Saturday Night Live this weekend was hosted by the Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons, who did a fair enough job of shedding the persona of the geeky character he’s best known for playing.

'Saturday Night Live' Recap

For the cold open on Saturday, SNL treated viewers to Kate McKinnon reprising her take on Ellen DeGeneres. Much like when McKinnon debuted her impersonation, the jokes focused on the talk show host’s dancing and talking about herself – as “I’m Ellen,” once again served as a catchphrase.

Breaking from tradition again, SNL brought out the host prior to his or her opening monologue. In the cold open, Parsons played Olympic figure skater-turned-Olympic host Johnny Weir, rocking leather pants and a fabulous pompadour.

I’m Not That Guy

Parsons’ opening monologue tackled the major concern that many had with the actor taking up hosting duties – the perception that he’s Sheldon Cooper. “I do have a male roommate, but I assure you that’s a vastly different arrangement,” said Parsons before busting out into a song, “I’m Not That Guy.” He sang, “I’m a well-adjusted man, not a Star Trek Super Fan.”

Tonker Bell

Parsons played Peter Pan in a skit in which Aidy Bryant played Tonker Bell. Though Parsons had a few jokes in the sketch, Bryant stole it with a series of sassy one-liners. “Me odd? Ya’ll are the ones that are odd. I mean you kids got a nice ass house and all ya beds in one room,” she told the very adult looking Wendy, John and Michael. “That is not what’s up, and you just got Tonked.

Spotlightz Acting Camp for Serious Kids

“Spotlightz Salutes the Oscars” was a special featuring the students reenacting scenes from the Oscar-nominated movies. Vanessa Bayer was a young girl playing Wolf of Wall Street’s Jordan Belfort. “I take pot to mellow me out, cocaine to wake me back up again,” she says with gusto. “And morphine, well, because it’s awesome.” Parsons' teen appeared in recreations of Gravity and Dallas Buyers Club, with the main joke being that he mouthed his costar's lines.

Dance Floor Killer

Beck Bennett played the host of a documentary TV show called The Killer Files, which featured Parsons as The Dance Floor Killer. Throughout the special, Parsons – as the killer – hid in plain site on dancing shows like Soul Train, where he’d pick out his victims before butchering them.

Casting ‘12 Years A Slave’

Kennan Thompson’s Steve McQueen shed some light on the casting process for 12 Years a Slave. Thompson deadpanned about how they searched for people with raw talent who were able to adlib in the role of a racist southerner. The white men auditioning, including Parsons, visibly struggle with the dialogue, let alone improvising the hateful rhetoric required.

The Bird Bible

In a pre-recorded commercial bit, McKinnon and Mike O’Brien played parents of a boy who was sick of the boring old Bible. How did they reignite his interest in the Holy Book? They got him the kid-friendly Bird Bible, a bible with the biblical characters replaced by birds. “See that talon coming out of the sky?” McKinnon asks the son. “That’s God!”

Weekend Update

Saturday Night Live head writer Colin Jost made his premiere at the desk, replacing Seth Meyers, who’s started his job over on Late Night. Among the guests on Weekend Update was 18th century movie critic Jebidia Atkinson (Taran Killam). The ornery reviewer decried, “This year’s nine best picture nominees are the worst movies ever made.”

Musical Guest Beck

Beck was the musical guest on this week’s Saturday Night Live, singing “Wave” from his latest album, Morning Phase.

– Chelsea Regan

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