SNL -- Melissa McCarthy / Lady Antebellum -- 10/1/11 Episode -- a Sketch by Sketch Review

OPENING -- Lawrence Welk Show -- 3

Another case of going to the well about 58 too many times too often.with Kristin Wiig and Melissa McCarthy playing a tag team of freak sisters. Dreadful and tired.

MONOLOGUE -- Melissa McCarthy -- 4

Melissa and Kristin Wiig do a dance number that goes on about 5 minutes too long. Some amusing work with shadows, but that's about it.

LIL POUNDCAKE -- 9

The best commercial SNL has done in a long time, primarily for the huge surprise twist. Not to spoil it, let's just say it plays off a recent controversy in the GOP debates and its about a kid's doll.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT -- 8

Melissa McCarthy plays a sexually harassing office worker. The sketch plays off her Bridesmaids personna as an oversexed chubby woman, but with nowhere near the timing or humor. Although Melissa gets laughs out of the way she throws herself into the whole thing, including riding a horse in disturbing ways.

DIGITAL SHORT -- STOMP -- 6

A police station breaks out in music and dance while listening to the sounds all around them. Then the Blue Man Group shows up. And things get out of hand. Like most Digital Shorts, it takes a funny punchline and overdoes it.

THE COMMENTS SECTION -- 8

A talk show that introduces you to the people that post snarky and stupid comments under articles and videos on the web, then confronts them with the people they offend. Very funny.

ROCK'S WAY -- 4

Jay Pharoah, who appears to be on SNL only to do impersonations, does various plays as Chris Rock. Not funny.

LADY ANTEBELLUM -- WE OWNED THE NIGHT -- 4

A 70'sish country feel to a rather bland song by this band that seems to be everywhere. Meh.

WEEKEND UPDATE -- 5


Vanessa Bayer and Fred Armisen play friends of Gadaffi in a very unfunny bit that seems like bad improv and Keenan Thompson impersonates Tyler Perry in a very funny jab at the superstar director. Seth Meyers continues his streak of 1 in 5 jokes hitting their mark.

FUNNY LINE: On why Andy Rooney is retiring from 60 Minutes "Rooney is apparently preparing for his role in the live action version of Up.

SALAD DRESSING FOCUS GROUP -- 7

Melissa McCarthy plays an zealous focus group member who is excited to be testing salad dressing. Seems to be an excuse to have Melissa McCarthy be obnoxious and eat. Not funny.

DO NOT NOT DISTURB -- 3

Melissa McCarthy plays an oldtime movie star named Lulu Diamonds who is like a heftier Mae West. This again seems like an excuse to have the actress fall down numerous times.

LADY ANTEBELLUM -- JUST A KISS -- 5

A pop country ballad. Yawn.

DON, THE LOVER -- 6

Andy Samberg plays a bar hopping Romeo who tells Melissa McCarthy that he's never had anyone complain about his lovemaking prowess. Several women come in to prove him wrong. Then Melissa McCarthy does him one better. Crude, but funny.

OVERALL -- 6

Perhaps I should give this a point higher, but the fact is that most of the laughs in this episode came from Melissa McCarthy doing fat jokes or acting ridiculous. It felt like the writers checked out and simply decided to go with the easy laugh. The laughs came, but few resulted from something other than McCarthy throwing herself into the work.