That's three weeks in a row that we've been introduced to popular recurring hosts. Actually, in terms of hosts, the show's been on a roll since the Lily Tomlin episode. This week, we get Buck Henry. While not a household name (even then, more so now), he would go onto host numerous times with the original cast. I know it's unlikely, but I'd love to see him come back and host today. So, let's see how he does on his first hosting attempt.
THE HOST
After a good monologue in which he acknowledges how unlikely he is to be hosting the show, Henry settles in well with the cast, appearing in most of the skits, and even turning up during Weekend Update. He also finds a permanent role as the straight man to Belushi's samurai, providing the final element this concept needed. He's a perfect example of comedic chops trumping celebrity to turn out a decent episode of SNL.
THE GOOD
Samurai delicatessen is the obvious highlight here. If you watched reruns of SNL in the '80s and '90s, you no doubt saw this skit numerous times. It sets the template for all future samurai skits.
There's a Citizen Kane II skit that pretty much nails the style of that film, down to mimicking the end credits.
Michael O'Donoghue does an impression of Mike Douglas being stabbed in the eyes with needles, that's so weird for its time that I have to admire it.
THE BAD
The Muppets, as usual.
Most of the commercials feel tired, also. We get a rerun of the Wrigley's commercial, and of the triple blade razor commercial.
THE MEH
Like the Lily Tomlin episode of a few weeks ago, this episode fares well not so much because it has so many great skits, but because it has so few clunkers.
On the political front, there's an interview with a woman claiming to have had an affair with President Kennedy, and one involving secret service agents stumbling and falling along with President Ford in order to make him seem less clumsy.
Three new commercial parodies involving the cast fare better than the reruns: one for a school that promises you to learn speed reading, but not necessarily the ability to read well; one about a giant-sized deodorizer for a room; and an anti-drug ad featuring Chevy Chase being too stupid to properly roll a joint.
An auto mechanic telling bedtime stories revolving around car repair and one involving around a series of jokes about Buck Henry's character suffering from constipation round out the skits.
Gary Weis' films haven't quite reached the point where they become too annoying yet, so even that isn't too bad this week.
THE MUSIC
Obviously, the big news here is the unveiling of the Blues Brothers. though this week they're used more to drag out the killer bee gag.
Bill Withers sings "Ain't No Sunshine", and does as well as you'd expect him to.
Toni Basil does a song that I'm pretty sure was never a hit. Why is she here, exactly? They couldn't just have Bill Withers do two songs?
GRADE: B
It's a solid, if not spectacular, episode, but the show seems to finding a steady groove, with each week delivering a solid chunk of entertainment.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
I'm a little curious as to how Buck Henry actually did end up hosting. Anyone out there know? As a kid, I'd always assumed he was someone famous before my time, only to learn later that he was almost always a behind the scenes figure.
I'm amazed at just how much effort they put into that Citizen Kane skit. It's weird to think that for that generation, Citizen Kane was probably something that ran on television often enough that doing something as simple as replicating the closing credits would get a laugh.
NEXT: Peter Cook & Dudley Moore - one of them's on his way to becoming famous... the other, not so much. Neil Sedaka will be around, as well.
