Billy Bob Thornton / Creed
November 17, 2001
OVERVIEW
Not really looking forward to this episode. I don't really like Billy Bob Thornton that much as himself, but as an actor, he's good. We'll see what he does tonight:
DONALD RUMSFELD PRESS BRIEFING (5:22)
- Darrell did an impression of this guy last week. I don't know what Rumsfeld is like, so I don't know how to rate the impression.
- It was funny the way Darrell kept squinting his eyes like that.
- This reminded me too much of the cold opening from two weeks ago. Both are very similar, with Darrell playing a political figure, in a press conference setting, and taking questions from reporters.
- And the Ferrell and Hammond "LFNY's" cycle continues. PLEASE let somebody else open the show for a change.
- RATING: **** B-
BILLY BOB THORNTON'S MONOLOGUE (5:06)
- Does he always have to wear that dopey hat?
- I'm surprised they're doing the "questions from the audience" bit again after a deservedly long absence, but this one was a little different, with the cast members posing as redneck audience members instead of just the writers.
- At least we didn't see that fat lady who's always in these Q&A monologues.
- Funny when Billy Bob mistook Dean for Tracy.
- I have no idea who that guy who was cameoed in this monologue.
- RATING: ****1/4 B-
THANKSGIVING FEST (4:39)
- This was alright. Funny to see Billy Bob playing an effeminate person.
- Exactly how many times have we seen Kattan bare-chested? I'm counting 1, 235 times, but I may be a little off.
- The decorative centerpiece was funny.
- RATING: **** B-
PREGNANCY TEST (1:27)
- They're repeating this ALREADY! This commercial just came on TWO shows ago. This is even more ridiculous than last year, when they re-ran the Magic Mouth commercial on the Tom Green episode when it came on 3 episodes before. At least re-run the Preparation H commercial.
- RATING: n/a
NICK BURNS (4:42)
- I thought they stopped doing this character, since he only appeared once last season, in a completely different setting. Now they're using the old setting again.
- Kattan's in every one of these Nick Burns sketches, with his trademark "I don't like that guy" line. Horatio used to be in all of them, too.
- The e-mail/Antrax line was the funniest.
- Jimmy and Billy Bob actually kinda look alike, so they were a convincible father/son pair.
- They've referenced the movie Monster's Inc. a lot lately.
- RATING: ***7/8 C+
NEXT SHOW
Why is Derek Jeter hosting??? As someone who hates both baseball and when sports stars host SNL, I'm not looking forward to this at all. Besides, sports figures usually suck at hosting and host real bad episodes. Remember Charles Barkley?
BRIAN FELLOWS' SAFARI PLANET (4:48)
- Talk about digging up old characters.
- One of Tracy's few recurring characters, and sadly, none of them ever really work.
- After the last two shows, Tracy's "effeminate characters" streak continues.
- Rachel reminded me of those types of people I see on the Animal Planet channel.
- RATING: ***1/2 C-
INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO (7:42)
- Yes! Great to see this back.
- Billy Bob Thornton playing himself? Okay..
- The twist toward the end with the filmed segment in the streets was a bizarre but very interesting and clever touch.
- How come when they showed Ferrell as James Lipton watching the interview segment with Billy Bob on tape, Billy's hat was on backwards?
- Billy Bob almost lost it at the end watching Ferrell in a neck brace and arm-sling, trying to pick up a card.
- RATING: ****3/8 B+
MARTHA STEWART LIVING (3:09)
- Glad to see this again. Ana's impression is always solid.
- Ana's dancing at the end was hilarious.
- RATING: ****1/4 B
I'm surprised at all the sketches they're doing in the first half. Usually, around 12:00, they start showing Update or the musical guest, but now it's 12:20, and Update or the musical guest hasn't even come on yet. I think this is the longest the first half has gone in recent years.
WAR PARTY (4:21)
- Really bizarre.
- Jeff Richards in another sketch tonight? And with lines??? Go Jeff! This is turning out to be his breakout episode.
- Tracy finally breaks his short-lasting streak of playing gay characters in every sketch.
- I didn't like most of this, but the ending was funny, when they just broke out in song again even after Tracy's speech.
- RATING: ***7/8 C
WEEKEND UPDATE (6:52)
- Good jokes as usual.
- Tina kept mouthing several stuff to the camera after her jokes throughout the whole Update.
- Rachel did a good impression of Harry Potter. Rachel's sure played a lot of boys. The British urchin with Jennifer Aniston, Sheldon from Wakefield, this, and probably some others as well.
- Update was pretty short tonight.
- RATING: ****1/4 B
THE USELESS FENCE (5:28)
- Another bizarre sketch.
- The expected "redneck" sketch of the night.
- There goes Billy Bob's hat again. What's he tryin' to hide, anyway?
- I thought this was pretty dumb.
- RATING: ***1/4 D
JACK HANDEY'S BIG THICK NOVEL (:31)
- Funny.
- RATING: n/a
OVERALL - Like I predicted, a pretty mediocre episode. Billy Bob Thornton wasn't even in that much sketches, and he pretty much just played himself all night, not something I was looking forward too considering he's a great actor on-screen. C+
BEST SKETCH OF THE EPISODE: Inside the Actor's Studio
WORST SKETCH OF THE EPISODE: The Useless Fence
MOST BIZARRE SKETCH: The Useless Fence; War Party
HIGH POINTS: No Angelina Jolie cameo tonight. Good. I can't stand her. Though I do have her in my guess the hosts list, so she should at least host :)
LOW POINTS: Billy Bob was a pretty lousy host; They repeated a commercial way too early this season
SKETCHES THAT'LL PROBABLY BE CUT WHEN COMEDY CENTRAL SHOWS THIS: Jack Handey's Novel; Useless Fence; Brian Fellows' Safari Planet
CAST MEMBER COUNT DOWN
RACHEL DRATCH: 6 sketches (Rumsfeld, Fest, Nick Burns, Brian Fellows, Party, Update)
JIMMY FALLON: 4 sketches (Monologue, Nick Burns, Party, Update)
WILL FERRELL: 5 sketches (Rumsfeld, Fest, Actor's Studio, Party, Fence)
TINA FEY: 1 sketch
ANA GASTEYER: 5 sketches (Rumsfeld, Fest, Martha Stewart Living, Party, Fence)
DARRELL HAMMOND: 2 sketches (Rumsfeld, Monologue)
CHRIS KATTAN: 4 sketches (Fest, Nick Burns, Brian Fellows, Fence)
TRACY MORGAN: 2 sketches (Brian Fellows, Party)
MAYA RUDOLPH: 4 sketches (Rumsfeld, Monologue, Party, Fence)
HORATIO SANZ: 1 sketch (Party)
DEAN EDWARDS: 1 sketch (Monologue)
SETH MEYERS: 5 sketches (Rumsfeld, Pregnancy Test, Actor's Studio, Party, Fence)
AMY POEHLER: 4 sketches (Rumsfeld, Monologue, Pregnancy Test, Actor's Studio)
JEFF RICHARDS: 3 sketches (Fest, Nick Burns, Party)
Star of the night was Rachel Dratch. Also used a lot were Ferrell, Ana, Maya, and Seth. Jeff Richards also had a bigger role in tonight's episode, and it's about time, but let him do some impressions once in a while.
That's my review. Thanks for reading. I'm outta heah...