See You In September Night Live

After a very reasonable cold open (not a verbatim retelling of a political event), Alec Baldwin stormed the SNL stage in full glory. This was only the second time ever that I've enjoyed watching him host SNL, the first being the his first 30-Rock-era hosting gig. That's right, America. I didn't like the canteen boy scoutleader, and I didn't like Schweaty Balls. He was only one notch better than John Goodman in my book, but that was back then. Back before he completely won me back over with 30 Rock. Or maybe Royal Tenenbaums. Let's say anything between Marrying Man and Royal Tenenbaums - that's when I didn't like him, and that's when he hosted the most. So hooray, because now I'm very happy about Alec Baldwin hosting tonight!

The only note I have from the monologue is that it's clear that Alec is the sort of performer you can just give a line to and he'll make it funny. Don't worry about it. He'll take care of it.

The digital short presented a singing, dancing, way coked-up ex-husband/father played by Andy Samberg. There's not much to say about it, besides you should give it a look:

Then there was an "Arizona Evenings" film shoot where Kristen Wiig played a script supervisor named Starfish whose teeth kept getting into the shot. It was like an acid dream I would've had in 7th grade. At one point Alec apologizes to Starfish by saying "open mouth and insert toes, right?" Well said, Alec.

Swim Team Awards' funniest line was Alec Baldwin saying "alright, let's get this nightmare over with" because that's all I ever heard or said at every swim team banquet of my life.

And then came Bedilia, the girl who's in love with her parents, which is such a simple and perfect idea. It's the kind of thing where you laugh to relieve tension, she's that awkward. It's a similar feeling to watching Kay sketches on the Tracey Ullman Show.

Abby Elliot did a Sally Fields commercial for Preniva and it walked the balance beam between alright and slightly annoying, teetering every few steps. I hope you like gymnastics metaphors, as there are only two years left before the summer olympics.

Old man Kenan Thompson (Grady Wilson) did his version of a video kama sutra with Greek Alec Baldwin helping demonstrate. These Grady Wilson ones always make me feel weird, but at the same time it's the exact sort of sketch that you just accept and then years later you turn around and it's the "Makin' Copies" of the 2010s.


WEEKEND UPDATE UPDATE:

• I liked it when Snookie stopped by and accidentally ate a finger thinking it was a chee-to. And also when Seth Meyers tried to pat her poof and she bellowed "be careful! My freakin brain is in there!"
• Stefan the Family City Correspondent literally couldn't keep himself away from a million awesome, scary clubs, no matter how hard he tried. That's what I took all the mouth-covering to mean, like "I can't believe I did that, I bailed on ESPNzone to stop by a warehouse party that seemed like much more fun. Oooopsieeeee!"
  
• I liked it when Garth & Kat tried to sing together because it reminded me of my favorite improv game ever, which is that exactly.
• Goodbye for a few months, Weekend Update desk!
  

I would watch Timecrowave in my real-life infomercial line-up if I could. Next came a very well-acted performance by Jenny Slate in "Some Big Shot," in which a sad prostitute gives her honest life story. And of course, as everyone knew from the pregnant pause after her monologue ended, her john (Alec) would still be interested - this was his bag. HEY JENNY, YOU ARE ACTING WITH ALEC BALDWIN, NO BIG DEAL.


I didn't get this one at all. Maybe I was falling asleep. I remember liking Alec's energy.

one final thought:
I missed Will Forte but am very excited for MacGruber.

Hooray for your 35th season, SNL!