This week, Quinta Brunson hosted Saturday Night Live for the second time. The Abbott Elementary star previously hosted an episode on season 48. She also appeared in the 50th Anniversary Special as part of a Q&A segment with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
Brunson was joined by first-time musical guest Benson Boone.
Cold Open
In this Cold Open, James Austin Johnson appears as Donald Trump to sign executive orders on his 100th day as president. He is joined by Mikey Day as Stephen Miller and Marcello Hernández as Marco Rubio. Trump’s orders include making girlfriends young again and stopping piercing the ears of Latina babies. Like many of the recent Cold Opens, this sketch is carried by the sheer force of Johnson’s impression.
Monologue
Brunson uses her monologue to sing a throwback song about being short. While short jokes feel like low hanging fruit for the 4’11 star, the song is very cute. There is something deeply hammy about the performance which works better than it should. Brunson is joined by fellow short icon Sabrina Carpenter (when will she be hosting? It is time!), Hernández and NBA star Dwyane Wade (yes, he is 6’4, but that is short for professional basketball.)
Will & Todd’s Radical Experience
This Bill & Ted-style stoner comedy gets complicated when Harriet Tubman (Brunson) and Frederick Douglass (Kenan Thompson) want to stay in 1987 instead of going back to the 1800s. This is a really entertaining sketch that is elevated by solid performances and impressions. Radical!
OnlySeniors
Married older couple (Brunson and Thompson) have found a new kind of life insurance policy: being paid for sex work, much to their children’s dismay. This sketch’s premise feels a little lazy, but the jokes and performances are very solid.
Leadership Summit
This sketch about a work leadership workshop is easily one of the funniest of the night. The presentation starts with teaching the compliment sandwich technique, but quickly goes off the rails as the participants ask more bizarre questions. The sketch has a great ending stinger and is very amusing throughout.
Ferry Altercation
This is the third time they have done a version of this sketch, which centers on two people angrily pantomiming from inside their cars. The first time they did this sketch was with Brunson back in season 48, and they revived it with Martin Short earlier this season. All the versions hit very similar beats. The premise and visuals are funny, but this version doesn’t add anything (except maybe that they are on a ferry this time.)
The sketch ends with a slightly confusing appearance by Colin Jost, who may or may not be dressed as (or playing) Pete Davidson. The joke references that Jost and Davidson purchased a decommissioned Staten Island Ferry boat in 2022; however, how it is presented is a little inside baseball.
Forever 31
This sketch about how women start dressing in their 30s will likely be the viral hit of the night. It is a solid parody ad packed with zippy jokes about Carmen Sandiego trenches, oversized purses and daring colors like navy blue.
2 Bitches vs. a Gorilla
Based on the recent internet discussion “who would win in a fight 100 men or a gorilla,” this sketch is really fun. Brunson and Ego Nwodim read a gorilla to filth. Not only do they give an excellent performances, but the POV shot for the gorilla also makes this sketch feel really fresh. It is nice to see SNL taking on something so young and topical.
Benson Boone Performs
Boone performed two songs: “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else” and “Mythical Magical.” If you are going to watch one, make it the former. “Mythical Magical” might actually be the better vocal performance. However, “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else” features Boone doing a trademark flip and signing to Brunson, which is a rare move for SNL.
Weekend Update
While there were some standout jokes from Che and Jost (Jost’s segment ‘Oh Hell No’ about dolls, especially), this week’s Update is made by its guests. Sarah Sherman and Bowen Yang drop by as Darlene and Duke, a couple devastated by Applebee’s financial troubles. It is a great bit that even includes an appearance by Boone.
“Hey, Government! No.” Michael Longfellow also stops by to talk about RealID. His segment is weird in the best way. There is something about Longfellow that is mesmerizing. This delivery and presence is wholly original but feels connected to this history and craft of standup. This reviewer would listen to him talk about anything, and it’s good to see more of him on the show.
Addicts Anonymous
Thompson just moved to a new city and needs to score. So he goes to an AA meeting to see who has the hook up. Thompson gives a great performance, but overall, this sketch is a bit forgettable overall.
Jerry “Jackrabbit” Tulane
Before there was Ali or Sugar Ray, there was one boxer who knew how to talk: Jerry “Jackrabbit” Tulane. Brunson plays the pint-sized boxer during a retrospective on The Greats. This is a really fun sketch, even if the ending feels like it gets away from them a little.
SNL returns May 10, 2025, with host Walton Goggins and musical guest Arcade Fire.
