If I could think of a good symbol to describe Christoph Waltz hosting Saturday Night Live it would be: an amusement park. The lines for the rides are the time you spent in anticipation after hearing Waltz was going to be the host. The sketches are the rides. Even though most get you excited, a few have you saying “meh.” Still, after you leave you remember the experience fondly.
Okay, so maybe I’m not as good as Waltz at turning what I say into an elaborate metaphor. I still kind of wish they’d poked a little fun at the format of most of his awards speeches (however charming they may be).
While Waltz never played a completely out-of-left-field character, he did a nice job. He played the straight man in most sketches, but he wasn’t afraid to dance around a bit when the occasion called for it. He was endearing if maybe a little awkward, a true professional, not an obvious cue card reader, and (importantly) articulate and clear (except for maybe in that last sketch).
