Classic SNL Review: April 18, 1987: John Larroquette / Timbuk 3 (S12E17)

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RATINGS SYSTEM:
***** - Classic
**** - Great
*** - Good/Average
** - Meh
* - Awful

OPENING: PAGAN EASTER SPECIAL

  • Kent Laxor (John Larroquette) and High Priestess Morganna (Nora Dunn) ring in the holiday with a rite performed by Casey (Dana Carvey) and Jean Kasem (Jan Hooks).

  • Something about this gives me a throwback vibe, like I could see it being performed on the show in the earlier seasons. Decent idea overall, but the main laughs I get come from Carvey’s Casey Kasem and his story about how he owes his America’s Top 10 gig to Moloch.

  • I usually consider it a good sign whenever the host participates in a cold opening, and Larroquette fits right in immediately.

  • I’ve always liked the “Pat Boone’s evil twin” photo joke at the beginning of this sketch.

  • Written by Rosie Shuster, Robert Smigel, and Christine Zander.

  • Rerun alterations: Entrance fanfare for Larroquette and Dunn fades in later than in live. More applause after dance finishes.

***

MONOLOGUE

  • John Larroquette can’t resist bringing up his two Emmys while talking about how he ended up hosting on Easter weekend.

  • Fairly good monologue, with some funny lines about how desperate Lorne Michaels was to have Larroquette on the show, and the turn about him remembering he had a couple of girlfriends in New York was well done. The repeated “two Emmys” bit was just OK, though.

  • I noticed that Larroquette really talks with his hands a lot.

  • Rerun alterations: Replaced with dress rehearsal; Larroquette’s delivery is more relaxed than in live, and there is no mention of his beach house.

***

COMMERCIAL: SOLD-OUT GOLD

  • David Crosby (Jon Lovitz) plugs an album of 60’s hits used in advertising, as well as some never-before-heard adaptations.

  • A timely parody of rock music being turned into commercial jingles (the infamous “Revolution” Nike ad came out around this time), though it feels like its impact has been diluted in the following years due to how common music being licensed for commercials is now.

  • Lovitz’s David Crosby appears for a second show in a row.

  • Rerun alterations: Jackson and Nealon dancing scenes replaced with dress. Edit to remove awkward music stop and a few seconds of dead air before Lovitz’s first line.

***

SKETCH: MOTHER-IN-LAW

  • Tension between Greg (John Larroquette) and mother-in-law Helen (Phil Hartman) ignites into a physical altercation.

  • One of Phil Hartman’s more overlooked recurring characters, and also one of his funniest. The idea may see a little iffy on paper, but Hartman manages to make this much better than the standard “male actor in drag” sketch, and also helps the whole brawl angle work.

  • John Larroquette holds his own here too, and gets the biggest laugh of the sketch with his “Yes” after Hartman’s line about being a “bitter, spiteful old bitch”.

  • Rerun alterations: None.

****

SKETCH: COLLECTING EVIDENCE

  • Policemen eagerly watch Detective Everhart (John Larroquette) pick up various pieces of evidence using a pencil.

  • A very solid sketch, with some good escalation and side bits (the detective sharpening his pencil before picking up the eyelash, the tumble, and the briefcase full of pencils). I love how it goes into the detectives just having Larroquette pick things up to see his skill.

  • The extended run about the murder victim being a loner was also pretty funny.

  • I’ve been seeing the one extra (sixth screencap, far right) a few times this season. Anybody know who he is?

  • Rerun alterations: The scene where Larroquette bags the microwave and the detectives decide what to get him to pick up next is replaced with dress rehearsal, as he has trouble getting it in the bag in the live show. Audience mixed a little quieter.

****

SHOW: INSTANT COFFEE

  • Big Bill Smith (Kevin Nealon) chats with married local actors Forrest Upjohn (John Larroquette) and Veronica Storm (Jan Hooks), who preview their new Kennedys musical Jack and Jackie.

  • The second and last appearance of this talk show sketch; I kind of wish the talk show sketches that SNL did in more recent years had the same format, with the host being the recurring character but mainly playing straight man and the different guests getting the comic heavy lifting.

  • FANTASTIC characterization from Larroquette and Hooks here, and I love how their characters are the big fish in the very small pond. I feel like they would be the kind of characters Cecily Strong would play in a James Anderson/Kent Sublette sketch but would make them more obviously insufferable, with Nealon’s role calling attention to it. This isn’t a knock on Strong, Anderson or Sublette, it’s just that modern SNL tends to spell things out for the audience.

  • The musical portion was also quite enjoyable.

  • Written by Rosie Shuster, Christine Zander, Jan Hooks, and John Larroquette.

  • Rerun alterations: None.

****

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “JUST ANOTHER MOVIE”

  • The (then) husband-and-wife duo of Pat and Barbara K. MacDonald, who had just scored their only mainstream hit with “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”. They don’t play that one tonight, though; instead, they play what is probably the most dour track from their debut album Greetings From Timbuk 3.

  • I like the song, though the guitars-and-drum machine arrangement probably isn’t the most dynamic thing for a live performance.

  • Rerun alterations: None.

WEEKEND UPDATE

  • Best jokes: Seven dirty words, Geraldo, Shroud of Clearwater

  • Opening music: “I Don’t Need No Doctor” by Humble Pie.

  • Another fairly strong run of jokes for Dennis Miller, including a good rapid fire run in the middle. Miller also concludes tonight’s edition by congratulating Julius Erving on his retirement.

  • Robin Leach (Dana Carvey) discusses baseball’s millionaire players, specifically Fernando Valenzuela; Carvey’s Leach is still funny but I felt like this commentary was too short and underdeveloped.

  • Babette (Nora Dunn) returns to complain about the indignity of filing taxes. Again, a pretty boilerplate Babette commentary; not bad, just boring if you’ve seen her previous appearances.

  • Rerun alterations: Audience mixed a little quieter.

***

SKETCH: HEAVEN

  • A newly deceased man (John Larroquette) gets answers to the great and not-so-great questions of the universe.

  • A very simple, well-written sketch that doesn’t require anything more than the two performers talking, and both Larroquette and Carvey carry this dialogue-heavy piece with ease. Very nice escalation on this one as well.

  • Written by George Meyer.

  • Rerun alterations: None

****

SKETCH: ICM

  • New York’s talent agents work to rebuild show business after a giant earthquake decimates the Los Angeles entertainment industry.

  • Another solid premise, and this one moved pretty fast. Some very funny jokes from the list of celebrities who ended up missing or dead, as well as some digs as to who the agents would consider as substitutes (Pia Zadora, Suzanne Somers, Melissa Manchester).

  • Rerun alterations: Audience noise mixed out of opening narration (some applaud when Franken mentions the millions of dead). Closing narration rerecorded.

*** 1/2

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “HAIRSTYLES & ATTITUDES”

  • Another single from Greetings from Timbuk 3, this is a more lighthearted (if still sardonic) tune, with a little footage from the video at the beginning.

  • Rerun alterations: Switching error fixed.

SKETCH: ENIGMA

  • In a Rodeo Drive boutique, celebrities like Brigitte Nielsen (Nora Dunn) and John Travolta (Dana Carvey) shell out big bucks for grab bags that either contain valuables or cheap knick-knacks.

  • Another interesting idea, and another pairing of Larroquette and Hooks. The sketch itself is alright if not particularly memorable, but Larroquette and Hooks are good as usual, and it is notable for the debut of Carvey’s hilarious impression of John Travolta.

  • This sketch was removed from the repeat version of this episode.

***

GOODNIGHTS: AL CAMOIN TRIBUTE

  • Jon Lovitz interrupts John Larroquette to mention that Al Camoin, NBC cameraman for 37 years (including the last 12 at SNL) is retiring, and tells the audience to give him a big round of applause. Victoria Jackson tells Al that she wishes she took the time to say hi to him, and Phil Hartman narrates a retrospective of his career.

  • Don Pardo announces next week’s encore of the award-winning William Shatner / Lone Justice show, and says he should know it was a great episode because he was there “and Bill was very nice to me!”

  • After the credits roll, Camoin and his camera back out of the studio through the doors, which the two pages close.

  • Rerun alterations: Audience noise and Pardo voiceover removed from closing theme.

Final thoughts: A very good show, with a very good host, and some creative writing all throughout the night. If last week felt like a somewhat safe show, this week feels more daring, and that John Larroquette was right on board for whatever the writers came up with. As mentioned before, he shows a particular chemistry with Jan Hooks tonight. Timbuk 3 were an interesting choice for a musical guest, and made me wish that the show dipped into the 80’s alternative music pool more often.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Heaven

  • Collecting Evidence

  • Instant Coffee with Bill Smith

  • Mother-In-Law

  • ICM

SHOW LOWLIGHTS:

  • (none)

MVP:

  • (tie) John Larroquette / Jan Hooks

CAST & GUEST BREAKDOWN:

cast

  • Dana Carvey: 7 appearances [Pagan Easter Special, Collecting Evidence, Weekend Update, Heaven, ICM, Enigma, Al Camoin Tribute]

  • Nora Dunn: 4 appearances [Pagan Easter Special, Weekend Update, Enigma, Al Camoin Tribute]

  • Phil Hartman: 4 appearances [Mother-In-Law, Collecting Evidence, Enigma, Al Camoin Tribute]; 1 voiceover [ICM]

  • Jan Hooks: 6 appearances [Pagan Easter Special, Mother-In-Law, Instant Coffee, ICM, Enigma, Al Camoin Tribute]

  • Victoria Jackson: 3 appearances [Sold-Out Gold, Enigma, Al Camoin Tribute]; 1 voiceover [ICM]

  • Jon Lovitz: 5 appearances [Sold-Out Gold, Collecting Evidence, ICM, Enigma, Al Camoin Tribute]

  • Dennis Miller: 2 appearances [Weekend Update, Al Camoin Tribute]

featured players

  • A. Whitney Brown: 1 appearance [Collecting Evidence]

  • Kevin Nealon: 6 appearances [Sold-Out Gold, Collecting Evidence, Instant Coffee, ICM, Enigma, Al Camoin Tribute]

unbilled crew, extras, and bit players

  • Al Camoin: 1 appearance [Al Camoin Tribute]

  • Al Franken: 1 voiceover [ICM]

  • Don Pardo: 2 voiceovers [Pagan Easter Special, Weekend Update]

guests

  • John Larroquette: 9 appearances [Pagan Easter Special, Monologue, Mother-In-Law, Collecting Evidence, Instant Coffee, Heaven, ICM, Enigma, Al Camoin Tribute]

  • Timbuk 3: 3 appearances [“Just Another Movie”, “Hairstyles and Attitudes”, Al Camoin Tribute]

REBROADCAST HISTORY:

  • August 1, 1987

  • July 23, 1988

Known alterations:

  • Enigma removed

  • The Amazing Alexander (from 10/11/86), Crack (from 01/24/87) and Under The Thinking Cap added.

  • Edits: Sold-Out Gold, ICM.

  • Dress substitutions: Monologue (all), Sold-Out Gold (part), Collecting Evidence (part).

  • Audio remixing: Pagan Easter Special, Collecting Evidence, Weekend Update.

FILM: UNDER THE THINKING CAP

  • New inventions to help the average consumer with personal fitness.

  • An odd short featuring conceptual artist Pippa (then Philip) Garner and some of her satirical inventions, in line with The Better Living Catalog and other works she published. Garner’s droll delivery makes this an interesting one-off.

***

Additional screen captures from this episode are available here.