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"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"
"Saturday Night Live," like many longtime shows, ebbs and flows with the times. Some seasons, the show can be pure brilliance, inspired by the current events of the day. It particularly excels with political jousting, such as during last year's presidential election. But other years, like this year, something doesn't click. Maybe it's the writing. Maybe the new "SNL" players aren't having an impact (other than dropping an expletive at an inappropriate time). Maybe some of the hosts just aren't so great at improv. I guess what I'm saying is this season has been hit-or-miss for me. I've opted not to watch entire episodes, instead catching the buzzed-about clips online the following day. That said, I'm curious how country superstar Taylor Swift will do as both a host and a musical guest. Some singers have pulled off both gigs before - Justin Timberlake, Sting and Janet Jackson. Timberlake can act - and be funny - so he's a welcome host any time. I know Swift is talented, but I hope she doesn't rely solely on poking fun at her dust-up with Kanye West for laughs. I guess we'll have to see. Saturday, 11:30 p.m. NBC If you want to catch more of Swift doing what she does best, catch "Dateline: Taylor Swift" on Friday at 9 p.m. on CMT . It will have clips from her sold-out tour.
"20/20"
Rihanna tells more about her tumultuous relationship with her ex, Chris Brown. In excerpts, she says she has chosen to talk about the abuse because she realized she was a role model for young girls. "When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part," she says. It's a brave decision to make. Friday, 10 p.m. ABC
TV TIDBITS
CBS has reduced the number of episodes for "Numb3rs" from 22 to 16, TV Guide reports. I wonder if that means the program's days are numbered. (Sorry, that was too easy - and too corny.) Friday, 10:02 p.m.