Jim Parsons is delightful. Hes cute, charming, good with a punchline, and unfailingly humble, even when being nominated for (and winning) yet anotherBest Actor trophy for his work onThe Big Bang Theory.
That said, Parsons faces one major roadblock as an actor: Hes so closely associated with theoretical physicist/brilliant jerk Sheldon Cooper, whom hes been playing for seven seasons on CBS, that its a little jarring to see him inhabit another role. And maybe more importantly, Sheldon Cooper is so beloved that a lot of people might notwant to watch Parsons experiment with a different character.
Think of Parsons debut episode ofSNL, then, as a sort of fresh start an easy way for him to quickly play a bunch of different sorts of people, proving his range and getting folks used to the idea that he and Sheldon are, in fact, different people. (SNL itself didnt exactly seem to get that message when Jimmy Fallon hosted the show last December.) Dip a toe into Parsons onSaturday Night Live, and you wont be as shocked when you dive into HBOsThe Normal Heart, in which Parsons plays a gay activist, or Zach BraffsWish I Was Here, which costars Parsons as a sexy pool boy. Maybe this is actually the single best way for a frequently boxed-in actor to prove hes more than his signature role. (Take note, Nick Offerman you could be next.)
With a nimble comic performer like Parsons at the helm,SNLs main sketches should be in good hands. There is, however, another wild card in the mix:SNL head writer Colin Jost, who will officially take over Seth Meyerss place at the Weekend Update desk tonight. Jost isnt an untested performer by any means; hes done plenty of standup, and hes also appeared in the background of a handful of sketches over the years. But even though Jost has been a member ofSaturday Night Lives family for nearly a decade, most laypeople couldnt pick him out of a lineup which means hes facing the same sort of pressure that an unknown would. Will Jost adequately fill Meyerss formidable shoes? What kind of chemistry will he have with Cecily Strong another relative Weekend Update newbie? Its questions like these that will keepSNLfans up at night or at least until, say, 12:15.
Also: Becks going to be on on the show. Hey, Beck! Hows things? Feels like its been awhile. (It has though this is Becks seventh time asSNL musical guest, he hasnt appeared on the show since 2006). Given the awesomeness ofMorning Phase, there should be some good stuff here; bonus points if he and Beck Bennett join forces in a sketch to form some sort of ginormous Super Beck.
What are you hoping to see from Parsons and Jost, and Beck on tonights episode? Are you pumped for Sochi jokes, or do the Olympics already feel like they were a million years ago? And what do you think is the likelihood of Meyers stopping by the show at some point, just to say hi? Discuss below, and check back in the morning for a full recap.
Source: http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/03/01/jim-parsons-snl-host/
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