I find her to be a modern day I Love Lucy in her own way

After a few weeks off SNL returned with Sofia Vergara as host and boy band One Direction as musical guest.  Overall, Vergara was pretty good.  She did a good job with the material they gave her and was very open to using her…assets (and by that I mean her boobs) for comedic purposes.

Also, she’s got a great laugh.

But how did the episode break down?

The Good:

Bein’ Quirky – They debuted this Zooey Deschanel satire when ZD herself hosted.  Abby Elliot was a barely serviceable job as Deschanel, but at least she looks the part.  Kristen Wiig was there as her BFF Drew Barrymore, which was a heck of a lot better than Elliot’s Deschanel, and Taran Killam was there once again as Michael Cera, and Vergara came on as Fran Drescher. While initially I could see how the hell they would have Vergara as a Jewish New Yorker, she managed the abrasive voice and braying laugh quite well.  That being said, Taran Killam continues to be made of win this season. His Michael Cera was jsut perfect.

Can you tell whose booty is whose?

Just Friends – A very silly little commercial for male booty shorts, declaring your heterosexuality.  I just love seeing Sudekis and Samberg cavort about the city together the booty shorts.  Ridiculous and amusing.

What Andy Cohen's face would look like on a Pomeranian. Something we've all wondered.

Watch What Happens Live – Killiam continues his MVP status as Bravo’s way-too-delighted-with-himself Andy Cohen.  I’ve only caught Cohen’s nightly show Watch What Happens Live a couple of times, but this was extremely on point.  As Cohen/Killam said, “Anything can happen but don’t worry nothing will.”  They had it all, the hunky bartender of the day who seriously looked like he is too stupid to breathe, Nasim Pederad and Vergara as the stars from the Shahs of the Sunset Strip or whatever that show is called and Desmond Tutu as the famous person that you cannot for the life of you figure out why they agreed to do the show.  Killam really got down Cohen’s got his maniacal laughter and over the top self absorption. And ending with “After this an all new repeat of the same episode”, just clinched this for me. Bravo — you’ll never miss an episode because we repeat them ad nauseum.

Seriously. How do these things NOT look like they're selling you sex with the shampoo?

Pantene – This episode also marked the debut of a new cast member, Kate McKinnon who was featured in two roles, Tabith Coffey on the Bravo sketch and as Penelope Cruz in the Pantene commercial. This was a great send up of those shampoo commercials which are all basically soft-core porn and of a nice faux (faux?) rivalry between Vergara and Cruz.  …go you. Vergara sold her innocence about getting all the easy lines “I had to say Pantene and then I had to say hair!”  or “I had to say yaaaay!”  I can also watch both of those ladies repeat the word “refrigerator” because accents are funny.

The OK:

Cold Open – Once again, we are opening the show with Sudekis as Romney, incapable of connecting with anyone and saying anything to sell himself.  Pandering: It’s what’s for dinner.

Monologue – More of the Colombia/boobs/accent jokes. She did good. The material was OK. So…OK. Not good, not bad.  Cute son though.  She had him when she was 18…in case you were wondering.

Weekend Update – Starting with an amusing joke about Matt Lauer’s new $30 million Today Show payday “Where in the world is Matt Lauer? Buried under strippers and blow”, this week’s Weekend Update was alright. What stood out the most was Bobby Moynihan’s recurring character of Drunk Uncle.  I loved the tattered bunny ears he wore at the start while singing “Simply having a wonderful Easter time”, and his rants were as varied and as off topic as ever. Ebay of Pigs? The best part of waking up…(long period wherein Drunk Uncle might be passed out…..is Folgers in your cup.  And eating all those Peeps proved to me that Moynihan will do anything for his art. Those are vile vile things.

Mustaches all around!

Manuel Ortiz – I can pretty much take of leave this sketch, but loved Taran Killam as the shrink and of course, Bill Hader as the cheating husband.  There was also a cute cameo by One Direction.  Mustaches for all!

Hunger Games – Vergara as a loud mouthed reporter in the Hunger Games was cute.  Again, she used her voice and accent (and boobs) for comic purposes: BOOOOM HUNGER GAMES.   And while Abby Elliot’s Katniss giving her the berries was a nice touch, the entire sketch existed for this: the Hunger Games Puppy Bowl.

Hunger Games Puppy Bowl. All the violence, more fur.

The Bad:

Almost Pizza – Another commercial.  This was a bit too much like Colon Blow (without the panache of Phil Hartman) + Happy Fun Ball (do not taunt Happy Fun Ball)

News Team Promo – Overall just not funny.  Armisen just kept doing the same thing.  However, I did like the line, “Don’t hand me your wallet”, don’t ask me why, it just tickled me the right way.  And again, Vergara did some yelling, “HE  NEEDS TO TURN” as she manually turned Armisen so he’d face the camera. Meh.

Gilly in Sex Ed – I’m so tired of Gilly.  Even the reveal with her afro as pubic hair…really? I will say that Gilly had more attitude than usual, with a bit more of a variety in her little statements and I didn’t hate her as much I normally do. Gilly seemed more…self aware.  With rumor of Wiig leaving was this Gilly’s swan song?

Really? Lil Poundcake for the third time this season!?  It was funny the first time. Mildly ok the second time. Third time? Just lazy.

And what about the musical guest? Literally 2 seconds into the One Direction song I was bored. Are they aiming for lack of individuality?  Was BSB or NSYNC this bad? … Probably.  Reminded me of the Warblers from Glee, sans Darren Criss. I didn’t watch their second song.