Wednesday, December 4, 2024

“Saturday Night Live” Remains Stuck at All Time Low Rating with Host Daniel Kaluuya and Musical Guest St. Vincent

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“Saturday Night Live” remains at its all time low rating– 3.6 million– after last night’s desperately off key show.

Daniel Kaluuya was guest host and St. Vincent was musical guest, moving the key demo up a notch to 1.7 from last week’ s 1.5.

But the show was not funny, or clever. Almost every bit of hit the wrong note, starting with the cold open of Britney Spears interviewing Lil Nas X and Matt Gaetz. That was not an opening bit. The audience wants to see a cold open of political satire now. The show isn’t getting it.

Kaluuya’s monologue about British and US racism was off putting, not witty. He tried to help it along, but only Dave Chappelle could get away with material like that.

I’m a big Kyle Mooney fan but that video about apologies lost me. I’m guessing it lost almost everyone.

St. Vincent? She’s interesting, I felt like we needed Cliff Notes to understand what she was doing. She’s been around for 15 years but has never had a hit and has a cult audience, I guess. I wish I’d know more about what to expect from her. Her performances were artful.

The Weekend Update hit some sour notes. It was one Jost and Che’s off nights. Nothing seemed to land, and the Gaetz stuff wasn’t that funny.

Who knows? Maybe the “SNL” squad is as tired as we are. Kate McKinnon still has a glint in her eye, but she’s feeling a little pedestrian. Not enough Cecily Strong. And why aren’t we seeing Beck Bennett in more leads instead of backgrounds?

Not a great effort. On to the next week, and Carey Mulligan, lots of potential with “Promising Young Woman” parodies.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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