Deep SNL Thoughts: Looking back on a strike-shortened season
With the writers on strike, 'SNL' Season 48 appears to come to an end.
Welcome to a special edition of Deep SNL Thoughts.
After the previous edition of this newsletter, I assumed that I’d be chatting with you all about how Pete Davidson did during his return to Saturday Night Live as a host, but with the Writers Guild of America going on strike as of Tuesday, NBC canceled this weekend’s SNL.
Hard to have an episode of SNL without writers, right?
As the week went along, though, I started thinking that this would be a good moment to look over Season 48, especially if Ana de Armas’ episode winds up being the season finale. (Looks like we won’t see Kieran Culkin or Jennifer Coolidge as hosts this season either …)
Miles Teller
Oct. 1, 2022
The season began with Miles Teller as host. The Top Gun: Maverick star wasn’t a bad host — he just wasn’t a standout host. As season premieres go, this episode was a dud. Those of us rooting for SNL to find its footing in a new season with a bunch of new castmembers were in for a letdown. The show kicked off with a cold open that threw everything at the wall. Teller in the cold open! Freshman castmember Devon Walker as Corn Kid! Jon Hamm! None of it was done well — and that was supposedly the joke?
The sketch I’m still thinking about
ManningCast Cold Open
Yeah, that cold open. SNL couldn’t have launched its 48th season in a worse way.
Brendan Gleeson
Oct. 8, 2022
When Brendan Gleeson was announced as the host of the Oct. 8 episode, I spent at least a week thinking it was his son, Domhnall Gleeson, hosting. You’ll imagine my surprise when the promos for the episode hit the Internet and it was one of the stars of The Banshees of Inisherin on stage.
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