Jean Smart ushers in Season 50 of ‘SNL,’ with Maya Rudolph and special guests in cold open
As a long-time fan of Saturday Night Live, I must say that this week’s episode was nothing short of entertaining! With the return of Kate McKinnon after a brief hiatus, it felt like coming home to an old friend.
In the opening episode of “Saturday Night Live’s” milestone 50th season, the historical significance was subtly acknowledged, primarily in the monologue and during “Weekend Update.” Nevertheless, I found it quite understandable given that a more comprehensive celebration is planned for February, featuring a three-hour special. As a reviewer, I felt that this initial episode, hosted by the esteemed Jean Smart, seemed brimming with content to unpack, and the limited 90 minutes struggled to accommodate all the happenings from the past summer, or even the recent two weeks.
The show was filled with a variety of interesting topics, including Moo Deng, Eric Adams, the debate between Harris and Trump, the summer events involving Chappell Roan and Charli XCX, and North Carolina’s gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson. It had an excellent host in Smart, who recently won an Emmy for “Hacks” and is typically outstanding. However, she didn’t quite receive the standout sketch material one might expect for a season opener of her caliber.
In one of the sketches, the tempo seemed incongruous with Smart’s knack for quick wit, as exemplified by her performances in “Hacks,” where she excels at delivering sharp one-liners. For instance, a scene featuring a romance writer revising a math textbook for children might not have been the best fit for Smart given that it required her to read extended passages from a book. In the premiere of Charli XCX’s talk show titled “The Talk Talk Show,” hosted by Bowen Yang (portraying XCX), Smart seemed underutilized, using a thick German accent to play a fashion icon. Lastly, in the closing segment about “Real Housewives of Santa Fe,” the focus was more on sizzling fajitas rather than the actual housewives.
In a playful twist on a CNN-style documentary, “I Love Lucy” was the subject, with Smart portraying a serious actress initially cast in the lead role (Marcello Hernandez as Desi Arnaz), before Lucille Ball was chosen. Additionally, there was a humorous reenactment of “The $100,000 Pyramid,” featuring Smart as Tonia Haddix from “Chimp Crazy” alongside a monkey puppet.
This week, the routine sketches took a step back to make room for a powerful cold opening and an overflowing “Weekend Update” segment filled with a summer’s worth of peculiar news tidbits. Additionally, we had a new opening credits sequence, as well as the debut of three fresh cast members (even though they didn’t get much screen time in this episode). Chloe Troast, Punkie Johnson, and Molly Kearney all bid farewell at the end of the previous period.
In a different rendition:
× One could contend that 13 minutes is excessively long for an “SNL” cold open, but this one was brimming with numerous jokes and multiple guest appearances delivering spot-on impersonations – after a summer filled with curiosity about who would embody which politician – making it never feel overly prolonged.
In my own words, I excitedly introduced myself, channeling the charm of David Muir, before Maya Rudolph reappeared as Vice President Kamala Harris, brimming with fresh strategies. She showcased her signature chuckle, referenced the classic coconut tree joke, displayed some lively dance steps, and delivered hilarious lines like comparing her campaign to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso”: “The lyrics might be vague, but the rhythm is infectious.
Subsequently, notable appearances were made. Just as anticipated, Jim Gaffigan delivered a spot-on portrayal of Tim Walz, Minnesota’s governor and Harris’ vice presidential candidate, capturing the voice and Midwestern charm perfectly (“I haven’t been this thrilled since I got a 10% discount on a leaf blower at Menards!”). Andy Samberg brought laughter with his playful take on Doug Emhoff, the Second Gentleman, hinting that as the First Gentleman, he plans to adorn the White House for Christmas with a Hanukkah theme.
In this performance, James Austin Johnson portrayed the former President Trump, now enclosed in bulletproof glass and playfully referencing Sean “Diddy” Combs (“They’re confiscating your pets for strange experiments… they’re doing a Diddy”). Bowen Yang joined him in the role of Vice President JD Vance.
However, the real shocker came when Dana Carvey reappeared on “SNL,” recreating a memorable political figure in the midst of election campaigns. He portrayed President Biden, an impression he’s been refining on his podcast with David Spade, and did so flawlessly that it seems surprising this polished act wasn’t showcased four years ago. “And let me tell you, by the way,” Carvey as Biden said, and it was spot-on perfect.
× Smart’s speech was filled more with atmosphere than jokes (and they were indeed amusing), and she delivered a rendition of “I Happen to Like New York” tinged with anecdotes about starting her career in the city around the same time as “SNL” debuted in 1975. She shared how she initially thought the letters stood for “Saturday Night Laughs.” Smart humorously added that she’s longed to appear on the show since then, but “This is the first Saturday that fit into my schedule.” It’s not difficult to envision an alternate scenario where Smart was part of the original cast and her career took off in a different way, but let’s just say things have turned out quite favorably for her either way.
Best sketch of the night: Spirit Halloween will bounce on Nov. 1
× What happens to all the abandoned K-Marts, condemned AutoZones and empty malls across America? For six glorious weeks, they become Spirit Halloween stores that pop up in minutes. In this pre-taped sketch, employees Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner and Michael Longfellow discuss how the stores help communities (and otherwise unemployable local perverts) and offer wigs that give you rashes, single-use fog machines and shady lawsuit-avoiding costumes with names like “Candy Slave” (Oompa Loompa) and “Fat Yellow Worker” (Minion). “This isn’t Taylor Swift,” a young girl says of a knock-off costume. “And neither are you,” Fineman tells her. After Halloween, all the stores will disappear instantly. Sorry, no refunds.
Also good: Let the monkey win ‘$100,000 Pyramid’
× A well-cast piece featuring Devon Walker as host Michael Strahan, Hernandez as Bad Bunny, Kenan Thompson as Robinson and Fineman as Hawk Tuah Girl (real name Haliey Welch). The jokes flew fast over some very naughty activities Robinson has allegedly engaged in and Haddix (Smart) answering every question in relation to monkeys. It was quick-paced and very funny.
‘Weekend Update’ winner: Eric Adams has still got (too much) swagger
× Just for the costume and water sprays alone, it’s tempting to give the award this week to Yang’s hilarious portrayal of the famed baby hippo Moo Deng, but Walker as embattled New York City mayor Eric Adams had a lot more meat on the bones than, say, a zookeeper’s ankle. Adams kept trying to implicate Michael Che even as he declared his innocence and proclaimed his love for the city’s workers: “The dancers, the bottle girls, Fat Joe.” Walker-as-Adams said he loves traveling to Turkey, especially given his love of Turkish Delight (a briefcase from Turkey with $100,000 in it).
‘Weekend Update’ loser: Che’s tiresome, offensive jokes
× It’s no surprise that Che has a knack for making jokes that are amusing solely due to their blatant insensitivity, considering they’re so outdated it’s astonishing such remarks would be made on television in 2024. The humor, if you can call it that, lies in the fact that Che manages to get away with such antiquated viewpoints. This week, his targets included Kamala Harris (for being a woman who won’t stop talking), Chinese drivers, and Haitians. In an attempt at humor, Che even joked about Haitian migrants who supposedly traveled 800 miles to return home from Yellowstone Park with a house cat.
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2024-09-29 11:01