Candice Bergen, again, already? These days, with every season planned out for maximum opportunities for celebrities to promote their projects, it's odd to see hosts turn up several times a season, for no reason other than that the producers and/or cast liked them. Come to think of it, most of the hosts haven't specifically plugged much this season.
I enjoyed Bergen's previous episode, but was surprised at how few stand-out moments it contained. Perhaps this episode will better showcase her.
THE HOST
It's Candice Bergen, and, yes, she's a little stiff and comes across as a little too serious, like she usually does, but she appears to genuinely love being on SNL, and it shows. Her monologue - it's nothing but a brief bit in which she describes hosting as a Christmas gift to herself.
THE GOOD
There are a few standouts in this generally solid episode.
Mel's Char Palace, a recurring skit in the form of an ad promoting a restaurant where you select, stun, and butcher your own cow, is the real highlight. It's pure Aykroyd, right up there with similar skits, like the Bass-O-Matic.
Chevy Chase as a son calling his parents to let them know he's been arrested for murdering 26 boys is dark enough that it feels like it was written by Michael O'Donoghue.
Chevy Chase coming out as an elf to his sister, played by Bergen, is an obvious metaphor for homosexuality, but it works, largely in part to the great chemistry between him and Bergen.
Also, Chase once again opens as Gerald Ford, this time having a mishap with a Christmas tree.
THE BAD
Pong is back again.
For some reason, Bergen devotes a few minutes to introducing Margaret Kuhn of the Gray Panthers to talk about growing old. I'm sure she was an important woman, but it still feels out of place.
THE MEH
It's always a good sign when even the Muppets don't fall in the bad category. I never enjoy them, but when they break with the regular format, in this case singing a Christmas song with Bergen, they at least become tolerable.
There's a cute film featuring the Bees ice skating in Rockefeller Plaza.
More ads, that are fine, but pale next to Mel's Char Palace: we get Bergen as Princess Grace selling tarnish remover, the personal price gun to set your own prices at the grocery store (a concept that must seem alien to many people today), a selection of gifts offered by Don Pardo.
Belushi and Radner have a nice silent skit involving a laundromat. Radner also does a monologue detailing what she ate.
Laraine Newman gets her own skit playing a German? Swedish? cook messing up her ingredients.
Even Minute Mystery with Mike Mendoza is palatable this week, thanks to Bergen being involved.
We also get the first film by Gary Weis, a montage of people greeting one another at an airport set to the song "Homeward Bound". It's okay, suitable for the season, if a little sappy. Weis will be back to bore us later this season and all through the second. We'll also be seeing more home movies, as Chase and Bergen ask viewers at home to mail theirs in. I guess they needed something to fill up that airtime.
THE MUSIC
We get Martha Reeves (well into the twilight of her career) and The Stylistics (at the beginning of their twilight). Both are fine.
We also get the cast singing Christmas songs. It's more earnest and cheesier than we'd see today, but I guess it fits the times.
GRADE: B
Bergen's fun is infectious, even though so far her episodes haven't matched her enthusiasm. Still, this feels like a moment when the cast is beginning to realize they're turning into a big deal. They seem happy, relaxed, and it feels like they're all still getting along for the most part.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Boy, can Candice Bergen take things seriously for being on a comedy show. There's the Margaret Kuhn moment, but her "Merry Christmas" at the end of the "Homeward Bound" short feels heavy for a variety show.
I'm a little surprised they're still booking less prominent musical acts at this point. Nothing against Martha Reeves - I love her work with the Vandellas - but what was she doing in 1975 to warrant national TV exposure? Unless Bergen requested her, which is possible.
NEXT: Another popular host, Elliott Gould.
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