Saturday Night Live Season 1 Episode 2

After a first episode, that had moments of brilliance, coupled with moments of a show still trying to work out what it wanted to be, the second show with host PAUL SIMON might still have some of the kinks to sort out but the great is already there to build on, so let's get on with it...

• Paul Simon opens the show singing "Still Crazy After All These Years", there really can't be that many episodes of SNL that open with a musical performance. loving Paul Simon's hair and mustache.
• Chevy Chase falling over the instruments, not quite as dangerous as later pratfalls but he's gets to do the Live from New York bit.
• And now the credits - guests are also Randy Newman and Phoebe Snow, but more importantly special guest star Simon Garfunkel, we also are going to be treated to The Muppets (ugh), a film by Albert Brooks (hopefully he's alright here) and The Not Ready For Prime Time Players are what I expected.
• Paul Simon as a bunch of gospel singers around him, he introduces them and goes straight into a song - no monologue - he is performing Love Me Like A Rock (is that what it's called)
• Jerry Rubin is doing an advert for graffiti wallpaper, the graffiti wallpaper actually looks cool, it's a shame it's not a real advert. Rubin was a social activist in the 60s and 70s, he came a businessman in the 80s (I had to look him up)
• the show a random woman in the audience with the caption "A Good Friend Of David Eisenhower", don't know who he is, I assume he's related to the ex-president...
• Paul Simon does a short song from Randy Newman, which was a cool way to introduce Randy Newman actually.
• Randy Newman sings Sail Away like only Randy Newman can perform with his unique styling.
• 15 minutes in it's very song heavy, and only Chevy Chase from the cast as appeared so far.
• The cast are now up all dressed as bees (minus Chevy Chase), Paul Simon tells him the bees number is cut and they all walk off. Funny
• And that's why Chevy Chase is not dressed as a bee he's doing Weekend Update, more President Ford jokes, Chase is more comfortable out here then the first jokes and the jokes are funnier off the bat, there's a video segment of Paul Simon taking on a Harlem Globetrotter, I guess he's done more then George Carlin in interactions with cast and in a skit. The interviews are doing serious which makes it kinda funny.
• Back from the break and Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard is playing over Paul Simon kicking the arse of the Harlem Globetrotter. Funny bit when he's needs three shots to do a basket. This bit gets better as it goes on. - The Globetrotter jumping over Paul Simon was quite impressive.
• I'm glad there's laughing over a pre-taped bit, it seemed odd in the first episode silence over the fake adverts.
• I guess that's it for Chevy Chase and Weekend Update, they didn't come back to it, seemed a bit short but I guess he's still had more to do then Belushi, Radner, Aykroyd etc.
• Mrs. Robinson is playing over old clips of Simon and Garfunkel. I love this song,so no complaints from me.
• Paul Simon introduces Art Garfunkel to standing ovation, Paul Simon says to him "so Artie you've come crawling back" which is excellent, Art seems a bit shyer then Simon.
• They go straight into The Boxer after a little banter, now this is cool... another song I love. Like Paul Simon's acoustic on this really gives it a difference to a studio recording.
• S&G wait for the applause to die down and go into Scarborough Fair, again no complaints from me.
• back from the break and both are now standing on stage - there going to do My Little Town - which is a song I absolutely adore, which nobody ever seems to know of there's. Honestly check that song out if you don't know it...
• Paul Simon introduces Art Garfunkel to do a solo number - I Only Have Eyes For You - not bad, perhaps a tad too slow.
• And now to stop the show dead in it's track - The Muppets - no seriously, I'm going to give them another chance. There is something unappealing about these Muppets like Scrat. 9 out of 10 jokes really miss the mark, which is a shame. Thankfully it's shorter then first one, but ends with another lame punchline.
• Albert Brooks film now featuring himself. He's interacting with his daughter, she throws a tantrum and he tells her off and a policeman takes her away, not particularly funny. We are watching his home videos, his parents push him back when he is a baby, he is narrating over embarrassing videos like he's dad trying to film him using the bathroom for the first time, then hidden camera kissing a girl who the dad chased off, and it's the same for his first time about to make love to a girl, not too bad this bit. Albert Brooks is now dressed as cow trying to purchase an aeroplane ticket, the performance of the girl he's trying to buy from his likeable. Albert Brooks films haven't been perfect so far but a damn site better then The Muppets.
• Paul Simon is standing with Phoebe Snow (who is pregnant) she is here to sing a Billie Holliday song "No Regrets", good voice on her
• she is now doing a duet with Paul Simon, got an alright energy to it but it's not particularly memorable.
• Advert, where they have purposely left the pacemakers of 5 old people over night to prove there's is better then the normal brand. Short and sweet, but you expect it to be a touch darker.
• Paul Simon sings American Tune, not a bad song really.
• It's time for good nights, Paul Simon thanks all the guests, somebody from the New York Knicks presents him with a trophy related the one and one from earlier. The trophy dwarfs him, he makes a challenge out to Kareem Abdul Jabber.

Overall - It's a nice show because you can't fault Paul Simon's talent. The reunion with Art Garfunkel was magical. Belushi, Aykroyd and Radner (as well as the others) are seen for about a minute if that though but there was still time for The Muppets and Albert Brooks film could have been shorter to give them more things to do.