After harshing on Saturday Night Live for several weeks, I’m left overnight with nothing but superlatives for the 12th episode of Season 48. Is this Opposite Week? Did Pedro Pascal’s appearance in the halls of 30 Rock inspire the writers to cook up their best ideas? Has this transition season turned a corner? Whatever the reasons, we’re not complaining!
What’s The Deal For The SNL Cold Open For Last Night (2/04/23)?
We open with Chloe Fineman as Katy Tur, which plays great for people like me who work from home and might have MSNBC on at 2 p.m. Eastern on a weekday, but what a choice! At any rate, she’s anchoring coverage of Saturday’s military operation shooting down that Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina. Kenan Thompson, as a general, explains the operation using a tiny birthday lollipop balloon which plays music when you tap it. Then we get Bowen Yang as the balloon itself, still bobbing in the water. Why fly over Montana? “I love the show Yellowstone..it’s like Succession but outside.” Both Bowen and Kenan use their appearances to mock us Americans for already throwing our personal privacy out the window, whether it’s to the Chinese via TikTok or to anyone else through our Notes app and our Alexa devices.
My only question: Why not use the very applicable footage from the movie NOPE? A lost NBCUniversal Peacock synergy opportunity ripe for the taking!
How Did The SNL Guest Host Pedro Pascal Do?
Pedro Pascal continues a recent run of first-time guest hosts who reveal in their monologues how sincerely grateful they are to stand on the stage, not just because they’re hosting SNL, but also because of the love and support of their parents. He’s also on quite a franchise acting run, starting with his turn on Game of Thrones, and continuing now with both The Mandalorian and The Last Of Us. (The first TV commercial break included ads for both of his current projects, as well as a general plug for the Disney Bundle)
Even if you don’t recognize him or have his phone number, you’ll learn over the course of the next hour or so that he’s also got great comedy chops.
But first, he proved he could play second fiddle in a supporting role as one of three film buffs who, as contestants on the game show, “The Big Hollywood Quiz,” are experts in anything so long as it’s not currently popular. Because how are they supposed to keep up with what’s happening now? Ginny & Who Now? Nicole Kidman and Samuel L. Jackson both have starred in their own projects on Apple TV+? As one of the contestants complains: “You have got to be kidding me?”
Speaking of which: What is “with this LA mush-mouth thing” of an accent Charlie (Pedro) has put on once he has come out of his coma? That’s what Kenan’s character wants to know, but as the hospital doctor, Bowen tries to convince all of Charlie’s friends and family that his post-coma behavior is entirely normal, and it almost works when Charlie begins speaking normally again. Or was that even supposed to happen? I only ask because that’s the very moment that Pedro starts to break character, and everyone else attempts to hold back their laughter until hugging it out for applause is the only thing that brings it on home. Very funny watching everyone play off Pedro here. This foreshadows something even funnier at the end of the night.
Next up, Pedro plays St. Lawrence High School’s favorite teacher, Mr. Ben, to try to convince the students to stop using their phones to bully each other, or in the complete opposite extreme, stan their staff, and specifically him, with fancam TikToks. He clearly ate it up, no crumbs left, so to speak, while making the videos, as well as while trying to relate to these tweens and their newfangled slang. “I’m not mad. I’m confused.” Turns out the kids are all feeling the consequences of three years of COVID lockdowns and remote schooling and it’s got them all connected too much with their phones now, and looking for any positive role models to play father and mother. First, they gravitate toward Lunch Lady Paulina (Molly Kearney). But then Miss Jenny shows up, and it’s…Sarah Paulson! This celeb cameo has deep meaning, much like Aubrey Plaza’s deep cut pull of Sarah Stone. In fact, Paulson and Pascal have been BFFs since meeting as teens at NYU. So playing supposedly secret lovebirds is a lovely touch here.
In another wonderfully inspired choice, Marcello Hernandez gets Pedro to play his overprotective mom, to whom he brings his college girlfriend (Chloe) home to meet. When Marcello and Pedro start conversing in Spanish, without subtitles for the home audience, it moves the show into brave new worlds. Especially since Pedro’s having such a blast by this point it’s unclear if he even needed the cue cards.
When I said it’s Opposite Week, I was thinking about how Season 48 so far has served only as a showcase for newcomer Sarah Sherman, and yet somehow, this sketch might’ve been the weakest one of the episode despite focusing on Sarah as the odd woman out at the Italian restaurant? The waiters revealed they had their reasons for picking on her, while flattering all of her dining companions (Heidi, Punkie, Chloe and Ego), but it literally backfired on them.
How Relevant Was The Musical Guest Coldplay?
Coldplay returned for their seventh time (SEVENTH?!?!) as SNL musical guests. I’m showing my bias for wondering why they keep getting invited back, but you must love them. And by you, I definitely mean Lorne. Anyhow. They are up for three Grammy Awards on Sunday, including Best Album, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, so lots of you like them. Obviously.
Their first song featured a blue alien because, “The Astronaut” was originally written for Jin from BTS, so? I consciously uncoupled myself from this before it ended.
Their second song featured a backing choir and segued from “Human Heart” into their old hit, “Fix You.”
Which Sketch Will We Be Sharing: “Mario Kart Trailer” AND “Wing Pit”
I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if the fancam TikTok stanning of Pedro Pascal as Mr. Ben went viral, especially with the addition of Sarah Paulson as his sweetheart, Miss Jenny. The late-breaking gigglefest at the end of the night also could go viral, too. But it’s the pre-taped take on “Mario Kart” as HBO’s next big video-game adaptation that powers up the most. I mean, who wouldn’t line up to see Pedro as Mario? He’s certainly light-years more likable already than whatever Chris Pratt was attempting with his voiceover for the upcoming animated feature film.
Actually, scratch that. Because later in this episode, after years of me pleading for a return to the glorious fake ad tradition of yore, SNL bestowed us with this generation’s Colon Blow. Ladies and gentlemen: Behold, Wing Pit.
With Kenan repping the Eagles and Pedro in a Chiefs Mahomes jersey, they’re ready for the Super Bowl (no episode next weekend) and what’s better than wings? Wing Pit takes things up way too many notches, though. From the way Heidi pitches “five ethnically troubling sauces” to the Tray of Tears (600 wings) to the bold declaration from Wing Pit that “WE OWN THE POLICE” — this generation’s COLON BLOW goes over your heads because you’re not at least Gen X material, then millennials will identify with this as the new TACO TOWN. Either way, more of these, please!
Which reminds me: These amazing pre-taped bits made it onto TV thanks to the hard work of the SNL Film Unit, which formally unionized with the Motion Picture Editors Guild this fall, has been working without a contract from NBCUniversal, has authorized a strike vote, and distributed pamphlets outside 30 Rock over the weekend. So, um, please give these people their proper pay and benefits, because they are most certainly worth it!
Who Stopped By Weekend Update?
Two visits to the Update desk, at least one of which has definite recurring potential.
That’s not to say Groundhog Day’s star rodent couldn’t be recurring. But as Punxsutawney Phil, Michael Longefellow’s depressively dismissive humor about his plight in the year 2023 (“I’m useless,” he deadpans. “I’m like a condom in Nick Cannon’s wallet”) only gets darker from there. Is this groundhog an alcoholic, an existential thinker, a nihilist or just a jerk?
Then we’ve got James Austin Johnson and Devon Walker as British rappers Milly Pounds and Shirty, here with their thoughts on the upcoming coronation of King Charles, but mostly rhymes about retired Dutch footballer Jan Wouters. Also love how they explained their swishy sound effects to Michael Che. Bruv!
What Sketch Filled The “10-to-1” Slot?
At 12:54 a.m. Eastern, in an episode that already has featured this generation’s Colon Blow, we’re now surprised with another sketch from the setting used for the evening’s “Italian Waiters” sketch (they swapped out the framed artwork), but it goes in a completely different direction, emerging as this generation’s Debbie Downer. Not because of the characters, but because of how naturally everyone slowly but surely breaks character from giggles into laughter that overcomes their attempts at dialogue, all because of Ego’s hacksawing of her “extra well” steak that shakes the table. Bonus kudos for whomever they stationed away underneath the table for causing such a stir. Pun intended.
Who Was The Episode’s MVP?
Our host with the most truly starred this week. Among the cast members, though, this was Bowen Yang‘s episode. From bobbing in the water as a Chinese spy ballon, to singing his way into hosting a snarky game show, holding together the hospital sketch and barely not even holding it together in the final live sketch of the episode, Bowen kept us highly engaged whenever the show’s focus wasn’t on Pedro Pascal. Bravo, Bowen!
Next week the show is on hiatus, so expect a repeat for the next two Saturdays, in fact, as Episode 13 will come Feb. 25, 2023, with guest host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Jack White.
Sean L. McCarthy works the comedy beat for his own digital newspaper, The Comic’s Comic; before that, for actual newspapers. Based in NYC but will travel anywhere for the scoop: Ice cream or news. He also tweets @thecomicscomic and podcasts half-hour episodes with comedians revealing origin stories: The Comic’s Comic Presents Last Things First.