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Last night's SNL fell into the "not bad" category for me. Not as strong as the Taylor Swift show two weeks ago, but light years better than the January Jones show last week.
Host Joseph Gordon-Levitt did a solid job. He was enthusiastic and showed versatility, he just wasn't all that funny. His opening bit recreating Donald O'Connor's famous "Make 'Em Laugh" song and dance number from "Singing in the Rain" was ambitious, but became pretty manic by the end.
Another highlight: musical guest Dave Matthews did a really funny and spookily dead on impression of Ozzy Osbourne.
But my favorite sketch is one I almost missed because it came at the very end. ...
48 Hours Mystery (9pm, CBS) - Saturday night is typically a night of network repeats, but 48 Hours has two new back-to-back episodes. The first show is about a con artist who assumes several identities in order to gain admission to Ivy League schools; the
second episode is about the murder of a Phoenix art dealer whose Las Vegas showgirl ex-wife is the main suspect in his death.
Saturday Night Live (11:30, NBC) - Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("3rd Rock from the Sun" kid actor turned movie star) is the guest host. Dave Matthews Band is the musical guest.
Austin City Limits (12midnight, UNC-TV) - Keep your 90s groove going with Pearl Jam, who plays classic songs and songs from their 2009 album "Backspacer."
After last week's surprisingly funny "Saturday Night Live" with guest host Taylor Swift, I was cautiously optimistic about last night's show with host January Jones, who is pitch-perfect as Betty Draper on AMC's "Mad Men."
But now we all know Jones needs to stick to drama, especially when performing live. Jones was stiff and unfunny in all of her live sketches, occasionally unable even to read her cue cards without fumbling. To be fair, at least half the problem (as usual) was the writing.
Jones was funny in one digital short sketch, which played off her famous Betty Draper role. The bit was cleverly written and comfortable 1960s territory for Jones.
Watch Jones guide you through how to host the perfect cocktail party:
Everything She Ever Wanted (8pm, LMN) - Lifetime Movie Network's adaptation of this Ann Rule book is something else. Adrienne calls it "maybe the best Lifetime Movie
ever!" Read her full review and tune in (tonight is part one of two parts). Stars Gina Gershon.
Wanda Sykes Show (11pm, Fox) - As of Friday night, Wanda's website had no info about her guests this week. We're watching anyway and hoping it's better than last week's spotty debut.
Saturday Night Live (11:30pm, NBC) - Last week's solid show makes me hopeful. Tonight's guest host is January Jones (right), who plays the cold-as-ice Betty Draper on "Mad Men." Musical guest, Black Eyed Peas. Sounds promising. Don't let me down, SNL.
Austin City Limits (12:30, UNC-TV) - Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel perform songs from their 2009 album, "Willie and the Wheel."
See, this is why you can't totally quit SNL. Just when you think the show is beyond lame and that a guest host like Taylor Swift is sure to be weak and boring, it surprises you with goodness.
Not greatness, but solid goodness.
There were many solidly good moments in last night's show, starting with Swift's hilarious "Monologue Song," in which she took some jabs at Joe Jonas and also addressed her current boyfriend Taylor Lautner (the werewolf in "Twilight") and of course, Kanye West. And speaking of "Twilight," the digital short spoof on that movie ("Firelight") which subbed Frankenstein monsters for vampires, was dead-on. I also loved Swift in the PSA about dangerous things parents do while driving. Even the very last skit, an infomercial for an album called "Bunny Business," had funny impressions of Natalie Merchant, Shakira, Adam Duritz, and Jennifer Hudson.
Click below to watch Taylor Swift sing her "Monologue Song."
The Wanda Sykes Show (11pm, Fox) - Tonight is the debut of Wanda Sykes' new talk show, the first late night network talk show hosted by a woman since the Joan Rivers disaster of '86. Don't expect this one to go down in flames, though. Wanda Sykes is hilarious and it's a smart move to go for Saturday nights. Wanda's show will have an open bar for her guests (which should make things really interesting), and will include sketches, a monologue, and panel discussions about current events. Using Chris Rock's old HBO show as a blueprint, Wanda says she wants her to show to be fun and wants viewers to feel like they're "hanging out at my spot with me and my friends.” Her first guests include Mary Lynn Rajskub, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, and “Amazing Race” host Phil Keoghan. The show will air each Saturday night at 11pm on Fox.
Saturday Night Live (11:30pm, NBC) - SNL returns tonight after a couple of weeks off, and Taylor Swift is the host and musical guest. I'm expecting at least one Kanye West joke. Question is, who can play Kanye? Will they draw some crop circles on Fred Armisen's head and make him try that one too?
Sorority Wars (9pm, Lifetime) - A young woman follows in her mom's footsteps and pledges the Delta sorority, but disapproves of their devious ways and goes with their rival. Adrienne says it's drama, drama, drama. Courtney Thorne-Smith and Faith Ford star as moms of sorority girls played by Lucy Hale and Amanda Schull.
The Locator (9pm, We) - A Greensboro family looks for a little girl who lived with them in foster care for five years before the state took her away. The WeTV actually shows a two-hour block of "Locator" eps starting at 8pm, which is great if you're interested in catching up on shows from previous seasons.
Saturday Night Live (11:30, NBC) - Gerard Butler is tonight's host, and Shakira is the musical guest. (Taylor Swift is hosting on November 7, not tonight -- so sorry for the mix-up).
It's not exactly something to be proud of, but North Carolina's former Sen. John Edwards got more attention on last night's "Saturday Night Live," all because of ... well, you know.
Edwards, who has also been a candidate for president and a vice presidential nominee, had his legacy painfully summed up in a "Larry King Live" skit that would have made Oscar Mayer proud. Read below for more on the sketch, and my apologies in advance to delicatessen owners everywhere.
Last night's "Saturday Night Live" was pretty lame. There's really no other way to describe it.
I can't remember anything standing out as particularly funny except maybe Andy Samberg's digital short music video, "On the Ground," and Seth Myerson's joke about Kate Hudson's rumored pregnancy by NY Yankee Alex Rodriguez ("... it would be the first time he has produced in October.").
But what did stand out was the wasted opportunity sketch with Lady Gaga and surprise guest Madonna. Maybe it was cool that Madonna showed up and that she and LG were willing to poke fun at themselves. But this sketch was awful. We agree with E! Online that there was great potential here, but that the entire sketch was a flop.
And ditto for the show. Will someone please tell Fred Armisen that he can't do even a passable Obama?
Brian McKnight Show (10pm, WRDC) - Smokey Robinson performs. McKnight also has Giuliana Rancic, Kobe Bryant, and Carmelo Anthony.
Saturday Night Live (11:30pm, NBC) - The hunky and funny Ryan Reynolds (left) is the host tonight, and Lady Gaga is the musical guest. Let's hope the script this week is kinder to newcomer Jenny Slate.
Austin City Limits (12midnight, UNC-TV) - The 35th season of "Austin City Limits" kicks off tonight with a concert by The Dave Matthews Band, who perform from their latest album, "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King."