Bounding back from a rough episode last week, Saturday Night Live was on point with its writing and concepts, and host Ana de Armas and musical guest Karol G also came to play, bringing their A-games for strong appearances. Here's everything that happened on SNL this week.
The Cold Open
In a rather inventively funny idea, the show began with an awards show celebrating the First Warm Day of the Year Arrivals at the park, which led to a recognizable array of strange and eccentric figures who reflected some amusing and perverted park people stereotypes. Great cast work and writing here.
The Cold Open
In a rather inventively funny idea, the show began with an awards show celebrating the First Warm Day of the Year Arrivals at the park, which led to a recognizable array of strange and eccentric figures who reflected some amusing and perverted park people stereotypes. Great cast work and writing here.
The Monologue
Cuban-born Ana de Armas began her monologue in her native Spanish before citing Friends as her first American English tutor. She told a nice story about Robert De Niro supporting her and her career and then did a charming callback to an earlier joke that kinda bombed initially. Good save, Ana.
The Dome
Kenan Thompson played Ted Connelly, a game show host who was initially bewildered by why such a plain dude like Matt Schatt, played by Mikey Day, could land a wife that looked like de Armas's Carmen. There was no game show, as Connelly couldn't get over this relationship, which got weirder and weirder and this was funny.
American Girls
Riffing on the Barbie movie, this remote was a trailer for an American Girls doll movie adaptation, which was oddly dark and disturbingly amusing.
Young Spicy
At a recording session, Devon Walker played a rapper named Young Spicy who sought some sexy hooks by women played by de Armas and Ego Nwodim, whose improvisations roasted Spicy so hard. This was very funny.
Español
A high school Spanish teacher played by Mikey Day had his confidence shattered when two new students, played by de Armas and Marcello Hernandez, made his language proficiency seem a lot lower than he was used to pretending it was. Even Karol G got in on the fun, starting a dance party.
please don't destroy: Hangxiety
The pdd dudes reflected upon the chaos they caused and experienced at an SNL afterparty. With assists from de Armas, Mikey Day and various cast members appearing in party flashbacks, this was wildly hilarious.
Karol G
Surrounded by a dozen-plus a cappella singers and dancers, who led things off with an interpolation of "Don't Worry, Be Happy," Karol G appeared as a beautiful desert queen and sang "Mientras Me Curo Del Cora," a sweet, shiny, happy pop confection.
For "Tus Gafitas," the stage was more elaborate with half a sports car as a set piece and a full, slick rock band propelling Karol G's sensual Spanish pop.
Weekend Update
Colin Jost went over the latest American classified info leaker fiasco and then, using clips, made fun of Donald Trump's penchant for claiming everyone cries around him.
Michael Che made solid abortion rights and Clarence Thomas jokes. Jody introduced Funky Kong, as portrayed by Kenan Thompson, which made Jost laugh a lot and even included him in a script reading.
Che discussed New York's "rat czar" and took a swipe at Staten Island, while Jost invoked Norm Macdonald with a "whore" joke. Sarah Sherman appeared as a kind of meditation guru named Genesis Fry, who made merciless and gleeful fun of Jost. Inventive and crazed, this was funny.
Jost got a big laugh for a penis joke while Che continued to push the crowd out of its comfort zone with sharp jokes. Molly Kearney flew down to the desk to discuss trans kids' rights, and they elicited confetti before suddenly being whisked away via the harness system that served as a metaphor for what they had to say.
Lisa Is Back
After breaking out with Lisa recently, Ego Nwodim returned with the character whose table manners disrupted wedding and her seatmates. Though a hit the first time, despite Nwodim's effort, Lisa's return was laboured by a less effective sight gag, which made for a sadly predictable encore.
Enter Stage Woof
Chloe Fineman and de Armas played teachers at a dog acting school, promoting their business. As they do with dogs on the show, things became unpredictable, and Fineman could barely contain herself when a Lady and the Tramp bit went awry. A puppy named Jellybean was also less than cooperative, but this was all pretty charming.
Nail Salon
Bowen Yang and de Armas played a couple in which he had set the world record for having the longest finger nails and she didn't like that. Yang's Greg had to have an epiphany to overcome this situation but this was more absurd than truly funny.