Sabrina Carpenter hosts ‘SNL,’ and Domingo returns (again) in a politics-less cold open

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Sabrina Carpenter made her debut as host of “Saturday Night Live,” and she seemed completely at home on stage, as if she’d done it many times before.

Sabrina Carpenter previously appeared on the show as both a musical performer when Jake Gyllenhaal hosted, and as a featured guest during the 50th anniversary special where she performed with Paul Simon and participated in a comedic sketch. Perhaps because she’s experienced with the show in different capacities – her musical performances often include comedic elements – Carpenter seems incredibly comfortable and natural performing at Studio 8H, as if she truly belongs there.

She managed to shine despite a rocky start to the show. The episode began with a recycled sketch – one they’d done too often (featuring Domingo) – and a monologue that, while delivered with Carpenter’s usual charisma, didn’t quite land with viewers.

However, it was Carpenter’s sharp comedic timing and versatility that truly made the episode a success. She brilliantly impersonated a 12-year-old boy in a sketch featuring a podcast called “Snack Homies” with a guest appearance by President Trump (played by James Austin Johnson). She also cleverly marketed a humorous neck pillow in a fake TV commercial, performed a pre-recorded song with Bowen Yang, and hilariously played the role of a seminar host who gets thrown out a window. Adding to her range, she playfully frightened a colleague, Ashley Padilla (who is proving to be a valuable asset to the show), on her birthday, and performed as a singing and dancing washing machine alongside new cast member Veronika Slowikowska.

Carpenter’s energetic and beautifully sung performances of “Manchild” and “Nobody’s Son” were highlights of the show. It was clear how much she enjoyed being there – she even wore a “Live from New York” T-shirt with a playful message on her underwear!

Look, let’s be real, Sabrina Carpenter absolutely carried this episode of “SNL.” It’s been ages since they’ve had a host go it alone – no musical guests, no surprise cameos, nothing. She genuinely held the whole show together. The only break from that was a weird little pre-taped sketch from one of the writers, Martin Herlihy, that felt like a mashup of a social commentary on racism and…Frankenstein’s monsters? Plural, apparently. It was…something.

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Let’s just say this week’s cold open wasn’t a highlight. Chloe Fineman and Andrew Dismukes returned as a couple, Matthew and Kelsey, whose relationship has been rocky due to Kelsey’s past infidelity with someone named Domingo. This time, it’s Matthew’s 30th birthday, but Kelsey surprises him by having her friends (including Sarah Sherman) perform hilariously bad karaoke versions of pop songs inspired by Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Alex Warren, all about a recent trip to Nashville. Predictably, Domingo is also there. A defeated Matthew laments this is the sixth time, while Kelsey assures him it won’t happen again. Hopefully, the writers will retire the Domingo storyline soon – it’s run its course.

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I was really excited for Sabrina Carpenter’s monologue, and honestly, a lot of it was about her taking back the narrative around how people see her. She addressed the idea that she’s overly sexualized – she even jokingly called herself a ‘Horndog popster’ – and made it clear there’s so much more to her than just that. She was hilarious talking about the controversy over her album cover, revealing it was cropped and that Bowen Yang and Martin Short were originally *in* the photo! Apparently, Bowen was playfully pulling her hair and Martin was trying to keep her away from a buffet. Things got a little awkward when she tried interacting with the audience, then ended up in a weird bit with Kenan Thompson where he just wanted a Cameo for his niece. She’s incredibly charming, but the monologue felt a bit all over the place and didn’t quite land. It had potential, but it just didn’t fully come together.

Best sketch of the night: Does making plans to see “Plans” also scare you?

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Recently, “Saturday Night Live” has had success with fake horror movie trailers, and the latest, “Plans,” continues that trend. It stars Ben Marshall and Carpenter as a couple who are dreading a visit from relatives – a cousin and her husband – because of plans they made months ago. As their anxiety builds, they remember all their cousin’s quirky habits (like bragging about running marathons, even when it means losing toenails) and her husband’s tendency to share long, self-made videos. The couple quickly realizes this visit will involve a packed ramen restaurant and a terrible interactive play. If you’ve ever felt trapped by social obligations, this trailer perfectly captures your worst fears.

Also good: The neck pillow monologues

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The humor of the ‘Shop TV’ sketches really hinges on Padilla and Mikey Day’s ability to play Bev and Rhett as convincingly flustered when things go wrong – something they’re clearly good at. This time, the chaos centers around Virginia Duffy (played by Carpenter), who’s invented a strangely shaped ergonomic pillow resembling a vagina, available in multiple colors. Rhett’s exasperated question, “Why would you bring the pink one?” sets the tone. The sketch reaches peak absurdity when Rhett tries on the pillow, complete with an unexpected baby sound effect – proving ‘Shop TV’ delivers reliably funny moments. A special mention goes to Johnson as Tim Tucker, who kicks things off by appearing with a trick-or-treat pail shaped like Jesus’s head, chanting, “Trick or treat, smell my feet, walk with Christ down the Halloween street.”

‘Weekend Update’ winner: Did you see ‘Saw’? He did not

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New cast member Tommy Brennan shared stories about his move to New York and his upbringing in Minnesota. However, the highlight was the return of the fan-favorite ‘Movie Guy’ character. Movie Guy loves to discuss horror films, despite admitting he’s never actually watched any of them! He pointed out the obviousness of horror movie titles – like ‘Scream’ being about, well, screaming, and ‘Smile’ involving smiling. He continued this pattern with ‘Saw,’ jokingly admitting everyone’s seen it except him. He then expanded on why seemingly non-horror films like ‘Shrek’ and ‘Family Guy’ can also be frightening, all without having seen them. He finished with a humorous question about the plot of ‘One Missed Call,’ wondering if it’s about his mother.

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2025-10-19 10:31