De Niro's Return to SNL as Mueller 'Awkward'

The Jason Momoa-hosted episode to plug Aquaman didn't go exactly swimmingly
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 9, 2018 8:03 AM CST

Robert De Niro popped out of Eric Trump's closet in his return as Robert Mueller on Saturday Night Live's Cold Open, but the actor stumbled over his lines in a performance the Guardian calls "all awkward delivery and self-satisfied mugging." Further, "even by the low standards of this season, this cold open felt rushed." Its opinion of the Jason Momoa-hosted episode doesn't improve much from there, moving on to a Khal Drago’s Ghost Dojo sketch that "takes what should have been a layup" and instead "shoots a brick thanks to missed timing, a handful of stilted lines and a bungled Kevin Hart Oscars joke," in an episode that failed to "produce a memorable sketch from a heavy news week." Weekend Update revisited President Trump's troubles, notes NBC News, with co-host Colin Jost joking that John Kelly is leaving "because Kelly requires extensive surgery to remove his palm from his face." Musical guest was Mumford & Sons, appearing for the third time. (More Saturday Night Live stories.)

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