The professional athlete well is tapped once again as Hall of Fame NBA player (and coach!) Bill Russell hosts this outing of SNL. Chicago, in all their funky glory, let it all hang out as the musical guest. And yet...

The cast tries their best, but the host - who looks genuinely excited to be there - just doesn't have the range or chops to help lift this one up. We do get a couple of familiar elements (recurring characters, Garrett in drag), some pretty solid impressions (courtesy of Jane), and that new guy doing a commercial pitch. We also learn that there is only ONE ball used in basketball and are witness to the start of a new trend—a VERY long sketch after the monologue. Sadly, no Buck cameo this week. It's no surprise even Mr. Bill wanted to stay home.

To help us dig through this episode of Saturday Night Live, we're joined by noted Chicago historian Thomas Sena. Taking a break from his own podcast (the name of which escapes us), he helps tell the story of the band, defends the stiffness of the host, and joins us on one last trip to the mall.

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