Sunday, October 15, 2023

Pete Davidson hosts as 'Saturday Night Live' returns

Saturday Night Live returned last night for the first time since April 15th, when Classified documents leak headlined 'Weekend Update' on 'SNL', nearly six months to the day. That's been a long drought of comedy. That written, the Pete Davidson Cold Open was very serious while still talking about the power of comedy to deal with tragedy.
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Host Pete Davidson takes a moment to speak on the crisis in the Middle East.
I've been avoiding this crisis; some things are too horrible even for me to write about on my doomer blog. They're too horrible for SNL to make jokes about it, either, although not so horrible that they can't tell stories related to it. Note that Weekend Update: Middle East Crisis, Trump Calls Hezbollah “Very Smart” opened with jokes about the reactions to the crisis, not the conflict itself. Those are worth ridiculing.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Congressman George Santos getting hit with new Federal charges.
The former guy really does like the worst people. Speaking of the worst people, I think it's valid to mention Senator Bob Menendez right after George Santos. I haven't cared for Menendez since his previous run-in with the law, so I think he deserves the mockery.

Weekend Update continued on with California’s Ebony Alerts, National No Bra Day.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like dog owners questioning the rabies vaccine.
Yes, vaccine skepticism has spread to pet owners, as if being skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccine in people wasn't bad enough.

The interview segments began with Weekend Update: Christopher Columbus on Statues of Himself and His Discoveries.

Christopher Columbus (Bowen Yang) stops by Weekend Update to discuss whether to take down statues of himself and brag about the things he discovered.
Yang was hilarious, but it's only the half of why I de-emphasize Columbus Day.

Weekend Update: Deion Sanders on Coaching at University of Colorado Boulder closed out the fake newscast.

University of Colorado Boulder football coach Deion Sanders (Kenan Thompson) stops by Weekend Update to discuss his team and career.
I'm enough of a Michigan fan to be pleased to hear my school listed among the undefeated. I'm surprised that the Air Force Academy, which I applied to but was rejected, is also undefeated. That means that Sanders is not even coaching the best college team in his new state. On a more serious note, I'm glad SNL suggested some charities to donate to alleviate the suffering caused by war.

That's it for last night's season premiere, but I'm not done with the show. I wrote "I'll get to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver's Emmy nomination that I didn't cover in Nixon saying 'Sock it to me' and Outstanding Talk Series Emmy nominees for Presidential Joke Day when Saturday Night Live returns, since the two are competing against each other for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series in 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' covers homeschooling. Follow over the jump for those nominations.

Outstanding Scripted Variety Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The experts at Gold Derby think Last Week Tonight with John Oliver will beat Saturday Night Live in this revamped category and I agree. That takes nothing away from last season, which SNL summarized in Saturday Night Live: For Your Consideration.

Check out highlights and bloopers from Saturday Night Live's 48th season!
SNL also put together For Your Emmy® Consideration: Pedro Pascal during voting.

Celebrate Pedro Pascal’s Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series with his SNL sketches like HBO Mario Kart Trailer, Lisa from Temecula, Waking Up and more!
I loved that. Now, the nominations.
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Jon Bernthal – The Bear: "Braciole" as Michael "Mikey" Berzatto (FX)
Luke Kirby – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: "Four Minutes" as Lenny Bruce (Prime Video)
Nathan Lane – Only Murders in the Building: "Here's Looking at You" as Teddy Dimas (Hulu)
Pedro Pascal – Saturday Night Live: "Host: Pedro Pascal" as host (NBC)
Oliver Platt – The Bear: "Dogs" as Jimmy "Cicero" Kalinowski (FX)
Sam Richardson – Ted Lasso: "International Break" as Edwin Akufo (Apple TV+)
As fun as SNL's Pascal highlights were, Nathan Lane is the returning winner and the co-favorite among Gold Derby experts with Jon Bernthal of The Bear. I predicted Lane winning last year's award and the Gold Derby editors confirmed my prediction, so I'm going to repeat my pick.

SNL also compiled For Your Emmy® Consideration: Quinta Brunson.

Celebrate Quinta Brunson’s Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series with her SNL sketches like Traffic Altercation, Drug Dealer, Bridesmaid Cult Documentary and more!
SNL should continue making videos to support the show's nominees and not just when there is a writers strike and have nothing better to do. Now the other nominees Brunson is competing against.
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Becky Ann Baker – Ted Lasso: "Mom City" as Dottie Lasso (Apple TV+)
Quinta Brunson – Saturday Night Live: "Host: Quinta Brunson" as host (NBC)
Taraji P. Henson – Abbott Elementary: "Mom" as Vanetta Teagues (ABC)
Judith Light – Poker Face: "Time of the Monkey" as Irene Smothers (Peacock)
Sarah Niles – Ted Lasso: "Smells Like Mean Spirit" as Dr. Sharon M. Fieldstone (Apple TV+)
Harriet Walter – Ted Lasso: "So Long, Farewell" as Deborah (Apple TV+)
No Hacks, so no returning winner and an open category. I felt that Brunson might lose this category to the actress who played her mom on Abbott Elementary before I looked at the expert predictions at Gold Derby and seeing them rank Taraji P. Henson first just confirms my feeling. Five experts think Henson will win, while Brunson and Judith Light have the support of one expert each.
Outstanding Music Direction
The Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show Starring Rihanna – Adam Blackstone and Omar Edwards (Fox)
Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song: Joni Mitchell – Greg Phillinganes (PBS)
The Oscars – Rickey Minor (ABC)
2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony – Adam Blackstone (HBO)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: Austin Butler" – Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, and Eli Brueggemann (NBC)
The Super Bowl Halftime Show won last year, so I think it's the favorite to win this year. My second pick would be the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I think the only thing SNL would win in this category is a game of "one of these things is not like the others." It should be flattered to be nominated. I'm celebrating the nomination with Blue Christmas.

A RadioShack manager (Kenan Thompson) celebrates Cecily Strong's last day with the help of casual Elvis (Austin Butler).
I'm always glad to hear Cecily Strong sing.
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special (Area)
Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman – Phil DeTolve, Brian Riordan, and Alastair McMillan (Disney+)
Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium – Michael Abbott, Eric Schilling, Matt Herr, and Alan Richardson (Disney+)
The 65th Annual Grammy Awards – Thomas Holmes, John Harris, Eric Schilling, Jeffery Peterson, Ron Reaves, Mike Parker, Andres Arango, Eric Johnston, Christian Schrader, Kristian Pedregon, Juan Pablo Velasco, and Aaron Wall (CBS)
Saturday Night Live: "Co-Hosts: Steve Martin & Martin Short" – Robert Palladino, Ezra Matychak, Frank Duca Jr, Caroline Sanchez, Josiah Gluck, Jay Vicari, Tyler McDiarmid, Christopher Costello, Teng Chen, William Taylor, Geoff Countryman, and Devin Emke (NBC)
Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert – Bob Clearmountain, Ollie Nesham, Darrell Thorp, Chris Kalcov, Steve Massey, Eduardo Puhl, Will Langdale, Antony King, and Ian Beveridge (Paramount+)
This usually goes to a music special, so I'm picking Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium. Again, SNL should just be happy to be nominated.

'Queer Eye' leads structured reality shows at the Emmys — again.
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series (Area)
A Black Lady Sketch Show: "Peek-A-Boob, Your Titty's Out" – Cindy Chao, Michele Yu, and Lizzie Boyle (HBO)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "Museums" – Eric Morrell and Sabrina Lederer (HBO)
Queer Eye: "Speedy for Life" – Thomas Rouse and Tyka Edwards (Netflix)
RuPaul's Drag Race: "Blame It on the Edit" – Gianna Costa and Brad Bailey (MTV)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: Steve Martin & Martin Short" / "Host: Jenna Ortega" – Akira Yoshimura, Keith Ian Raywood, Andrea Purcigliotti, and Danielle Webb (NBC)
Saturday Night Live won this award five years in a row so I picked it win this award last year, but RuPaul's Drag Race won instead. I think the two shows are the co-favorites, but I'll wait to make my final pick after I look at the competition shows and scripted variety programs.
I'm still waiting until I look at the competition shows to make my pick. In the meantime, I'm embedding Production designers Leo Akira Yoshimura, Keith Ian Raywood: SNL comes together in fascinating way.

Production designers Leo Akira Yoshimura and Keith Ian Raywood on how 'SNL' comes together in an 'odd, put-together, fascinating way.' They have each won six Emmy Awards for their work on NBC's late night sketch comedy series "Saturday Night Live." Gold Derby editor Marcus Dixon hosts this webchat.
That was a fascinating look behind the scenery, literally.

Next, the categories I covered in Nixon saying 'Sock it to me' and Outstanding Talk Series Emmy nominees for Presidential Joke Day.
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!: "20th Anniversary Special" – Andy Fisher (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "Afghanistan" – Paul Pennolino (HBO)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "John Oliver; Broadway Cast of The Lion King" – Jim Hoskinson (CBS)
The Problem with Jon Stewart: "Chaos, Law, and Order" – André Allen (Apple TV+)
Saturday Night Live: "Co-Hosts: Steve Martin & Martin Short" – Liz Patrick (NBC)
Last year's winner A Black Lady Sketch Show did not return as a nominee, leaving this field wide open. While I think The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is probably the best bet among the variety talk series, hence the promotional image the show tweeted (xeeted?) I used above, it's not my pick to win. Instead, I think four-time previous winner Saturday Night Live is the favorite.
Lucky for me, the experts at Gold Derby think so, too. Looks like SNL is walking away with one Emmy, same as last year.
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah – Dan Amira, Lauren Sarver Means, Daniel Radosh, David Angelo, Nicole Conlan, Devin Delliquanti, Zach DiLanzo, Jennifer Flanz, Jason Gilbert, Josh Johnson, David Kibuuka, Matt Koff, Trevor Noah, Joseph Opio, Randall Otis, Zhubin Parang, Kat Radley, Scott Sherman, and Ashton Womack (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver – Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Seena Vali, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Ryan Ken, Mark Kramer, Sofia Manfredi, John Oliver, Taylor Kay Phillips, and Chrissy Shackelford (HBO)
Late Night with Seth Meyers – Alex Baze, Seth Reiss, Mike Scollins, Sal Gentile, Jermaine Affonso, Karen Chee, Bryan Donaldson, Matt Goldich, Dina Gusovsky, Jenny Hagel, Allison Hord, Mike Karnell, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Ian Morgan, Amber Ruffin, Mike Shoemaker, Ben Warheit, and Jeff Wright (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – Ariel Dumas, Jay Katsir, Delmonte Bent, Michael Brumm, Aaron Cohen, Stephen T. Colbert, Paul Dinello, Glenn Eichler, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Michael Cruz Kayne, Eliana Kwartler, Matt Lappin, Caroline Lazar, Pratima Mani, Felipe Torres Medina, Opus Moreschi, Carley Moseley, Asher Perlman, Tom Purcell, Kate Sidley, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux, and Steve Waltien (CBS)
Saturday Night Live – Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell, Kent Sublette, Gary Richardson, Will Stephen, Celeste Yim, Bryan Tucker, Rosebud Baker, Dan Bulla, Michael Che, Mike DiCenzo, Alex English, Jimmy Fowlie, Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, Steve Higgins, Vannessa Jackson, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Ben Marshall, Lorne Michaels, Jake Nordwind, Ceara O'Sullivan, Clare O'Kane, Ben Silva, Asha Ward, Auguste White, Pete Schultz, Megan Callahan-Shah, Dennis McNicholas, Josh Patten, and KC Shornima (NBC)
While I'm featuring the Twitter image promoting Late Night with Seth Meyers for this nomination, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has won this award seven years in a row, so I think it's a safe bet to call it to win an eighth consecutive time.
Again, the experts at Gold Derby agree. I like it when the experts and I agree.
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Area)
A Black Lady Sketch Show: "My Love Language Is Words of Defamation" - Stephanie Filo, Malinda Zehner Guerra, and Taylor Joy Mason (HBO)
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love - Mike Polito and Timothy Schultz (NBC)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: "Jordan Klepper Shows Trump Supporters January 6th Hearing Clips" - Storm Choi, Eric Davies, Tom Favilla, Lauren Beckett Jackson, Nikolai Johnson, Ryan Middleton, Mark Paone, Erin Shannon, Catherine Trasborg, and Einar Westerlund (Comedy Central)
History of the World, Part II: "III" - Angel Gamboa Bryant, Stephanie Filo, Daniel Flesher, and George Mandl (Hulu)
Saturday Night Live: "HBO Mario Kart Trailer" (Segment) - Ryan Spears and Christopher Salerno (NBC)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah would win a game of "one of these things is not like the others," as two of the nominees are scripted variety shows and the other two are variety specials, if History of the World, Part II counts (Hamilton did). It's also likely to lose, as A Black Lady Sketch Show is the two-time defending winner.
That written, I think the "HBO Mario Kart Trailer" was especially strong, as it was enough for me to embed both the clip and the behind the scence in 'SNL' sends up Trump's visit to the train derailment site in Ohio in its cold open and Weekend Update. I praised both, writing "As deliberately silly an idea as this is, the imagined series looks better than the original Super Mario Brothers movie from 30(!) years ago" about the sketch itself and an entire paragraph about the behind the scene clip.
This does double duty. First, it gives fans (and Emmy voters) a look into the work behind the scene, making them appreciate it more. Second, it very gently parodies HBO's Behind the Scenes segments, which do the same thing. Not only did it work as a nonfiction segment, it also worked as self-promotion. Maybe segments like this will help 'SNL' win another Emmy Award, particularly since it will now be competing against "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" as the latter has been moved out of variety talk to a new variety scripted category. That likely hurts SNL and definitely helps the rest of the potential variety talk nominees, but we won't know that for another five months for nominations and seven for awards.
Hahahaha, try eleven months from when I wrote that to the presentation of awards. Just the same,it was enough for SNL to earn a nomination for Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series.
Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series
House of the Dragon: Inside the Episode (HBO)
The Last of Us: Inside the Episode (HBO)
Saturday Night Live Presents: Behind the Sketch (NBC)
Succession: Controlling the Narrative (HBO)
The White Lotus: Unpacking the Episode (HBO)
I forgot to pick a favorite in August, so I'm doing it now. I'm rooting for The Last of Us: Inside the Episode, but it wouldn't surprise me if House of the Dragon: Inside the Episode won instead. The best hope for Saturday Night Live Presents: Behind the Sketch is that all the HBO series split their vote.

The next installment will be about the competition shows, but that might be a while. Stay tuned.

Previous posts about the 2023 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards
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