Dear lord, the casting folks for SNL must have really been scrounging for someone to host this week to have Charles Barkley on. If someone’s not on to promote something, shouldn’t they at least be able to act somewhat or at least not miss lines? It gets distracting and unfunny when you’ve got someone like that. And no, I definitely don’t lump Christopher Walken into that category!
This was one of my least favorite episodes of the season, for sure. I really hope they step it up a bit next week.
Cold Open: The Situation Room — Put a mustache on Fred Armisen and I guess that’s all the disguise he needs to become the people he’s portraying.
Monologue: Charles Barkley — Maybe I haven’t been paying attention much in past episodes, but I can’t remember so many unknowns being used in the audience before. Clearly they were actors, but usually we see members of the cast in those spots. Anyway, Barkley did as good/bad as I expected, reading his lines direct from the cards.
Commercial: Thomas Peepers Insurance — The funniest part of this sketch was the really clever use of the reflection on the kitchen window during the unclogged sink scene.
Reel Quotes — Nothing much to say about this sketch. Not great, not horrible. Pretty harmless in that “what the hell am I doing awake so late watching this for” sorta way.
MacGruber — I’m still trying to wrap my head around how they’re really going to make a movie out of this sketch. No, really!
Ski Retreat — This is probably my favorite Wiig character for quite some time. I just hope they don’t overplay this one and we see her playing this every other week. I can definitely recall times in college when friends and I would fall over some girl, only to see her do something that was just … no.
Inside the NBA — I love how Samberg is the go-to person to play a kid when a sketch needs one. That’s not to say he can’t play one the best. In fact, he played the same character (or one a lot like him) a few years ago, when Jeremy Piven hosted, only that was football and “that’ll move the chains!”
Musical Guest: Alicia Keys — I have to say, the first song sounded terrible. The second was better, but I was underwhelmed.
Weekend Update — I thought it was ironic that a joke was made about Conan’s supposed new spot at midnight not being “tonight” anymore, when tonight’s episode of SNL started at midnight. Hmmmm? Well, on the east coast, at least. No, I’m not bitter that I was up until 1:30 AM watching this. Nuh-uh. Anyway, I love Samberg’s Nick Cage.
The Haney Project — Wow, Barkley’s golf swing really is terrible. But I love that he embraced it and made fun of himself. Second best sketch of the night, after Scared Straight, awful lines from Barkley and all.
SNL Digital Short: Booty Call — The funniest part of this sketch was that I’m betting Alicia Keys had no idea what they were going to put on the other end of the line after she shot her scenes.
Scared Straight –I always love these, even after seeing quite a few of them already. You almost always see someone lose their shit, and that’s what always makes skits all the funnier.
Barkley’s Bank — Uh … I can’t really say much about this one, since it was cut off early! I should actually rank this one as my favorite skit of the night, because it got me off this show, and off to bed, a few minutes earlier. Thanks NBC!
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Jan 10, 2010 @ 01:39 EST5EDT
I’ve never watch snl but last night had me laughing I will be a fan from now on Barley thanks you were the reason I watched.
Completely DISAGREE- best host since Timberlake. Flubbed lines made it even funnier. Wiig/ski lodge & scared straight skits were the best in this great show. I’m not much of a basketball fan, but will watch him now on TNT’s Inside the NBA.
I’m kind of sick of the lack of original material. 90% of the stuff in this episode was recurring characters. The only exceptions I recall are the Reel Quotes, golf swing, and the Digital Short, a pitifully low ratio. Much of Barkley’s performance was painful to watch, and I’m an SNL fan. He looked intensely uncomfortable and unable to speak properly, much less stay in character for any length of time. I always want to like the host, but this was pretty bad. Shaq (back in the day) was far superior.
The most incredible piece of garbage I’ve seen on TV since — oh wait — since the last SNL. Who are these writers? How did they get their jobs? The sketches are unoriginal, not funny, offensive to anyone with any intelligence, and so smugly full of themselves that it makes me sick. I’ve watched SNL since the 70s when people with real talent were writing for the show, and I keep hoping and hoping that it will change, that it will get back it’s former glory, but even if the sketches are written halfway decently, the inarticulate or stoned guests they have on the show mess up the lines or just read them like a cardboard cutout. I am truly amazed this show is even on anymore, and that is a sad, sad statement that I hate to make. There are plenty of talented comedians out there who could shake things up. Why aren’t they on the show? Makes no sense. Goodbye SNL, after the Charles Barkley show I am done wasting my time on you.
Totally off topic but I always wondered if the “scared straight” program was what the Rev. Ted Haggard chose to get away from his gay lifestyle…