Last Night’s Nostalgia-Heavy ‘SNL’ Doesn't Show Much Faith in Its Future
Last night, Nate Bargatze made his Saturday Night Live return less than a year after his first hosting gig, a surprisingly quick turnaround that puts him on the all-time list for fastest reappearance. The season’s sophomore effort was a big step up from last week’s sleepy Jean Smart episode, as well as a master class on the pros and cons of SNL recycling past successes. The show couldn’t resist repeating old wins last night — for better and for worse.
‘Washington’s Dream 2’: Better Than I Would Have Thought
“Washington’s Dream” might have been last season’s best sketch, largely because it was original and unexpected. Bargatze played the eponymous Founding Father as a leader with odd ideas about what he was fighting for. It was a great showcase for the comic’s understated delivery, casually laying out Washington’s bizarre vision like a page ripped out of the Bob Newhart playbook.
Because SNL never had a success it couldn’t pound into the ground, it followed up with “Washington’s Dream 2,” a beat-for-beat recreation of the original, including another ending in which Kenan Thompson’s Black soldier gets the short end of the stick. And yet, it mostly works by once again shining a light on all of the dumb crap America does. Why “dozen” for 12 when no other number gets a word? Why are there two ways to spell Jeff/Geoff?
You got away with it this time, SNL, but don’t try for a third! See John Mulaney’s low-rent Broadway parodies for an example of diminishing returns.
The Political Cold Open: Worse
Hoo boy, SNL, we’re doing this again, huh?
We’re never getting rid of the political cold opens, especially in an election year, but why does SNL insist on stunt-casting most of the major players? Just like last week, the opening sketch is dominated by funny people who aren’t in the cast — Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris, Andy Samberg as her husband Doug, Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz and Dana Carvey as Joe Biden. The ghosts of SNL Past make some sense in nostalgic Season 50, but this all feels very tired rather than a return to glory days.
Lonely Island: Better But…
With Samberg making weekly appearances as Doug Emhoff, why not put him to work? Lonely Island is back, y’all, with Akiva Schaffer showing up to — hear me out — help Samberg pitch his idea for Sushi Glory Holes.
It’s a reminder of everything great about Lonely Island videos — the surprisingly dope hip-hop beats, the way-out-of-left-field comedy concepts and the surprising limits to which they can push network censors. “Sushi Glory Hole” is just what it sounds like — fish delivered straight to your mouth in the most unsavory way possible. Bravo!
But it does beg the question: Where are you, Please Don’t Destroy? The heirs to the Lonely Island throne have yet to make an appearance in Season 50 after seeing their presence wane last year. In fact, the group has landed exactly one video on the show since March.
Seeing Lonely Island again was fun, but with so many visits to its past, SNL doesn’t show much faith in its future.