Saturday Night Live Review -- 10/2/10 -- Bryan Cranston and Kanye West

Rather than get someone good to play Barack Obama, Lorne taps Fred Armisen once again to do his terrible impersonation. Luckily, he's quickly pushed to the shadows by Andy Samberg playing a great Rahm Emmanuel giving a scary pep talk to a frightened Peter Rouse, played by Bobby Moynihanan. For once, a funny, DC-based, opening.

MONOLOGUE -- Bryan Cranston -- 3

If you don't stare too long, Bryan looks a bit like Phil Hartman. Cranston does a barber shop quartet routine with the male members of the cast about how he's going to be a household name that is only mildly amusing when they get his name wrong. But that's it.

Pepto Bismol Ice -- 5

A malt liquor with Pepto Bismol. That's the premise here. It's amusing to see the pink stuff in a beer bottle, but in the end, this is just another bit of potty humor in an SNL commercial.

Miley Cyrus Show -- 7

New cast member Vanessa Bayer does a.... like... awesome Miley Cyrus impersonation. So awesome that it makes your ears bleed. Bryan Cranston plays Billy Ray Cyrus. Paul Brittain does a great job playing special guest Johnny Depp, who announces he's doing a "very haunting version of Goodnight Moon" with Tim Burton. Cranston's not given much to do here. Sign of things to come? It's a spot on shot at the annoying Ms. Cyrus, perhaps five years too late.

What's Up With That? -- 5

Ernest Borgnine and Morgan Freeman apparently were drugged and brought to the studio for a cameo in What's Up With That?, the long in the tooth sketch from Kenan Thompson in which he never gets a chance to talk to his guests because he's too busy singing "What's Up With That?" Morgan Freeman's reaction to being interrupted is priceless, though. Sadly, the laughs end there and the sketch goes on for another 30 minutes or so. It is a bit of a trip watching 93 year old Borgnine laughing through the whole thing.

Shana The Hot Chick -- 5

Kristen Wiig returns as the hot chick prone to disgusting behavior. As funny voiced Wiig characters go, this one is amusing briefly, but the toilet humor is predictable and stale. The reactions of the high school students played by Andy Samberg, Kenan Thompson, and Paul Brittain are priceless. Bryan Cranston again has nothing to do.

SNL Digital Short -- Rescue Dogs -- 9

A hysterical sketch about the annoyances of advertisements on iPhone apps has Andy Samberg trying to use his phone to call then use an app to get 911 as his home is being broken into. The bit builds amusingly until a very dumb and disappointing end. The beginning was very funny, though.

Kanye West -- Power -- 4

Kanye does another egotistical rap censored beyond belief with lots of women in white leotards. If he wasn't so self absorbed, it might be parody. Still, not as bad as I've seen him perform.

Weekend Update -- 8

A sharper than normal Weekend Update with several laughs. Bobby Moynihan shows up as Anthony Crispino, king of second hand news, a guy who is worried about the Jim Carrey movie, The Mask being shown at ground zero and a guy in Florida burning Koreans. It's funny because it is true. Andy Samberg also shows up as Cathy to talk about the death of the comic strip.

Funny Lines -- "On Friday, the White House released Rahm Emmanuel.... back into the wild."

Regarding Obama doing backyard chats about the economy: "(Obama) was going to do front yard chats, but then you get the foreclosure signs in the pictures."

Kid Smartz -- 3

Bryan Cranston plays a host of a 1972 game show for kids. Vanessa Bayer, Abby Elliott, Andy Samberg, and Kenan Thompson play the kids. In the tradition of 70's game show hosts, Cranston feels the need to kiss all the contestants.... multiple times. Except for Kenan Thompson, who resists his advances. What could have been an amusing parody of old game shows seems to be merely an excuse to show Cranston kissing Samberg. Lame.

Two Singers -- 1

Bryan Cranston and Fred Armisen play two singers who had one very minor hit in 1979 who sing about sparkling apple juice on a comeback tour that is tanking. It sounds as good as it is. Sadly, the refrain will be in my head tomorrow.

Kanye West -- Runaway -- 4

More pretentious non-talent from Kanye as he walks around an overexposed set. My TV may blowout. Kanye seems to feel as though he's oppressed by all the people who think he's a pretentious jerk, then goes on to prove them right. Yawn.

Henry Learns to Defend Himself -- 1

Nasim Pedrad plays a little boy who is taught to defend himself by Bryan Cranston as his dad. Dad teaches self defense by beating the crap out of the kid. Bryan Cranston may have to give up that Emmy.

iSleep Pro -- 7

When you can't get to sleep, why try "White Noise", why not try "Black Noise". The iSleep Pro generates nocturnal sounds for African Americans, like old women complaining about their feet, and the muffled sounds of Tyler Perry sitcoms. Amusing.

Overall -- 4

A funny opening, Digital Short, and Weekend Update can't make up for a show where SNL finds not one funny thing to do with its host. Maybe it is Cranston's fault, but this show was full of crap, not helped by the always annoying Kanye West. Season Episode number two was a big dish of number two.