Saturday Night Live
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
My name is Alexis Pereira.
I even wrote and produced a sketch web series for IFC.
Ive been a longtimeSNLfan, and Im excited to recap the show for you all.
But I cant help but wonder ifSNLs upcoming 50th anniversary is starting to loom large.
I also cant imagine NBC would let their stars walk without a serious negotiation.
You cant justleavethe Island of Dr. Lorneau.
But lets get started with the season premiere, hosted by Owen Wilson with musical guest Kacey Musgraves.
This impression is a refreshing change from Jim Carreys irritating maverick Biden.
James nails Bidens raspy whisper, and he deftly unleashes a few really good jokes (Broadways back!
But so is the Taliban).
Ill speak more about this sketch in the post-show notes.
It would have been nice to have his monologue interrupted by some cast members.
Maybe bring out Melissa toimpersonate himto his face?
It just feels like a missed opportunity.
Cars 4
Owen visits a recording studio to record his lines forCars 4.
We soon reveal Lightning McQueen is in legal trouble over dating underage cars.
Owens discomfort with the plot puts this sketch right in his wheelhouse.
This is the strongest sketch of the night, and James is dominating his debut.
School Board Meeting
Ego and Alex are running a school board meeting broadcast over public access.
When they ask the public for questions, we are greeted by a bevy of crazy characters.
Kacey Musgraves: Justified and Camera Roll
Kacey Musgraves sings her hit song Justified.
Kacey comes back out to sing Camera Roll.
Weekend Update
Colin and Michael come out for Weekend Update.
Colin reminds us that in last seasons premiere, a lot was going on.
He asks us to bear with them because now, the biggest news is infrastructure.
(Yall havent even asked my name!)
Colin brings on Pete Davidson to talk abouthis time at the Met Gala.
Pete is wearing a nice shirt memorializing the recently passed Norm Macdonald.
They end Weekend Update with a collection ofNorms best Update jokes, which is a nice touch.
Funeral Song
This sketch is a miss.
(Because home is where the cray cray stay.)
Mail-in Testing Service
Andrew and Sarah are two doctors filming a commercial for their mail-in stool-testing service.
This is a classic director keeps cutting to give notes on the dialogue sketch.
Sarah and Andrew have fun energy, and Owen gets a lot of laughs calling them out.
(It feels like you play with the poop.)
A solid weird sketch to end the night.
you’re able to often give your sketch a lift by appealing to logic.
Now Biden can have a go at appeal to them and induce a nice back-and-forth.
But here come AOC and Ilhan Omar to drag Biden back over to the left.
Its much cleaner than just walking on and standing in a line like some demented comedy beauty pageant.
Keeping Score
This was an incredible debut for James Austin Johnson.
I can seeSNLleaning on him for impressions and weirder characters as the season progresses.
And we havent even seen his incredible Trump impression, which will bring the house down.
Meanwhile, Ego Nwodim might be becoming the backbone of the cast.
Ego and James get my co-MVP.
This was a solid debut episode (if lackluster overall).
This will serve as a nice passing of the torch.
I also hope we see Kate McKinnon, who was curiously absent.
