Shane Gillis/Rosalia (10.10.2026)

USS Lincoln

• Oh,this is DEFINITELY another Jost as Hegseth opening. On the USS Lincoln.Wow. Maybe a bit dated but fitting given this weeks host.

• Even though I can tell Colin doesn't really have his heart in this anymore, I did like the visual gag of his Fireball Whiskey Bandolier and how he played off the failed christening prop. Kams' part was pretty funny. 

• Oh yeah, the livestreamed execution thing is probably one of the big reasons why they wanted to do this cold open.

• Hey, JAJ as RFK Jr! That might be the highlight of this cold open for me simply for it being the least run into the ground political impression the show has right now. I'm at least glad to get to see this instead of...y'know the other big political impression they put JAJ in most cold opens with these days.

• The Linkin Park quote from Jost at the end was OK. Not sure if this will be the weakest cold open of the season yet...but at this point it's a strong contender. I'd rank it a solid second at this point in the season but lets' see how the rest of the season goes. C+

Monologue

• All right, here we fuckin' go...He's...talking about his weight? Oh well, I liked his little jab at his own Bud Light ads at least.

• Eh, this hiking stuff is...unexpected. Pretty meh so far. Not good or bad, just...there. Now, he's talking about going to a public gym. Ok....and now he's mentioned how gyms' are full of gay guys....aaaaaaaaand now he's giving detailed descriptions of girls' "whorish" work out shorts. Greeeeeeaaatt.....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnndddnow he's name dropping Joe Rogan and Theo Von. Faaaaaantastic.

• OK, I do like this whole "gas station egg"thing. It's worth a chuckle. Now, he's moved on to how mean his sisters are...who are, of course, very similar to him...physically. Not into this as much...but I did chuckle at the sudden"bitch hips" comment.

• Now, he's talking about how his haircut is similar to Adolf Hitlers. Yeah, you ever think you should shave that mustache, bud? I mean, that can't be helping.

• ...and the monologue just mercifully ends right at the phrase "You're either gay or you're Hitler. That's where we are as a country."

• Well, at least...he wasn't self consciously reacting to his own seemingly losing the crowd...and at least this monologue wasn't very long. I mean, even the "whore" stuff doesn't seem THAT worth an uproar.

• Well, at least the for sure worst part of this episode has just ended. Let's see what else they got. D+

Cop Talk Show

• Huh...well at least this sketch seems right in Shanes' wheelhouse. Thankfully, Mikey's part is mercifully short and reigned in.

• Good use of Jeremy. I liked the rolled down window gag. Kenan as Shanes' "sponsor" was worth a chuckle. Good use of Grace and especially Kam. Ben being tased was pretty funny.

• Oh...Veronikas' coming out as a drunk, high actress. Smart of them to end this here.

• You know, this sketch is starting to remind me a lot of that "Late Night With Chris Hansen" sketch Bill Hader did in 2009.

• This feels like a sketch concept that could've been done just as easily 30 years ago (and probably would've been seen as fresher then) but hey, anything that works with Shane's general presence in this episode without being completely offputting should be counted as a victory. B-

It's My Room Now

• Ooh, hey a musical pretape that pairs up JAJ, Dismukes and Tommy. This might go somewhere good.

• OK, I do actually like the concept of a Lonestar-alike country pop wedding band song actually turning out to be about what the father of the bride imagines he would do with his daughters' old room now that she's moving out.

• Sure, this shows' gonna get some shit online from rabid Tim & Eric fans from supposedly ripping off the bit Frank Stallone did on that show...but, who cares? This was genuinely funny.

• Nice interaction with Saidah. I wasn't too crazy about Marcello being included in this as a Zumba instructor Ashley eventually leaves Shane for but I did like how they weaved it into the ending.

• I did like the ending twist this took with Shanes' dad character suddenly going into a black mold induced hallucination where Ms. Pac Man has to talk him out of suicide after he knocks down the wall between his daughter and wifes' room. B+

Green Eggs & Ham

• Well, if the estate of Dr. Suess wouldn't let "Weird Al" Yankovic just put the words to this book to the tune of U2s' "Numb" and put that on an album because it has "no educational value" I can't imagine they'd react to this that well.

• Ok, so it's basically just Shane as a maybe not that much older Mikeys' loser adult failson trying to stop him from being scammed...again...and getting into a low level fight. As much as this toes the line into "a little too real" territory, this works pretty well for me.

• Hey...THERE'S the big thing this sketch will be remembered for! I should've guessed this would've happened with Shane at some point. Honestly, it was the one thing for him (and Mikey) to self consciously ad-lib about.

• I was watching live on my own local NBC affiliate. Shane's accidental f-bomb was muted. It was 9:45pm. I've heard the f-bomb went out unmuted on Peacock. I knew I should've watched there instead bit I'm sure the uncensored clip will he easy to find.

• I didn't mind Sarah appearing as Thing 1 being the bar trash girlfriend of Shane's character...but I'd wish they'd have done more to make her part feel less pointless. Did one of them blow a cue or something? It seemed like Shane just straight up forgot he was supposed to kiss Sarah and then either she forgot a line or he skipped ahead a line and she couldn't deliver one or something. What the hell happened there?  

• I did get a brief chuckle out of Marcello scrambling into the scene in a toy car as The Cat In The Hat with a blatant drinking problem but the ending with Sam-I-Am turning out to be a scammer was a bit predictable. Otherwise, this was a solid sketch that probably could've been done a little bit better by pretty much any other male host. B-

New Type Of Shoe

• A History Channel sketch in the middle of a Shane Gillis hosted episode. I don't know about this one...

• Ok, we got the second throwaway Hitler mention of the night out of the way.

• So, this is just about the invention of sneakers...and Shane is the guy who came up with that name...because he is the first to notice how they make it easier for a man to cheat on his wife?

• Eh, pretty weak concept. Not that it's being executed badly. Just a little dry. I did like the ending though. Kept this from going on too long. C-

Upfront Heating And Cooling

• Ok, Shane is basically describing all the ways his HVAC employees are creepy dirtbags. Again, right in Shanes' wheelhouse (not derrogatory).

• This feels like an improvement on the formula that gave us "CouplaBeers" two seasons ago.

• It's a shame that Saidah is still only being used sparsely in pretapes at this point...but then again, I wasn't expecting to see much of Saidah at all in this episode...and this was the best use of her all night. Same goes for Veronika in this, honestly.

• This was one of those rapid fire gag a minute pretapes with almost too many individual moments to break down but I'll say the moments that hit for me were the window lockers, Ben's cut off testimonial and Shane berating Mikey just after telling us how his relationship with "Hailey" deteriorated. The shot of him blasting trashy nu-metal in his car really sold that for me. B-

Weekend Update w/Jost & Che

• Josts' Best Jokes: Nobel Prize, USS John Wilkes Booth

• Ches' Best Jokes: Shock Gloves

• Hey, a JAJ solo impression feature! I'm not to crazy about this impression, but I like the material he's been given. It's more about the performance than the impression for me.

• Hey, a two hander between Ashley and Grace! I'd love to see where this goes.

• Guess we're just running the ball to Ashley on this one? All right. She's handling this well enough that I don't mind that they're not escalating this with Graces' character. Nice to see her get some airtime, though. Even nicer that Update ended on this at roughly a quarter of the length of last weeks.

• Decent Update. Only one joke from Che was truly dire (you know the one) and the rest were just kinda...there. It was the commentaries that made this one for me. C+

Saying Goodbye

• Hey, another live Grace appearance!

• So, Shane is just trying to engage Sarah in something very trivial. This is low key enough that it should work no matter what.

• I do like that Ben is playing Jelly Roll instead of the show booking the real one as a cameo at this point. I got a kick out of Marcello as "cool Jesus" hinting at the possible death of Shanes' character along with Grace as his mother who suddenly dies mid sketch. I even liked how they worked in Rosalias' cameo here.Not a bad sketch. Just maybe a little too telegraphed. C+

Chess Tournament 

• Huh...so, this is what they were putting Jeremy in makeup for during that commercial bumper. He, Mikey and Tommy are working well off each other.

• Hey, another Grace sketch! I should've expected her and Shane to play some kind of white trash couple (but it was Veronika we were all expecting Shane to work with a lot tonight and somehow it only really happened once).

• Anyway, this was the moment that really sold me on Grace Reiter as a cast member. Yeah, you could definitely see why she'd get compared to Aidy here but at the same time you also get to see her really disappear into the type of role that either Aidy, Cecily or Kate would have thrown their way about ten to fifteen years ago while also still bringing her own unique personal touches to it.

• A trashy disruptive couple being unnecessarily loud does remind me of one of the early Spartan Cheerleader sketches from Ferrells' first season (I want to say the first one but I'm not totally sure) but hey...if it actually works in this episode, who cares how derivative it is?

• Hey, Janes' still in the cast! I genuinely wasn't expecting to see her at all tonight. B-

Ranking Season 52 From Best To Worst

1. Shane Gillis/Rosalia (10.10.2026)
2. Dakota Johnson/Turnstile (10.03.2026)
3. Jalen Brunson/KATSEYE (09.26.2026)

Overall Thoughts

• Well, it certainly doesn't say great things about how this season is going so far that this turned out to be its strongest episode so far. Yeah, that's obviously gonna change (probably in the next couple of weeks) but this speaks volumes about weak host bookings and even weaker writing and cast usage.

• Speaking on just this episode though, it delivered pretty much what I expected it to as far as the monologue being extremely dire and the some of the sketches being surprisingly decent.

• Man, as long as I live, I may never know how Shane Gillis can be such a weak live performer (in both sketches and stand up) who somehow has this ability bring some of the better sketch premises and writing out of this SNL cast and crew. I know, he's produced some of his own sketches prior to getting to host SNL...but I've seen enough of them to know that his sketch sensibilities and those of his "Gilly & Keeves" collaborators are in a completely different ecosystem from those of SNLs and yet somehow this show's able to reign him in enough to just barely put him over.

• Anyway, Shane was...just competent in his sketch work. Some of his roles worked, otter sketches left me wondering how much better literally any other male host could perform in his role. Most of his best performances were in pretaped sketches that his presence was just a little more consequential to.

• One thing that surprised me was how strong of a night Grace had and how little he seemed to work with Veronika. JAJ, Dismukes, Jeremy and Tommy had quietly decent nights. We saw Kam and Kenan as much as I assumed we would. 

• Marcello, Ben and Jane seem to have been scaled back a bit. Thank God Mikey was more reigned in than he's been. Sorry, Saidah. This just wasn't gonna be your night to begin with but your very new and there's still a whole season ahead of you.

Closing Thoughts

• After two weeks, SNL US returns on Halloween night with appropriately scheduled "Obsession" star Inde Navarrette as host (hell, I may actually watch that movie before then). God, it will be so refreshing to have a new SNL US episode with a first time host I can actually have some POSITIVE expectations for!

• Thankfully, there well be two new SNL UK episodes airing in that time before the crew across the pond goes on at least a nine or ten week hiatus of their own. I hope you'll enjoy reading my reviews of those as well. Oh, and I've also reviewed the latest SNL UK episode with Danny Dyer and Sasha Keable which you can read here.

• I've also got an upcoming review of the SNL US season 33 finale with Steve Carrell and Usher in the can coming out before the end of the month (probably next week). You'll be able to read that one on this blog at the same time Deej releases the episode of We Heart Hader we recorded covering that episode (again, probably in the next week) with special guests Darin Patterson and John Trumbull of the SNL Nerds podcast. We had a great time recording with them and I can't wait for you all to hear it. 

• Speaking of which, we actually just released a new episode of We Heart Hader with returning guests Ajax from the Cover Wars podcast and Andrew Hunter Scholey from the podcast North Of Normal. We covered the "Test Pattern: Final Transmission" episode of Documentary Now Season Two. Hope you have as much fun listening to this one as the four of us did recording it. See you again real soon!

Jalen Brunson/KATSEYE (09.26.2026)

Trump, Mamdani & Harp

• Seems appropriate that we'd get Ramy as Mamdani this week (it is a New York show after all)

• This is a slight improvement over the "JAJ/Trump at U.N" cold open I was expecting. The only lines I really liked from him in this one were "I don't go to church on Christmas, nor Easter" and "not with that last name". Everything else was pretty much white noise to me.

• Instantly we get a reference to this weeks' musical guest, huh? And it's a reference to  their biggest hit that they didn't even perform tonight?

• ...and then we get a reference to the host and his team like two minutes later? Again, NYC show, NYC audience.

• I see JAJ beat me to the obvious retort to that "this could be us but you playin" reference.

• I should've expected Ashley as Natalie Harp. Unsurprisingly, she might be the best part of this.

• One thing I did like about this cold open that permeated the rest of this episode is the restraint it showed. Usually, SNL season premieres are dominated by the shows seeming compulsion to catch itself up on everything big that happened over the summer (mostly in pop culture and/or sports) but aside from a couple of throwaway references to the Knicks championship and the movie "Obsession" the writers of this cold open didn't try to force in reference anything that happened earlier that this month. 

• Maybe it's just because this summer was just such a long painful slog with nothing much else worth remembering from it besides food borne illnesses and the like but it's nice that someone at the show realized that isn't what the audience really wants to see. C+

Montage

• Huh, I thought I heard they were shooting a new intro for this season? Guess they were just filming new shots of Jane and Ashley due to their promotion?

• If they were doing that, why not film a new shot for Sarah? She's in between both of them and of all the things, that haven't made visual narrative sense in this intro since season 50 ended, Sarah driving a bus sure sticks out like a sore thumb.

Monologue

• Ok, I immediately like Jalen and the shows' ability to poke fun at themselves in tandem.

• I liked the song fake out too. I liked Kenans' Stephen A. Smith impression (maybe not quite as much as I've liked certain other Stephen A. Smith impressions I've seen on this show)

• There wasn't much else I liked that much about this monologue, sadly. I mean, Jalen interacted well with his teammates but that was to be expected.

• The entire second half of this monologue felt like one big inside joke that anyone who doesn't follow the Knicks isn't in on, but it was smart of the show to make Jalen feel like he's somewhat in his element this early on. C+

Office MVP

• Since when the hell has Pizza Hut had sandwiches? They got melts and they've had p'zones. Those aren't even close. Yeah, small nitpick but still...

• Anyway, yeah...I can definitely tell where this sketch was going by the time Ben finished delivering his first line. 

• This is just the basketball version of that carnival sketch with Tom Brady from season 30 isn't it? 

• This feels more like an inside joke that you don't need to be a basketball fan to get (for better or worse). Oh well, I'm sure bith sketches needed some level of timing and expert control even on the athletes' parts to even pull off missing on purpose properly.

• Huh, so...Jalen pulling out that whole basket of wrappers followed by Mikey slapping his face was a enough to keep me from tuning out completely.

• Still, the twist of Jalens' character revealing himself to be...himself felt too telegraphed (as did most of the rest of this sketch).

• Speaking of, did that last part remind anyone else of that Simpsons softball episode where Mike Scioscia was suddenly more excited to be working a regular job at the nuclear plant? Did one of the writers happen to see that episode recently?

• I liked the lighting and smoke machine at the end and after hearing that there was a second set of cue cards being kept handy in case Jalen missed his final shot I think I can understand and forgive the lack of a live ending. C-

Dream Academy Season 2

• So, they're spoofing whatever reality competition tonights' musical guest got their big break on...just because they're here? All right. Fair enough. Casting Jalen as the coreographer seems like a waste but at least he wasn't the main focus.

• Saidah makes her debut...in a low-impact straight role. Too bad this ended up being her only appearance of the entire night.

• Hey, this is a two hander between Jane and Grace her debut! All right! Ashley, Sarah and Veronika are doing solid work in this, too. Veronikas' really getting a chance to show off her pipes.

• I did like the reveal that Jane and Grace were only in the show because they witnessed Ashley's character involved in a hit and run.

• I wasn't expecting the girls from Katseye to actually be in sketches at all, but I actually liked how game they were to sing a fake pop song with the ridiculous lyrics Jane and Graces' characters came up with. Doesn't quite make up for their blatant lip syncing during their actual performances, but still...

• Nice of them to give this episode a little boost. Just when we needed a flashy little pick me up to distract us from the host's lack of charisma we get an ensemble piece from SNLs strong female cast with a taste of some new talent. B+

Group Therapy

• This sketch is basically a support group for "men who's girlfriends were bought on stage during the Chris Brown and Usher tour"? What the hell year does this sketch take place in? 2012?

• Oh, Jalen just made a reference to TikTok, so...apparently this sketch takes place this decade?!?

• Surprisingly, Jalen may be the best part of this sketch for me. Too bad they didn't either just put him at the end of the sketch or just end the sketch with him because I didn't really care for Ben or Marcellos' parts.

• Hell, this sketch didn't even HAVE and ending! Just an abrupt cut off and slam right into the next one. At least it didn't go on too long. C-

High School Musical: The Next Generation

• Wow, speaking of "what the hell year does this sketch take place in?"

• I remember the original High School Musical craze well enough that got a kick out of the wig they put on Jalen.

• Aside from that one line from Kam, this does feel like a more tasteful and less "punching down" version of the same "High School Musical" parody this show actually did the last time an NBA MVP hosted a season premiere 19 years ago (which you can read my thoughts on here and listen to here)

• I have to say Jeremy and Jalen played off each other in a way that made this funny to watch (despite it feeling three or four times the length of the previous sketch). Jeremy made the absolute most of this that he could (as did Tommy in what turned out to be his first and apparently only sketch appearance of the night).

• I have to say, in this SNL era I can appreciate a pretape based around physical humor that just stays at the level of "semi-violent humiliation ritual" abd doesn't escalate all the way to "gratuitous gore fest". Having Sarah not be anywhere near this probably helped.

• Veronikas' part felt a bit predictable but I liked how it was executed. Jalen is surprisingly convincing lip syncer. C+

Airport Massage Chairs

• Well, I'm not crazy about Mikey's role in this sketch...but I liked how Ashley, Jalen and Kenan played off him. Kenan might have actually been my favorite part of this (not saying much but still)

• Oh, that's right. Andrew Dismukes is still in the cast. I got a kick out of his reveal that they were flying on "Ay Chihuahua Airlines".

• Smart of the show to put Jalen in a sketch like this that doesn't ask a lot of him other than not breaking despite Mikey's best efforts (even when it probably should've...or just done this sketch with another host even if no one who could match Mikey's commitment could've made this less irritating).

• To the best of my knowledge (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), this is the third Mikey Day sketch that takes place in Denver and the second SNL sketch overall to take place in Denvers' airport. I only mention this as someone from the area who...found those bits of trivia more personally interesting than the sketch itself. C-

Weekend Update w/Jost & Che

• Josts' Best Jokes: Hegseths' Slur (for the delivery more than the punchline),

• Ches' Best Jokes: Trump TV, Mitch McConnell, Choosin' Texas

• Hey, another Jane piece! She's killing it with her delivery on this one.

• That Jewish Barbie joke felt like one that would've been better delivered by Paddy Young over on SNL UK. In an Jost/Che US Update that's already operating at a deficit just by airing the same night as a straight up bonkers as hell Paddy/Ania UK one from earlier in the same night, it feels particulary egregious (not offensive, mind you...just in the wrong place in the right time).

• Damn, that Gen Z sex joke from Che sure felt like it would've been right at home in Tinas' era of Update (derogatory). Strange that we'd get one of those from both Weekend Updates tonight.

• Hey, nice to see Jeremy's Tucker Carlson again! Someone else needed to inject some genuine fun into this Update. I especially liked the Spider-Man/Tom & Zendaya run of jokes. This was probably the weakest of all of Jeremys' Tucker Carlson segments so far but it certainly stands out in thus episode.C+

Parent Teacher Conference

• Hmm...not sure where this sketch is going. Seems like it might be an aimless mess.

• Jalen seems to be the only one...not understanding the assignment here. Everyone else seems to be have been rightly trusted to give this sketch exactly as much as they need to give it.

• Ok, JAJ and Dismukes got a chuckle out of me at the end. Ben was a decent straight man. 

• This sketch was all right. I just couldn't get that into it. C-

Shark Tank

• Huh, I saw the preview of this from dress rehearsal shown during the game and at this point I was wondering if it was cut.

• Yeah, while I like the slight Beck and Kyle vibes that Ben and Jeremy bought to their performance...it was a rather thin premise that couldn't not be too repetitive to entertain.

• As soon as I saw how Sarah was dressed, I could see where the rest of this was going.

• I guess I was foolish & naive to expect this sketch to have different contestants to be coming through with different products to pitch.

• Jalen is no impressionist but not even a stronger Damon John impression from Kenan could've saved this.

• Speaking of, I liked some of JAJs' dialogue as Mr. Wonderful (mostly his dressing down of Ben and Jeremy where he revealed himself to be a vampire born in 1601) more than I liked his actual impression (which sounded a bit more like a younger 80s era Trump to me).

• Yeah, Sarah, JAJ and Jeremy gave it their best but there was just nothing here. D+

Old Friend

• Yeah, this felt like the exact type of character I've seen play countless times in the past decade. 

• Thank God Grace and Kam showed up when they did because it was going absolutely nowhere fast. 

• Man, Jalen seemed just as burned out as I was by the end of this episode. D+

Overall Thoughts

• Given that this was a modern SNL season premiere hosted by a New York athlete who I've heard (and now seen) isn't exactly "Mr. Personality" off the court, my expectations for this episode were pretty much at the floor. This episode didn't exactly exceed them but I have to say it had a couple of small things going for it that actually made it one of the better season premieres in recent SNL history by a very thin margin.

• For one thing, there wasn't as much blatant pop culture chasing as there had been in previous season premieres. Also, we got to see a few brief moments of spark from certain featured players that kept this episode from feeling as throughly, uniformly dull and uninspired as the last few season premieres. Those factors combined to make this episode mildly uneven at best (mostly from a writing perspective).

• I was hoping with Chloe Fineman out of the way we'd see a shift in cast dynamics but it mostly seems that outside of figuring out what to do with Saidah (and Sarah at this point honestly) they've got the female side of the cast figured out. 

• Unfortunately, it feels like we may need at least need Mikey, Tommy, Andrew and Kenan to move on for now to balance out the male side of the cast since they dominated the show and were unfortunately given some pretty weak and tiresome material to do so with. We all know Tommy and Andrew didn't "dominate" hardly anything but...maybe they should move on for his own sake at this point?

• Also, this episode seemed to focus heavily on Ben, Jeremy, Veronika, Grace and Kam as far as featured players went...which I'm fine with but I'd like to see a bit more of Grace in the coming weeks. Maybe I shouldn't have expected her to get a big showcase in her first episode, but she has the whole season ahead of her. Ben is someone I can put up with in smaller roles but he's not exactly the future of the show.

• JAJ and Marcello did fine in small supporting roles (outside of the cold open, of course). I'm fine with Marcello continuing in this small scaled back role.

Closing Thoughts

• Next week's episode will be hosted by returning three time host, Dakota Johnson. Having seen Dakotas' first two episodes, I'm still struggling to understand why that previous sentence can be true.

• Looking over her first two it seems the problem may have been a combination of her being both a boring host and the cast and crew not knowing how to write for her (which may not have been as big a problem in her more recent episode from 2024 since at least that one produced a couple more memorable moments with her).

• Maybe that won't be a problem this time. I have seen Saidahs' "nepo baby mom" character in a few of her TikTok videos, so I hope she's already pitched something to Dakota in that vein and is able to get herself some more substantial screen time this week. Hell, I hope this means we see more of Ashley and the newer/featured women in this episode anyway. They're the ones that provided most of the few brief bright spots in this one anyway.

• I hope you've enjoyed reading this review as well as my review of SNL UKs' newest episode as well. I'll be coming out with a review of the SNL US season 33 finale in a few weeks with Steve Carrell and Usher (time truly is an annoyingly flat circle). That one will also be the subject of an upcoming podcast with two very special guests that Deej and I had a hell of a time booking on the show schedule-wise. You guys will find out who they are in due time. See you soon!

Will Ferrell/Paul McCartney (05.16.2026)

White House

• Hmm...Trump and Vance in the oval office? Could this be what I'm thinking it is?

• I did like Jeremy's response of "not enough for me" to JAJs' question of "is the pope catholic?"

• Oh shit...Ferrells' playing Epstein instead of Dubya? This could be interesting...

• Huh...the Ferrell/Epstein part is kinda resembling a Sudeikis as the devil commentary but I liked Ferrels' "heaven is really hot" line and JAJs' UFC/Worldstar joke. I also got a kick out of that brief Terrence Maddox "wink" he did.

• At least this was a clever way to work in tweaked versions of Ashley's Kristi Noem, Josts' Hegseth and Azizs' Patel (hopefully one last time)

• Man, they're really packing in the "edge lord lite" jokes in this, huh? Maybe an attempt to keep the type of male viewer who tuned in just to see Ferrell because he considers that era one of the last times the show was truly funny enticed?

• OK, the "Just The Two Of Us" musical number at the end was a fun way to end this. That's some classic late '90s Ferrell energy. We're lucky Ferrell & JAJ have a strong enough rapport to make this work. B+

Monologue 

• That's...not Will Ferrell...but let's see where this goes.

• OK, that's Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Why the hell wasn't that my first guess as to who this was?

• Is it just me or does Will and Chad look LESS like each other with age? Or is it just this thing I have with SNL sketches where they try to hang a big ol' lampshade on a slight resemblance to a castmember and a host (or a former castmember who just happens to be hosting and a totally different celebrity guest in this case) where I somehow see way LESS of the resemblance? Oh well, I guess it still works if they look enough alike from a distance...well, no...even then I was questioning it.

• Well, this could still be the most fun Ferrell hosting monologue of all time.

• Eh, don't like how hung up Will is on this but I guess some questions from the audience cameos could be fun. 

• Oh, it's Paul thinking Will is still Chad. Eh, whatever.

• I don't think naming as many Paul McCartney songs as one can remember works as a "doing something funny so many times it becomes unfunny and then loops back around to being funny" thing if there's constant applause breaks, but I got a kick out of Will listing songs Paul had nothing to do with was kinda funny. Part of me wishes they could've done more of those. C+

Hospital

• Ferrell in scrubs and a doctor's coat? Could this be the return of...Dr. Beaman?

• Accidental penis removal? I had a feeling that's where this was going.

• OK, I admit the "remove and clean this" line was a funny mixup as was the line about Mikeys' (of course it was his) penis being cremated.

• This isn't really escalating as much as I'd like it to, but I am getting a kick out of Will just straight up asking Ashley to not be a bitch to him.

• So...I guess this is pretty much just a variation of Dr. Beamen if he were just polite and conscientiously incompetent instead of just an aggressively deranged and paranoid maniac who constantly tries to deflect and distract from his own grossincompetence?

• At least this knew exactly where it should end. C-

Midnight Matinee: Bobbins' Sacrifice

• OK, the possibility of Ferrell playing the fake hobbit in a Dan Bulla Lord Of The Rings knockoff...could be interesting. 

• I did like the last Midnight Matinee. Unfortunately, this is more in line with the ones I didn't care for...but just not as interminably long or meandering.

• I did like this one at least having the twist of Ferrells' character "switching sides" and "dying" twice. That wasn't exactly the thing I would've come to expect from Dan Bulla. C+

Cast List 2: Cast Harder

• Hmm...I can't quite say this is the first time I've seen a sequel/continuation of a previously cut for time sketch (does anyone else remember when Andy Samberg played Rahm Emmanuel? No one? Just me? Ok).

• Still, this is an interesting and shrewd choice considering that the first "Cast List" was a semi-viral hit and turned out to be better than most of what aired in Ferrells 2019 episode it was cut from.

• I do like how they built this out from the first one so there were a lot more visually and character based gags while still hitting all the same beats. Plus, something about this works better when most of the student roles are filled by cast members who weren't hired prior to two seasons ago. Hell, I like how they eventually found a competent and grounded way to work Kam & Marcello into this.

• I did like the gags with the see through Wicked poster and Sarah in the wheelchair as well as Wills' back and forth with Jeremy and Ben. I also liked the line about having previously done The Color Purple with an all white cast.

• Man, it feels extremely odd that this was Kenan's only appearance all night when you consider all the speculation of this being his final episode as a cast member and how he has stated that Will Ferrell was one of his favorite hosts to work with.

• Hey, a Molly Shannon cameo was nice! That scratches my "reasonable expectation for some brief bit of late 90s nostalgia" itch! She played well off Tommy, too. I guess...Tracy Morgan was unavailable this week?

• Did anyone else think that Mollys' line about "getting hands with boys" line was reminiscent of her Weekend Update commentary as Louise Ingstrom from her first season? Does anyone else even remember that commentary? It was from season 20.

• Anyway, this was fun for an unexpected sequel (and really the closest thing we may get to an old Ferrell recurrer). B-

Weekend Update w/Jost & Che

• Josts' Best Jokes: RFK/Sperm Counts Trump Letter To Vance, Trump Interstate

• Che's Best Jokes: Trump Greeted By Schoolchildren, Shooters' Not Guilty Plea, NBC Peacock, Greatest President of Alz' Heim

• Hey! Jeremy gets to bring back Mr. On Blast too! Nice to get a brief flash of gleeful stupidity from one of the newbies.

• I liked the silly "P.U." puns just fine but what I like even more is how they added various odd details about his life (like how he is apparently 100 and has grandkids who work on the show in the graphics department).

• Well, it is always nice to see a traditional Che-Jost joke swap this time of year. I have to say...this may not have been one of those years where they topped themselves in terms of sheer outrageousness but it was nice to see one where Jost got Che better than he got him right up until Jost got threatened with a surprise head shaving. B-

What It Feels Like Talking To A Mechanic

• It's nice to get a brief dose of absolute nonsense on the show now and then. Unfortunately, this was more the kind of banal and slightly dull nonsense and not the whimsical silly and goofy kind of nonsense that's actually funny and livens up a sketch. I have a feeling that even if you actually have talked to a mechanic recently you may not have found this to be that funny.

• At least this sketch had one notable thing about it in that they basically had Paul McCartney come on to basically do Dana Carveys' impression of him.

• See, you would think something this silly might have a better ending than Will Ferrell, Marcello Hernandez and, again, Paul Fucking McCartney of all people demanding that Mikey Day pay them in ass...but no. Oh well, at least Marcello, Mikey and Ashley can now say they've been in a sketch with Sir Paul. C-

The Nudemans

• Huh...so, were they just trying to do something in the vein of the patriotic thong sketch from...25 years ago here?

• I did appreciate getting to see Sarah's "Enter Here" tramp stamp though...as well as everyones' sheer enrergetic commitment to such a premise as this (especially Andrew and Marcello).

• One other good thing about this sketch is that you can say this wasn't the reason for whatever was cut getting cut as much as the combination of the joke swap running long (nice bald cap, Colin) and Lorne wanting to give Paul a third song. C+

Ranking The 51st Season From Best To Worst

1. Nikki Glaser/Sombr (11.08.2025)
2. Glenn Powell/Olivia Dean (11.15.2025)
3. Alexander Skarsgard/Cardi B (01.31.2026)
4. Melissa McCarthy/Dijon (12.06.2025)
5. Olivia Rodrigo (05.02.2026)
6. Matt Damon/Noah Kahan (05.09.2026)
7. Ariana Grande/Cher (12.20.2025)
8. Jack Black/Jack White (04.04.2026)
9. Will Ferrell/Paul McCartney (05.16.2026)
10. Ryan Gosling/Gorillaz (03.07.2026)
11. Amy Poehler/Role Model (10.11.2025)
12. Miles Teller/Brandi Carlile (11.01.2025)
13. Finn Wolfhard/A$AP Rocky (01.17.2026)
14. Colman Domingo/Anitta (04.11.2026)
15. Harry Styles (03.14.2026)
16. Connor Storrie/Mumford & Sons (02.28.2026)
17. Josh O'Connor/Lily Allen (12.13.2025)
18. Sabrina Carpenter (10.18.2025) 
19. Teyana Taylor/Geese (01.24.2026)
20. Bad Bunny/Doja Cat (10.04.2025)

Ranking All Of Will Ferrell Hosted Episodes From Best To Worst

1. Will Ferrell/Green Day (5.16.2009)
2. Will Ferrell/Queens Of The Stone Age (5.14.2005)
3. Will Ferrell/Paul McCartney (05.16.2026)
4. Will Ferrell/King Princess (11.23.2019)
5. Will Ferrell/Chris Stapleton (1.27.2018)
6. Will Ferrell/Usher (5.12.2012)

Overall Thoughts

• Well, we just got another typical forgettable season finale. Not one that was frustratingly or bad or anything...just a bit bland and mediocre (we're talking about a season finale here, not a season premiere).

• Still, every word in that previous bullet point of mine feels like it should've been an unacceptable way to describe a Will Ferrell Hosted episode with Paul McCartney as musical guests

• ...but as I have said in the past on this blog, I have had to teach myself to lower my expectations for any future Will Ferrell hosted episodes...and I have had other bigger issues with episodes he's hosted in the recent past that I didn't quite have with his one.

• As far as season finales go, I may have some of the same issues with this one that I did with a few recent ones, but to a different degree. 

• I don't mind that we have arrived at the end of another season with zero indication of who may be leaving and who may be staying because those could come later in August or even at Christmas time.

• I do think from what we've seen from this years' newest hires that the show could be in better hands at some point no matter who leaves. Still, I think some of the older guard (or anyone who's been at the show since before season 47, really) may NEED to leave for the show to make enough room for any necessary substantial change that would improve the show or at least make it interesting enough to watch again to happen.

• From what I've seen, I think Jeremy, Kam, Ashley, Veronika and Jane could become the new faces of the show starting in season 52 the way that Hader, Samberg, Wiig and Sudeikis did starting in season 32. Then again, they lost a lot of long time veterans that year, too and there were massive budget cuts at NBC that year, too so they had no other choice but to restructure the show. 

• Hell, there might be massive budget cuts at NBC this year, too. It could still happen. As we've seen with certain big castmembers in recent years, people do still WANT to move on from the show. We could hope and pray for some major changes to come to the show but Lorne and NBC may be too afraid of such change from the same old show people with the same old faces people except to see hurting their bottom line somehow.

• Oh well. At least we have another season of SNL UK to look forward to...which is obviously a substantially different show from SNL US and might be the closest thing we'll get to a completely overhauled SNL in this day & age.

Closing Thoughts 

• Well, my blogging output will obviously drastically decrease over the summer but keep your eyes peeled for my review of the SNL UK season finale which as of this writing and publishing I have not gotten to see any of yet...but since I clearly just rushed this through and tossed this one off like it was nothing, you can expect a review of that one sooner rather than later since I'll have more time to work on it.

• After that, you can expect more reviews of SNL season 33 on this blog to coincide with the episodes Deej & I are reviewing on the We Heart Hader podcast (but not before a brief blog entry from me before the next episode comes out explaining a slight change we're making in our lineup there). See you soon and have a great summer!

Matt Damon/Noah Kahan (05.09.2026)

Three A-Holes Walk Into A Bar In Washington, D.C.

• OK, a random bar scene...with just Kenan and Chloe. This has some promise.

• Wait...don't fucking tell me....

• Josts' Hegseth meets Damons' Kavanaugh. Wow. Unbelievable.

• I guess absolutely no one in the casts' mom's were available? 

• I didn't think Brett Kavanaugh was a relevant or notorious enough figure in 2026 as he was in 2018 for this or that Damon's impression of him was that popular or well remembered...but supreme court judgeships are lifetime appointments unless they retire...so what the hell.

• Hey, there's Aziz' Patel again. At least that's an impression that I was expecting them to setup and reveal (although Matts' "male loneliness" line was kind of an awkward introduction)...and at least Aziz is the only one capable of putting in overtime to sell the sleazy, slimy bro-tastic frattiness of this sketch.

• At first and second glance, this is mostly just playing as lifeless word salad that just washes over me. 

• I did like Matt's line about Trump having written the word "PSYCHE!" on the original constitution and the Chumbawumba Tubthumping ending was a nice energy boost to end this on...but that's about it. Still better than another JAJ Trump sketch. C+

Monologue

• Huh, I genuinely wondered what Matt was plugging. I did like the "Odyssey opens nine weekends from now" line and the callback to it later.

• Who the hell was that random dude asking where Marcellos' mom was? Were we supposed to recognize him?

• Oh, apparently we WERE supposed to recognize him because that was rookie SNL writer Jack Bensinger...who I believe is also Sarah Shermans' boyfriend.

• Oh, well at least Marcellos' mom did show up for a callback after the most unambitious and telegraphed monologue Matt Damon has done on this show so far. C-

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters 2

• Oh, come on. I don't think "Spittakes On Mikey: The Sketch" needs this elaborate of a set up.

• Is this just a reworking of the "delights" sketch Mikey did during Finn Wolfhards' show? 

• Was this something Mikey & Streeter wrote for Jack Black last month that didn't make it knowing he was in a sketch that was pretty much exactly like this but with wine back in 2003?

• Well, I at least do like how varied, sudden and precise the spittakes were...and how quick the ending was. C+

Mom: The Movie

• Well, as much as this reminds me of the "Mommys' Little Scotty" trailer from Comedy Bang Bang...at least this is going for something.

• I liked how well this used Ashley, Veronika & Jeremy. He had what might have been my favorite line in this about liking how his mom told him the race of everyone involved in her story.

• Even as much as Matts' part felt an unnecessary extension of the last third of his monologue, it worked better here (probably because they wrote it, like, four or five days before they wrote the monologue anyway). I did like his line about noticing Ashley's giant necklace from the stage of the theater when he was giving an audience Q&A for one of his movies.

• My biggest criticism of this sketch is that it went on a little too long. Maybe at least some of the Jane/Squirm/Chloe segment could've been cut or tightened? I don't know if I buy Jane as your average middle aged mom anyway. As great as Veronika was in this maybe one of her parts could've been cut? Either the part with the puffy pink purse or the part where she tearfully tells Ashley her friend she doesn't like dies? B-

Tough Guy Barbecue

• Huh, at least Damon, Marcello and Kenan playing Goombah Jersey Italians is...something different and unexpected.

• OK, this is pretty much the same gag as the "McManus & Sons Bar" sketch from 1993 with Chris Farley & Miranda Richardson, isn't it?

• Who the hells' phone keeps vibrating offscreen?

• Yeah, this was really lumbering along and going nowhere but I like Marcellos' story about being caged like a dog and fed gummy bears and the "quarter check" boy showing up to yell at Kenan. D+

Tidy Care Kitty Litter

• OK, FINALLY something with a semi out there premise.

• This did remind me of the ketchup factory sketch with Taran Killam and Martin Freeman from December 2014, but I liked how this escalated.

• Ashley & Matt played off each other perfectly. JAJ and Dismukes jumped in at the perfect times to make this work, giving it just the right "That's Not Yogurt/Almost Pizza" vibes it needed to work.

• I ended up liking this sketch so much I didn't even mind that this was the third sketch tonight with a sudden non-ending. B+

Weekend Update w/Jost & Che

• Josts' Best Jokes: Hantavirus, Bus Driver (that's gotta be the most Norm MacDonald ass joke Colin had ever landed)

• Che's Best Jokes: Gas Prices, RFK Caught Bird At Airport

• Boy, these two had a lot of rough jokes tonight. Che especially.

• I'm guessing that those Marco/Rubio callbacks weren't totally planned or scripted?

• Hell yes! Nice to see Jeremy's Tucker Carlson after it got cut from dress recently.

• This narrowly achieved the recurring SNL character/impression feat of being better than the original (in spite of its length but this may be the exception rather than the rule).

• Hmm...is this Mikey/Marcello kamikaze dolphin commentary just a reworked version of their emoji commentary from a while ago?

• Nope, it's just them screaming bad sexual puns at us and each other.

• I did get a kick out of Mikey making Marcello break and the meta ending referencing Colins' Ferry worked for me.

• Hey, a new Jane Wickline song! I'm not crazy about the "chronically late" setup but let's see where this goes.

• OK, this is just classic blunt atonal Jane absurdity. This is nice. The backup dancers were a nice touch. C+

Substitute Teacher

• So...this whole sketch was just Matt Damon playing off everyones' non- reactions to his dancing...and being willfully ignorant of no one else rightfully wanting to dance with him?

• It is rare that we see a sketch structured essentially like a one man show on SNL. It feels familiar, but other than the gay porn star sketch with Sam Rockwell, I can't quite place where I've seen the basic elements of this sketch before.

• Chloe damn near ruined this by being the only one breaking. I did like Damons' "Amber Alert" and "shake your booty with the substitutey" line.

• This really worked best when absolutely no one was reacting to Matt...so they should've just ended it when he left the room. We didn't need to hear the students hacky "well...that just happened" level lines or the reveal that Dismukes' character is Damons' son. C+

Scene From A Crumbling Marriage Of Two Auctioneers

• OK, from the title card...I'm interested in seeing how this plays out.

• I'm assuming this is loosely (and I mean VERY loosely) adapted from some if Sarah's standup? She is pulling off the Southern Dame look (and voice) quite well.

• Aside from a minor line flub from Damon, this is being executed flawlessly (even if it seems like Sarah & JAJ were picking up some slack from Damon).

• Adding Marcello, Dismukes, Tommy and Jeremy as prepubescent children and JAJ as a horny neighbor were nice touches.

• This is playing out more wholesome and sweet than I expected. Maybe Sarah's leaving next week (I mean, it us her fifth season and she seems like she's got plenty of irons in the fire) and this is something she's been wanting to get on the air? Maybe she wanted to go out on a high note by showing us the softer side of Squirm? B+

Ranking The 51st Season From Best To Worst

1. Nikki Glaser/Sombr (11.08.2025)
2. Glenn Powell/Olivia Dean (11.15.2025)
3. Alexander Skarsgard/Cardi B (01.31.2026)
4. Melissa McCarthy/Dijon (12.06.2025)
5. Olivia Rodrigo (05.02.2026)
6. Matt Damon/Noah Kahan (05.09.2026)
7. Ariana Grande/Cher (12.20.2025)
8. Jack Black/Jack White (04.04.2026)
9. Ryan Gosling/Gorillaz (03.07.2026)
10. Amy Poehler/Role Model (10.11.2025)
11. Miles Teller/Brandi Carlile (11.01.2025)
12. Finn Wolfhard/A$AP Rocky (01.17.2026)
13. Colman Domingo/Anitta (04.11.2026)
14. Harry Styles (03.14.2026)
15. Connor Storrie/Mumford & Sons (02.28.2026)
16. Josh O'Connor/Lily Allen (12.13.2025)
17. Sabrina Carpenter (10.18.2025) 
18. Teyana Taylor/Geese (01.24.2026)
19. Bad Bunny/Doja Cat (10.04.2025)

Overall Thoughts

• Well, like most mothers' day/second episode of a three week May run/last episode before the season finale shows, there was a sense of palpable burn out with this one. Still, the show managed to quietly redeem itself with some unique moments near the end.

• Matt Damon may not have had his most memorable or most energetic performances as host tonight, but...he is getting older and his very first outing as host was nearly 25 years ago at this point. I wouldn't go as far as saying he was the weak link of this episode, but he was almost sleepwalking through much of it.

• This was far from the weakest of the season, but may have been the weakest of Damon's three episodes so far.

• As far as cast usage goes, nobody got entirely shut out. Tommy and Kam came pretty close, but got to do some decent support work in a couple of things.

• Ashley Padilla wasn't in any live sketches but she made a strong enough impression in the pretapes she was in to have a presence in this episode. Kenan and Mikey continue to both be used in ways that suggest next week might be their last episodes. Everyone else we saw plenty of.

Closing Thoughts

• Next week is SNLs' season 51 finale with host Will Ferrell (who also would make enough sense as a host for Sarah's final show if you think about it) and musical guest Paul McCartney.

• Even after having to tell myself to tamp down any potential excitement I could have for another Ferrell hosted episode (I mean, the guy's a five timer who's hosted two standout episodes and three duds) I'm still quietly looking forward to this the most out of all three May shows (probably because it's the season finale and I get to take a break from blogging for a few months after this). Let's hope this evens out Wills' hosting record a bit and lets the season go out on at least a high, positive note if not a bittersweet blowout sendoff for whoever could be leaving soon.

• The big thing with Ferrells' episodes when he hosts is to not expect him to bring back any old characters from his era. He's pretty far removed from that time and has probably retired said characters and moved on.

• Still, I'd say in this political climate that another Dubya cold open wouldn't be too big a stretch of the imagination. Plus, Cheri Oteri is gonna be in Scary Movie 6 coming out next month, so...she could legitimately make a cameo. I don't think they could do another Spartan Cheerleaders sketch today (just for the reason that it's been 25-30 years since the last one they did together) but maaaaybee another "Morning Latte" could work?

• If Ana's available they could also do another Culps BUT they last did that a year ago at the SNL50 Homecoming Concert, so that might be considered overkill and there aren't any other recent pop songs they'd need to get caught up with in the past year.

• Oh well. Hey, while you're here, please feel free to listen to the newest episode of We Heart Hader that just came out this past Friday. Deej & I cover part one of the two part "Blue Jean Committee" episode of Documentary Now. Our review of part two of that will be coming out next month. In the meantime, we're set to record our episode covering the Elliot Page/Wilco episode of SNL from season 33. That should be out in two weeks along with my accompanying blog post about it. 

• Also, my review of the latest episode of SNL UK hosted by Hannah Waddingham is coming real soon before either of those. Now, as of this writing, I have not yet even SEEN any part of that episode let along taken any notes on it....so yeah, they won't be published simultaneously this week. Anyway, see you again real soon!

Colman Domingo/Anitta (04.11.2026)

Oval Office Calls

• Huh, this is just a regular oval office scene with Ashley as Karoline Leavitt. At least this is a little different.

• I liked how JAJ/Trump broke the fourth wall with that Ashley comment and then did a double misdirect back away from one of those tableau cold opens.

• A series of phone calls? Uh oh, this is starting to feel like the type of cold open we'd get in 2017/18 at the height of the "Baldwin as Trump" era.

• Uh oh, the last time the show did a sketch involving Kenan as Tiger Woods they got a lot of flak for it in the press...but at least this one can't possible be misconstrued as making light of domestic violence and is just a brief comment on Tigers' DUI arrest, so it's perfectly OK. 

• At least they didn't spend a whole lot of time on this part. I actually did like the "DUI/Dewey" joke from JAJ.

• Chloes' Melania cameo was OK (as much as I'm sure a large swath of the audience may not want to see or hear from her anymore at this point). I did like that Reagan joke, too.

• Ok, they're spending way too much time on Jost as Hegseth, but...y'know, it's the Iran of it all. I think they've officially run out of anything resembling a fresh angle on this character so it may be time to retire it. C+

Monologue

• I figured with Colmans' vast, VAST acting resume we'd get something poking fun at the sheer variety of things he's been in. 

• There doesn't seem to be a lot of material here for him TO carry but he is carrying this on sheer charisma alone.

• Thank God the band, the lighting/camera crews and Jeremy kicked in to add some variety to this before I started to tune out.

• I feel like I should have a lot more confidence that the show isn't going to completely do Colman dirty at this point, but...I dunno something feels a little bit off right now. C+

Bank Robbery

• Ok, this fits the vibe of Colman I was hoping they'd tap into more. I'm glad it's less "dirty names" and Matt Shatt and more like the Burger King sketch with Emily Blunt from 2016.

• Chloe, Mikey, Ashley, Marcello, Jane and JAJ were pretty good here. I'll admit the line "be on the lookout for a mess" and "mama raised a dumbass" got me. C+

Black Barbershop

• Ok, is every sketch tonight going to be built around Colman just "reading" people?

• Anyone else get the vibe from this that Tommy could pull off a decent John Mulaney impression? (yeah right, like we need more of those in comedy)

• Kudos to Kam for scoring the strongest moment in this sketch. My biggest laugh in this came from the sudden cut to him just saying "cheat" and following that up with "what you gay or something?"

• I liked Janes' cameo. Kenan and Colman were great in it, too. 

• One thing this episode (and this sketch in particular) did a fine job of is using Colman in sketches that they would need a more diverse cast to actually pull off without him as a host. Still,I think this felt a little long and could've used some cuts (if you'll pardon the expression. C+

Artemis II Video Log

• Well, at least this sketch taps into Colmans' dramatic chops in a decent way.

• When your biggest laughs in a sketch involve Marcello Hernandez either pushing Mikey away over some Pringles (don't make me say which certain animated series "did it"), saying "Canada slaps" or just getting his dick stuck in some kind of tube, something may be seriously wrong. Sadly, Sarah seemed to add nothing. C-

The Knowledge Hour

• What if I told you...this might be my favorite sketch of the night by default? What if I told you...that yes, I too know that isn't saying much?

• Yes, this was just the exact dose of whimsical absurdity the show needed at this point?

• I liked how Colman played off what seemed to be a genuine gaffe between him, Kam and Jeremy (literally) and hoe everyone suddenly exited  the scene before Dismukes entered?

• I wasn't crazy about the ending with Dismukes though. It felt a little forced. Plus, I feel like some of the stuff about Colmans' character wanting to impress some random chick he hasn't seen since college 40 years ago could've been cut. B-

Weekend Update w/Jost & Che

• Josts' Best Jokes: Iranian Peace Talks, J.D. Vance, Sam Altman, New Jersey

• Che's Best Jokes: Netanyahu, RFK Podcast, King Charles, Cornhole Champ, Hemorrhoid Cure

• I liked both of the commentaries this week. Kam and Marcellos' "back of the school bus kids" might seem like something designed to enrage some, but I really needed the boost of juvenile stupidity right now.

• Still, I think Colins' "deez nuts" beat at the end could've been cut so this didn't go too long and ended on one beat that wasn't completely telegraphed.

• I'm glad Janes' commentary was packed with enough abstract absurdity to misdirect us from the most obvious punchline. B-

Grandpas' Funeral

• So, the entire premise of this sketch seems to be "what if a group of pimps showed up at your grandpas funeral and also you find out for the first time they all turned him out at one point"?

• Well, when Kenan showed up I was a little worried that this wasn't going to go anywhere. Ashley, Jeremy and Marcello were fine in this but they didn't exactly do a whole lot to assuage those worries for me.

• I will say I did like Sarah and Veronikas' walk ons. In fact, I'd say I liked their performances here more than most of what I've seen each of them in this season.

• Jane's walk on was decent and I'm glad they found a way to work Mikeys' "crazy background Waffle House guy" into a live sketch.

• I even liked the sight twist of JAJ and Jost as white pimps as tacked on as they seemed (especially the latter...did he and Che cowrite this?). The ending didn't quite work for me though. C+

Boarding School

• I'd like to think this was a very underwritten "Farewell, Mr Bunting" prequel and not just "what if numbers were random gibberish" or "synesthesia: the sketch".

• I appreciate the committed performances in this (especially Dismukes, Kam and Colman) but this felt like too long a walk with too many glaring pacing problems for me. Plus, I felt Dismukes kinda botched his window fall. C+

Beastomorphs

• I feel like this was something that got cut from dress until I saw Colman in it.

• This felt like a typical Sarah idea that somehow got away from her.

• Again, I do appreciate the committed performances from everybody but the idea alone didn't quite hit for me. It was just a little too juvenile in every way imaginable and I just couldn't get into it. C-

Ranking The 51st Season From Best To Worst

1. Nikki Glaser/Sombr (11.08.2025)
2. Glenn Powell/Olivia Dean (11.15.2025)
3. Alexander Skarsgard/Cardi B (01.31.2026)
4. Melissa McCarthy/Dijon (12.06.2025)
5. Ariana Grande/Cher (12.20.2025)
6. Jack Black/Jack White (04.04.2026)
7. Ryan Gosling/Gorillaz (03.07.2026)
8. Amy Poehler/Role Model (10.11.2025)
9. Miles Teller/Brandi Carlile (11.01.2025)
10. Finn Wolfhard/A$AP Rocky (01.17.2026)
11. Colman Domingo/Anitta (04.11.2026)
12. Harry Styles (03.14.2026)
13. Connor Storrie/Mumford & Sons (02.28.2026)
14. Josh O'Connor/Lily Allen (12.13.2025)
15. Sabrina Carpenter (10.18.2025) 
16. Teyana Taylor/Geese (01.24.2026)
17. Bad Bunny/Doja Cat (10.04.2025)

Overall Thoughts

• Well, that episode was just as disappointing as I was expecting. There were enough fun moments there that I would just call it "uneven" rather than just plain "bad", though.

• Obviously, they biggest problem with this episode was that Colman as a host was much better than the material he was being given so I hope everyone was more self conscious of that than they were letting on.

• When the best parts of the show were what was cut for time and put up online later, something is seriously wrong (of course I'm referring to Bens' Jack Harlow thing and the full length goodnights where Colmam gave a lovely and heartfelt speech that most of this episode sadly didn't deserve).

• On the plus side, Jane and Kam had decent nights, so...there's that.

Closing Thoughts

• Well, SNL US makes its return in two weeks with Olivia Rodrigo making her double duty hosting debut. Given how the episodes hosted by other current pop stars like Dua Lipa, Charli XCX and, one of Olivias' contemporaries I hear, Sabrina Carpenter turned out...this is one I'm going to be a bit wary of. 

• My biggest fear is that the show will go all in on Gen Z pandering pop culture chasing that those previous episodes gave us and just try to force another viral moment but beyond that Olivia is another pop star who seems in control of her own image and isn't as blatantly risque as others of her ilk so I'll keep an open mind.

• I'll have a review of that one posted in a few weeks. The week before that is when I should have my full review of the Tina Fey/Carrie Underwood episode from season 33 published around that since Deej and I will be covering it on the We Heart Hader podcast around that time.

• The very next blog post you should see published from me is probably going to be my review if SNL UKs' newest episode featuring Jack Whitehall and Jorja Smith. Even though I am giving myself an actual deadline to write the Fey/Underwood review (this coming Wednesday when as far as I know we'll be recording that one), I'd like to get that one out as soon as possible while the most recent episodes of both SNLs are still relevant and fresh in people's minds because I was really slacking on a couple of them. See you guys again real soon!

Jack Black/Jack White (04.04.2026)

NCAA Final Four Post Game Show

• Hey, an off the beaten path cold open choice!

• Nice to see they're using Kam in something, but that Chappel Roan...oof.

• Always nice to see Kenans' Charles Barkley. I don't know if I'm that crazy about the direction this is taking though.

• Ok, the Kalshi/Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Kristi Noem thing was funny.

• All right, Ashleys' Pam Bondi was nice to see, too.

• I did like Kenans' joke about Pam Bondi looking like "a womens' basketball coach who got fired for pulling on a girls' braid"and his LFNY segue.

• Not the best cold open of this season but far from the worst. Just...an odd mishmash of various things.. Sounded like the audience didn't know what to make of this or how to respond either. Very weird energy already. C-

Monologue 

• Well, I know Jack Black has always been a bombastic rock & roll/song and dance guy and he's always tried to bring that energy to his monologues on this show...so, seeing an actual five timers club sketch would feel quite odd. Let's see what they do here.

• Ugh, a bearded Jonah Hill in 2026 being the first cameo in this means this might automatically be the weakest monologue Jack Black has ever done on this show.

• I will admit I did like the creepy/spooky vibe of this one among other things. I appreciate the show getting Candace, Melissa and Tina to cameo. 

• I especially liked what Tina bought to this one with the meta "this is my fifth five timers club sketch" joke and the "SNL UK One Timers club jacket made from Paddington" jokes.

• I wasn't crazy about adding Domingo to this either (especially since I was half expecting him next week...yes, along with that other Domingo I already heard we were getting...you know, that Colman fella?) but bringing in Jack White just to wang Domingo over the head with a frying pan might have been my second favorite part of this.

• Hey, there IS a "musical guests only" wing of the five timers club! Jack White just confirmed it! You hear that, Jon and Bill? I am vindicated!

• I love how they actually did end this with an actual musical number as well. This was a very fun way to sneak in our musical guests' biggest hit "Seven Nation Army". That was my favorite part of this one. B-

Kathy

• I liked Jacks' "gym" adlib upon entering this sketch.

• I guess I was a fool to expect a sequel to that "One-Uppers" sketch from last year, but I automatically like this better.

• I immediately liked all the odd little details Ashley added to this character (especially her medication and the "numbers"game on her phone). This feels like a character Cheri Oteri would've played about 25-30 years ago.

• I also love the Andy Kaufman/Great Gadsby-esque "extreme testing the patience of the audience" nature of this. B-

Words To Live By

• Ok, I liked the reveal of JAJ doing a country song and the reveal of Jack White playing a half forgotten guitar solo more than I liked the reveal of what this turned out to be. 

• This also feels like one of those things that could've been done with any host because Jack Black isn't the most convincing at playing a country singer. Hell, I barely buy him hiking down a mountain let alone up one but I get the writers wanting him to play a guy who is told the meaning of life by Kenan's ancient mystic.

• This felt like a premise that I should've seen done before on SNL or elsewhere. Hell, even the twist of the guys remembering the name of the Men In Black memory erasing device seemed completely telegraphed. Jack Black didn't add much to it but I did like the ending with Dismkues just belittling his child. C-

Ultimate Dojo

• Well, I liked JAJs' anecdote at the very beginning.

• Is this going to just be a Marcello acting class sketch but with a weirder more indiscriminate eastern European accent and replacing acting with self-defense?

• It sure looks that way. Well, I'm liking this a tiny bit more than I feel I should.

• I will admit that having Jack Black play a martial arts teacher is a deceny use of his age defying physicality.

• Oh my god. Kenan is playing a character that is the exact same age as me. 

• Well, I DON'T like what Ben is adding to this sketch, but I am getting a kick out of the constant chanting of "estopit, estopit, estopit" during their silly slap fights leading up to the move they're supposed to be demonstrating. Too bad they're far funnier than the reveal of what the moves are supposed to be.

• The comedic highlight of this sketch may be the final reveal of Jane being the toughest, most badass "poo-pil" Jack and Marcello have ever taught and her back and forth with Jeremy. C+

Carry On My Wayward...Husband?

• Ok, yeah...this looked like it was going to be another tired ass "been there, done that" 30 year old premise but I ended up REALLY liking the execution and sheer pageantry of this. 

• Great way to work in Jack Blacks classic rock singing talents. I also got a kick out of JAJs explanation for why his tighty whites were suddenly visible.

• Sarah and Chloe had some good back and forths with each other and once again Jane Wickline comes in clutch. B+

Weekend Update w/Jost & Che

• Josts' Best Jokes: Pam Bondi/Esptein Files, Healthcare Attacks, Canadian Pizza Hut

• Ches' Best Jokes: Trump Presidential Library, Chicago, New Jersey

• Sarah Sherman as Kristi Noems' husband. Why? Seriously, why?

• At least this feels like something Sarah came up with on her own and not something Lorne ordered her to do...but when the genuinely funniest parts of this bit are another tired "remember when Kristi Noem shot that dog?" joke and a sudden cut to Jost air-motorboating, something may be seriously wrong.

• ...and Che's back to those damn WBNA jokes again. Great.

• Hey! Kam as Black Snape! This could be good!

• Yeah, Kams' really crushing this! Decent ending to a very uneven Update. C+

The 300

• Automatically, this is much better than the other 300 parodies that SNL did when 300 actually came out...almost 20 years ago (especially the one they did in 2009 when Gerard Butler actually hosted).

• Still, it kinda dragged until we got to Jack Black being cussed out by child. I did like Dismukes taking an entire day to list off various reasons why he wasn't picked, though. C+

Spring Break AirBnB

• This seemed like another very thing premise that feels like it should've been done before but wasn't yet. Still, it's really the type of thing only a paring of Jack Black and Melissa McCarthy could make this entertaining.

• I definitely ended up enjoying the bits of physical business between Melissa, Jeremy, the Jurgens and the doorknob than I thought I would. B+

Ranking The 51st Season From Best To Worst

1. Nikki Glaser/Sombr (11.08.2025)
2. Glenn Powell/Olivia Dean (11.15.2025)
3. Alexander Skarsgard/Cardi B (01.31.2026)
4. Melissa McCarthy/Dijon (12.06.2025)
5. Ariana Grande/Cher (12.20.2025)
6. Jack Black/Jack White (04.04.2026)
7. Ryan Gosling/Gorillaz (03.07.2026)
8. Amy Poehler/Role Model (10.11.2025)
9. Miles Teller/Brandi Carlile (11.01.2025)
10. Finn Wolfhard/A$AP Rocky (01.17.2026)
11. Harry Styles (03.14.2026)
12. Connor Storrie/Mumford & Sons (02.28.2026)
13. Josh O'Connor/Lily Allen (12.13.2025)
14. Sabrina Carpenter (10.18.2025) 
15. Teyana Taylor/Geese (01.24.2026)
16. Bad Bunny/Doja Cat (10.04.2025)

Overall Thoughts

• Well, this was a fun one. I'd say it's a lot like Jack Blacks' episode from last year in that it feels like a much better episode than it really is at the time just because his manic energy helps put things over more and most of the season that just preceded this was was just dull and disappointing. This episode felt a little more sparse and empty from a writing standpoint sadly.

• At this point, I don't know if I've been more spoiled by SNL UK or have just gotten burnt out on a combination of SNL US and both my work and family lives, but all I have left to say about this episode is that I enjoyed it more than my lack of anything at all to constructively or critically say anything about it would indicate.

• Maybe I'm subconsciously holding back a bit with the critical thinking part of my brain because I know in addition to the blog you just read I also have to review the third episode of SNL UK this week along with composing a review of the Tina Fey/Carrie Underwood episode both for this blog AND the podcast (the latter of which my cohost Deej had been encouraging me to "hold back" on for production and editing reasons) but I know I gotta make a conscious effort to not spread myself too thin creatively over the next couple of months, so I'll just wrap this up here.

Closing Thoughts 

• Next week on SNL US, Colman Domingo makes his hosting debut. Seeing as he is an acclaimed, Oscar nominated actor at this point in his career, this is a big get for SNL. Plus, he has sketch experience with Kate from "The Big Gay Sketch Show", so they better not do him dirty.

• I will have a review of that episode posted here around this time next week. The very next blog post you'll see from me on this blog will be a full length review of the Riz Amed/Kasabian episode of SNL UK which as of this writing/posting I have gotten to watch in full on Peacock but haven't gotten to take any notes on whatsoever yet (but spoiler alert: I may or may not compare it favorably to this one and post it on Tuesday at the earliest).

• Also, coming this weekend will be a new episode of the We Heart Hader podcast where Deej & I continue with Documentary Now Season One and "The Eye Doesn't Lie". Two weeks after that will be our review of the SNL US Fey/Underwood episode from February 2008 which, of course, I will also review on my blog.

• Boy, the timing of this is quite fortuitous since both Deej and I will have reviewed Tina's first hosting stints on both SNL US AND SNL UK by that point! See you all again real soon!

Ryan Gosling/Gorillaz (03.07.2026)

Hegseth Iran Press Conference

• Possibly the safest possible choice for a cold open, but hey...I'll take it.

• The "Hegstand/Papa Roach/Trump Resort/we can do Jamaican again/Quagmires' hilarious" lines were my favorite so far.

• I like Jost randomly calling Tommy a "Hanson brother" and his "White Hamilton" response to Sarah.

• I figured they would throw in a reference to Kristie Noems firing. I did like the "reassigned under the bus" line. Nice to see Ashley in this role before she hangs the wig and lip prosthetic in the rafters. 

• Even nicer for them to end this here and give JAJs' Trump a break. C+

Monologue

• Oh, Jesus Christ. Is this just gonna be a more insufferable version of Will Ferrells' monologue from November 2019 but with Ryan Reynolds swapped out for Harry Styles? Fuck, this show is shameless.

• Oh, I see Ryan is singing again....or about to sing...while rambling on and on about his penchant for making space movies. This MIGHT go somewhere interesting.

• Ah, fuck. We REALLY can't keep the camera off Harry, can we?

• ...and Sarah has only showed up to do her "Punchs' mom" character in Harrys' lap just as his "Sign Of The Times" song is cued up for Ryan to reluctantly talk sing to.

• Nice use of heavily prostheticized backup dancers, at least.

• Yeah, I'd take a bullet right now too, Ryan.

• Obligatory "I'm Just Ken" reference.

• ...and of course the rest of the cast (which I just now remembered Chloe Fineman is a part of is only on stage to better gawk at at Harry. Called it.

• Yeah, I don't know what else I could say about this monologue except that it didn't even manage to clear the low bar I had for this episode. Oh well. Let's see if the rest of this episode delivers anything different. D-

Wedding Tradition

• This looks like a wedding set. Oh, fuck. This better not be what I think it is.

• Oh, good. Mikey and Sarah are the bride and groom. (*phew*) We're safe for now.

• Ashley got in a good line.

• Uh oh. Dismukes and Chloe are at another table as a couple.

• Oh, good. Ryan's playing some flashy ass weirdo who's obsessed with the idea of "clinking his glass to get the bride and groom to kiss" to the point of doing this at inappropriate times during their speech.

• Well, I'm glad they didn't decide to just say "fuck it" and give us another Domingo right now...but I'm not crazy about where this is going instead. Ryans' low energy delivery isn't helping.

• Hey, I just realized how far Ryan made it through this episode without break...AH FUCK!

• Well, I at least liked Sarahs' "wouldn't kill you" line as well as what Jeremy and Jane bought to this sketch.

• Didn't Kate McKinnon play an old woman who constantly demanded random people kiss for her own amusement? This reminds me a lot of that. I'm sure this is not the exact Kate McKinnon sketch people were expecting Ryan Gosling to bring back. I'm sure a lot of people are disappointed right now, but not me.

• ...and just when you think this sketch is dragging on for far too long, it has the good sense to end.

• Eh,  I didn't hate it. C-

Otezla vs. Skyrizi

• Hmm, so..this is just "what if Otezla and Skyrizi" were just more intense versions of Happy Fun Ball?"

• While there were way too many individual lines in this to list that I liked, I did like the deranged break neck speed paced absurdity of this sketch. B+

Cyclops

• This looks like it might be unique and interesting.

• Nope, it's not. In fact, the only interesting thing about this sketch is it's the first time I've seen Ashley and Veronika break ever.

• Other than that, this feels like the type of sketch that would've been written for Fred Armisen 15-20 years ago. Hell, it feels like a modern Mikey sketch since he also seems to have an affinity for playing hopeless dumbasses.

• Now, THIS truly did go on way too long...but i got a kick out of the ending. D+

Monty McTreats and The Pastry Bakery

• Ugh, this isn't gonna be another Sarah Squirm gore fest pretape, is it? I don't see her YET.

• Nope, just a Willy Wonka knock off but focused on the post mating suicide rituals of the male dough creatures Goslings' character kidnapped to work in his factory.

• Another pretape where I liked the dark and strange detail heavy nature of it more than anything. 

• This seemed like an improvement on whatever formula Dan Bulla was going for with his pretapes. I liked how it cut straight to the point without taking a detour around the expected darkness by way of a forced, saccharine happy ending.

• It doesn't surprise me that he had nothing to do with this and that this was apparently based on an old Mikey Groundlings sketch from over a decade ago. B+

Weekend Update w/Jost & Che

• Josts' Best Jokes: Kristi Noem, Womens' History Month

• Che's Best Jokes: Mind Reader, Dead Deer

• This Update has a lot of energy which is nice to see nowadays but...I feel like what the crowd who was here to see Ryan gave them is better than the jokes themselves (which Jost seemed to acknowledge)

• Hmm...a Kenan/JAJ faith themed musical combo. An interesting pairing. They should compliment each other well.

• I mean, this seems to be just playfully meandering nonsense that can't seem to pick a lane but the pomp these guys added to it made it at least entertaining.

• ...and it ends there. Not terrible. At least they knew they should end Update on a (relatively) high note this week. C+

Passing Notes

• Two high school teacher sketches in two weeks back to back? Ok, at least this one already looks like it might be better than the one we got last week.

• Oh, NOW I see why they felt the need to provide a disclaimer that these "notes" were changed at dress.

• This may be another cheap improv exercise put on air but at least this was a fun one that the cast had the time of their life with

• Glad to see Ashley get her "this is the absolute hardest I have ever broken on air" moment out of the way early in her tenure. I wonder what the discussion with standards & practices must have been like in order to get that "gynecologists' office" note cleared for air?

• It's nice to see that they decided to fully lean into the distinct possibility that there was going to be a historic amount of on air breaking this week and carve out a safe space to indulge themselves.

• I loved the idea of this sketch just being "let's have everyone pull a big Mulaney/Stefon/low stakes Che & Jost joke swap on each other" (and somehow our host kept it together the best out of anyone involved in this sketch).

• I may have liked Mikeys' reaction to his note that he pulled from Kam the best. B+

Goo Goo Man

• Huh...this could go somewhere interesting. Did Sarah cowrite this? She did well in this even if Ashley, Jeremy, Mikey and Kenan had some of the better supporting moments.

• Ryan performed this well although I would've liked to see the arrogance and self righteousness of his role played up a bit better.

• I did like that they tried a live sketch that just gave us a stream of meaningless goofy ass nonsense even if the pacing was a little languid. B-

Martin Herlihys' "Lies"

• I usually like Martins' solo short films and even though I can see how some would call this "one note" this was no exception.

• The pre-Jost stuff I liked the most were the "proud muggle tattoo" and the "stuntman" sight gags (which even livened up the semi-cliched ending confrontation between Jost and Herlihy)

• Colin Jost is a much maligned (with love) figure at SNL no doubt but the Herlihy Boy managed to put a new absurdist twist on that old trope (even if he did kind of drag it out without taking it anywhere).

• Man, who would've ever thought we'd get TWO Seth Meyers cameos on SNL in one season while he was still hosting Late Night? In this economy?

• The only thing I didn't care for in this was the repeated "lol Kevin Spacey amirite?" joke with the signed photo in Josts' dressing room. B-

Ranking The 51st Season From Best To Worst

1. Nikki Glaser/Sombr (11.08.2025)
2. Glenn Powell/Olivia Dean (11.15.2025)
3. Alexander Skarsgard/Cardi B (01.31.2026)
4. Melissa McCarthy/Dijon (12.06.2025)
5. Ariana Grande/Cher (12.20.2025)
6. Ryan Gosling/Gorillaz (03.07.2026)
7. Amy Poehler/Role Model (10.11.2025)
8. Miles Teller/Brandi Carlile (11.01.2025)
9. Finn Wolfhard/A$AP Rocky (01.17.2026)
10. Connor Storrie/Mumford & Sons (02.28.2026)
11. Josh O'Connor/Lily Allen (12.13.2025)
12. Sabrina Carpenter (10.18.2025) 
13. Teyana Taylor/Geese (01.24.2026)
14. Bad Bunny/Doja Cat (10.04.2025)

Ranking Ryan Goslings' Episodes From Best To Worst

1. Ryan Gosling/Gorillaz (03/07/2026)
2. Ryan Gosling/Leon Bridges (12.05.2015)
3. Ryan Gosling/Chris Stapleton (04.13.2024)
4. Ryan Gosling/Jay-Z (09.30.2017)

Overall Thoughts

• Well, this show certainly got off to as dire of a start as I was expecting but it somehow dug itself out of that hole much more easily than I was expecting it to.

• I do like how this episode got most of its shameless pandering and "too pointlessly stupid for its own good" moments out of the way early in three concentrated, easy to swallow doses and moved on to more strange experimental stuff later on.

• Hell, Ryan kept his breaking to an absolute minimum outside of the designated spots for it and even Lorne himself showed some incredible restraint by cutting a Beavis and Butthead sequel from dress rehearsal fer chrissake!

• Yes, this show cleared the incredibly low bar I had for it by simply having more going for it than one of the two Gorillaz performances (which were both great by the way) being "Clint Eastwood"

• While this episode may not have been quite good enough to break my personal top five for season 51, it was better than last week simply by virtue of being more stable and the best of Goslings' episode by default for how starkly different it was from his others (and yes, I personally gave bonus points for Gorillaz on this one).

• Cast usage remains stable. Mikey, Veronika and Ashley had expectedly big nights. Sarah had an unexpectedly big night. Meanwhile, Dismukes, (surprisingly) JAJ, Ben, Kam, Kenan and Jeremy (surprisingly) remained scaled back. Chloe seems to be easing back into the show after remembering she still works here and Tommy (for better or for worse) continues to make inroads.

Closing Thoughts

• Well, that turned out to mostly be a pleasant surprise.

• Next week, Harry Styles pulls double duty for a second time in nearly seven years. I somehow wasn't too crazy about his first episode and while I don't quite see him pulling off the same upset and defying previously set expectations the way Gosling just did, the show is substantially different enough now from what it was back in 2019 so I will go into this with an open mind.

• After that one, I will probably write a review of Season 33s Brian Williams/Feist episode and post it here on this blog as that will be the subject of the next episode of We Heart Hader that Deej and I record as we're doing that whole season. This will be a special episode because both the Saturday Night Network and That Week In SNL were two of my inspirations to get into podcasting in general and thus part of the reason why I cohost We Heart Hader to begin with so it will be nice to have an SNL episode that Jon, Andy, Timmy, Deej and I will have all mutually covered on our respective podcasts.

• Of course, before that the next episode of We Heart Hader you will actually be able to listen to the "Kunuk Uncovered" episode of Documentary Now which will likely be out just mere hours before the Harry Styles episode of SNL even airs on NBC if all goes well (because that will certainly be an interesting one for Deej to edit!)

• See you all again very soon!