'Wasn't That Special' Season Twenty Two Bonus Materials
As the Wasn’t That Special co-hosts watch each season of Saturday Night Live, they compare notes on each episode, chatting back and forth about both popular and long-forgotten sketches. Some of the topics they discuss make it to the final podcast; others are left on the cutting-room floor.
But for those of you who join at the Executive Producer level, you will have access to Christian and Scot’s behind-the-scenes notes, as well as bonus materials the co-hosts used to prepare for the episode.
Below is the Season Twenty Two bonus notes section, with the clips coming next week.
So please help keep the podcast advertisement-free and upgrade to the Executive Producer level, which will keep these emails coming in the future!
Episode One: Tom Hanks
Christian: As this episode was airing, I was meeting the woman who became my wife, the ultimate recurring character.
Scot: Hanks wasn't really allowed to carry the show, as he usually did. Recurring bits elbowed him out.
ABC News declares Bill Clinton (Hammond) the winner of the 96 election - Hanks as Jennings
Christian: Carvey's "can I finish" from Perot becomes Oteri's "can I talk."
Scot: That Dole fall happened a week prior.
Big Brawn commercial
Christian: I liked this one!
Scot: Chuckle, but no more than that.
Roxbury Guys - Hanks and fellow Roxbury Guys land in the slammer
Christian: Standing by my declaration that this bit was cashed with Carrey.
Scot: Perfectly fine, I'm sure there are worse ones coming soon.
TV Funhouse - Ace & Gary are The Ambiguously Gay Duo
Christian: Voiced by Steve Carrell and Stephen Colbert, when he was primarily concerned with being funny.
Scot: Leftover from an unaired Dana Carvey Show.
Tonight Show with Jay Leno - missing link Mr. Peepers (Kattan) wreaks havoc on panel
Christian: Like Mary Katherine Gallagher, total commitment, which I appreciate. Kattan said doing the apple trick makes him choke.
Scot: Kattan brought this with him - It's fine. I have no idea how you look at this and say, "Let's bring it back. There's more to this story."
Creativity Test - creativity test giver (Meadows) works with boring Hanks
Christian: Hanks should have won his third straight Oscar for this.
Scot: Hanks wills this one to its best form. What a closing performance.
Episode Two: Lisa Kudrow
Christian: The Groundlings have taken over the show, with Kudrow being a former Groundling and Meadows being the sole remaining Second City member. Settling into mediocrity, with most bits tonight either being recurring or wannabe-recurring characters.
Scot: I previewed the Groundlings vs. Second City rift in the S21 episode.
Bob Dole prepares to debate Bill Clinton; David L. Lander cameo
Christian: The capper at the end made the whole sketch.
Scot: A lot of fun, good energy. Could have even kept it going, I thought.
Kudrow describes her fantasy one-night stand with SNL
Christian: She doesn't mention she tried out for SNL and lost out to Julia Sweeney. This is unfunny and creepy.
Scot: I think she would have been a poor cast member.
Caribbean Essence Bath Oil commercial
Christian: I guess the joke is that it would be horrible to have a black man in the tub with you?
Singled Out with Mary Katherine Gallagher
Christian: Fine, but actually doesn't fully capture how ridiculous Singled Out actually was.
Scot: I forgot how this show worked. Kudrow is worthless.
Air Traffic Control - air traffic controller Suel Forrester “helps” stewardess (Kudrow) land a plane
Christian: Too simple of a premise to be used over and over.
Scot: This is the best of the lot so far. "Or else you're gonna die."
Single and Loving It - joyologist Helen (Shannon) claims to enjoy manlessness
Christian: You will be surprised to learn they are not entirely happy being single.
Scot: Oh, her.
Wymins Poetry Night - Mickey The Dyke (Oteri) emcees Wymins Poetry Night at a lesbian bar
Christian: Hey, Mickey the Dyke is back! Ironic they have a man play Martina Navratilova given her current politics.
Scot: Nothing really worked for me here.
Ex-Convict Waiter - ex-con waiter Gene (Quinn) harasses a dining couple (Kudrow and McKinney.)
Christian: I forgot Quinn was on the show.
Scot: I was hoping he might have slipped away.
Episode Three: Bill Pullman
Christian: Tension between the writer pieces, which tend to be good, and the performer pieces, which are less so.
Scot: Uninspired effort after a few weeks off. Thank goodness Carvey is next.
Bob Dole dreams of debating Independence Day president (Pullman)
Christian: Already making fun of candidates using personal stories of total strangers during debates.
Scot: Norm's Dole is so omnipresent, I can't even remember what the real Dole is supposed to sound like.
AT&T operators Janice (Ferrell) & Kelly (Kattan) chat between calls
Christian: It's "get off the shed" with cheese danish.
Scot: Kattan is just using his Kippi Strug voice - Strong, concerning flashbacks to S19 & 20.
Tic Tac Toe - Hanging letters by hand makes things tough
Christian: Went on too long, but I actually really liked this. Legit laughs any time Norm has to get up to do his nailing.
Scot: I hated the way this was written. The only humor came from the "X" falling on Norm's head.
The Rules Show - (Gasteyer) & (Shannon) lay down guidelines for want-to-be brides
Christian: If I recall correctly, this is a real book that blew up when Oprah talked about it. This is not a good sketch.
Scot: No longer can anyone say the females aren't being written for. Of course, they aren't good. But one step at a time.
The Quiet Storm - deejay Chris Garnett (Meadows) remains calm no matter what
Christian: Man, I wanted this to be better.
Scot: Another solid idea that is thwarted by poor writing, IMO. I don't like the decisions being made.
Hidden Camera - pranks of Fred Wolf and Adam McKay involve hitting people
Christian: How did this make it to air?
Scot: Fred Wolf's farewell and he leaves us with garbage - Matt Walsh and Ian Roberts of Upright Citizens Brigade guest star.
Episode Four: Dana Carvey
Scot: Carvey proving his worth, elevating absolutely everything he's in
Larry King Live - Ross Perot & other third-party candidates; Ferrell as King
Christian: I'd love to see the interview this is based on.
Scot: "We've heard this before!" - Enjoyed the party platforms.
Hey Remember the 80s with Goat Boy - George Michael (Carvey) & Joseph Hazelwood (McKinney)
Christian: A historic moment: A sketch so bad, Dana Carvey can't salvage it.
Scot: Carvey does just enough to rescue it from another washout.
The Barbara Walters Special - Elizabeth Dole (Gasteyer) lauds her husband
Christian: Good that the women are on screen more, but their go-to move is to play old women. Are women their age not funny?
Scot: It's fine. Probably Gasteyer's best moment yet.
Brokaw Pre-Tape - Tom Brokaw (Carvey) pre-tapes news to cover Gerald Ford death contingencies
Christian: Amazing what happens when you have Robert Smigel writing for you.
Scot: Another leftover Dana Carvey Show sketch - "Taft was. Really, Taft?"
Church Chat - Church Lady judges O.J. Simpson (Meadows) & Madonna (Shannon)
Christian: The URL satan.com now takes you to an online Bible sales site.
Scot: Pretty much by-the-numbers here.
Bob Dole's Time Tunnel - the future visits young Bill Clinton
Christian: I LOVED this. Great premise and laughs all the way through - especially when he presents a fruit roll-up as proof he's from the future. And great callback to the cold open.
Russell & Tate - attorneys Russell (Meadows) & Tate (Morgan) have the means to get you your money
Christian: Meadows - not believable as a gangster. Tracy Morgan - totally believable.
Scot: Again putting Meadows in a role where he has to play a tough guy.