Entertainment

Andy Samberg's Emmys Sketch Was Pop Culture Heaven

by Keertana Sastry

As if anyone would ever think otherwise, Andy Samberg nailed his opening sketch and monologue at Sunday night's telecast of the 2015 Emmy Awards. He brought his natural blend of totally goofy, wonderfully weird and hilarious comedy to the pre-filmed sketch, which saw Samberg at a dinner party with celebrity friends whose knowledge of pop culture made him overwhelmed by the amount of television he had yet to see. His friends, including New Girl's Hannah Simone and Fresh Off The Boat's Randall Park, asked him if he'd seen new or returning shows including Mad Men, Game Of Thrones and more, and Samberg had to respond over and over again saying that he had yet to catch the shows. Thanks to his shame over being so far behind on television, Samberg decides to lock himself away and watch every single show he's missed, a seemingly impossible feat. But he does it — and after reemerging from his task, his newfound knowledge leads him to quote every TV show around — seriously, Samberg's monologue was filled with pop culture references.

It's not a surprise that Samberg would want to include so many references in his opening sketch. After all, he is hosting an awards show about one of the biggest nights celebrating pop culture. Still,, the amount of references he was able to tackle is staggering.

1. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Samberg began the references with his enclosed space where he began his task of watching every show ever in a bunker that was just like the ones the mole women escaped from in the hilarious Netflix series The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

2. SNL Sketch

When Samberg emerged from the bunker one year later, he came out singing and dancing in the same fast, delirious way as one of his very own SNL Digital Shorts called "Great Day." Whether this was intentional or not is the real question.

3. "Networks, Netflix, Amazon"

In the midst of talking about the many shows he watched, Samberg mentioned the phrase "Networks, Netflix, Amazon," proving that TV that is not actually on TV is capable of producing better shows than network TV.

4. TV Stars

Stars Kerry Washington and Jon Hamm showed up in the sketch to encounter Ady Samberg as he told them he watched their shows. Then Nathan Fillion appeared and asked the comedian if he watched Castle, to which Samberg replied by going back into his bunker to watch the whole series.

5. Les Miserables

Suddenly in the sketch, Will Forte appeared in costume as Javert from Les Miserables and encountered Andy, telling him that it is a crime to watch so much TV. When he realized he was mistaken, he left just as suddenly, jumping off a bridge just like how Javert dies in Les Mis.

6. The Last Man On Earth

Speaking of Will Forte, the comedian mentioned Andy Samberg's great beard and Samberg returned the compliment. It's the same exact beard that Forte dons in his own FOX comedy series, The Last Man On Earth.

7. Billy Crystal At The Oscars

Samberg mentioned Crystal by name as he began singing all the shows he watched in his Kimmy Schmidt bunker.

8. Better Call Saul

Finally Better Call Saul's Bob Odenkirk appeared and told Andy Samberg that with his experience in watching so much TV, he got the job of hosting the Emmys.

Mission accomplished, Andy! Man, was this sketch awesome.