Glen Powell loves donning his little disguises. It’s a counterintuitive selection for such a straight-shot charm-offensive of a presence, a man who doesn’t precisely shapeshift from position to position, however Powell actually sells his willingness to go all-in on faux mustaches (even low-cost ones, like the topic of an early gag in his model of The Running Man), elaborate make-up (like his professional-amateur “characters” in Hit Man, the film that to date finest places throughout his complete deal), or wigs as seen in both of these motion pictures and particularly his debut episode of Saturday Night Live.
Powell’s consolation with wigs offers no matter bizarre calculus is required to elucidate why the night time’s lead-off sketch, a intelligent idea with a topical hook, one way or the other didn’t play in addition to any variety of a lot sillier and/or flat-out dumber sketches later within the night time. The thought of excitedly exhibiting a grandmother footage from her youth, animated by A.I. that introduces all manners of glitchy nightmares into her treasured reminiscences, is rock-solid, if technically difficult for a stay broadcast. And the sketch labored nicely sufficient as Powell, Mikey Day, and others mimed an uncanny-valley model of the previous. It additionally lacked that closing push into madness regardless of priming the viewers for it as quickly as the thought is launched; as a substitute, it ended on the muted observe of a runner the place one of many grandchildren retains making unrelated insensitive remarks. The downside, even past that ending, apparently: Not wiggy sufficient.
Because look, take into account the movie-set sketch, topical solely within the sense that it performed like somebody within the writers’ room examine (or maybe fell asleep throughout?) Sentimental Value. Conceptually, it was a flop, with no central pressure. As tedious because the take-ruining sketch construction may be, as a lot as it will be high quality if SNL took a decade-long break from each having a sketch that’s predicated on somebody yelling “cut!” with exasperation, no less than there’s a built-in recreation to the scene. Having Chloe Fineman and Glen Powell play grim Norwegian dramatic scenes after which excitedly goof round collectively in between takes offered a humorous distinction, positive, however the sketch didn’t actually do something with it, which solely underlined that the director performed by (who else?) Mikey Day can’t do something however say, gee, that’s unusual, not even particularly bothered, as a result of why would he be? The joke repeated a number of occasions, after which James Austin Johnson rolled in to do one of many night time’s a number of area of interest impressions, along with his fairly first rate Stellan Skarsgård. End of sketch. Bad, proper?
And but: probably not. I imply, type of dangerous or no less than unfinished on a writing stage, nevertheless it was, considerably improbably, loads of enjoyable to look at Fineman and Powell doing foolish voices and gestures in such giddy pleasure over crushing their heavy scenes. It wasn’t simply the wigs, clearly. (Even by way of pure lizard-brain silliness, Jane Wickline’s outlandishly accented “take one” pronunciations made me chortle greater than the precise wigs and costumes.) But there gave the impression to be one thing liberating about that cheap-disguise wackiness and the entire thing turned weirdly electrified. That went double for the sketch about bob-driven division of the U.S. Army, which felt like a caffeinated tweetstorm come to life. (There’s no approach that this was written with out somebody saying “fuck ass bob” within the room, even figuring out it couldn’t make it to air.) It even violated Bowen Yang’s very smart No More Slay edict from final season! (Not me violating my very own edict!) And but everybody was so, so into it, to the purpose the place Sarah Sherman totally pulled off that unlikely look. If there was a larger satirical level past the juxtaposition of several types of “fierce” and a obscure flip-off to Pete Hegseth, I didn’t catch it. But the near-parodic stage of basicness right here transcended with its sheer quantity of forged members gaining energy from their faux black bobs.
The episode culminated in one other sketch that ought to have been past fundamental: Ashley Padilla enjoying a lady who exhibits as much as dinner with a horrible haircut her buddies battle to reward, as she herself makes an attempt to hide her apparent disappointment. Here, Powell proved himself a crew participant, passing wig responsibility to Padilla, who by no means, ever let that horrific mixture of bowl, buzz, and bangs do an excessive amount of of the work. I’ve a sense that praising Padilla would possibly develop repetitive as rapidly as the tip of 2025, a lot much less the tip of Season 51, and I do suppose there’s a type of comedy nerd which may (would possibly) overemphasize her technical ability in a approach which may (would possibly) really feel somewhat myopic by way of what SNL truly does finest. (Call it sketch-comedy fundamentalism, and possibly a needed countermeasure to all of those hit-and-miss stand-ups.) But boy, can she act the hell out of a sketch like this; the boldness she has in holding again and letting the viewers come to her, like within the second the place her character enters and simply pauses earlier than becoming a member of the group with a contented face, is masterful. (So is each different second she’s on display on this sketch, however that second units the tone.) And in a approach, a humorous wig should purchase you that a lot additional ridiculous credibility. That’s why Powell works so nicely in disguise: It will get that preliminary chortle, after which with that point that chortle buys, the viewers locks into the fullness of the efficiency: OK, that is what he’s prepared to do.
What was on
An instant-classic sketch might have taken this episode to the subsequent stage from superb to nice. (I like MacGruber, however his return mainly nudged out the right five-to-one slot.) Still, nearly every part performed within the second, even when most of it received’t be replayed closely sooner or later. The most full piece was a too-rare music video, the nation track about lacking your ex’s dad. Usually these items intention for relatability; this one had a extra area of interest idea (I don’t doubt some of us have had the expertise of actually vibing with their ex’s dad, nevertheless it doesn’t seem to be an occasion of the present placing a reputation to one thing with stealth universality, nor going full-on Lonely Island absurd). But it was so humorous, and weirdly candy, that it justified itself without having so as to add some larger sociological dimension. And Powell’s ponytail was a small however vital signal of the place the night time was heading.
What was off
Putting the “almost” in “almost everything”: that Trump chilly open. It was most likely one of many higher ones of the season to date by advantage of being brief, simple, and no less than somewhat extra chopping. It actually takes one thing as unambiguously slimy because the Epstein List to activate any type of real disgust from Jost or whoever attracts the brief straw on these political chilly opens.
Most worthwhile participant
It ought to most likely go to Padilla, however I will even use this house to provide the sometimes-too-much Marcello Hernández his due and say that his intensely bodily impression of Sebastian Maniscalco had its personal masterful vitality, and was funnier than something I’ve seen Maniscalco do in his precise act. It was particularly enjoyable that he sprung that bit into a standard sketch and never a dreary impression parade the place half the impressions are of the “I guess” selection. Also: More wig energy!
Next time
Melissa McCarthy joins the, ah, six-timers membership, and hosts for the primary time in a frankly surprising seven and a half years. Does she rely because the unofficial alumni and/or friend-of-the-show Christmas-season host? Usually that particular person hosts nearer to the precise vacation, so possibly not, however I’m excited to see her again on the present regardless. With this episode, she’ll tie Drew Barrymore and Tina Fey, and be one down from Scarlett Johansson by way of the present’s most frequent feminine hosts.
Stray observations
- • The present has seemingly downplayed celeb impressions as an necessary ability set in recent times, which might be high quality—gotta give these Celebrity Hosts a Talk Show sketches a break so there may be extra eating places and recreation exhibits!—however the rando impression line-up got here roaring again this week, with variations of Sebastian Maniscalco (nice, well-used); Jennifer Coolidge (high quality, seen it earlier than); Stellan Skarsgård (fairly good, one for the nerds); and Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills from Taken (not dangerous contemplating that it’s a dude from Texas doing the impersonating).
- • I don’t know if this was a nationwide advert purchase (most likely?), however my NBC affiliate undoubtedly aired an advert for Maniscalco’s Hulu particular simply earlier than the block with Marcello’s impression. It was ridiculously good priming, not least as a result of the intensive clips of Maniscalco prowling the stage contained valuable few precise jokes.
- • Oops All Jokes! Weekend Update occurred as soon as final 12 months, and it’s precisely the type of refined but efficient shake-up that may assist differ the rhythms of the present in a surprisingly essential approach.
- • Olivia Dean is aiming for Amy Winehouse in a Good Mood however the hazard of that’s you land on Duffy. (Which is to say her songs have been completely nice.)
- • MacGruber, unsurprisingly, is on the Epstein List. Like, lots. Forte is an all-time forged member for me, so I’d truly be high quality with MacGruber dealing with the lion’s share of topical humor for the remainder of the season.