It appears that Saturday Night Live hasn’t deliberately focused on recruiting stand-ups recently, despite Lorne Michaels mentioning (which I’ve echoed previously) that there was a surge in stand-up auditions during the pandemic. This was when comedians were more inclined to refine their skills compared to improv or sketch ensembles. The implications of this choice for stand-up comics who deemed live performances crucial in 2020, and its connection to the Woke Ruined Comedy Podcasters, are topics for another day or perhaps for a heated comment thread. However, looking beyond the specific aim of discovering the next Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, or Pete Davidson, the appeal of stand-up comedians over comic actors is quite understandable at the moment. Some have the knack for fostering the type of personal loyalty SNL craves.

This week’s episode utilized Nikki Glaser’s stand-up material. Although I’m not her biggest fan, I am acquainted with her work and find her reasonably amusing. Her monologue wasn’t flawless; some punchlines were predictable, and a few jokes seemed truncated just before they could take a clever turn. However, for about 10 minutes, it was easy to support her as she navigated through jokes about short men, body image, and, most boldly, pedophilia. Unless a comedian is immediately off-putting, there’s a natural inclination to root for them, which grants them more leeway than a sketch about a frat boy sneaking into a sorority house might (more on that soon).

Pete Davidson’s cameo on Weekend Update is an example of SNL‘s stand-up effect. His return should have felt worn-out, as tired as his eyes, especially since it was the only commentary segment of the week. Instead, he effortlessly slipped back into his self-deprecating, Staten Island-mocking persona. Technically, his style isn’t the slickest, but he knows how to engage the audience as if he’s just catching up with old friends (the dig at Lorne was particularly good). It’s no wonder Michaels might wish he could encapsulate that charm for the sketch show; celebrity, increasingly tied to personality cults, impresses him.

Davidson’s brief appearance was a nostalgic moment in an otherwise tumultuous episode. Several sketches seemed to be waiting for a charismatic savior, a role first-time host Glaser wasn’t fully prepared for. It’s even more telling that a particularly dreadful sketch—featuring Mikey Day as a frat boy infiltrating a sorority under a “realistic” mask—seemed tailor-made for a Rob Schneider cameo. When your sketch hinges on dodging reminders of daily anti-trans panic with absurd scenarios of boys pretending to be girls, it needs to be uproariously funny to justify its premise. Instead, what we got was a stale joke about horny frat boys in disguises ogling sorority girls, a gag that felt outdated even back in 1994 when Schneider actually did it. The opening sketch with Nikki Glaser and Tommy Brennan as siblings singing inappropriate karaoke duets also fell flat, adhering to a modified rule of threes: repeat a joke three times and then just give up. Despite my preference for sketch comedy over stand-up, these moments had me wishing for a solo comic who could effortlessly switch to a different joke.

The episode’s highlights leaned into the unique capabilities of an ensemble cast, showcasing material that no one might have anticipated or requested. Yet, thank goodness for the off-the-wall mechanical bull sketch, where two inebriated “woo-girls” (Glaser and Sarah Sherman) embark on a global, and eventually cosmic, mechanical bull adventure. From Jane Wickline’s sudden exit in a romantic huff to Kenan Thompson accidentally freeing the bull after a brief monologue, to James Austin Johnson’s earnest country ballad about the ordeal, the sketch continuously tossed wacky ideas to cast members who eagerly ran with them. A similar vibe was present in the delayed-flight sketch, which moved from airline annoyances to Johnson’s deadpan pilot announcing disheartening updates and his dating app progress, to Sherman and Dismukes dealing with their barely-contained relationship issues.

In the end, the episode found its balance, despite significant fluctuations along the way: a mix of stand-up moments and sketches filled with the cast’s wildest ideas (conceived as any other sketches on the show). Perhaps Michaels is drawn to stand-ups because they maintain a productive tension within the show.

What was on

Beyond the sketches mentioned above, the commercial for “American Girl XL” delivered the twist that was missing from the night’s weaker segments. It started as a parody of adult anxieties reflected in grown-up versions of American Girl dolls, then unexpectedly turned as a group of men took over, even introducing their own narrator. The “Make Believe Meadow” sketch wasn’t quite as impactful, and the “not having kids” punchline was somewhat bitter, but it was a fairly accurate reflection of parenthood.

What was off

Apart from the college-themed sketch, two other segments struggled with different personality cults. The lack of a fresh angle to skewer Trump after weeks of tepid satire wasn’t shocking, but it was disconcerting to see such a level of capitulation, as if Michaels had been banking on a Zohran Mamdani cameo for a headline-grabbing opener and then scrambled to fill the slot when he wasn’t available. Less dire but still disappointing was the missed opportunity to sharply satirize the Gen Alpha-adored Mr. Beast, portrayed by Ben Marshall in an uncanny-valley, capitalist-dystopia nightmare, which ended up as a mild “what if Mr. T and E.T. had a child?” spoof. They managed a few laughs, but any potent satire was lost amid elaborate costumes. While it’s good that the show has moved away from harsh celebrity roasts, a style prevalent when political satire last faltered around 2003, they could have pushed harder against Mr. Beast.

Most valuable player

James Austin Johnson demonstrated his unbreakable range in several sketches. So, what does this guy need to do to get a break from impersonating Trump?

Next time

With Glen Powell’s rising star, expectations are high for his upcoming episode—perhaps prepare for a potential letdown?

Stray observations

• • Theoretically, incorporating cartoons into SNL is a smart move. Animation doesn’t have to be limited to the Lonely Island; it doesn’t need to exclusively belong to Robert Smigel. However, recent attempts at animation on the show have felt poorly timed. The “Brad & Dad” segment, for instance, came off as more mean-spirited than humorous. If Day and his writing partner Streeter Seidell are aiming for an Animation Domination pilot on Fox, they might as well let us know when it’s complete.
• • Where the hell was…? This is where I wonder about the absence of certain cast members. Where the hell was Marcello Hernández? (Aside from enjoying the Jennifer Hudson Spirit Tunnel.) Did he catch COVID?
• • Also, Jane Wickline sounded genuinely hoarse in her few scenes tonight; interestingly, a funny song cut from last weekend’s Update might explain why, though it could be a coincidence.
• • As for Sombr’s songs, he boasts an impressive vocal range.