SNL UK: Nicola Coughlan/Foo Fighters (04.25.2026)

Who Wants To Remain A Millionaire?

• Huh, is "Millionaire" really this relevant in Britain in 2026? I do remember it at its Y2K era peak here in the states when Regis Philbin hosted it and SNL parodied it with Darrell Hammond in the host's role.

• Even MADtv parodied OG "Millionaire" during that time with sketches like this one which this sketch reminds me of more than anything (even this one from SNL US)

• Al Nashs' Jeremy Clarkson impression is a nice touch here. I had no idea this was Mr. Clarksons' current gig or what that "real farmer" comment was alluding to.

• See, I've only ever known Jeremy Clarkson from his old show "Top Gear" that would sometimes be run on BBC America...so, I've only ever known him to be a fake car guy in addition to being a real ass hole (hey, there's another word you can say on SNL US that you can't say on SNL UK!)

• This was a nice twist on the usual Fouracres/Starmer cold opens they usually do every other episode. I liked that these get increasingly harsher and more pointedly angry toward him and his sheer spineless incompetence each time.

• I also liked how they balanced out the barely concealed anger in this cold open with the sheer silly stupidity of Sir Keir using all of his lifelines on one question and still failing to answer the simplest of questions (especially one concerning whether or not one should ever hire a career politician who was not only friends with Epstein post conviction but also sold him sensitive government secrets).

• I liked the evil, creepy touch Larry's Peter Mandleson impression gave to this as well. It's one of those impressions I can't really gague the accuracy of, but it seemed pretty minimalist and character focused so it just gets the job done. B+

Monologue 

• Aside from the "SNL UK & Ireland/shouting at a female comedian on TV" joke and the other joke about paying homage to the original 70s SNL US by doing staggering amounts of cocaine, I wasn't crazy about the jokes Nicola was given for this monologue. Still, she did all she could to elevate this material.

• Nicolas' brief turn to camera for that brief Jack & Emma gossip reminded me a bit of SNL US monologues I've seen from Anna Faris, Kerry Washington and Margot Robbie.

• Sadly, Jimmy Fallons' cameo added very little of value here and we really could've done without him. 

• I mean, it is nice to see a sprawling backstage monologue on SNL every once in a while and kudos to SNL UK for just having done their first one and showing us around their own London studio a bit more Jimmy has shown he's adept at making these work better than most...but at the same time I feel like Nicola could've handled this one all on her own.

• I guess whenever SNL UK shows us their backstage in the future the extras in Napoleon/beefeater/ABBA costumes will be their equivalent of our backstage llamas, Lincolns and Vegas style showgirls as the go to, clock punch, background gags?

• I did enjoy Nicolas interactions with Paddy, Ania & George (even if it was like the fourth or fifth gratuitous callback to Nicolas' cameos in the first episode).

• Anyway, for all of it's minor flaws, this monologue didn't a fine job of keeping up the energy at the top of the show and making the viewers feel confident that the host would be a strong sketch performer. B-

Yo! Nicola Raps!

• Wow, the fake "Hot Streak" poster in the background. I guess that's six callbacks to the first episode at this point?

• Anyway, yeah...I definitely saw the same parallels between both of Natalie's Raps that everyone else did (including Celeste, George and the writers since they actually called it out mid-sketch).

• Still, I saw more parallels between this Please Don't Destroys' "Three Sad Virgins" (particularly the parts that were just about Dune, the pauses mid-video to explain what isn't working and subsequent attempts to misunderstand and overcorrect).

• I can't say this hold up on rewatch but it was fun at first to see Nicola throw herself into a hard-core gangsta rap about some children's book fairy tale gibberish...but I've seen this trope get pulverized into tge cold, cold ground by way too many different people over the course of the last 25 years in SNL UK and this felt like an even more watered down version of that.

• Plus, Jimmy didn't really need to be here as his part could've been played by any of the male castmembers. C+

What A Life! (Paula From Accounts Has)

• You know, before I actually got to watch any of this episode, I saw some strong buzz online surrounding Nicolas' general performance as host. Some even went so far as to say she should be SNL UKs' first ever five timer. From this sketch alone, I can definitely see why one would say that about her immediately.

• I mean, right out the gate Nicolas' first actual sketch sees her playing much the same gruff, dumpy, slightly socially inappropriate character that previous SNL US Five Timers like Melissa McCarthy and Emma Stone have crushed before (hell, even SNL US two timer Kristen Stewart had a good handle on how to play this type of character in her first try).

• Anyway, I liked seeing Nicola really committed to this character and how she threw herself into it, just straight up barking out all of the deranged and bizarre details of her truly insane life. B+ 

Big Horrid Clump

• Wow, barely two minutes in and Annabel has already entered to slam Emmas face into a table Roadhouse style and call her a bitch. We're off to the races, folks.

• Anyway, I wasn't too crazy about the reveal of what this was going to be premise wise but it picked up some steam  with everyone listing the horrid items in their own clumps (especially Nicola and Ayoade) and really kicked into high gear with the reveal that each clump will gain sentience and come to life, moving on its own the second you even think about the distinct possibility that you may actually need an item from the mass once a now gauzed up Emma bought up the possibility.

• I liked how this took the part of my brain that immediately calls up a previous SNL sketch to compare a current one to from "Closet Organizer? Nah" to "Oh, Big Dumb Hat/Cup" to "Hey, Almost Pizza!"

• By the way, am I the only person who could easily get this sketches' title sung to the tune of Chappel Roans' "Pink Pony Club" stuck in their head? Oh, what's that, reader? You've never even heard that song nor do you know who even sings it? Well, whoop de fuckin' doo, bud. Good for you. C+

QVC: The Jewelry Store

• Huh, is it me or is it a bit of an odd coincidence that SNL UK does a QVC sketch when their biggest sponsor appears to be eBay live? Hell, I'm starting to think that eBay live paid for this particular QVC product placement (just as much as I'm starting to hope none of this show's writers happened to have watched Scary Movie 2 on their week off).

• Anyway, there might not have been much to this at first besides the fact that Emma's character was a hand model/jewelry saleswoman who suddenly grew an Arsenio Hall length right index finger...but what really makes this work is the "show don't tell" mystery & lack of lore to it (especially if you want to distract from how Mikey Day-ish some of the dialogue is).

• For example, Emma's character has absolutely zero explanation for her hand situation besides "it grew" for the right one...and the left one she has no idea what the fucks' going on there because she is just now finding out about it for the first time herself.

• Hell, they even leave the audience guessing as to whether her left hand is a necrotic zombie hand that is just starting to rot off her wrist or if it's...like, a deer or a dog type or LOTR ent type hand? Is Emma about to be arrested by The Dog Police?

• I liked how this ended with Emma literally just passing out but then coming back to strangle Nicola. It's always best to leave your audience wanting a bit more than to try to punch above your weight. B+

Weekend Update w/Paddy & Ania

• Paddys' Best Jokes: Robbins Fired, Condom Shortage, Russell Brand, Jackson Film

• Anias' Best Jokes: Mandelson & Starmer, Tribute To Queen Elizabeth 2, Piers Morgan Interview, Woman Of The Week, Leaving UK, Meghan Retreat

• Anyone else getting heavy Norm MacDonald vibes from a lot of the jokes tonight? Specifically, the Queen Elizabeth/King Charles/Russell Brand/Piers Morgan stuff (not JUST the Michael Jackson biopic/Phone ban stuff or Anias' "Woman Of The Week" and Meghan Markle joke...y'know, the obvious Norm comparisons).

• OK, Anias' Japanese Earthquake joke definitely felt like something Michael Che would tell.

• I think maybe Paddy should back off doing that patented "sheepishly shirking and shying away from the camera" move he does for a bit. He did it after nearly every joke tonight and it really only worked after the BTS runner (which he didn't do tonight). It's not something I want to see myself getting sick of or anything. I hope that's not his ONLY move.

• I wasn't too crazy about Emma's commentary (and not just because she wasn't just doing a Glenn Close impression when Paddy introduced her as "the woman who won't be ignored"). Her character reminded me of the type of aimless, pointless one shot characters Kristen Wiig and Heidi Gardner would do on Update in their heyday (with some of Kate McKinnons' movements worked in for good measure).

• I liked that they finally have Larry his own Update commentary. Part of me was a bit bummed it was at such a blackout length but part of me felt that we didn't need to spend a ton of time on it.

• I didn't think we really needed to see Jimmy here either. Hell, calling ANY SNL US alumni as "Weekend Update legend" is a bit of a stretch in my mind. I will admit I did get a kick out of the Lily Allen jokes and Epstein pronunciations.

• So, now that we know that Paddy does a decent Trump impression...would we be correct to assume that was him who growled "hello?" over the phone in the first ever cold open from Tina's episode?

• All in all, not the best Update for guests or commentaries but this was perhaps Paddy & Anias' strongest showing all season. B-

Landing A Plane

• OK, I know for sure I've seen this exact setup on SNL US numerous times in recent years (and I'm sure Dave Grohl was in one of them)...but it's such a vague, general area of things to write sketches about it could be anything.

• This appears to be poking fun at male ego and bravado which, at this point, I'm positive SNL UK is better equipped to handle.

• George did a great job leading this sketch and yet somehow Hammed had most of the best lines but I did like how Larry was the jumping off point for the mini top gun themed rant 

• Emma played her role well and the whole thing was well acted...but everything about its conclusion (yes, even including Emmas' final speech) felt incredibly telegraphed.

• I feel like we could've lost the Dave Grohl cameo and not have it effect the sketch at all (especially since he had to jog over to the musical guest stage for his second performance...they seem to have had some trouble timing all of those "running off to the next sketch/song performance" moments all night.). B-

Late Girl

• Huh...a live sketch framed as the conclusion to a modern "Cabin In The Woods" type slasher film. This should be interesting.

• OK, now Nicola has entered the scene as the bitchy, self centered, oblivious self victimizing one.

• Yeah, this feels like something I could have seen SNL US pull off but it mostly feels like something that would've better been done in a video from one of those Instagram/TikTok fashion/nostalgia influences. Still, Nicola is elevating this as well she can.

• Jack and Annabel were a bit much here (I've come to realize I like them much better when they're seperated on screen then when they are paired together) but I did like how they eventually dropped their whole "we just survived a bloody massacre that took all our friends" conceit just to be sparky to Nicola.

• I think what actually worked the most for me was Al and Larry suddenly popping up in the end as the crazed killers just to chastise Nicola for being late. C+

Another 45 Seconds With Fouracres 

• Well, I AM glad that this is becoming a recurring segment...but I didn't quite like this as much as the first one...but it might be growing on my after some repeat views

• Still, I'm even more glad that George got much more than this 45 seconds of screen time in the show...and that he appears to be doing well in general. B-

Ranking SNL UKs First Series From Best To Worst

1. Jamie Dornan/Wolf Alice (03.28.2026)
2. Nicola Coughlan/Foo Fighters (04.25.2026)
3. Tina Fey/Wet Leg (03.21.2026)
4. Riz Ahmed/Kasabian (04.05.2026)
5. Jack Whitehall/Jorja Smith (04.11.2026)

Overall Thoughts 

• This one showed a great deal of improvement from the previous episode. As a host, Nicola really yelled with the cast and writers and they really keyed in on her strengths as a comedic performer.

• They also really sharpened up their own writing for the most part in that most if the show's resemblance to its stateside counterpart came from it's choice of musical guest and alumni cameo.

• What few elements in the writing of the sketches that reminded me of previous sketches from SNL US and other shows  actually managed to work in the shows' favor rather than against it.

• As far as cast use, there seems to be more of a focused on George, Emma and Annabel this week. Celeste seems scaled back a bit. She, Al and Ayoade seemed more relegated to support roles. Jack and Hammed seemed a bit scaled back this week.

Closing Thoughts

• The next episode of SNL UK will be airing this weekend and will be hosted by Aimee Lou Wood. From what I've seen of her, she seems like she has enough comedic experience to do well on this show. 

• She's previously had some choice words about Sarah Shermans' portrayal of her White Lotus character on SNL US. I'm glad those two have worked it out amongst themselves personally.

• While I am still a bit annoyed myself that the online promos for this SNL UK episode have indeed referenced it...they did so in a way I actually found funny and I hope that they just...leave it at that.

• Also, this same weekend SNL US will return to our airwaves to enter it's home stretch of the season with an new double duty episode with host (and musical guest) Olivia Rodrigo. You'll probably get to read my review of that one before you read my SNL UK Aimee Lou Wood review, but see you then!

SNL UK: Tina Fey/Wet Leg (03.21.2026)

Starmer Calls Trump

• Wow, I see we're already keeping one of SNL US' on and off traditions of starting off cold opens with unnecessary thunderous applause for no reason whatsoever. It's OK. I don't really have a problem with it here. I'm just pleased this show is going to have a hot crowd on its live debut. The audience reception may make or break this show.

• Already I'm getting slight Kenny Everett vibes from George Fouracres performance as prime minister Keir Starmer (or maybe it's just the Gizzard Puke-like voice he's using?). The sketch itself is giving me a slight mix of "Spitting Image" and "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" vibes (this does remind me of the first Mark McKinney/Mark Carney sketch I saw them do)...which is nice. It's already set itself apart from SNL US a bit for me.

• As soon as George uttered that "I can change him" line, I knew this was headed in a direction I was going to like. Sure, it's pretty much the inverse of this sketch ftom SNL US and a bit reminiscent of a lot of SNL USs' hacky ass "lol Trump & Putin are gay boyfriends with each other" jokes from 2016/17 and it's portraying Trump as the dominant one in the "situationship" but it's still in service of a UK sketch comedy show just straight up calling their country's leader a spineless worm who can't stand up to Trump on his own in a way that's much more pointed and direct than the cutesy bucket of buzzword salad crap in SNL US cold opens that they try to pass off as political satire nowadays.

• I wasn't crazy about Jack Sheps' stereotypical GenZ character (hell, hearing the word "throuple" still makes me want to "throw upple") but at least he served and he tied this sketch together somewhat. I did like the subtle meta dig at "embracing America's unproblematic culture" just before they did the first ever utterance of "Live From London..." B-

Monologue 

• I do like how the opening montage, theme music and set design make this feel like a new, seperate from SNL British comedy show (at least cosmetically). Hell, this shows' theme music sounds like something you'd hear snippets of coming in and out of commercial breaks during a typical episode of SNL US.

• Tina was a welcoming and friendly presence. She did a fine job of delivering a rare non-promotional host monologue fir which the sole purpose was just laying the groundwork for what this shows' basic format would be for those UK viewers unfamiliar with SNL US. I did like her line "one boy is either Scottish or choking".

• Still, her portions of this monologue felt like any typical SNL US monologue from the past 15 years or so. In fact, with all the additional cameos it specifically feels like a much less insulting and much more ingratiating version of the same monologue she did in May 2018 for the SNL US season 43 finale with a little bit of her season 33 monologue from February 2008 thrown in (the first and last time she actually hosted the show on her own side of the pond). 

• I could've done without Michael Ceras' bit but I was just as pleasantly surprised with SNL UKs' ability to drop some unpleeped F-bombs on live TV as he seemed to be.

• Nicola Coughlan was by far the strongest part of this monologue. She sold the subtle passive aggressive bitchiness of her part well enough that I would also like to see her host one of the remaining 7 episodes of this series (hopefully, this gets renewed past its initial 8 episode order and she gets more chances). Hell, her Shrek joke makes me wonder how Mike Meyers himself would do as a potential host of this show?

• Man, I haven't seen Graham Norton on my TV since Comedy Central aired some version of his talk show here in the US 22 years ago but he did a great job of bringing this to a satisfying conclusion. I definitely chuckled at the "auto glass/safelite" jingle at the end. B-

Underáge by Pedólay

• Wow, bold choice for this shows' first fake commercial pretape. 

• It certainly displays a sharp edge that SNL US has been lacking for quite some time (or maybe it just appears that way because certain segments of the UK are much vocally and virulently against pedophiles than we are in the US...in spite of how we're all just finding out about how they've been covering for some of their own big ones for decades).

• Still, for the punch this packed, it could've been tightened up a bit (especially for a pretape so it doesn't hit too many unnecessary beats after the big reveal of its basic joke).

• Was that Paddy as Celestes' husband? Was this his only non-Update sketch appearance in the whole show?

• Hammed as the aggressive cop was funny and one line I liked was "my husband lost his recording contract and some, but not all, of his fans". 

• I did think the interrogation scene at the very end was a nice touch as well.

• The more I watch and sit with this, the more it feels like the type of pretape we would get in SNL around 2017/18 that would be left by Cecily Strong, Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon...but this felt a bit fresher and more bold. C+

David Attenboroughs' Last Supper

• Even though this is a well worn premise I know I have seen SNL US pull off many times before (see "When Great Minds Meet" in 1988, "Historys' Greatest Overthinkers in 1993, Rachel Dratch as James Madison on Weekend Update in 2000) I was delighted by the execution of this one. 

• George Fouracres portrayal of Sir David Attenborough was a great centerpiece of this sketch (even if the voice he used sounded a lot like his Keir Starmer except raspier and less congested). George had the best lines and is quickly emerging as one of the early standout performers in this cast.

• I'll admit there were about four portrayals of figures from British history I didn't recognize but that didn't really hamper my viewing experience (maybe reading Beardie Vikings' review whenever he posts it to his blog will help me fill in a few gaps).

• Even Jack Sheps' Princess Diana was done tastefully and Tinas' Agatha Christie wasn't too over the top. It was neat to see Paul and Jack come close to breaking. B-

Hot Streak

• OK, Hammed is emerging as the second standout performer of this cast. The way he asked Tina and Jacks' actor characters why their movie fucking sucked so bad and forcefully criticized them right after a Fallon-like heaping of praise on their characters had me falling out laughing. 

• I also loved how seamlessly this transition into a poignant commentary on the modern human condition. 

• Definitely one of the high points of this premiere episode. I even got a kick out of Hammeds' character being named "Ed Boovies" just so the title of the fake show within a show could be "Boovies Goes To The Films" A-

The Budger

• While I feel this could've gone a bit harder in the paint on the basic premise of "how to make the average person's internet experience worse" and still have given off "relatable" vibes, I still enjoyed how it captured the banality of those small annoyances around modern smartphone and PC web browsing (even if they skipped over some of the dangerous misinformation and bigotry you can easily encounter online from time to time).

• I appreciate the specificity in the writing as well as the "spy junk tech thriller" style in which this was filmed. Those aspects of this piece combined with the fact that I was watching an Emglish language foreign sketch comedy program really gave me "Baroness Von Sketch Show" vibes.

• It's a shame they didn't introduce us to the person in charge of pushing those little tutorial pop ups in various smart phone apps that come up whenever you get a new smartphone and open up your same old apps in it to point out various features in said apps like you didn't already know how to use them or the person in charge of making wireless bluetooth earbuds glitch out whenever you're actively listening to something on your phone through them because I'd really like to meet that person and have a chat with those specific people sometime soon.

• I liked the subtle visuals of guys casually sipping from whole containers worth of coffee and pouring entire containers of sugar in their coffee without looking away from their screens. However, I think Larry Deans' "X-man" interview could've been rewritten so that fast paced dialogue is missed over audience applause.

• While I feel they could've tightened up the suspenseful "budge" segment at the end, I liked the tense drama behind it. Speaking of, was that Ania as the woman scrolling through her phone on the couch? It didn't quite look like any of the other women. 

• I especially liked the "do you get paid for your job?" back and forth between Hammed and the unseen interviewer. B-

Ultrasound

• Wow, two segments in a row that give off slight BVSS vibes! This shows' really got something.

• I say BVSS vibes because this also had a very specific, very modern "relatable" idea behind its writing...but it was VERY much executed in the style of most modern SNL US live sketches very much to its detriment. 

• In fact, I would venture a guess that Tina heavily punched up this script at some point after read through because it largely seems to be in her voice (especially her opening rant about how her kids are mean to her).

• Yeah, this is something I could definitely see being done on modern SNL with the fetus being played by either Bowen Yang, Sarah Sherman or Marcello Hernandez. Mikey Day and Chloe Fineman would definitely be the parents as they're the best at overexplaining what someone is doing out of anyone in the current SNL US cast.

• Hmm, in fact...I think I may have ALREADY seen how modern SNL would have executed this sketch since it remind me a lot of this one...and this one...and this one (which seems to share a similarly odd idea of what the inside of a womans' damn womb looks like). Hell, Jacks dancing as the fetus reminded me of this in a good way.

• I don't mean to knock this sketch entirely or accuse the show of plagiarism (hell, it's certainly not an "adaptation" of anything). I was just saying that...I didn't know if this sketch worked for me personally at first but it grew on me after a couple rewatches.

• I did like Celestes' line "I'm not a doctor. I'm just a stupid rocket scientist." I'm not that surprised at Tinas' "pop that puss" line because I believe it's possible that SNL US could've also gotten that on the air. Hell, I even liked how Tina transitioned out of this sketch into introducing Wet Legs' first performance right after the type of ending that SNL US has been doing increasingly for every fourth or fifth sketch since Covid. C+

Weekend Update w/Paddy & Ania

• Anias' Best Jokes: Starmer U-Turn, Prince Andrew Moves

• Paddys' Best Jokes: Dubai Under Fire, Nato Holds Back, Helium Shortages, Andrew In Prison, BTS On Tour

• Damn, this version of Update has the flashiest set for any comedy news segment I've seen since The Daily Show!

• Even though Paddy had more of the jokes that really hit for me, I still really like Anias' presence as his co-anchor. I mean, DAMN, she's the one that took (the former) Prince Andrew straight to the fuckin' woodchipper!

• I liked how sharp and edgy tge writing behind these Update jokes were with out the edginess feeling too forced. 

• Maybe I can see some of these same jokes being delivered by Jost & Che here in the states but they still sound classier and pack more of a wallop when delivered not just in a British accent but by a fresh new pair of comics who actually have some spark and life in their eyes.

• Yeah, I gotta say I'd DEFINITELY take Paddy & Ania over Jost & Che at this point.

• Al Nash as Capt. Birdseye definitely seems like the type of correspondent desk piece that would've been done by Andy Samberg or Bobby Moynihan during Seth Meyers solo run as Update anchor on SNL US but a lot shorter and with a sudden reveal of a darker twist at the end. Still, there was great fun to be had there. B+

A Changed William Shakespeare 

• Hey, we finally get to see George again...AND he's doing a different voice!

• Tinas' got just enough acting chops to pull off the "forlorn, neglected wife" part here.

• Wow. Never thought I'd hear the phrase "cunty little earring" go out uncensored on the airwaves of any version if SNL.

• I got a kick out of the way George delivered the lines "Methinks I might write another one of these...PLAAAAAAAYYYSS" and "I must to London. My next staging awaits. Henry The Fourth Part II: Henry The FIIIIIIIFFFTHHH!"

• Yeeeeaaaaahhhh, this is starting to feel like a sketch SNL US would do with Jason Momoa as host (specifically "The Ghost Of Christmas Extra" if anyone remembers that one from 2018 because it ain't on YouTube).

• Well, I will admit that just straight up replacing George with Jack in the middle of the sketch is an interesting tactic that I'm sure SNL wouldn't do if they were executing this sketch...but they would certainly have him talking like a contestant on RuPauls' Drag Race if they could. No doubt about that.

• I'll also admit that Jack had a few bits and lines I did like (riding in on a Bird Scooter, Stratford-upon-Avon/London-upon-Ketamine, "Charli Ten 100 Ten", unintentionally stumbling over the phrase "glow up era", "'Tis but a K-hole") but not everything he added to this sketch made the rushed as hell ending that much better.

• Wow, we get TWO utterances of the word "cunty" along with a vague, empty, evdn more confusing explanation of why some can say it and others still can't followed by a sudden dance off to a 15 year old Rhianna song complete with a Charli XCX lookalike and some drag queens? What God did we please?

• Yeah, this sketch really cemented in my mind that Jack Shep is going to be the Bowen Yang/Marcello Hernandez of this show. I don't mean that as a criticism of his actual performances but rather as a commentary on what roles he's given and what spot he fills on the show.

• Jack Shep seems to be the youngest person in this cast by far so he easily fits the Marcello/Pete Davidson/Samberg/Fallon archetype of "guy who's strictly for the young audience to fawn over and will probably annoy the hell out if any viewer over the age of 40". He'll be the one the show leans on for viral buzz moments to draw the teens and early twenty somethings in from social media.

• He also gives off Bowen vibes because so far he's...well, I'll just say he's been the one giving us all of what I like to call the "campy" performances and leave it at that.

• Hey, it's not my place to speculate on anyone's personal life. I'll just say that. 

• Also, before actually watching this episode I had seen the minor spoiler that there was some honest to God audience booing in the show that I didn't actually catch with my ears or hear during the show. I'm going to assume it was at this sketch just because this really is the only sketch I can even imagine one person legitimately booing at. C+

Live Paddington Bear Experience 

• Hey, there's Ania again as the mother of three. I for sure recognize her. So, I guess she and Paddy are mostly going to appear in pretapes outside of Update.

• At first, I was expecting this to be a Bill Burr type thing where we keep cutting back to Annabels' Bachelorette Party just because that's how bad SNL US has brainwashed me.

• I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was another gore pretape where the gore effects were played subtly and with sheer obliviousness to a collective trauma rather than for cheap, tired obvious shock value. I guess I just broke the SNL US conditioning.

• I'm glad to see this more resembled a grittier "Happy Fun Ball" than Sarah Squirms' takes on "A Christmas Carol" and "Scooby Doo".

• Tina was great in the mockumentary portion as the dim, callous producer. All the other post interviews were great (especially Hammed, Larry and Ania).

• I also got a kick out if Al as the bored janitor casually tossing a severed foor in a trash can. 

• Even this would've been a couple years too late for a timely parody, this HAD to ge a parody of the Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience, right? A-

Bra Fitting

• Hmm, I guess this sketch presupposes that all women (especially British ones) are just as insecure about their breast/bra/cup sizes as all men are about their penis sizes? 

• From the way it was written and the specific British slang used, it took me about two thirds of the way into this to surmise that this is where it was going. 

• Still, as strange as this was to parse, I liked Emma's performance. She really made this work. 

• I get the sense that some of this show's writers must've been 30 Rock fans if they get that show over there since they were obviously keen on having Tina play another pathetic Liz Lemon type character.

• Hey, there's a reference to the MBJ/Lindo BAFTAS/Tourettes incident! I wondered if it would be really necessary for SNL UK to reference it this far after the fact but the audience seemed to like it.

• The Regé-Jean Page cameo felt a little forced but if this audience needed another Britush celeb cameo to keep them interested this close to the end of the show, I can put up with it. C+

45 Seconds With Fouracres

• Hey, nice to close out the show with the exact type of goofy nonsense you might expect to find on something like "Fast Show" or "Codco" or something more obscure and British of that ilk that you could only see on Sunday nights on the That Week In SNL Twitch stream!

• It's also nice to see a personal showcase from one of the early standout performers on this show. I'm calling it George Fouracres is gonna be the JAJ of SNL UK. 

• The second Nicola Coughlan cameo was a nice touch. I wonder if they truly followed SNL US tradition and wrote the hosts monologue much later in the week than the rest of the show and this is what they originally asked Nicola Coughlan to cameo in and then figured "well, as long as we got her here..." A-

Overall Thoughts

• Wow, I must say I was quite impressed by this whole show. I didn't quite know what to expect but what I got was a strong debut!

• Sure, I noticed some structural parallels between SNL UK and SNL US in the sketch writing department (with as much SNL US as I have seen in my lifetime it's pretty hard not to) but for the most part I was pleasantly surprised by how this show managed to retain so much of a uniquely British identity and sense of humor in its presentation as to make it into what I like to call "SNLINO" (or "Saturday Night Live In Name Only")

• Yes, there was enough sharp and pointed sketch writing here to make this a welcome breath of fresh air from modern SNL US in 2026 (especially after the dull as dishwater Harry Styles episode...funny how easily a British SNL episode with an American host just so easily trounces an American SNL episode with a British host).

• One thing I really liked about this episode is how it immediately drew me in much more than a lot of recent SNL US as of late. You can tell by the way this review doesn't start off with a series of Mikey Day-esque immediate hot take reactions of me describing what I am seeing in the moment. This is partly because I wanted to take it all in the first time I saw it and see if any possible format deviations had an effrct on the show as well. 

• The first time I watched it (out of several) I didn't once feel the urge to divert my attention from a screen just to take notes on a sketch as it was playing. The closest I came to actually doing this was during the "Hot Streak" sketch just Google the names of Tina & Jacks' characters to see if they were impersonating real people (they weren't) and I consider this a marked improvement of SNL UK over SNL US.

• As far as cast usage goes, it looks like George, Jack and Hammed dominated the night with some small assists from Al, Celeste and Emma. Hopefully, Arcade, Larry and Annabel will get to do more in the coming weeks.

Closing Thoughts 

• Next week, SNL US will still be in reruns while SNL UK gives us another brand new episode with Christian Grey himself, Jamie Dornan as host. I don't know what kind if comedic chops Mr. Dornan actually has but with a non American/non SNL US alumni as host, I do look forward to seeing how SNL UK further breaks out if the shadow of SNL US and further establishes its own British identity.

• I plan to review that one as well but before I do I urge you all to check out the review of the Brian Williams/Feist episode from SNL US season 33 that I will post this weekend as soon as the new episode of the We Heart Hader Podcast hits your preferred podcast portal and you can listen to Deej and I review that episode rather than just reading my review alone.

• Hopefully, that episode isn't going to be delayed due to any technical or production issues that came up on my end when we tried to record it. After that, we'll be working on a review of the Documentary Now! episode "The Eye Doesn't Lie" (a spoof of "The Thin Blue Line".

• See you then!