Real comedy has returned to 30 Rock this fall on Saturday night, kicking off the 50th season of SNL with host Jean Smart and musical guest Jelly Roll. The first few episodes of the anniversary season have included Saturday Night veterans like Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Dana Carvey, and back for the first time since taking his break from the media, Alec Balwin. While fans were sad to see cast members such as Chloe Troast, Punkie Johnson, and Molly Kearney would not be returning for season 50, viewers are anticipating how new additions to the cast will fit into the legacy left behind.
After falling into a rut, in recent years, struggling to reach both their younger and older audiences and somehow still falling short of either, the cast of writers has so far been able to successfully bridge that gap. Already having the advantage of the undeniable increase in laughs that seem to come with each season taking place during an election year, the timeless takes on this political climate or rather our unintentionally comedic candidates, have been enough themselves to revive the old SNL feeling. With the seasons cold open sketches featuring Maya Rudolph’s uncanny impression of Kamala Harris and James Austin Johnsons chillingly accurate voice as Donald Trump they have done numerous takes on recent events such as turning the presidential debate into a Democrats v. Republicans night on Family Feud with Keenan Thompsons signature big, smiled Steve Harvey. Ariana Grande’s episode during the third week has become a particularly memorable one! With the episode including season 50’s first “viral” sketch, ‘Damingo’ who is a mysterious foreign man whom a bride hooked up with while away on her bachelorette trip. In the sketch her bridesmaids proceed to sing a song they wrote about the trip which features cast member Marcello Hernandez as “Damingo’ his short but comical verse in the song has taken over tiktok and the ears of everyone who was lucky enough to catch the episode. It seems to be inevitable that every cast member will always have that one sketch that follows them throughout their career as former member Bill Hader has his ‘Stefan’, Hernandez has been marked with his.
Every few weeks with SNL releasing the upcoming hosts and musical guests for the following month, we have begun to reach the end of this one which will finish off with comedian John Mullaney as host and the Midwest princess, Chappel Roan as the musical guest. Hoping that this isn’t beginning season luck and that the laughs do not fade, fans are eager to see what becomes of this new year from their favorite Saturday night family and the hosts who we all hope to see on the screen with box office sales going higher and higher due to the surplus of our favorite actors return.
