THE GOOD: Despite the fact that the host subsituting his or her monologue for a song-and-dance is one of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE’s most overused devices, Bryan Cranston’s little ditty that cleverly played on the fact that outside of New York and Los Angeles he is one of the least known actors in recent memory to have been given the opportunity to host the iconic late night series was quite funny. Also funny, the evening’s two faux commercials (“Pepto-Bismol Malt Liquor,” and “iSleep Pro”) and newcomer Vanessa Bayer. The latter of which absolutely stole the show with her eerily spot-on Miley Cyrus sketch (Video above). Not so funny…
THE BAD: Aside that is from the incredibly lacklustre cold open which combined three of our least favourite cast members together (Andy Samberg, Bobby Moynihan and Fred Armisen) in a send up of Rahm Emmanuel’s White House farewell press conference, was the complete misuse of Cranston as host. Seriously. If seven seasons of MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE illustrated anything, it’s that the three time Emmy Winner’s energy and willingness to do anything for a laugh deserved much more than generic characters (like “game show host” or “boss”) that could have been played by virtually anyone.
THE UGLY: Try as he might, Kanye West’s spectacular staging, scantily clad extras and excessive use of gold chains that let’s face it, probably could have been put to much better use feeding a small third world country, couldn’t hide the fact that underneath it all, the emperor has no clothes. That, or we really don’t get his music. 
