As the 51st season of ‘Saturday Night Live’ debuted, many wondered how recent scrutiny of late-night comedy would influence its political satire, particularly its portrayal of the Trump administration. The premiere’s message was clear: ‘S.N.L.’ is staying true to its roots. Kicking off in its usual fashion, the episode featured cast member James Austin Johnson reprising his popular role as President Trump. In the opening sketch, Trump dramatically interrupted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech, issuing a playful yet firm warning to the show: ‘I’m keeping my eye on ‘S.N.L.,’ making sure they don’t do anything too mean about me. Daddy’s watching.’
For those needing a quick catch-up, the ‘S.N.L.’ offseason saw significant changes. The show bid farewell to five cast members, including familiar faces such as Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim, while welcoming five new featured players. Among the fresh talent are comedian Kam Patterson and Ben Marshall, known for his work on the ‘Please Don’t Destroy’ videos.
The premiere’s host, Bad Bunny, recently made headlines as the announced headliner for Super Bowl LX’s halftime show. This news drew criticism from figures like Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, who controversially stated that ‘ICE enforcement’ would be highly visible at the event. Beyond ‘S.N.L.’, the world of late-night comedy has faced unexpected turbulence. July saw CBS declare the cancellation of ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ effective next May, citing economic pressures. Furthermore, ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on ABC was temporarily taken off air in September following controversial comments Kimmel made regarding the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In the cold open, ‘S.N.L.’ deftly tackled these simmering controversies. Colin Jost, usually seen at the Weekend Update desk, portrayed Secretary Hegseth, delivering a provocative speech to U.S. military officers at Marine Corps Base Quantico. His address included the satirical jab: ‘Thanks to failed liberal policies, our Army has never been gayer. And yet, it’s also never been fatter. Make that make sense.’
Johnson, as Trump, soon interrupted Jost’s lecture, warning ‘S.N.L.’ to ‘be careful, because I know late-night TV like the back of my hand.’ As he spoke, he revealed a hand with a noticeable, though poorly disguised, bruise. ‘Not looking great right now,’ he quipped, quickly hiding it. ‘Oops! Don’t look at that. Gonna cover this up for the rest of my life.’ Trump then threatened ‘S.N.L.’ with his ‘attack dog,’ F.C.C. chairman Brendan Carr, humorously portrayed by Mikey Day, who made a brief, dancing appearance to Rockwell’s ‘Somebody’s Watching Me.’
Reflecting on the show’s milestone 51st season, Johnson’s Trump suggested ‘S.N.L.’ should have ‘called it at 50, right?’ He continued, ‘It’s so sad to see something get old and confused and yet still demand your constant attention. Oh well.’
The Week’s Must-Watch Opening Monologue
Superstar Bad Bunny, fresh off his three-month residency in San Juan and still riding the wave of his Super Bowl halftime show announcement, commanded the ‘S.N.L.’ stage. During his opening monologue, he jovially noted, ‘I’m very happy and I think everyone is happy about it. Even Fox News.’ He then amusingly presented a spliced montage of Fox News anchors seemingly proclaiming, ‘Bad Bunny is my favorite musician and he should be the next president.’ Addressing the audience in Spanish, Bad Bunny expressed the immense pride his Super Bowl performance would bring ‘to all the Latinos and Latinas in the whole world,’ calling it an undeniable milestone. With a wink, he concluded, ‘And if you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.’
This Week’s Star-Studded Surprise Appearances
The ‘S.N.L.’ premiere upheld its cherished tradition of unexpected celebrity cameos. Jon Hamm made a memorable appearance as himself (or perhaps his suave alter ego, Juan Jamón?) during Bad Bunny’s monologue and later returned for the night’s closing sketch. Benicio Del Toro transported viewers back to the year 900 in a humorous sketch exploring the origins of the Spanish language. Additionally, singers Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami lent their voices to the fictional girl group Huntr/x in a sketch inspired by the animated musical hit ‘KPop Demon Hunters.’
The Funniest Moments from Weekend Update
At the Weekend Update desk, co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che delivered sharp commentary on the ongoing government shutdown. Jost opened with:
This week, the government truly represented the people by completely shutting down. Honestly, it felt like the government needed a break, and so did we! Can you believe we’re only nine months into this presidency? That means we still have three months and seven years left. I’m exhausted from fighting. I attended so many protests this summer, but it was all worth it because we finally got them to change the Cracker Barrel logo back to the original, which featured my actual grandpa. I know it’s a scary time, but I’m trying to stay positive and recall the wisdom of a great man: [A video clip of President Trump played, stating, “Nothing bad can happen. It can only good happen.”]
Che followed up, adding:
The last time the U.S. government shut down was back in President Trump’s first administration in 2018. That was so long ago, we all looked like this: [An image of “Stranger Things” actors Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin appeared at the Weekend Update desk.] President Trump claimed one reason for that shutdown was Democrats wanting “transgender for everybody.” Which, of course, isn’t true. But honestly, I wouldn’t mind my own set of these. [An image of Che with comically exaggerated breast implants was displayed.]
Weekend Update’s Standout Moment
New ‘S.N.L.’ cast member Kam Patterson made a bold debut at the Weekend Update desk, directly asking if he could use the n-word. When a surprised Jost questioned him, Patterson retorted, ‘You mean the word I say in my act 150 times before my second joke? Yes.’ Despite being informed of a potential $500,000 fine, Patterson remained undeterred. ‘Colin, I’m a stand-up comedian from Florida,’ he declared. ‘Saying that word is what I do. Come on, bruh. This is exactly what Jimmy Kimmel fought for.’