Month: January 2023

This weekend saw the return of Donald Trump, active presidential candidate. Some two-and-a-half months after announcing his third campaign, he finally, belatedly sprung into action, kicking things off at a high school auditorium and, later, at a smallish rally with few big GOP stars. He was also the lede in SNL’s latest Weekend Update, which reserved its first jokes for him before getting to folks like Kanye West and even the parents of Swifties.

Co-anchor Colin Jost started by addressing the former president’s account being reinstated on Facebook and Instagram, albeit with what were vaguely called “guardrails.” About those, Jost joked that sounds like “the same thing they said every time they tried to reopen Jurassic Park.” He then added, “Also, what even are guardrails on Facebook and can they apply to my uncle? Because he’s posted some very disturbing fan fiction about the green M&M.”

Jost returned to Trump a bit later, when discussing GOP Sen. Rick Scott’s vow to complete his Southern border wall, which he would name after Trump. That prompted Jost to crack, “Even though most things named after Donald Trump are complete failures,” alongside an image of his oldest failson.

At one point, co-anchor Michael Che brought up the controversial new AI chatbot, which allows people to “converse” with simulated versions of real people, including Jesus and Hitler. Che joked there’s “one guy who thinks he’s both,” alongside a picture of Kanye West.

Che had another music-related joke: He talked about the Senate hearings held this week over Live Nation’s Taylor Swift snafu, which prompted concerns over their monopoly on concert ticket sales. That coaxed Taylor Swift fans to protest outside the Capitol. “Aww, that’s sweet,” Che said. “And only two years after their dads were there,” as a picture of Jan. 6 rioters appeared. That bit inevitably got quite the response.

You can watch the latest Weekend Update in the videos above and below.

SNL rarely shies away from the political; their Cold Opens are often about something D.C.-related. But on their most recent episode, they slipped in a reference to a tragedy the nation has only begun to process: the killing of Tyre Nichols by five Memphis police officers. Footage of the murder was made public last week, prompting outrage and protests. It’s a serious subject, and SNL found a sly way to mention it without making light of it.

The episode’s cold open concerned Merrick Garland (Mikey Day), the attorney general who’s often been criticized for being too detached, too slow to take action. The sketch parodied this by making him a diminutive badass, a nerd bellowing threats.

“I may look like I was born in a library, but there’s something you should know: Merrick Garland don’t play,” Day’s Garland steamed.

The sketch found one FBI agent after another telling the press about their adventures visiting past presidents and vice presidents, searching their homes for classified documents they may have taken home, as has been the case with Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and current president but former veep Joe Biden. For instance, Bowen Yang’s agent regaled reporters with his hang with charming (and classified document-free) Barack Obama.

At the end, though, things got a little serious. One of the agents, played by Kenan Thompson, returned to ask Garland a question.

“Hey boss, when we done playing with your little papers, we gonna head down to Memphis and make sure justice is served down there too, right?” Thompson asked.

“I sincerely hope so,” Day’s Garland replied.

“Yeah, you damn right, just making sure,” Thompson said, to huge applause.

Perhaps the actual Garland will take notice and be inspired to do his job. You can watch the sketch in the video above.

Every single week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

TIE: 10. Wolf Pack (Paramount+ series)

Sarah Michelle Gellar is back on TV and back in the realm of the supernatural, but this series is a few universes away from Buffy fare. This series is also far from the Teen Wolf saga that’s now rolling around as a reboot, yet there are definitely wolves involved and teen angst, so there’s that. Gellar portrays an arson investigator who’s the most prominent spark of fun within an otherwise dreary mess. She can still kick ass, and given that she’s an executive producer on this series, Gellar can hopefully avoid all of the toxicity that she dealt with for all those years on the aforementioned vampire show.

TIE: 10. The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (Netflix documentary)

Netflix still can’t be beat (sorry, Court TV) when it comes to stacking up the most watchable true crime projects in one place. In this selection, you’ll become acquainted with the viral sensation who halted a mass murder in process. Yes, he used a hatchet, and then he rose to infamy before falling from something resembling grace. This is both an engrossing and infuriating story to witness, but you won’t be bored.

9. That ’90s Show (Netflix series)

Jackie and Kelso got married, which means that Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are on the scene as guest stars in this revival. More importantly, Red and Kitty are much the same, and the basement is still the place where all the cool kids want to hang out. This show’s actually brought back most of the original cast members from That ’70s Show, at least as guests and sometimes more. Donna and Eric’s daughter is central, and Tommy Chong is back as Leo with Wilmer Valderrama slipping back into the Fez persona as though a day has never passed. This series doesn’t seem destined to light Netflix on fire like Cobra Kai did, although I’d be happy to be wrong.

8. The Banshees Of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures film streaming on HBO Max)

Colin Farrell has been reminding the world of how charming he can be while on an awards tour. He’s now nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, so we’ll see him back on TV soon, and he reteamed here with In Bruges co-star Brendan Gleeson, with whom Farrell gets darkly comedic once more while distilling Irish history of recent memory into their characters. Also, you surely haven’t had enough of Barry Keoghan lately, so he showed up as well.

7. Shrinking (Apple TV+ series)

There’s a whole lotta streaming TV shows and movies about the inner workings of mental health professionals, but fortunately, this show shouldn’t be too dark despite dealing with grief as part of the setup. Jason Segal portrays a therapist who goes off the books while coping with fallout from his own personal tragedy. Harrison Ford is, yes, on TV. Between this and Yellowstone, the streaming world is giving us an iconic star of blockbuster franchises in unlikely roles, right in our living rooms.

6. The Walking Dead (AMC series on AMC+ and Netflix)

Strangely enough, this franchise appears to be finding new life despite ending the flagship series last year following eleven seasons. Soon, the eighth and final season of Fear the Walking Dead shall begin, and from there, followup spinoffs will start rolling out. That includes the Rick Grimes/Michonne series, but first, Negan and Maggie will kill extra terrifying Walkers in Manhattan, and Daryl Dixon will wake up in France.

5. Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24 film streaming on Hulu)

Michelle Yeoh might be a Best Actress Oscars lock in this A24 movie that also happens to star a bunch of hot dog fingers and bagels. Fortunately, this project transcends the overdone multiverse concept, and Yeoh also happens to be the first Oscar nominee in her category that “identifies as Asian.” This sci-fi story with heart will win you over, if you haven’t yet seen it and wish to give it a chance.

4. The Menu (Searchlight Pictures/20th Century Studios film streaming on HBO Max)

Temperamental chefs are so hot right now, and Ralph Fiennes’ character qualifies as the most out-there incarnation in recent memory. As always, Anya Taylor-Joy dominates the screen in this scathing film that will actually make you feel relieved that you cannot afford a $1,250 meal. This foodie horror comedy might also make you crave the perfect cheeseburger while we await The Bear‘s Carmy to return on our TV screens.

3. Poker Face (Peacock series)

Rian Johnson teamed up with Natasha Lyonne, who’s doing her best Columbo in this mystery-of-the-week series that includes about a billion different cameos. Adrian Brody, Benjamin Bratt, Dascha Polanco, and Chloe Sevigny all help fill in this series that’s quirky without being obnoxious about it. Lyonne’s Charlie is either blessed or cursed by being able to spot a lie from a mile away, and this show is genuinely episodic, which is damn refreshing these days. No offense to Russian Doll, of course, because that’s a truly brilliant Lyonne series. This show, however, is all about taking a swaggery ride while dudes try to tell Charlie that she’s got no power. Good luck to them.

2. The Last Of Us (HBO series streaming on HBO Max)

This series is only in week three and has already qualified as a ratings juggernaut. After Chernobyl, another hit from Craig Mazin was to be expected, and Boston won’t be on your bucket list after watching this show, especially after that kiss. Importantly, you don’t have to have played the video game to dig this show, and it’s time to catch up because no one’s doing “epic” these days like HBO.

1. M3GAN (Universal Pictures film streaming on Amazon Prime)

The homicidal doll is here to dance her way into your heart. Alright, that’s not quite the case, but nonetheless, people could not stop flocking to this movie. Allison Williams continues to appear in horror films that are much better than they have any right to be, and this James Wan/Jason Blumhouse collaboration has been greenlit for a sequel. In other words, get ready for this killer AI to upgrade herself again and wreak havoc in a more stylish way than Chucky ever could.

Michael B. Jordan began his SNL hosting stint by dragging himself (and his “first public breakup”), but he moved onto dragging other dudes in the evening’s “male confidence seminar” sketch. Yes, the specific dude target of this sketch is never mentioned by name, but it sure appears that the sketch is targeting misogynistic moron Andrew Tate, who recently made headlines for making an idiot of himself all over the Internet.

Shade was the name of the game here, and Tate is known for this variety of, uh, pep talk all over social media. He also unwisely attempted to impress Greta Thunberg with all of his gas-guzzling vehicles. She, in turn, made a “smalldickenergy” energy joke, which not only floored him but may have helped to get him arrested. So, this sketch gleefully takes aim at Tate and men’s rights “experts” like him, and it’s safe to say that the writing isn’t SNL top shelf, but perhaps that’s intentional, given the subject matter. Andrew Tate sure doesn’t deserve the intellectual treatment.

About a million forehead jokes (“Forehead Jackson” and “You got a Jimmy Neutron head, bro”) abound (poor Andrew Dismukes), which may or may not be a shot at Tate’s bald-shaven head. Scarves and rings are similarly skewered, and Jordan is having a good time here. That’s what matters most on SNL, and he delivered a solid evening of entertainment — quite the accomplishment after Aubrey Plaza proved to be a tough act to follow.

Michael B. Jordan popped onto SNL with significant shoes to fill after Aubrey Plaza killed it as a host, and M3GAN 2.0 added even more killer vibes. Still, the Black Panther antagonist held his own while promoting his starring and directing turn in the upcoming (and Stallone-less) Creed III. And whaddya know, the female SNL cast members were all too happy to support Jordan and offer to do more, as revealed in this monologue, in which he happily roasted himself.

First thing’s first, though: Jordan relived his 20-year-old showbiz debut, complete with howling, on All My Children and continued roasting himself by moving onto his “first public breakup” (from Lori Harvey). That included discussion of his courtside “chilling”/not “sad” face, but there appears to be no shortage of interested parties, if the reactions from the female SNL cast are any indication.

Chloe Fineman and Heidi Gardner popped into view with mentions of phone numbers and full-body pillows, but they were quickly outdone by Ego Nwodim, all ready to roar in a wedding dress. Even Punky Johnson was willing to discount existing preferences if Jordan happened to be interested. He, of course, inquired, “Aren’t you gay?” To which Punky replied, “I’m Punky B. Curious. Even vegans got cheat days, right?” Yep, Michael B. Jordan is gonna be alright.

In his second performance of the night, Lil Baby brought an emotional performance of his song, “Forever,” to the Saturday Night Live stage.

During the performance, Lil Baby was dressed in all black, joined by a pianist, who played flawless notes while Lil Baby rapped the melodic It’s Only Me standout. Though the song’s collaborator, Fridayy, who sings on the chorus, wasn’t present during the performance, Lil Baby’s stage presence matched the energy of the hook.

Over the years, Baby’s sound has evolved greatly, and last year’s It’s Only Me cemented him as one of rap’s best acts in the game right now. Albeit a rap superstar, whose career trajectory is only proving that he’s destined for longevity, Baby revealed in a profile for New York Times that he will never forget who and what he’s doing it all for — his hometown of Atlanta.

“The main thing that I do still keep with me from Atlanta, when I go everywhere, is me,” he said. “My upbringing, my manners, my way of thinking, my way of living. Everything comes from Atlanta. No matter where I go, I’ll never be able to get distance from Atlanta.”

You can check out the performance above.

Tonight (January 28), rapper Lil Baby made his debut on Saturday Night Live. He took to the stage for a performance of “California Breeze” from his third studio album, It’s Only Me.

During his performance, Lil Baby was dressed in a luxurious green vest with matching pants. The rapper was joined by several instrumentalists, including a keyboardist and an electric guitarist, giving the song a rock-style sound. Colorful lights surrounding the stage added to the performance’s electrifying feel.

It’s Only Me reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its release last October, and was one of the most streamed albums of 2022. Even having accomplished these remarkable feats, making albums comes as second nature to Lil Baby.

In a recent interview with XXL, Baby revealed that he doesn’t see himself as competing with anyone in the rap game. He prefers to go with his own flow and let the music speak for itself.

“I’m the only person where I’m like I’m tryna outdo, ya feel me? he said. “..I just know to do what I suppose to do and it just like always happens for me that way, feel me? I’ll outdo myself with no problem.”

You can check out the performance above.

Cody Rhodes won the men’s Royal Rumble earlier in the evening, guaranteeing him a shot at gold at WrestleMania 39. In the main event of the Rumble, Kevin Owens gave it everything he had, but Roman Reigns bludgeoned the challenger to retain the WWE Universal Championship and — as of now — set up a showdown with Rhodes at ‘Mania.

Reigns took the fight to Owens from the opening bell, pointing and speaking to Zayn throughout the match. Reigns attempted a spear midway through the match, but found the steel post instead. Owens got a two-count from the frog splash, then missed a moonsault and ate a spear instead for the two-count. Owens went for the stunner, but was pushed into the referee. He then dropped Reigns with the popup powerbomb and had Reigns pinned for a 5-count.

Reigns got to his knee and dropped Owens with a low blow. Reigns then called for a chair, Zayn hesitated, then Owens reversed a chair shot attempt to hit another stunner before Reigns kicked out at two.

Owens tried to set up another popup powerbomb, but was on the receiving end of another spear for the two. On the outside, Zayn told Owens to stay down and Reigns speared him through the barricade. He then slammed Owens backwards into the steel steps twice.

Owens tried to fight back again inside the ring, but Reigns laid him out with a spear to retain his title.

After the match, Reigns instructed the Bloodline to beat down Owens, with the Usos and Solo Sikoa beating him with a chair. Reigns then pulled out handcuffs and locked Owens standing up against the ropes, with the Usos continuing to lay into Owens with superkicks. Reigns then picked up a chair and started to swing it at Owens, but Zayn stopped him. Reigns then handed the chair to Zayn and told him Owens dragged him down since day one.

Zayn then dropped Reigns with a chair shot to the back and dropped the chair as Jey Uso yelled at him.

Jimmy dropped Zayn with a super kick and Sikoa hit him with the Samoan Spike. Instead of attacking Zayn, Jey slid out of the ring and walked up the entrance while distraught. Reigns then took a chair and continued to lay into Zayn before ripping his Honorary Uce shirt off of him and leaving the ring.

Rhea Ripley went the distance as the No. 1 entrant to become the winner of the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble and is now guaranteed a championship match at WrestleMania 39. Ripley and Liv Morgan kicked off the Royal Rumble as the first two entrants. B-Fab ate a few headbutts shortly after entering from Ripley, and was eliminated less than a minute into her Rumble appearance.

NXT women’s champion Roxanne Perez got her first taste of the main roster, but didn’t last long before her race was run. Natalya made her return months after breaking her nose at the hands of Shayna Baszler, renewing their rivalry in the middle of the Rumble. Zoey Stark was another NXT call-up for the Rumble and Piper Niven shed her Doudrop name in her return to the ring.

The returns kept coming, with Chelsea Green taking more time to get to the ring than she actually spent in the match, earning the Women’s Royal Rumble record with quickest elimination at the hands of Ripley. Michelle McCool then hit the ring from her seat in the front row, taking the action to Tamina and eliminating her from the Rumble.

Indi Hartwell joined her NXT colleagues in the Rumble, sporting an Indi Wrestling jacket before making her way to the ring.

More than a year after her last appearance, Nia Jax made her return to WWE with a loaded ring as the 30th and final entrant, quickly becoming the focal point of every woman in the match. Ripley dropped Jax with the Rip Chord before the women teamed up at tossed Jax over the top rope.

Ripley, Cross, Asuka, and Morgan were the final four participants until Morgan eliminated Cross. Asuka blinded Morgan with the mist, but Ripley took care of Asuka with an elimination. Morgan had Ripley on the ropes, but she caught Morgan and flipper her off the apron to win the match.

Order Entered

1. Rhea Ripley
2. Liv Morgan
3. Dana Brooke
4. Emma
5. Shayna Baszler
6. Bayley
7. B-Fab
8. Roxanne Perez
9. Dakota Kai
10. Iyo Sky
11. Natalya
12. Candice LeRae
13. Zoey Stark
14. Xia Li
15. Becky Lynch
16. Tegan Nox
17. Asuka
18. Piper Niven
19. Tamina
20. Chelsea Green
21. Zelina Vega
22. Raquel Rodriguez
23. Michin
24. Lacey Evans
25. Michelle McCool
26. Indi Hartwell
27. Sonya Deville
28. Shotzi
29. Nikki Cross
30. Nia Jax

Order Eliminated

1. B-Fab
2. Dana Brooke
3. Emma
4. Roxanne Perez
5. Natalya
6. Shayna Baszler
7. Candice LeRae
8. Tegan Nox
9. Chelsea Green
10. Dakota Kai
11. Iyo Sky
12. Becky Lynch
13. Bayley
14. Xia Li
15. Tamina
16. Zoey Stark
17. Zelina Vega
18. Indi Hartwell
19. Nia Jax
20. Lacey Evans
21. Sonya Deville
22. Michelle McCool
23. Shotzi
24. Michin
25. Piper Niven
26. Raquel Rodriguez
27. Nikki Cross
28. Asuka
29. Liv Morgan

The Celtics and Lakers did not disappoint in their primetime showdown on Saturday night, as the longtime rivals were the headliners of the league’s Saturday slate on ABC.

The game went down to the wire, featuring a wild finish in which the two teams traded leads and ties, with some questionable officiating playing a not insignificant role in the outcome. The Lakers took a two-point lead in the final 20 seconds on, of all things, a Patrick Beverley putback dunk — the ninth dunk of his career and first since 2019.

The Celtics would tie the game in the final five seconds on a Jaylen Brown and-1 bucket (with a very late whistle) off an offensive rebound of an Al Horford missed corner three that hit the top corner of the backboard. From there, the Lakers would have a chance to win the game with five seconds to play, and got the ball to LeBron James, who drove to the basket and very clearly got hit on the arm by Jayson Tatum, only for there to be no whistle.

That led to an all-time meltdown from James, who was rightfully furious about the no-call.

The funniest part of it all came between the fourth quarter and overtime when Beverley picked up a technical foul for grabbing one of the cameras from someone shooting the game on the baseline, walked it over to the ref, and showed him the picture of Tatum clearly making contact with James’ arm.

That allowed Boston to start the overtime period with a one-point lead as Tatum hit a technical free throw before the tip, but it’s an all-timer from PatBev. The Celtics would go on to win 125-121 in overtime, as the Lakers could never pull them back in after a hot start saw them go up six. However, the discussion will, unquestionably, be about the end of regulation and the calls and non-calls that ended up sending the game to an extra five minutes.