'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.