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Liev Schreiber on SNL.
Photo: Steve Molina Contreras / NBC
"Liev Schreiber told" USA Today in advance of his first time hosting Saturday Night Live. And it's true: As a dedicated thespian, Schreiber has played a role in starring Showtime's (very serious) Ray Donovan. While it's not entirely clear why SNL is featuring Schreiber now, the seed may have been planted during Adam's first hosting gig in January 2016. Schreiber's cameo during "Golden Globes" – in which he played the surrogate dad to two kids when parents overindulged after winning the titular award – was perfectly understated. Though it may be considered a very funny person, it was a funny bit. And on this week's show, despite his dissembling, Schreiber is funny throughout.
(Again, we should mention these sketches are listed in best to worst order.)
Colin Jost and Michael Che first look at the political landscape after the midterm elections. While Dems took the house, according to Jost, Trump still controls "the White House, the judiciary, the military, all media coverage, space, time and our ability to perceive reality." Che loves the fact that Stacy Abrams is still in contention As the Governor of Georgia Against a White Guess Who's Elected: "That's like beating Lebron at home if he was also the ref." After discussing how CNN's Trump revoked correspond Jim Acosta's press pass, White House press intern (Cecily Strong) show up to snatch Jost's mic just like she did with Acosta. Jost punching her out-echoing the clip Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted of Acosta this week. Strong shows great physical play in this bit, and her snappy tone is delightful.
The second half has jokes about Idris Elba and the Spice Girls Reunion Tour, but it's mainly about Pete Davidson's apology to congressional candidate Dan Crenshaw. Last week, Davidson made a few jokes about Crenshaw's eye and eye patch during his Monologue Update, and not many people took kindly to it. "I'm a dick," Davidson said. Then, the real Crenshaw came out to accept Davidson's apology, get in a few digs himself, and invite viewers to thank you over the weekend. It's a heartfelt, lovely, and yes, funny coda to an ill-fated bit.
Recently fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions prepared to leave his office at the Department of Justice, and he's incredibly sad. He somberly packs up his possessions, including his ironic award from the NAACP, the Bob Woodward book in which Trump calls him "mentally retarded," and his Bible ("I justified a lot of bad things with this book"). Even visits from Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Aidy Bryant), Mike Pence (Beck Bennett), and Eric and Donald Jr. (Alex Moffat and Mikey Day) can not cheer him up. "What did I do wrong?" Sessions wonders. "I can not wait for you!" Sessions sings Adele's "Someone Like You" Robert Mueller (Robert De Niro) shows up to give Special sessions of TP from Trump's shoe. The writing is good, but it's McKinnon's weird possum-y Sessions that shines.
When new next-door neighbors (Aidy Bryant and Kenan Thompson) come to the visit, a mother and father (Strong and Schreiber) call down their rambunctious boys Jared and Spencer (Bennett and Kyle Mooney). Wearing nothing but Looney Tunes T-shirts and briefs, the boys fight until dad is forced to spray them with the hose. (Jared and Spencer continues to behave as if they are still on the other side of the wall. Then Spencer finds out that he was an "accident," and things get dark. Like "Inside SoCal," this is a perfect framework in which to enjoy Bennett and Mooney's friendship, and their commitment to the childlike bit gets just about everyone onstage giggling. Note to SNL writers: More hoses on set, ASAP.
A pair of Paranormal Research Institute researchers (Mikey Bryant and Day) study three people after they were visited by an old hotel. But one of the trio is Mrs. Rafferty (McKinnon), so things get hairy fast. Literally hairy, insofar as her appearance, Toby, takes her inside in her XL men's No Fear nightshirt with her "fuzzy" and "scuzzy" clearly visible. Mrs. Rafferty's compatriots (Schreiber and Strong) were asked to help their ghosts' gentle final wishes, while Mrs. Rafferty was asked to pull an upper decker in the toilet of Toby's ex. To illustrate, she straddles two chairs while getting her business in her hands pal's face. The joy in this skit, led by the playful McKinnon, has not diminished. Plus, it's worth it to hear Schreiber's quiet, uncontrollable giggle.
This rap joins the Booty Kings (Chris Redd and Kenan Thompson) and Uncle Butt (Davidson) in the club, surrounded by ladies and their backs. But they are more likely to "bite your booty like an apple" or "drink it like a snapple," they are gentlemen. They are not going to grab, shake or do anything else to any proximate butt-not without its owner's permission, at least. Uncle Butt is wearing a grill that makes him incomprehensible, the real future and musical guest Lil Wayne show up to spit their own verses of respect. The Best Rhyme Belongs to Wayne: "Love That Booty Got Tender, Never Get Aggressive / That Booty got Insurance, That Booty Got Progressive.") Like the "Trees" sketch from earlier in the season, the beat is great, even if the conceit is a little limited.
On this edition of House Hunters, an intrepid couple in western Pennsylvania (Schreiber and Leslie Jones) searches for their new dream home. As they debate the various places they've visited, they're reclaiming specific promising or detrimental features. For every room that has room enough for his "cellar man," it could just be had on the walls of a room, or a toilet on the ceiling, or be haunted by Australian vampires. This sketch takes place at a very special time. Meanwhile, the leads' carefully muted performance make all of the absurdity feel entirely natural.
The title says it all: Dave's Outside the Women's Bathroom. There, Dave (Schreiber) interviews ladies who have just exited the Trattoria Romano washroom. "How'd it go in there?" Dave wants to know, while the women are confused, angry, or just grossed out. Dave's concerned girlfriend Melissa (Heidi Gardner) gets concerned that he is going to be such a big shot after this show gets picked up, he'll leave her behind. "You're meeting all these fresh, straight out of the bathroom women," she sighs. But he reassures her, which makes her so horny [she] could cry. "The restaurant manager (Thompson) asks the busboy (Davidson) to stop playing cameraman, and that's that.
This award show, hosted by The Daily 's Michael Barbaro (Schreiber) and Serial 's Sarah Koenig (Strong), celebrates podcasts. Categories include: "Best Jarring Transition into a Sponsor" and "Best Nervous White Girl in a Place She Does not Belong." Of course, no podcast award ceremony would be complete without a quick visit from the "Godfather of podcasting," Marc Maron (Moffat). Will the award for the "Most Unnecessary Podcast" go to the exhaustive recap of Alf in ASMR? Gold The Rhamescast, in which is Ving Rhames (Thompson) narrating what is happening outside of his window? While it's more scattered observations and impressions than a compelling sketch, it makes some salient points about the clichés of the podcast world.
Two investor brothers (Mikey Day and Alex Moffat) work together and have their own book on the subject of investing. During their intro from Janet Loredo-Deekman (Strong), though, she accidentally refers to the "incest twins." And during their interview with Roland Brown (Schreiber), the lower third mistakenly identified them as this terrible moniker. . Without words to finance, things that the brothers say ("I'd rather put it in family," "Mom and Dad like to watch.") Seem a bit salacious. Soon, their little sister Jenny (Heidi Gardner) walks over to talk about not wanting to "blow it," yet knowing she's going to "take it on the chin." Then Grandma Donohue (Kate McKinnon) shows up, saying, "I 'm at my happiest when my family is all together. "Yeah, it's simple, sly, and a little gross.
Defying the extremes in the American electorate and every political analyst in the world, the SNL cast (including Bennett, Strong and Ego Nwodim) sings a song of forgetting our differences and coming together. The way they recommend we do it: Remember the things that everyone hates, regardless of what side of the aisle they're on. Soft apples, warm public toilet seats, and people who stop everything so they can sneeze: Nobody likes' em, so there is clearly ways to remember our commonalities. The impulse behind the song is altruistic, but it's more a catalog of annoying things than an emotional appeal. (Also, a personal note to the people who hate the word 'moist' – try describing a piece of cake that you like without it.
Rather than asking Schreiber to do some boisterous song and dance, this monologue evaluates what he hopes to take away from the evening. First off, but it has been a lifelong dream, he's a little surprised to be hosting SNL. He reiterates that he is not considered funny and believes the show will be about "Managing Expectations." Historically, it's easy to get started, but nowadays, it's easy: He just tells them he's a famous actor. money and a nice apartment. Then Schreiber takes a moment to thank viewers for voting in the midterms. This is not a highlight but it's a good idea, but it's nice to hear an honest evaluation of Schreiber's state of mind.
With a charmingly humble approach, Liev Schreiber did excellent work almost in spite of himself. (Note to future hosts: Maybe it's a good idea to have a good time.) His carefully-drawn characters, including that staid portrait of Michael Barbaro, The headlines will likely reflect Davidson's apology to Crenshaw-and so be it, that bit had everything including an Ariana Grande ringtone that Crenshaw used to needle Davidson-but Schreiber was the big surprise throughout. Next week, SNL has a host who will surely be happy for the chance to be less-than-serious: Steve Carell.
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