EPISODE REVIEWS
Matthew Perry / Oasis
October 4, 1997
I will grade the sketches as follows: Each segment will receive a letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F), including all sketches, the monologue, faux commercials, and musical performances. It should be noted that neither A+'s nor F's are given except in EXTREMELY good or poor sketches, respectively. In computing the overall grade, I will assign a number to each letter grade (F=0, D-=1, D=2, D+=3, etc), multiply the number grade by the weight (music=1.5, monologue=2, faux commercial=2.5, and sketch=3), and then average. Here is this week's review ...
[OPENING] Spartan Cheerleader wanna-bees Craig & Arianna
Missed it.
[MONOLOGUE] Matthew Perry
Although the cavoring fat guy so often seen in sketch comedy shows (especially "Kids in the Hall") is a perennial favorite of mine, I thought this sketch was pretty weak, especially coming from a professional comedian.
Grade: C-
[COMMERCIAL] Cookie Dough Sport Drink
Not hilarious like some of the commercials I've seen "SNL" do (i.e. Big Brawn Feminine Napkins), but a lot better than that AssJet piece of crap.
Grade: B-
[SKETCH] Celebrity Jeopardy
I usually enjoy Celebrity Jeopardy when it appears on "Saturday Night Live," but this one was all wrong, especially the unconvincing celebrity impressions. Darrell Hammond's John Travolta was weak, and Norm's Burt Reynolds, usually dead-on, had something off about him. Final Jeopardy was also dumb. However, Michael Keaton's facial movements were mildly amusing, and I also enjoy the way Will Ferrell says "Potent Potables." Is this a mockery of Alex Trebek, or just a Ferrell-ism?
Grade: C-
[SKETCH] Sarcasm 101
More strange than funny, and I personally didn't like it. Norm MacDonald was especially out of place here.
Grade: C-
[SKETCH] The Ladies' Man
I enjoy when my favorite player, Tim Meadows, plays clueless, wannabe-sexy characters like this. I loved this sketch! I laughed through the whole thing. "May I suggest the BUTT?"
Grade: A-
[SKETCH] Space the Infinite Frontier with Harry Caray
I enjoyed the first "S:TIF" better than this one. All it was doing was basically following the same formula of its predecessor, much as "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York" did. I was not thrilled, but I must admit it wasn't terrible. The "dinosaur" joke, obviously an adaptation of the earlier "moon as ribs" gag, was as unfunny as its predecessor.
Grade: B-
[WEEKEND UPDATE] with Norm MacDonald
LOL!!! The jokes were all dead-on, except, as usual, for the "Note to self" bit. Overall, however, it was superb. He should lay off O.J., though.
Grade: A
[MUSICAL GUEST] Oasis
Mediocre.
Grade: B
[SKETCH] MTV News: Goat Boy press conference
Kincaid sucks, Goat Boy is annoying, and Matthew Perry's Julio Iglesias was poor. I enjoyed Willie Nelson, though.
Grade: D+
[COMMERCIAL] The Kevin Franklin Show promo
What the hell was that?
Grade: D-
[MISCELLANEOUS] The Go Lords
Unquestionably the high point of this episode. I absolutely loved this sketch!!! If there is one thing "SNL" is good at, it's political satire. I especially liked the subtle fondling of the female Go Lord's breasts by the President. The gratuitous violence and the nude puppet also brought the grade up a full letter.
Grade: A+
[MUSICAL GUEST] Oasis
A disgusting clamor of noise as performed by a usually first-rate band.
Grade: D
[SKETCH] Good Morning with Liza
It was funny enough, I guess, but a bit hard on Liza Minelli, don't you think? What's with Mr. Bluebird? Extra points, however, for presenting Woody Allen nonjudgmentally.
Grade: C
[COMMERCIAL] The Kevin Franklin Show promo 2
Not significantly funnier than #1, but at least it had a point.
Grade: D
OVERALL
Had its good points and its bad points. Would have been a lackluster episode if not for the Go-Lords and the always fine performance by Norm during "Update." Oasis, who I like, were not their usual top billing here. I also would have liked a Robert Smigel cartoon.
Grade: C+
Episode Review written by Commander Ernst von Kenefick
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