My Two Cents

So, I watched The Return of Jezebel James--both episodes--and was not really impressed. There's Amy Sherman-Palladino, Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose (plus Dianne Weist as their mom) but it just didn't work. But, wait! The last scene gave me a glimmer of hope and encouraged me to set the DVR for next week. Posey, who was playing so opposite type as a shrill, hyper-organized, overly-girly Sarah that she gave me whiplash, toned down that persona to finally have a normal conversation with Ambrose, playing her sister, in the last minutes of the show, and it actually made me smile.

Lauren Ambrose, who is still playing Claire Fisher at this point, doesn't have a lot do in the first two episodes, except look disheveled and hate Posey. What really bugs me is her name--Coco. This name conjures images of Irene Cara in Fame and Courtney Cox's kid (also, Cocoa Puffs, which are delicious!) but it so doesn't work for this character. I'd like them to tell me in a future outing that this is a name she made up for herself and her real name is something like, I don't know, Karen.

But, look--there's Scott Cohen, aka Max Medina, as Sarah's boyfriend! There's something here, I swear, they just haven't hit the nail on the head yet.

On the contrary, SNL was "on" once again this week! Although I could really do without that Target sketch ever again (and, is it just me, or are Jonah Hill's forearms alarmingly skinny?) I loved the inevitable Elliot Spitzer cold open, the Benihana sketch with Jonah playing a six-year-old as Catskills comedian, the Suze Orman skit (including an answer as to where she gets all her jackets!) and Kristen's awesomely spot-on impression of her, and the Digital Short in which Jonah sat Andy Samberg down to tell him that he was dating his dad, Ben Samberg (played by Jack Handey, of "Deep Thoughts" fame). That make-out session was both disturbing and hilarious. Update saw the return of "Really?! with Seth and Amy", which routinely kills me, and Tracy Morgan doing a sort of belated point-counterpoint to Tina's three-week-old "bitch is the new black" by saying "but Black is the new President!" I just feel like the show is kicking ass right now, and I hope another Christopher Walken hosting gig in a couple weeks can continue the streak. I need more cowbell!!!

See y'all over at the 'bean this week, where I will explain why I love TV, plus breakdown DWTS and Big Brother for you. Read 'em even if you don't watch. I promise you'll enjoy!