What was on TV? Sat, May 7, 2005

20 years ago, to quote Amy Poehler, "Tony Blair was elected to a record-setting third term as George Bush's bitch." Let's see what was on TV.

Earlier: Agatha Christie's Marple: A Murder at the Vicarage

from PBS's Mystery!

The 2000s Miss Marple is not beloved among Christie acolytes, who prefer the Joan Hickson show from the '80s. But this series, specifically the first few seasons featuring Geraldine McEwan, was my first exposure to the character. And even when the episodes aren't great, I always love McEwan's performance. She has these great beady eyes that see everything. She nails the characters' cynicism. Julia McKenzie, who took over as Miss Marple after McEwan retired, was too sweet for my tastes.

Even in this episode, which tries to give Miss Marple a tragic romantic backstory, she is never sweet or cuddly. And that's thanks to McEwan, who captures what's so compelling about the character. She may look like the adorable little old lady in your neighborhood. But just like so many of those old ladies, she is prepared to believe the worst of you, and she notices everything. And isn't that absolutely terrifying?

11:30 Saturday Night Live! on NBC

30x19 with host Johnny Knoxville and musical guest System of a Down

Other stuff happened in this episode, but I only care about Will Forte telling his mom how much he'll miss when she's dead in a special Mother's Day segment of Weekend Update. It's freudian, it's macabre, and is is so, so sweet. The song is weird and funny, but never mean, and it helps that Forte's real mom is clearly having the time of her life. The whole but is that he didnt tell her he loved her before it was too late, but of course he's telling her how much he loves her now! I was moved!

This is also Jason Sudekis' first episode as a cast member after almost two seasons in the writers' room. He's already a nice addition to the cast. This cast was filled with weirdoes, which is great, but they needed some straight men to play off of, so adding Sudekis was a smart move.

What Else Was On

• SNL writers must have been so pissed when they saw Gap's "White Jeans" ad starring Joss Stone. This would have been a perfect idea for a parody ad, and they ruined it by making it a real campaign! Eventually, The Lonely Island took this joke even further in the great Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets had its broadcast TV premiere on ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney. Viewers were also treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and the premiere of the trailer for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This event was also the occasion of my all-time strangest sleepover experience.

TiVo Status

1 episode of Mystery! One hour.

Literature, 20 years ago

The Maisie Dobbs books are some of the best mysteries of the 2010s. Set between the two world wars, they are rich in historical detail, and Maisie herself is a great heroine, smart and kind but with plenty of intriguing rough edges. The first book is still my favorite but Pardonable Lies, the third installment published in 2005, is also very good.