Welcome back to SNL in Review, Coneheads! I’m your cruise director on this voyage through the seas of Saturday Night Live season 45. This week’s episode features the delightful Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) and musical guest Taylor Swift.
Ratings from last week’s premiere, hosted by Woody Harrelson and featuring Billie Eilish as musical guest, were down about 15 percent in households and 30 percent in adults 18-49 from last season’s opener. Whether that’s telling of a larger trend in network late night, indicative of fans tiring the Alec Baldwin-as-Trump formula, or both, remains to be seen. I’d be disconcerted, to say the least, and eager to switch things up. It’s unclear if anyone on staff agrees, or agrees enough to let Lorne Michaels know.
On the heels of her recent Emmy Awards, Waller-Bridge has vaulted into stardom thanks to Fleabag’s brilliant, instant-classic second season. It truly is one of the best things on television, rightfully celebrated. So, knowing Waller-Bridge is a writer of unique ability – Amazon Studios just signed her to a $20 million annual deal to create/produce new content – how will she mesh with SNL’s modern tendency to produce comedy-by-committee? (If you have not read Dennis Perin’s scholarly thoughts on the subject, I highly recommend you do.)
Also, this is Swift’s fourth time appearing as SNL’s musical guest; she hosted in 2009. If we’re lucky we’ll be treated to one of SNL’s deep bench impressionists attempting to top Kristen Wiig’s stellar Swift portrayal from 2012.
Side note: the show missed an opportunity last week to display Melissa Villaseñor’s savvy take on Billie Eilish. Surely, it won’t botch the chance for her to riff on Waller-Bridge’s iconic, GIF-able fourth wall breaking. And new cast member Chloe Fineman’s take on Waller-Bridge is sharp as well. Dualing Fleabags please!
Speaking of impressions, I am joined tonight by the excellent Jeff Richards, who appeared on SNL from 2001-2004. Given his expertise, we’re lucky to hear his take on the show’s many takes on public figures.
And away we go!
Cold Open
Back with the impeachment! A ton of political checkmarks, oh boy. We are just going through recent headlines again, like the South Park manatees are Mad Lib-ing the script. A few questions:
Did the world really need Matthew Broderick as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo? Does anyone have a sense of Pompeo enough to justify a celebrity impression, particularly from Ferris Bueller? (He seems too burly and midwestern for Broderick’s nebbish affects.) Is Kenan Thompson actually channeling Jay Pharoah’s Ben Carson? Another 6ix9ine reference?
But man, Kate McKinnon goes all in with her savage take on Rudy Giuliani, doesn’t she? This cold open features Beck Bennett as a closeted Mike Pence, and a snake as Stephen Miller, and her Giuliani comes off the worst. Jeff calls McKinnon’s work “freakishly wonderful” and “strikingly brave” – which certainly sums it up.
Finally, nice to see Chloe Fineman get in some background work as Pence’s assistant.
Monologue
I am genuinely pleased so many people have embraced Fleabag. Waller-Bridge describes the character as “sexually depraved, foul-mouthed and dangerous.”
She’s killing this. You may recall Fleabag started as a one-woman monologue, and it feels like she heavily wrote this. Which is likely for the best. It’s slyly political and honest. I also like the shout outs to her role crafting Killing Eve. Great stuff.
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
So, first off, we have Thompson back as a game shot named Elliot Pants – very solid start! And Waller-Bridge is trying an… American accent?
We last saw contestants come up with wacky theories during the May 18th episode with Paul Rudd. This is fun – certainly stronger than the cold open — though the ‘dumb contestants on a game show’ is such a crutch, isn’t it?
Love Island spoof
Now we’ve got a righteous spoof of the British reality dating show, Love Island. Fineman continues to accrue some screen time tonight and she’s crushing it with the accent work! “Hulu: We got this and Handmaid’s Tale!”
WANU Mid-Day News
“The suspect is described as A White Male.” This is a nice showcase for Thompson, Chris Redd, and especially Ego Nwodim. Daytime news is another touchstone for the show, which is totally fine. I do wish — with someone like Waller-Bridge hosting — they would venture away from the obvious settings. This is a well-executed and energetic riff on race, however. And the crowd loves it. “Rock climbing in Utah?!”
History Channel – The War in Words
Mikey Day dusts off another war letter riff. You may recall this sketch previously from the Claire Foy episode last December. (And, before that, a Civil War version from the brief Martin Short and Maya Rudolph variety show from 2016.) It’s curious seeing the show lean on material that’s likely been in writers’ back pockets, though again the audience is behind it. Day, usually known for checking pop culture nostalgia in his sketches, also commendably reacts in shock as the material tends to escalate. You can count on him to react in mock horror, if nothing else.
Taylor Swift — “Lover”
So, I will say this, after a few misguided PR missteps (involving: a heel turn, Kimye, and snakes, among other things) and, worse, a poor album in 2017’s Reputation, Swift returned to form with this year’s Lover. She sings a very nice, touching version of “Lover” here, about her relationship with boyfriend Joe Alwyn. It’s one of the album’s best tracks, mature, heartfelt, and a good choice to perform live. You can fault her public persona, but Swift’s songwriting and musical ear remains. (I am not sure I agree with the green art direction motif, however.)
Weekend Update
Another hit squad on Trump from Colin Jost and Michael Che — just as pointed as last week. “Are we sure it’s okay to make fun of this guy?” Che’s strong metaphor is some of the best material the show has done on Trump. And Jost’s Biden jokes are fairer than I would’ve expected of SNL, given some of the low blows they attempted last season.
Next up: a smart and funny spoof of Elizabeth Warren’s recent Instagram posts, which feature her calling small money donors in her living room (and the occasional cameo from her dog, Bailey.) McKinnon has an obvious knack for tackling pols – her Warren is slightly warmer and tamer than the machete she took to, say, Hillary Clinton.
Oh, wow – Bowen Yang gets to debut on Update! As the top Chinese trade representative, Yang is hilarious. “I’m basically the Lizzo of China right now!” He’s certainly getting off on the right foot.
Also: JOST MENTIONS PETE DAVIDSON STILL BEING MIA! How long can the Suicide Squad shoot really go on for?
Three Update characters tonight, which is interesting: Day brings back supercentenarian Mort Fellner, whom he previously played in February.
Related content:
Saturday Night Live recap: Woody Harrelson and Billie Eilish kick off season 45
See how Billie Eilish pulled off that ‘Bad Guy’ performance on SNL
Watch Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s best Weekend Updates and other SNL moments
The original late-night comedy sketch show from the one and only Lorne Michaels.
Episode Recaps
Previous
S45 E1 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Woody Harrelson and Billie Eilish kick off season 45
By Andy Hoglund
b-
S44 E21 Recap
SNL recap: Paul Rudd toasts Saturday Night Live in season 44 finale with musical guest DJ Khaled
By Mary Sollosi
S44 E20 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Emma Thompson is underused in lackluster episode
By Adrienne Onofri
b+
S44 E19 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Adam Sandler makes hosting debut, sings about being fired 24 years ago
By Piya Sinha-Roy
b-
S44 E18 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Emma Stone and BTS do their best to try and save the night
By Renée Camus
c+
S44 E16 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Sandra Oh leads a surreal and confused episode
By Christian Holub
c+
S44 E11 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: James McAvoy brings his personalities to a middling episode
By David Canfield
c+
S44 E11 Recap
‘Saturday Night Live’ recap: Halsey shines musically while sketches fail
By Adrienne Onofri
b-
S44 E10 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Rachel Brosnahan hosts first show of 2019
By Lynette Rice
b-
S44 E8 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Jason Momoa makes a splash in an uneven episode
By Shirley Li
c+
S44 E6 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Steve Carell is best as Bezos in a ho-hum episode
By Dan Snierson
c
S44 E5 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Liev Schreiber leads a directionless post-midterms episode
By Christian Holub
b
S44 E4 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Jonah Hill hosts an episode dominated by midterms mania
By David Canfield
c+
S44 E2 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Awkwafina and the best and worst moments
By James Hibberd
b-
S43 E21 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Tina Fey returns for star-studded season 43 finale
By Jillian Sederholm
b-
S43 E20 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Amy Schumer ditches politics to celebrate moms
By Jillian Sederholm
b+
S43 E19 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Childish Gambino outshines host Donald Glover
By Chancellor Agard
b+
S43 E18 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: John Mulaney
By Devan Coggan
b-
S43 E17 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Chadwick Boseman
By Christian Holub
b+
S43 E16 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Bill Hader
By Devan Coggan
a
S43 E15 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Sterling K. Brown
By Maureen Lee Lenker
c+
S43 E14 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Charles Barkley
By Derek Lawrence
b+
S43 E13 Recap
Saturday Night Live recap: Natalie Portman
By Christian Holub
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