S1E3 Rob Reiner w/ The Lockers

Well, things feel a little more normal with this one, the first episode in which the host actually does more than tell jokes or sing. It's a little surprising to see things settle into some sort of formula so quickly after the experiments of the last two weeks.

THE HOST

Rob Reiner does a decent job. He feels like he's trying a little too hard during his opening monologue, in which he portrays a cliched night club lounge comic, and he's just okay in the skits he's in (which also include his then-wife Penny Marshall), but it's nice to see someone who actually appears happy to be on the show.

THE GOOD

Chase has more good moments: a decent opening skit featuring what would soon be his standard pratfall; a skit in which he plays a doctor emphasizing the importance of pancreas health; as a spokesperson for droolers; and his Weekend Update also stands out, due to the gimmicks of kidnappers using announcer Don Pardo to announce their demands and the debut of Garrett Morris repeating the top story for the hard of hearing by simply shouting it at the top of his lungs.

Andy Kaufman delivers another great lip sync performance, though I have to admit to experiencing diminishing returns each time he returns to this well.

Albert Brooks delivers a great film involving him performing open heart surgery.

Dan Aykroyd finally gets a good showcase as a crazed square dance caller. It's not a great skit, but it plays to his strengths, and may be the first time audiences have a reason to take notice of him.

The real star of the night, though, is John Belushi. He unveils his Joe Cocker impersonation, and you can sense a star being born, cliched as that statement may be. It's easy to see why he was frustrated at seeing someone like Chase get all the attention when Belushi was capable of producing something like this. I'm surprised he didn't take off bigger after this episode, but he still retreats to the background for chunks of the next season.

And it may not be laugh out loud funny, but Gilda reciting what she ate that day gives her a chance to show just how charming she can be, something that hasn't come through yet in the skits she's done.

THE BAD

The Muppets.

Future cast member Denny Dillon and some guy named Mark Hampton do a skit involving nuns hosting a school talent show. It's about as bad as most of these guest performances are in the first season.

Weak batch of commercials this time around. A moving company that moves people, not objects; and a Wrigley's gum commercial set at a funeral. The Wrigley's commercial is missing from the version on the DVD and Netflix streaming, but reading the transcript gives me the impression it's parodying a then commercial that I have no memory of.

THE MEH

Unfortunately, game as he seems to be, Reiner's skits are pretty forgettable. An overly long fashion show skit that feels flown in from another, more staid variety show. Both this and the final skit feature Penny Marshall. That last skit involves Reiner and Marshall attempting to do a dramatic scene only to be interrupted by the Killer Bees. It runs long, causing the show to abruptly fade to black.

George Coe gets a rare spotlight on a commercial for surgery through voodoo.

Laraine Newman plays a decent Squeaky Fromme on a talk show hosted by Jane Curtin. I wonder how relevant a Squeaky Fromme impression is these days? I know I had to explain it to my fiancee, who didn't have a clue as to who she was.

MUSIC

There really isn't a musical guest for this one, but The Lockers dance team comes close enough. For those of you who thought breakdancing was born in the '80s, it may be a surprise to see something like this in 1975. It's horribly dated, but the dancing's good, and it's an interesting cultural relic. Yes, that is Fred "Rerun" Berry. You can also see Toni Basil and Adolfo Quinones, future star of Breakin' and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.

GRADE: B-

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Nice to be able point out so many moments involving individual cast members. I didn't get to say much about Curtin and Morris, but even they make impressions in this episode. It's the first time the weekly cast feels necessary.

I was thinking this was a bit of a stepdown from George Carlin and Paul Simon, but I suppose in 1975 Rob Reiner was probably at the peak of his "All In The Family" fame. And he can actually do comedy, so this may be the first host that actually makes sense, even thought he end results are a little shaky.

Was the Wrigleys' name or logo actually used in the commercial? Is that why it's not included in available versions of the episode?