The night was a dazzling showcase of talent, featuring a plethora of cast members who brought their A-game, resulting in more appearances than many had seen throughout the entire season. A total of seven cast members made five or more appearances, while an additional four participated in four different sketches, demonstrating the ensemble’s cohesiveness and comedic chemistry.

The sketches were as diverse as they were entertaining, ranging from a small dog park to a bouncy castle, a bustling coffee shop, and even a classroom setting. Notably, two sketches humorously explored the growing trend of podcasts, while the show tackled contemporary themes like AI, healthcare, spirituality, Valentine’s Day, and of course, the political landscape surrounding President Trump?s inauguration and early presidency.

James Austin Johnson brought a humorous intensity to his remarkable impression of the president, making a surprise appearance alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda, who reprised his role as Alexander Hamilton in a hilarious Founding Fathers sketch ? or at least that?s how it began.

It’s hard to say if it was the Chalamet effect, but this episode stood out as one of the strangest and funniest we’ve witnessed in quite some time. It?s impressive that the show was so robust that it could feature Adam Sandler to introduce one of Chalamet?s two Bob Dylan musical performances without forcing him into any additional sketches!

As is customary, we will be ranking all sketches from worst to best, including the Monologue, Cold Open, ?Weekend Update,? and any sketches that were cut for time but later made their way online. Musical guests will be excluded since they typically don’t provide comedic value?unless Ashlee Simpson makes an appearance. We will conclude with a highlight of the cast member who had the strongest performance this week.

Timothée Chalamet kicked off the night with jokes about his unfortunate goatee and humorously speculated on the similarities between Bob Dylan and Willy Wonka. Despite his initial nervousness about maintaining his composure throughout the show, his unique delivery style charmed the audience. Perhaps a mix of excitement and anxiety about his musical performances contributed to his endearing stage presence, as he quipped, ?They?re either really nice for letting me do this or extremely mean,? pondering whether his participation was some elaborate joke.

This clever sketch introduces an inventive concept aimed at persuading stubborn (or perhaps foolish?) men between the ages of 20-45 to visit the doctor and take charge of their health. Presented as a mock commercial, it showcases a revolutionary new format that makes men feel as if they?re guests on a trendy podcast that doubles as a genuine doctor?s appointment. Kudos to Andrew Dismukes for seamlessly transitioning between zany podcast host and serious doctor, effectively promoting this outrageous premise. Surprisingly, this approach could genuinely motivate men to seek medical advice!

This sketch combined absurdity and hilarity, showcasing Timothée Chalamet as the enthusiastic instructor of a bungee training class that was far from a rigorous workout. The class featured a cast of characters, including one boyfriend, played by Michael Longfellow, who perfectly expressed disdain at the silliness of the entire premise. As everyone bounces around the room with little actual exercise, the physical humor and commitment to the ludicrous nature of the sketch left us laughing uncontrollably by the end.

Having two podcast-themed sketches in one night? SNL is definitely stepping into the modern age! Both sketches cleverly use podcasts as a device to persuade people into participating in activities they might otherwise avoid. In this instance, it?s about tricking children into engaging with their education. The odd parallels drew laughs, while the addition of AI elements transformed Timothée Chalamet and Bowen Yang’s interactions into a delightful mix of absurdity and humor. Though it felt slightly repetitive, the silliness kept audiences entertained and engaged.

Ashley Padilla shone in her narration role, while Heidi Gardner, taking on a leading role, brought her comedic talents to a satirical advertisement for an innovative product designed to support overly close mother-son relationships. Michael Longfellow excelled as the son, and Mikey Day played the inept father, providing an excellent counterbalance. However, the sketch missed a significant opportunity with a cameo by Chloe Fineman as Michael?s girlfriend; more could have been done to develop her reaction to the bizarre scenarios that unfolded, alongside her support for Mikey. While the sketch was entertaining, it had the potential to be even more compelling.

Sarah Sherman delivered a hilarious performance as a 92-year-old grandmother celebrating her birthday with family, only for the scene to take a wild turn when her character suffered a heart attack just as Timothée Chalamet?s doctor character arrived. His unconventional resuscitation methods introduced juvenile humor that surprisingly worked well, saving her life while eliciting laughs throughout the remainder of the sketch. Among the comedic moments, Kenan Thompson?s final reaction as a family friend undoubtedly stole the show, solidifying the sketch’s success.

What if God were portrayed as a laid-back bro? We could have watched endlessly more vignettes exploring the creation of everything through this humorous lens, as the dialogue was witty and the animation was top-notch. The sight of those baby kangaroos might haunt us for life! This new sketch format is a refreshing departure from the show?s comedic style since the TV Funhouse era, and given its strong debut, we sincerely hope they revisit this concept in future episodes.

As anticipated, Colin Jost and Michael Che took aim at Trump?s early actions upon returning to the White House with plenty of biting humor. Che quipped about Trump?s comments regarding pardoning January 6 rioters, drawing a humorous parallel to OJ Simpson?s infamous relationship. The duo tackled Trump?s executive orders, ICE policies, DEI changes, and even restroom etiquette, setting a strong comedic tone for the next four years of political discourse.

Ego Nwodim made a memorable appearance as Giselle, delivering a serious warning to Black women in America amid Trump?s tariff threats, humorously advising them to stock up on wigs. She lamented the potential loss of international wigs affecting her style, cleverly setting up Che for a humorous jab regarding his reluctance to date a Black woman with natural hair. The segment was both brief and impactful, with the chemistry between Ego and her ?twin? being particularly delightful.

Wait, are we to believe that Totino?s Pizza Flavor Cinnamon Toast Crunch is not just a creation of AI gone wild? While some of the political jokes carried a serious undertone, the boys quickly pivoted to absurdity with their other news segments. They poked fun at Emilia Pérez?s ?13 total viewers? referring to her Oscar nominations, with Jost getting sulky over his oatmeal and Che explaining that egg prices have surged due to ?new laws in red states forcing chickens to carry their eggs to term.?

We loved the direction this piece took when Andrew Dismukes showcased his new ventriloquism routine with his puppet dad, which turned into a humorous exploration of the nurturing relationship he wished he had with his father. The puppet dad displayed kindness and support, enveloped in sentimental music that set the mood. Dismukes?s earnest performance in both roles added a delightful touch to the silliness, as his dad affectionately referred to him as ?the seventeenth most famous cast member on SNL.?

Although the ending was somewhat predictable, we savored every moment leading up to it. Timothée Chalamet excelled as an aspiring comedian trying to channel Chris Rock from the ?90s while crafting coffee buns for a chalkboard sign. The overall escalation of the sketch kept us engaged; however, it was Heidi Gardner?s subtle character work as she interacted with two other trainees, played by Devon Walker and Ashley Padilla, that truly brought magic to the piece, creating an effective blend of character depth and absurdity.