Saturday Night Live - Chicago Tribune's favorite moments of the 2008-2009 season

'Saturday Night Live': Our favorite moments of the season

Chris Borrelli, Tribune Newspapers


Tina Fey returned to "SNL" Saturday for Faux Palin redux, this time goofing on her interview with Katie Couric. (NBC photo by Dana Edelson / September 27, 2008)

Can you blame them for a blatant victory lap? Yes, Saturday night's season finale to "Saturday Night Live" was more nostalgia-tinged ( Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek, Harry Caray, President George Bush; Amy Poehler on "Weekend Update"; Norm Macdonald as Burt Reynolds!) and guest-stuffed ( Anne Hathaway, Tom Hanks, Paul Rudd, etc.) than the entire previous season put together.

But consider how much they have to celebrate:

During the 34th season of "SNL," a show that never fails to solicit a "Saturday Night Dead" headline once a year, had its most memorable skits in ages; affected the 2008 political election; lost one of its best cast members in Poehler; cemented itself (and Andy Samberg) as one of the funniest sources of digital shorts; became popular enough again to spin off a well-regarded Thursday night edition of "Weekend Update"; and, in Justin Timberlake, found its best unofficial cast member since the days of Steve Martin.

With all that in mind, consider these -- our 2008-09 season "SNL" superlatives:

Best host: A tough call -- Jon Hamm and Timberlake nailed it -- but we liked Hathaway, whose Mary Poppins impression ("Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is a disease of the liver!") and showbiz chops were a pleasant shock.

Best post-election Obama skit: The Rock Obama.

Best cast member: Kristin Wiig. In more skits than anyone else and responsible for more laughs.

Best skit for the time capsule: Tina Fey and Poehler's parody of Sarah Palin and Katie Couric's famously uneasy interview.

Most underrated: Filmmaker Noah Baumbach's "Clearing the Air" short film. Terrific take on the passive aggressive.

Best cast debut: Understated Michaela Watkins.

Best skit: Andy Samberg's bizarre (but spot-on) " Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals."

From:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-tc-ft-snl-0517-0518may18,0,6995121.story

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I disagree about the cast debut. While I liked Michaela Watkins' blog reporter character, it's Abby Elliott's Angelina Jolie impression that was more memorable (she needs to do an Angelina Jolie Show skit). And Bobby Moynihan doing Of Mice & Men, Vinnie's Son, the leotard dancer, Snagglepuss, and the "Pepper" skit made him the funniest new cast member since Andy, Bill, Jason, and Kristen came on back in 2005.

Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan - In the Vietnam Song skit

Here was another skit that Bobby was in on 5/16/09:


Musical Sketch: Vietnam Song

Will Ferrell ... Fritz
Green Day
Amy Poehler
Anne Hathaway
Artie Lange
Elisabeth Moss
Maya Rudolph
Norm MacDonald
Paul Rudd
Tom Hanks
Fred Armisen ... musician
Abby Elliott ... musician
Will Forte ... musician
Bill Hader ... Keith
Darrell Hammond ... Raymond Fadarico
Seth Meyers ... musician
Bobby Moynihan ... musician
Andy Samberg ... musician
Jason Sudeikis ... musician
Kenan Thompson ... friend
Michaela Watkins ... musician
Kristen Wiig ... musician
Casey Wilson ... musician




Yeah, this is what happens when you let Will Ferrell do whatever he wants. Still it's phenominal just to see all those stars up there with all the cast. Next time they should have TLI write the skit. That would probably involve more blood and bodies bursting. =^)

Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan - Funeral (SNL Skit)

Remembrances / Funeral

Will Ferrell ... Graham Yost
Maya Rudolph ... Glenda Goodwin
Fred Armisen ... rock and roll shorts guy
Abby Elliott ... guest
Will Forte ... anti-Obama guy
Bill Hader ... guest
Bobby Moynihan ... microphone guy
Jason Sudeikis ... priest
Michaela Watkins ... blonde
Kristen Wiig ... Gail
Casey Wilson ... wife



A few last words for the dearly departed...
This is like the sequal to the wedding skit. Funny stuff!

"Whaaat?"




Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan - Was in an SNL Pirates skit

Pirates

Justin Timberlake ... Kevin
Fred Armisen ... Madhu, pirate
Will Forte ... captain
Bill Hader ... Gideon
Bobby Moynihan ... Lance
Jason Sudeikis ... Dave, manager
Kenan Thompson ... pirate
Michaela Watkins ... operator
Kristen Wiig ... Becky

No video. Anybody see the skit?


Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan and Justin Timberlake - Target Lady SNL skit

Target

Justin Timberlake ... Peg
Abby Elliott ... customer
Bobby Moynihan ... customer
Kenan Thompson ... customer
Kristen Wiig ... Target cashier



The Target lady has a friend.


I think Justin pretty much stole this skit from Kristen. Kristen's weird character was barely even noticable compared to Justin's weird character. It almost seems like Kristen's role might have been better suited for straight characters to play off of Justin Timberlake's weirdness.

This should be a repeat character for Justin. It's hilarious!


Bobby's doing some gardening. He starts at the beginning and leaves at about 4:38 left on the clock.

Bobby has some hilarious facial expressions here.


At about 3:02 left on the clock, Abby Elliot looks up to read the cue card and prepare for her next line. The actors try to do this more subtely when they are more experienced. No knock to Abby though. It's great to see SNL using her more.

Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan - Nods to Justin Timberlake's song (SNL Monologue)

Monologue

Justin Timberlake
Fred Armisen
Abby Elliott
Wally Feresten
Bill Hader
Lorne Michaels
Bobby Moynihan
Jason Sudeikis
Kristen Wiig
Casey Wilson



Justin opens the show in style.

Wow, what a song!

Bobby is on with 1:55 left on the clock.

No speaking lines, but boom. There's Bobby. Good nodding action. Gotta love him.


Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan - in Immigrants (with Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg)

Immigrants

Justin Timberlake ... Cornelius Timberlake
Will Forte ... passenger
Bill Hader ... passenger
Bobby Moynihan ... passenger
Andy Samberg ... Moyshe Samberg
Casey Wilson ... passenger



Coming to America, looking toward the future.

This is obviously a chance for Justin and Andy to show off and make fun of themselves. Hilarious though.

Bobby's on throughout.

"I can smell it in me nose!" Better than your eyes, I guess. Once again, Bobby does his facial expression thing.

"Bring sexy back? What does that mean?" Hilarious!

I can't believe Justin Timberlake used the "he hit it" line. Obviously, Justin can't either as he shakes his head.

"Won't that lessen the excitement though?"

Andy loses his hat!


Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan - Mom Celebrity Translator (SNL skit)

Commercial: Mom Celebrity Translator

Abby Elliott ... daughter
Bill Hader ... announcer (voice)
Bill Hader ... son
Bobby Moynihan ... Ben, son
Jason Sudeikis ... spokesperson
Michaela Watkins ... mother
Kristen Wiig ... mother
Casey Wilson ... mother



The perfect gadget for people with moms.

Bobby opens this skit at the beginning until about 1:05 on the clock. He's on again at about 0:15 seconds left on the clock.

Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan - Star Trek fan (on Weekend Update with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Leonard Nimoy)

Weekend Update

Seth Meyers
Bill Hader ... Eliot Spitzer
Fred Armisen ... David Paterson
Chris Pine
Zachary Quinto
Kenan Thompson ... Star Trek fan
Bobby Moynihan ... Star Trek fan
Leonard Nimoy

Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy stop by:



Bobby and Kenan have great facial expressions here!

Overall, Bobby was in a lot of SNL skits for this Justin Timberlake episode, but most of his roles were side characters. That's important to support the other characters though, and Bobby does it well. So well that his facial expressions as a trekie became the "character" in this skit.

Enjoy!

Bobby Moynihan - Mystery Team Trailer

Mystery Team Trailer
Director: Dan Eckman
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Donald Glover, D.C. Pierson, Dominic Dierkes, Aubrey Plaza, Matt Walsh

A group of former Encyclopedia Brown-style child-detectives struggle to solve an adult mystery.



Aubrey Plaza's on at 1:14. Bobby Moynihan is on at 1:23.


Here's a bonus... the other members of the cast do a Q&A (but no Aubrey or Bobby):



Enjoy!