Saturday Night Live kicked off the premiere of its 50th anniversary season with a mix of political satire and star power, thanks to host Jean Smart and musical guest Jelly Roll.
Fans had been eagerly anticipating how SNL would handle the shake-up in the Democratic ticket following President Biden’s July 21 exit from the 2024 presidential race. The answer came in the cold open, with Maya Rudolph’s expected return as Vice President Kamala Harris and Jim Gaffigan’s debut as Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, bringing a perfect dose of Midwestern dad-joke humor.
While the episode didn’t focus too heavily on SNL‘s 50-year milestone, there were nods during the monologue and Weekend Update, which also covered the summer’s biggest news stories — from celebrity hippo Moo Deng and New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s legal drama to the Harris-Trump debate and the criminal case against Diddy.
But no need to worry, SNL fans! You can expect a more extensive celebration with a three-hour primetime special set for Feb. 15, while a biopic about the show, starring Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase and Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, hits theaters this weekend.
In the meantime, here’s a recap of last night’s episode.
Who were the political players?
The 13-minute cold open rolled out a new batch of political figures, with Maya Rudolph reprising her role as Harris, Jim Gaffigan debuting as Walz, Dana Carvey returning as Biden and Andy Samberg playing Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. Meanwhile, cast members James Austin Johnson and Bowen Yang portrayed Donald Trump and JD Vance, respectively.
Andrew Dismukes, as ABC News anchor David Muir, kicked things off by checking in on each candidate’s rally.
“Well, your fun aunt has returned,” Rudolph’s Harris announced at the beginning. “I am so happy to be campaigning in whatever swing state I’m in, which I will just refer to as Wisconsin-Pennsylv-Georgia, because I am going to protect your Va-Georgia.”
She added, “This election is about moving forward. You see, Donald Trump is stuck in the past, but it’s like I say to my husband, Doug, when he leaves his phone at Chili’s, ‘We are not going back!’”
Gaffigan’s Walz leaned into his “Big Dad Energy,” quipping, “I haven’t been this excited since I got a 10% rebate on a leaf blower from Menards.”
Rudolph kept the laughs coming: “My campaign is like the Sabrina Carpenter song ‘Espresso,’” she quipped. “The lyrics are vague, but the vibe slaps.”
Samberg’s Emhoff delivered a memorable line aimed at Republicans who’ve questioned his masculinity: “If supporting my wife means being a little spoon, then you can kiss my little butt.”
Johnson’s Trump, meanwhile, lamented Biden’s absence, saying, “Oh, Joe, we miss Joe Biden. What we wouldn’t give to have him stand next to me and be old. We had this in the bag, but then they did a switcheroo.”
Yang’s Vance chimed in with jokes about Trump’s relationship with his kids: “Trump told me, ‘JD, you’re like a son to me because I don’t like you, but I’m stuck with you.’”
The sketch closed with Carvey’s Biden poking fun at his lame duck presidency, saying, “A lot of people forget I’m president, including me.”
‘Weekend Update’ tackles Diddy, Eric Adams, Chappell Roan and more
At the Weekend Update desk, Colin Jost and Michael Che dove straight into the 2024 presidential race and the Adams indictment.
Jost highlighted Trump’s latest rally, where the former president insulted Harris, quipping, “I can’t believe Trump admitted he lost a debate to a mentally disabled person.”
The segment also featured Devon Walker as Adams, defending himself against charges of accepting lavish gifts by saying, “New York City needs me in first class.”
Bowen Yang appeared as Moo Deng, a viral baby pygmy hippo from Thailand, lamenting the pressures of newfound fame. Jost compared Moo Deng’s complaints to singer Chappell Roan, with Yang’s hippo character cheekily responding, “I’m 10 weeks old, Colin. Of course I know Chappell Roan.”
Che later mentioned rapper Diddy’s indictment for sex trafficking and racketeering. Diddy’s attorney, Che noted, said he’s not sure if he will be able to keep his client off the stand if his case goes to trial.
“Because you can’t hold a guy back wearing all that baby oil,” Che joked. Jost followed up by riffing on how Diddy’s attorney tried to distance his client from R. Kelly, who was convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking in 2021, adding, “First of all, never a great sign when the first person you compare your client to is R. Kelly. I have to agree, it’s true: Diddy is nothing like R. Kelly. I mean, R. Kelly’s songs are good.”
Standout sketches
‘Spirit Halloween’
A commercial highlights Spirit Halloween’s knack for taking over empty storefronts in low-income communities.
‘$100,000 Pyramid’
Walker shined as Michael Strahan hosting a parody of $100,000 Pyramid, with Kenan Thompson’s Mark Robinson stealing the spotlight.
‘I Love Lucy’
Smart plays a dramatic actress who nearly starred in I Love Lucy, hilariously showing how the 1950s sitcom would’ve faltered without Lucille Ball’s comedic touch.
‘Talk Talk’
Yang’s Charli XCX hosts a bizarre, hilarious boiler room show featuring topical humor and Sarah Sherman as Troye Sivan.
Jelly Roll performs
Musical guest Jelly Roll performed “Liar” and “Winning Streak” from his upcoming 10th studio album, Beautifully Broken. He was introduced by Smart and her Hacks co-star Hannah Einbinder.
Who’s hosting next?
Oct. 5: Nate Bargatze with musical guest Coldplay
Oct. 12: Ariana Grande with musical guest Stevie Nicks
Oct. 19: Michael Keaton with musical guest Billie Eilish
Nov. 2: John Mulaney with musical guest Chappell Roan
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