SNL After Party (S50 E10 Air Date 12/21/24) - "Shiiiiiz!"

Host: Martin Short
Musical Guest: Hozier

The Christmas tree at Studio 8H was overflowing with presents and cameos in the final show of the year.

But were the gifts welcome, or did we all feel like we were at a white elephant present exchange.

Let’s find out at the SNL Christmas After Party

Cold Open

Host and former cast member Martin Short joins the illustrious five-timer club (for hosts that have helmed the show five times).

In a cameo extravaganza, other members of the club welcome Carvey in.

Tom Hanks notes he was the first member, and that the now hallowed tradition started as an easy way to avoid writing a monologue.

Other members that show up include Paul Rudd and Tina Fey. Martin quips to her that she is one of those rare things, a writer attractive enough to be on television, to which Fey says Martin is one of the least rare things in show business; a loud man.

Alec Baldwin is there, as is Scarlett Johansson (with support from hubby Colin Jost). Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy show up, as do Emma Stone, John Mulaney and Jimmy Fallon.

Conspicuously missing is Short’s Only Murders int the Building co-star, Steve Martin. This seemed like a huge missing piece this time around.

The cold open was a great use of the cameos. There were great quips (and in McCarthy’s case great physical comedy). And the whole thing was just fun.

A great beginning. And, hey, no Dana Carvey….yet.

Monologue

Martin Short’s monologue has cast members all sad and stressed about the holidays. But, no fear, Short lifts their spirits by meandering around the eighth floor while singing a song about needing a new prescription for the holidays.

The walk about had him passing the usual showgirls and Abraham Lincoln that are always in the halls. But, there was no llama, and this upset me far more than it should have.

Lorne Michaels was there, blatantly chewing gum for some reason. So there is that.

Parking Lot Altercation

Mikey Day and his daughter Chloe Fineman argue with Martin Short over a parking spot at the mall.

From their cars, they shout and make elaborate hand gestures (including some very inappropriate ones from Fineman that upset her dad).

The bit goes on a bit too long, when Short advises his wife will deal with it, only to have Melissa McCarthy show up outside Day’s car and engage in some absolutely hilarious shtick. Fineman cracks - and understandably so.

This bow really made the sketch shine.

An Act of Kindness

The first pre-taped segment is back in its usual slot.

In this one, Heidi Gardner is moved when a homeless man (Kenan Thompson) hands her back a present she dropped on the street.

So moved is Gardner that she spends the day helping the man.

The twist comes during dinner, when her husband (who other than Mikey Day!) angrily calls wondering where she’s been.

It amps up from there, and is very funny, and it feels like a post-election return to letting Kennan be Keenan.

The kicker at the end of the sketch really sold it….

Airport Parade

This returning sketch may become a holiday tradition. Ego Nwodim and Bowen Yang host a “parade” of travellers in an airport.

This is a smart sketch format that allows for one off, quick bits that are funny for a few seconds but wouldn’t be for much longer. Taken together, they work.

And there’s a great use of the cameos, including Kristen Wiig as a “woman who accidentally at on a mechanical suitcase”, Paul Rudd as himself being denied entry into the Delta Lounge by Martin Short (and being on the receiving end of an intentionally, ridiculously contrived spit take) and Melissa McCarthy as a gate agent who can’t pronounce names.

Funny stuff in bite sized pieces!

Weekend Update

Look, the news jokes were good this week. Yang did a somewhat funny desk bit as one of the New Jersey drones (complete with propellers…some of which malfunctioned during the sketch), and the crowd was into it.

But it was the annual joke exchange that stole the show. The premise (which I choose to believe is true) is that Che and Colin write jokes for each other that the other one doesn’t see before they have to read them.

I won’t spoil any of these. Indeed, I’ll just post the video below. But, as always, Che’s jokes for Colin are insanely inappropriate, and this year his wife, Scarlett Johansson is on hand for reaction shots.

It’s a Christmas miracle!

Sábado Gigante

This is a repeat sketch that probably didn’t need repeating, as the premise is the same as it was last time (with Nate Bargatze).

Marcello Hernandez hosts the bonkers Spanish language show. This time, Paul Rudd is the hapless American selected to be on the program.

The joke is how over the top and bizarre everything is. This time around Dana Carvey (there he is!!!) shows up to give a useless clue as a weird guy. That’s the best description I’ve got. He’s a weird guy.

Amusing, but not a premise that needs further exploration.

Charlie Brown Christmas

SNL cast members love doing that Charlie Brown dance.

Here, it’s the Christmas pageant, but Charlie Brown has been fired as director, and replaced by Martin Short and his choreographer, Lester (Yang).

This one’s kind of meh, but has some funny stuff with Pigpen (Day), Schroeder (Andrew Dismukes) and Snoopy (Thompson).

Funny enough, particularly for Dismukes’ bewildered responses.

This is the most Martin Short that Martin Short is this episode. That’ll make sense when you see it.,

The Goodbye Wave

Best Sketch: The Joke Exchange. No ifs ands or buts. Anyone out there claiming you just can’t do offensive material anymore can not declare this segment woke. And, it’s exactly how you do it.

Worst Sketch: Nothing was awful this week. So this falls into “least good” territory. I think I’ll go with Sabado Gigante, just because it really doesn’t bring anything new to the bit.

Random Notes:

- It was really, really weird for Steve Martin to miss out on his buddy getting inducted into the five-timer club. I hope he’s okay.

-Hozier did two numbers, Sweet and a wonderful version of The Pogues Fairytale of New York. I don’t usually post songs, but this was just so nice for Christmas, that, here you go.

- The outdo seemed really long to me. It was as if a sketch was just a tad too long and had to be cut. Turns out, that may be the case. A pre-taped sketch with Short as the Grinch was excised from the show. It was basically the same premise of the bloody Christmas Carol sketch that also feature Short.

This time the Grinch (Short) causes mayhem when he tries to go good. Ultimately he has a face off with Lucy Liu Who. It’s fairly silly, and derivative of the Christmas Carol sketch, so not a bad cut.

This episode was a delight. The sheer number of cameos was staggering, but they were used very well. And, let’s face it, they helped dilute Short. I like Martin Short, but a little of him goes a long way.

This episode had something that sometimes has seemed missing of late. And that’s, well, joy.

This was a lovely Christmas episode that was just a lot of fun. Politics free (outside of the news), lots of people having a good time, and just such a fine time that it filled me with Christmas spirit and has me screaming at young lads to fetch me a goose.

Police have been called.

Grade: A

As always, we grade SNL episodes in comparison to other SNL episodes. Not TV in general.

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