Comedian Nate Bargatze returned to host Saturday Night Live, with Coldplay as the musical guest, just under one year since his delightfully impressive hosting debut in October 2023. An episode that gave us several viral sketches, including the brilliantly funny Washington’s Dream, A Stab at Love, and Lake Beach. Expectations were high going into the second episode of Season 50, and it did not disappoint. Nate’s humor and dry delivery are consistent throughout. We won’t see him doing impressions, or a wide range of characters, and the writers followed the same formulas in this episode that worked so well last season, and played perfectly to his strengths as a comedic performer. So, let’s get into it!
SNL Cold Opening — Take Two
Still on a high from last week’s cold open, this week’s political cold open had its moments, but lacked the energy, and frankly, just wasn’t as funny. Though considering the actual vice-presidential debate was relatively uneventful, I think that SNL made the most of what it gave us comedically. It begins with Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff in their living room watching the debate. Maya Rudolph is back playing Kamala, and Andy Samberg as Doug, continuing the wholesome, clueless first gentlemen, learning that online he’s being called a “GRILF” (Golden Retriever I’d Like to French), to which Kamala replies “Huh? I’m pretty sure that’s wrong”.
Cutting to the debate, Bowen Yang and Jim Gaffigan as Vance and Walz, gave solid performances, taking jabs at both candidates, including calling out their failure to actually answer a question. Walz states that they both may have said some things they’d like to back out of, leading into the funniest moment of the sketch – the meet-cute-style moment when Vance and Walz simultaneously say, “That’s an area where we have a lot of common ground,” and touch hands.
When asked about his running mate’s refusal to accept the result of the last election, Vance replies that Trump peacefully accepted the results, while reiterating the new policy of “no fact checking”. Walz replies, “Well if we’re allowed to lie here, then I was in Tiananmen Square”.
Back in the Harris-Emhoff living room, Dana Carvey stumbles in as Joe Biden — a brief appearance — seemingly to work Dana into the show. He didn’t have much to work with, but still a funny performance with some awkward eye movements and his new catch phrase “And guess what? And by the way,” while not recalling who Obama’s Vice-President was.
Predictably, Nate Bargatze did a stand-up monologue, musing about his time attending community college and the relatable shame of ordering late-night Door Dash. I’m a fan of Nate’s stand-up, and apparently that puts me in the minority of SNL viewers who had heard of him prior, so I was really looking forward to this segment, which unfortunately I thought fell a little flat. My favorite joke was the $3K price tag on ordering a Frosty.
Washington’s Dream – Part 2
Continuing on last seasons’ brilliantly-written sketch in which Nate Bargatze plays George Washington on the Delaware River with his troops, played by Mikey Day, Bowen Yang, James Austin Johnson, and Keenan Thompson, as he shares his dream for America to have its own system of weights and measures. He calls out the oddities of the imperial system, stating that there will be 5,280 feet in a mile – “An easy number that everyone will remember”.
In this week’s Part 2, he speaks to the same soldiers, this time of his dream to “do our own thing with the English language.” His vision includes having a word for the number 12, but not for any other number; and giving different names to animals – one when they’re alive and one when they’re food, except for chicken. They continue to discuss ordinary parts of American life that when questioned, seem to have little or no logic to them, concluding with President’s Day – a day to honor our leaders by buying a mattress, of course.
Fore!
In Golf Network, Nate plays a rookie golfer, who starts his first major tournament by hitting a bird with his golf ball, then knocks a Bald Eagle’s nest out of a tree. Frustrated, he throws his golf club into the lake, accidentally killing Fairway Fred, the beloved snapping turtle who has been a fixture on the golf course for over 50 years. He then makes an incredible shot just before killing a chipmunk as he puts the flag back into the hole. Overall this pre-tape was fresh and different and I thought was one of the best sketches of the night.
If it Isn’t Broke
Next was Sabado Gigante, followed by Water Park. Both sketches used familiar formulas that worked well last season. Nate plays the awkwardly out-of-place white guy who is brought on stage in Sabado Gigante. Very similar to last season’s sketch where he is the unexpected and apologetic winner on a soul food cooking show. It was okay, but not a memorable sketch, in my opinion.
Water Park was a highlight of the show. It begins as a man has just died at the top of a water slide and the park employees and EMTs discuss how to get the body down all 255 stairs. I love the combination of the dark scenario set on a waterslide called “Devil Dog’s Drop”. The employees, Devon Walker and Jane Wickline and EMTs Nate and Michael Longfellow, go on about the stairs, clearly recognizing there’s an easier way to get him to the bottom, but no one wants to suggest it. This was Jane’s biggest speaking role so far, and while she seemed a little nervous, did well as she tries to convince the others to respect the corpse and not push him down the slide, the bottom of which is a dog’s butt and a picture will be taken. She ultimately loses the argument and Nate rides down the slide with the corpse.
Weekend Update
The highlight of Weekend Update was new cast member Jane Wickline’s song “Party”, sung in the first person as a party guest who doesn’t take the hint that it’s time to leave. I like to see the new cast members make it on update early and I enjoyed the song. The song was fittingly long as she tells Colin that she intends to keep singing after he thanks her for the song.
Dark Times Call for Giant Burgers
Another sketch with a dark theme combined with pure ridiculousness. A family is at a restaurant deciding who will care for their father who has dementia. Heidi Gardner’s character, the new girlfriend of one of the brothers, mistakenly orders the Mile High Burger, which turns out to be the restaurant’s burger challenge. The prize is a trip to Hawaii, and she and Nate Bargatze’s character quickly become more concerned with winning the challenge than where his father will live. He knows she can do it because she once ate an entire lasagna to cheer him up. Later we find out that she had just eaten the lasagna that morning. Bowen Yang can’t keep it together as she devours the burger, paired with a chocolate milkshake. The stupid comments throughout, like Heidi asking if there is dairy in the milkshake, and Nate certainty that Hawaii is not in America, were perfect additions to the sketch – one of the best of the episode.
A Surprise Digital Short from The Lonely Island
A bonus to Andy Samberg’s return, was a fun throwback with a new Lonely Island digital short. Andy, along with Akiva Schaffer, two-thirds of The Lonely Island, pitch to three investors via a rap song about their idea for a Sushi Glory Hole. The investors – Maya Rudolph, Bowen Yang, and Keenan Thompson are clearly not into the idea at all. Kind of funny, kind of cringy – it is what you think – except its sushi being given through the hole. This got funnier as the song went on, explaining that it’s two doors down from the real glory hole and neither are labeled, so best that you go in sober. I love a good digital short, which raises the question, where is Please Don’t Destroy?
Parting Thoughts
I really enjoyed this episode. Nate Bargatze is an awesome host and I suspect that he played a substantial role in writing the sketches. I’d love to see him host again, and wonder if they will switch things up or stick with what has been working. Next week is Arianna Grande and musical guest Stevie Nicks. I’m hoping we’ll see more from Sarah Sherman and Please Don’t Destroy next week. Thanks for reading!
