‘SNL’ Cast Evaluation: Heidi Gardner Has Already Made A Considerable Mark In Studio 8H

Here, Gardner took on a well-worn cliche, highlighted everything that made it ridiculous and past its time, and unveiled a potential catchphrase in the process. Gardner’s Angel, supposedly there to deliver a “Good News” report, is a tangle of world-weary fear, an outer-borough martyr to her boyfriend’s death wish. The trope of the long-suffering, loyal-to-a-fault boxer’s girlfriend, scared to death that this will be the fight that kills her beloved, leaving her to care for their offspring on her own, is captured in Gardner’s every vocal nuance.

The details here help make the bit – like their kids, “Mikey, Nicky, and Peppers” – but it’s Gardner’s realistic desperation and fragility that drives this home. And, of course, the catch phrase, tossed out as a threat but really, a last-ditch effort for sanity, “I’m taking the kids to my sister’s.” Gardner invests like crazy here, imbuing Angel with a very real and almost, but for its over-the-top nature, relatable plea for boring domestic bliss.

The most impressive impressions are sometimes the ones where very little dialogue is spoken, but the character is indicated more through gestures or brief utterances. These often capture the subject’s nuance – the tilt of the head, the mild breathiness that accompanies words, various tics.

In the Lion King audition sketch, Gardner, who bares something of a resemblance to Schaal, auditioned with Chris Redd, as Sterling K. Brown, for Timon and Pumbaa. Redd performed a monologue as Gardner responded, saying little but “OK,” “yeah,” “no,” and “oh my god.” That was all it took.

Aside from her wig making her look like a Schaal stunt double, she nails the actress’ breathiness, which brings across her wild-eyed enthusiasm. Schaal here is excited, awed, and emotionally connected to her audition-mate. While it could be seen as a surface portrayal, Gardner’s grasp of Schaal’s nuance brings across the larger, more defining aspects of her personality. Whether Gardner has a special internal connection to Schaal’s nature or if this is indicative of a broader talent for mimicry remains to be seen. Either way, it’s hard to watch this without both laughing and maintaining a sense of awe at how well Gardner’s captured the Bob’s Burgers actress.

There’s a subtle flutter in the voice of Bailey Gismert, Gardner’s popular teen YouTube film critic, that shows why Gardner is a cut above in her development of characters. Gismert’s awkwardness – which we see at sketch’s end may have been a put-on – is nonetheless an empathetic indicator of teen angst, as are her jerky body motions. Gismert gives the impression of being conscious of her body movements and vocalizations every second, minutely analyzing and second-guessing herself while imaging that every eye in the world (including that of “Weekend Update” co-host Michael Che) is intensely focused on her.

Gismert finds the entire world strange and unknowable, and by the end of the sketch her emotions have gotten the best of her. Gardner intentionally, and smartly, undercuts the character by the end, showing the modern-day cynicism and precociousness of many modern teens. Looking at this as a whole, it’s impressive how many aspects of the difficulties and strangeness of teenage life Gardner captures in just a few minutes at the Update desk.

Portraying the perky blond co-host of the FOX Morning Show/presidential agenda setter, Gardner captures the sense of cloying sweetness the show attempts to portray when not bashing liberals.

Gardner’s Earhardt shows that while deeply emotional characters might prove to be her stock in trade, she can double down on bubbly and light with the best of them.

Larry Getlen is the author of the book Conversations with Carlin. Follow him on Twitter at @larrygetlen.