It's a new year, and after a month off, can we expect a fresh, reinvigorated "Saturday Night Live"?
Not really, it seems. The Jennifer Lawrence-hosted episode was snappier than many of last fall's outings, but still a mixed bag, with some laugh-out-loud moments and one dog of a sketch.
Lawrence herself was very game, though we wish they'd used her better. She also seemed nervous at the top of the show during her monologue. She did a bit involving a sour-faced Tommy Lee Jones, then started "trash-talking" her likely Oscar competition. But Lawrence rushed through her lines a bit, not leaving the jokes much breathing room:
Hey, at least there was no singing!
[Related: Check out all things Oscars from Yahoo! Movies]
BEST: B-108 Morning Show
Lawrence finally came alive in this sketch's welcome return. Taran Killam and Bobby Moynihan were infectious as the hosts of Minnesota's "hottest radio show," which takes place so early that "Al Roker is still asleep." Props to Lawrence -- she's got rhyme!
COULD'VE BEEN BEST, BUT … : More Hobbit
The digital short made fun of the unending number of movies Peter Jackson can make out of one book, like "The Hobbit 11: Trying to Split a Complicated Dinner Bill." Lawrence's hissy-fit as Galadriel trying on clothes made us smile. But then the video froze, like it was buffering. Very distracting and totally baffling that "SNL" airs its shorts this way.


