo, with some last hurrah pre-tapes scattered across the months. Both have adapted to being spread across the canvas, but from this point on, any pre-tape will mostly just be a very welcome surprise.
Moving on to the newcomers, Chris makes an immediate impression with the creativity and artistry he brings to the hip-hop side of the pre-tapes (up to this point often dominated by white men), while Heidi has a highly worthy debut season, immediately notching her place on Update and also penning a number of offbeat, sometimes deeply melancholy sketches which make one think she would have been more at home 25-30 years earlier. Andrew Dismukes, who will not appear in the cast for several more seasons, also makes his mark with unusual sketches like “Fliplets” that test performers—and viewers—in a way many modern SNL pieces do not.
On a political note, this was also something of a last hurrah for the outsized relevance SNL received during the 2016 election season. SNL was never a show that was meant to sustain years of attention for political matters, and never should have tried. The show would continue to plug away with Trumpwin, with the cameos, and so on, but you can feel in the hyperfocus on Mueller and Stormy Daniels near the end of 43, once you get past how incredibly embarrassing the material is, that even they may have been hoping for a natural conclusion to what they’d been blamed for unleashing. Underneath this vague optimism, you also have sourness and defensiveness about these choices, put on display in one of the most dispiriting finales in many years. The season deserved a better ending than that, and so did we.
In some sense, the #MeToo moment which erupted in late 2017 served as a distraction from the above malaise. You can argue that SNL is no place to talk about misogyny or sexual harassment, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but there were a number of substantial pieces this season on the topic of the struggles women face, from centuries of violence and fear (Welcome to Hell) to the inherent phoniness of Hollywood being “aware” for awards show season (The Look). SNL can often seem like they are playing catch up or trying to fit in with the cool kids when it comes to tackling topical material, but this issue was, for the most part, an exception to that rule.
In my final thought on this season as a whole, I have to acknowledge Chadwick Boseman. Black Panther was a huge cultural moment few had anticipated, and SNL, which can often seem out of step with modern times, was very canny in getting him to host. No one could have known he’d leave us only a few years later, but capturing those memories is a key part of what makes SNL such a cultural touchstone of the last 50 years. As much as people will go back and watch Black Panther when they want to relive those memories, many are also likely to track down “the blackest Black Jeopardy ever” on Youtube, just to get to smile or laugh one more time.
What was your favorite thing that you covered this season?: I already went on quite a bit about it, obviously, but without the John Mulaney episode, I wouldn’t be typing this right now. Beyond my own investment, I also think the episode, overall, holds up well, and serves as a blueprint for what modern SNL can accomplish.
Favorite sketches?: Choosing not to mention any from my reviews here. As others have already mentioned Undercover Office Potty (which is probably one of the funniest and strongest things of all 46 seasons—and our only real chance to see Beck and Bill Hader shine together), I’m going to instead briefly mention a few pieces—Girlfriends Game Night (from Hader’s episode) where Cecily perched on Bill’s lap, trying her best not to break and very much failing, is a precious memory to me, Get Woke With Tamika (from Tiffany’s episode), which is a fascinating idea about disinformation and misinformation that is both helped and hurt by Leslie’s stumbling performance, Henrietta & The Fugitive (yes, Ryan Gosling breaks a lot, but in this case it’s very endearing and he and Aidy have a very natural chemistry), from Natalie’s episode, the utter, utter masterpiece My Little Stepchildren, Claire from HR from Tiffany’s episode, which is another sterling Cecily performance and a prime example of her easy chemistry with Colin at the desk. Another Update piece was the surprising and welcome return of Jacob Silj, getting a much funnier sendoff than he did in his previous appearance nearly 20 years earlier. There are also Beers, The Race, (both already mentioned) and Customer Service, a delicately written, tender showcase for Kumail and Cecily (let’s ignore who it is about in this one instance). Last, and far from the least, is Restaurant Complaint, which is the type of Anderlette (if this is them) musical goofiness that is right up my alley, and, in the close for Melissa and Chadwick, gives us one of the sweetest moments in SNL history.
Favorite episode(s)?: Mulaney, Chance, Rockwell, Ronan.
Hot takes?: Not to take away from Anthony’s review, but I just do not like the W cold open from Ferrell’s episode. This all felt like yet another example of SNL trying to whitewash its past, in a very convoluted way, using one politician they had given a pass to because they now had something to say about another politician they had given a pass to. There are some good lines, and a good central performance from Ferrell, but it’s just one of those moments where I can’t forget the past enough to not recoil.
KABIR:
What are your general thoughts on the season?: Everyone seems tired. I think the election and politics just sapped the show’s strength in this era. There was so much happening and so much to parody. Couple that with the endless cameos—only a few of which (Larry David) were routinely successful—and the show felt disjointed. There were many memorable political pieces, but the funniest sketches took an apolitical approach.
What was your favorite thing that you covered this season?: I only covered three shows (Donald Glover, Chadwick Boseman, Jessica Chastain) and they were all middling. I guess I would choose Boseman’s episode overall since it was the only time he ever got to host.
Favorite sketches?: First Date (Gal Gadot), Beers (Larry David), Google Talks (Jessica Chastain).
Favorite episode(s)?: I didn’t review the Larry David episode, but that was probably the best this season.
Hot takes?: This era is functioning as both a history book and a comedy show.
MATT:
What are your general thoughts on the season?: I remember, when I was watching this season live, feeling like it was a frustrating step down from last season and objectively inferior, but upon revisiting it—and for all I know, maybe I’m just jaded from the seasons that followed—I was surprised by how enjoyable it is. It’s got its ups and downs, but almost every episode has at least one or two pieces worth bragging about, and the additions of Heidi, Chris, and even Luke to a sadly lesser extent all gave the season a nice freshness. With that being said, the worst impulses of this season seem to point towards the more downwards trajectory the show will be taking in years to come: an increased emphasis on cameo-fests and watery political material, cast imbalances, and a heightened interest in virality. It almost feels quaint to look back at this season as an iffy one; if it isn’t perfect, it’s still generally likeable and rewarding.
What was your favorite thing that you covered this season?: The Saoirse Ronan episode. For one thing, it has a lot of pieces that I really love and wanted to ensure were rated highly, like the awesome, oft-forgotten Beck/Kyle pretape (“The Race”). But I also really liked being able to trace around how the episode exemplifies Luke’s tough season and mishandling by the show; it was important that I could give him the credit he deserved and pen a proper defense of the polarizing sketch at the heart of that episode that seemed to spell out how the rest of his tenure would go. #Justice4Luke!
Favorite sketches?: I’ll just go and list my favorite pieces from the show in a few different categories (in no particular order):
Favorite Live Sketches:
Family Feud (Chance the Rapper)
Za (James Franco)
Marcus Comes to Dinner (Sam Rockwell)
Family Dinner (Sterling K. Brown)
Diner Lobster (John Mulaney)
Switcheroo (John Mulaney)
Favorite Pretapes:
Papyrus (Ryan Gosling)
Beers (Larry David)
The Race (Saoirse Ronan)
Fresh Prince (Jessica Chastain)
Undercover Office Potty (Bill Hader)
Favorite Update Features:
Angel, Every Boxer’s Girlfriend (Larry David)
Pete Davidson on Staten Island (Chance the Rapper)
Willie (Natalie Portman)
Dawn Lazarus (Sterling K. Brown)
Stefon (Bill Hader)
Favorite episode(s)?: John Mulaney’s inaugural gig is, in my opinion, a quintessential episode for this era, and I don’t think many would disagree; it was a ceremonious homecoming for one of the modern years’ greatest writers, and in addition to submitting some classic pieces, he also cast a wonderful spotlight on the featured cast. It’s a great proof of concept for one of the most beloved recurring hosts of recent years. Sam Rockwell is also delightful; character actors always make for fascinating hosts, and his ebullient charm and commitment to the very writerly premises he was presented has put him in the pantheon of great, one-time hosts, a title that I pray to be rescinded one day by a return visit to 8H. Lastly, Chance the Rapper made for a wonderful host; while I think his second gig tops his first, he has perfect chemistry with the cast and makes the fun material even funner.
I have soft spots for a lot of other episodes, especially Saoirse Ronan’s and Sterling K. Brown’s, which I think are flat-out strong and underrated. But I also think there’s some quiet strength to the James Franco and Donald Glover episodes; they’re not perfect, and James’ sullied reputation casts a pall over things, but I feel like there’s a lot to like about both, and they’re carried by a mix of strong writing and great energy.
Hot takes?: While I get why John wasn’t so smitten with the piece, I would’ve given “Marcus Comes to Dinner” from the Sam Rockwell episode a perfect or near-perfect score. I’ve been watching the original era of SNL lately, and seeing all of the more slow and methodical slice-of-life pieces, so I can see how it could have left something to be desired, but it feels like such a rarity for this era to have a low-key premise like this and to execute it in a way that feels progressive. I see it as in an in-between state of slice-of-life and modern SNL’s propensity to get the jokes going as quickly as possible, but I feel like that allows the piece to be accessible and fit in with the show’s present style while employing a more elevated concept.
Additionally, I think “Ned’s Roach Away” deserved more love. I can see how it would warrant a more middling score from Carson because it is rather blunt and unsubtle satire, but something about the insanity of the concept and Charles’ character sell it for me. Lines like “That’s so dumb it makes me mad!” and the visual of cockroaches shooting up cupboards are funny just because they’re funny, and they make up for the more clunky aspects of the piece with wholesale goofiness. The heavy hand plays to the sketch’s benefit for me.
VAX NOVIER:
What are your general thoughts on the season?: Looking back, this year is when the current era of the forever cast really takes off. Apart from one departure (and one firing), it’s been the same group ever since with more people getting added on each subsequent year. I remember Season 43 being a disappointing year, while watching it live, that took all the wrong lessons of what made Season 42 a standout success. Between doubling down on the celebrity cameos and a sense of preachy pandering, it was a rough viewing experience most of the time. This was the first season where I was able to catch every episode during the live airing (except for the first half hour of Kevin Hart, which I’ve gone back to rewatch apart from the monologue).
It started out pretty decent, to be honest, as I felt the episodes that didn’t start with Trumpwin (Gadot, Haddish, Chance, Franco) were strong and provided hope going forward. This all changed during the second half when Jost and Che took over as head writers and the quality dropped on a weekly basis. This problem actually started during the Kevin Hart Christmas show (their first episode as HWs), but it wasn’t apparent yet since it began with a Trumpwin open. From the moment it was first announced, I knew it was a poor decision because after Colin stepped down back in Season 41, there was an increase in quality compared to previous years that ended when he returned to the position. Apart from some scattered gems, the rest of the season washed over me, culminating in the “What I Did For Trump” piece that I feel best represents a desperate dependency on Trump material during this era.
On a positive note, this was the year that introduced us to Heidi Gardner and Chris Redd, who hit the ground running and provided plenty of highlights for the season. Especially Heidi, in particular, who became my favorite member of the current cast to this day.
What was your favorite thing that you covered this season?: One of the reasons I joined this project was so I could cover the James Franco episode, which holds a special place in spite of all the baggage that comes with it. For once this season, it felt like practically everything was clicking into place, showing what could have been without the regime change.
Favorite sketches?: Top 5 sketches (no particular order):
The Race (Ronan)
Spelling Bee (Franco)
Za (Franco)
Office Breakdown (Ferrell)
Switcheroo (Mulaney)
Top 5 Update features:
Pete Davidson (Gadot)
Every Boxer’s Girlfriend (David)
A White Woman Named Gretchen (Franco)
Bailey Gismert (Ferrell)
Pete Davidson (Hader)
Favorite episode(s)?: The aforementioned Franco episode. Mulaney and Chance were also standout shows.
Hot takes?: It turns out, I’m the only one here who doesn’t care for “Gift Wrap”. For as much as I praise the episode, another reason why I don’t really like the sketch is due to Franco’s performance. His delivery feels distracting, taking you out of the scene and his breaking, in this instance, comes off as a lack of commitment to the material.
And if I had to say anything else, I also feel that “Dinner Lobster” (or “Les Misérlobster”) might be just a bit overrated. Once the concept was revealed, I felt that nothing really stood out apart from the costumes and staging. For that reason, I’m more partial to the “Bodega Bathroom” sequel, even if it sets a precedent for each subsequent by-the-numbers installment.
BLUE:
What are your general thoughts on the season’s musical performances?: I’ll admit, when I first considered reviewing for this project I was afraid to take on the modern era, as my taste in music has shifted further and further away from the mainstream in recent years. I was prepared to spend most of these reviews ripping apart pop acts like the grumpy old lady I am at heart (though not in mind, body, or… well, actual age). As you can see, that didn’t happen here! Not only was I able to find enjoyable aspects to (almost) every musical guest, but I even became interested in a couple via their performances.
Pop music dominated this season, reflecting SNL’s current method of selecting artists based on what’s hot on the charts. Out of all 21 performers, nine were pop musicians, five were rock musicians, four were hip hop, and two were country, while Childish Gambino fits under the category of “not sure what category to put this in.” The latter definitely displayed the most versatility in terms of genre with his set, going from a disco-type dance song, to a song that itself ranges from indie-folk to trap. The rock and country musicians tended to grip my attention better than the pop and hip hop, which is more indicative of where my tastes lie than how well they performed
Speaking of performing, we saw some creative staging during this season, from Arcade Fire’s video screens and flashing lights, Childish Gambino’s laser show and house party stage set, U2’s animated opening, and Halsey’s Hollywood-esque staging. When I think of what makes for a good, memorable SNL musical performance, I tend to think of stuff like this. Playing SNL is the chance for artists to make an impression on the nation, and so I fully support it when they go all-out in the hopes of becoming the talk of the town (or, in this day and age, the talk of social media). That being said, sometimes too many stops can be pulled out, as Arcade Fire’s performance demonstrated- but on the flip side, this can work out very well in the artist’s favor, as Childish Gambino strategically released his now-infamous music video “This is America” shortly after performing on (and hosting) SNL.
I also wish that SNL would take more chances on indie artists who could benefit from the outlet. Despite her overall forgettable performance, Kacey Musgraves was a great pick for that intention- her star would later rise to the point where she’d take home a Grammy for Album of the Year in 2018. Chris Stapleton and SZA were also good choices to shine the limelight on. But artists like Taylor Swift, U2, Jay-Z etc. aren’t exactly hurting for exposure (or money). Giving the people what they want vs. introducing up-and-comers to a new audience is a tricky tightrope walk, and SNL tends to lean towards the former category. However, overall I was pretty satisfied with their picks this season- aside from a certain few artists (hello, Migos & Halsey & Cardi), I had very few negative things to say about any of them.
Favorite performances?: As one might have guessed, Childish Gambino’s performance of “Saturday” has my heart, but I wonder if I’d enjoy it as much had the song been officially released. Chris Stapleton & Sturgill Simpson also stand out as musicians who just killed it.
Overall rankings: This data is skewed, given that I didn’t review the four musical guests from the episodes Stooge covered, but nonetheless:
1. Childish Gambino
2. Foo Fighters
3. Chris Stapleton
4. Jack White
5. Taylor Swift
6. Dua Lipa
7. Nicki Manaj
8. U2
9. SZA
10. Arcade Fire
11. James Bay
12. Troye Sivan
13. Eminem
14. Kacey Musgraves
15. Halsey
16. Cardi B
17. Migos
Though Taylor Swift is an occasional guilty pleasure, I’m surprised I gave her first performance such a high rating, although the fact that it was the first one I reviewed might have something to do with it, as I was still figuring out my criteria for ratings. The fact that I ranked Nicki Minaj over U2 makes my teenage self cry. (Though Nicki did have the greatest disparity between rankings- four stars for her first performance, two for her second.) I was expecting to like Kacey Musgraves a lot more- if she’d played one of her better songs from Golden Hours such as “Rainbow” or “Love is a Wild Thing,” I probably would have. Other than that, this list was fairly predictable, especially with all the rock artists closer to the top and the hip hop artists closer to the bottom- my bias is showing. Maybe things will change next season.
AND NOW, SOME DATA!!
EPISODE RATING AVERAGES:
4301: 7.1 (Ryan Gosling) – Stooge
4302: 6.4 (Gal Gadot) – Stooge
4303: 6.8 (Kumail Nanjiani) – Stooge
4304: 7.3 (Larry David) – Stooge
4305: 7.2 (Tiffany Haddish) – Carson
4306: 6.7 (Chance the Rapper) – Anthony
4307: 7.2 (Saoirse Ronan) – Matt
4308: 6.3 (James Franco) – Vax
4309: 5.6 (Kevin Hart) – Carson
4310: 6.7 (Sam Rockwell) – John
4311: 6.2 (Jessica Chastain) – Kabir
4312: 6.0 (Will Ferrell) – Anthony
4313: 5.8 (Natalie Portman) – Matt
4314: 6.4 (Charles Barkley) – Carson
4315: 6.5 (Sterling K. Brown) – Vax
4316: 5.4 (Bill Hader) – Anthony
4317: 6.0 (Chadwick Boseman) – Kabir
4318: 7.0 (John Mulaney) – John
4319: 6.0 (Donald Glover) – Kabir
4320: 5.6 (Amy Schumer) – Carson
4321: 5.0 (Tina Fey) – John
Best Episode: Larry David – 7.3 (Runners up: Tiffany Haddish & Saoirse Ronan – 7.2)
Worst Episode: Tina Fey – 5.0 (Runner up: Bill Hader – 5.4)
Season Average: 6.3
HIGHEST RATED SKETCHES
5 STARS:
Levi Wokes (Gosling; Stooge)
Papyrus (Gosling; Stooge)
Beers (David; Stooge)
Boo Boo Jeffries (Haddish; Carson)
The Race (Ronan; Matt)
My Drunk Boyfriend (Rockwell; John)
Chantix (Rockwell; John)
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Chastain; Kabir)
CFT: My Little Stepchildren (Portman; Matt)
Family Dinner (K. Brown; Vax)
Undercover Office Potty (Hader; Anthony)
Diner Lobster (Mulaney; John)
Switcheroo (Mulaney; John)
CFT: Wedding Toast (Mulaney; John)
Chicago Improv (Fey; John)
4.5 STARS:
Henrietta & The Fugitive (Gosling; Stooge)
First Date (Gadot; Stooge)
Kumail Nanjiani Monologue (Nanjiani; Stooge)
Bank Breakers (Nanjiani; Stooge)
Kellywise (Nanjiani; Stooge)
Customer Service (Nanjiani; Stooge)
Larry David Monologue (David; Stooge)
Kyle & Beck (Haddish; Carson)
The Dolphin Who Learned to Speak (Haddish; Carson)
Come Back Barack (Chance; Anthony)
Family Feud: Harvey Family Thanksgiving (Chance; Anthony)
Floribama Shore (Ronan; Matt)
Za (Franco; Vax)
Science Room (Rockwell; John)
Weekend Update (Portman; Matt)
Chris Fitzpatrick: Rock or Rap (K. Brown; Vax)
Dying Mrs. Gomez (K. Brown; Vax)
Black Jeopardy! (Boseman; Kabir)
John Mulaney Monologue (Mulaney; John)
James Madison High School Graduation (Schumer; Carson)
4 STARS:
The Fliplets (Gosling; Stooge)
Italian Restaurant (Gosling; Stooge)
Weekend Update (Gadot; Stooge)
Weekend Update (Nanjiani; Stooge)
Ad Council Dinner (David; Stooge)
New Wife (David; Stooge)
Tiffany Haddish Monologue (Haddish; Carson)
The Dems Are Back (Haddish; Carson)
Weekend Update (Haddish; Carson)
Wayne Thanksgiving (Chance; Anthony)
Sports Announcer (Chance; Anthony)
Welcome to Hell (Ronan; Matt)
Late for Class (Ronan; Matt)
Spelling Bee (Franco; Vax)
Bathroom Excuses (Hart; Carson)
Inside The NBA (Hart; Carson)
CFT: New Year’s Kiss (Hart; Carson)
Tucci Gang (Rockwell; John)
George W. Bush Returns (Ferrell; Anthony)
Weekend Update (Ferrell; Anthony)
Chucky Lee Byrd (Ferrell; Anthony)
Natalie Portman Monologue (Portman; Matt)
Construction Workers (Barkley; Carson)
Last Call (Barkley; Carson)
Girlfriends Game Night (Hader; Anthony)
Weekend Update (Hader; Anthony)
CFT: St. Patrick’s Day (Hader; Anthony)
Chadwick Boseman Monologue (Boseman; Kabir)
Aidy B & Cardi B (Boseman; Kabir)
Drag Brunch (Mulaney; John)
A Kanye Place (Glover; Kabir)
Dirty Talk (Glover; Kabir)
CFT: Cleveland Cavs Promo (Glover; Kabir)
The Day You Were Born (Schumer; Carson)
Talent Show (Fey; John)
LOWEST RATED SKETCHES
2 STARS:
Another Close Encounter (Gosling; Stooge)
Safelite Autoglass (Gadot; Stooge)
Trucker Rally (Nanjiani; Stooge)
Nursing Home (Nanjiani; Stooge)
Roy Moore Visits Mike Pence (Haddish; Carson)
The Last Black Unicorn (Haddish; Carson)
Porn Pizza Delivery (Chance; Anthony)
Spirit of Trump’s Past (Ronan; Matt)
Captain Shadow (Hart; Carson)
Nativity Play (Hart; Carson)
Gene & Crystal (Hart; Carson)
Morning Joe (Rockwell; John)
What Even Matters Anymore? (Chastain; Kabir)
Clown Penis (Ferrell; Anthony)
Reality Stars (Ferrell; Anthony)
First Ladies (Portman; Matt)
Bipartisan Meeting (Barkley; Carson)
This Is U.S. (K. Brown; Vax)
Black Panther (K. Brown; Vax)
Kiss Me I’m Irish (Hader; Anthony)
Outnumbered (Boseman; Kabir)
Nike Pro-Chiller Leggings (Boseman; Kabir)
Donald Glover Monologue (Glover; Kabir)
Handmaids In The City (Schumer; Carson)
Weekend Update (Schumer; Carson)
Royal Wedding (Fey; John)
1.5 STARS:
The Chaos President (Gosling; Stooge)
Office Halloween Party (Nanjiani; Stooge)
Paul Manafort’s Apartment (David; Stooge)
Gift Wrap (Franco; Vax)
A Special Christmas Message From the White House (Hart; Carson)
Fox & Friends (Portman; Matt)
Alien Lover (Portman; Matt)
Anderson Cooper 360 (Hader; Anthony)
The Californians (Hader; Anthony)
Sacred Rock (Hader; Anthony)
CBC Report (Hader; Anthony)
Medical Breakthrough (Boseman; Kabir)
Morning Joe (Fey; John)
What I Did For Trump (Fey; John)
1 STARS:
Captain Hook (Rockwell; John)
Jeffersons Acting Coach (Chastain; Kabir)
Commercial Shoot (Ferrell; Anthony)
The Bachelor Live (K. Brown; Vax)
Warehouse Fire (Boseman; Kabir)
Meet the Parents Cold Open (Mulaney; John)
Michael Cohen Wire Tap (Glover; Kabir)
Gospel Brunch (Schumer; Carson)
Sopranos Cold Open (Fey; John)
Tina Fey Monologue (Fey; John)
OUR PERSONAL CHOICE OF “BEST OF” MOMENTS FOR THIS ENTIRE SEASON, REPRESENTED WITH SCREENCAPS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
(Note: this does not include any of the episodes/sketches that Stooge covered.)
COMING SOON
It’s the notorious season 44 premiere, Adam Driver/Kanye West, reviewed by Anthony. Bring your Perrier!
The “One SNL A Day” Project 2.0 