Saturday Night Live
Jack Black and Elton John & Brandi Carlile
April 5, 2025
I don’t know why it’s been 20 years since Jack Black hosted Saturday Night Live — did he have something against Kate McKinnon? — but he came roaring back this week with more energy than all the other season 50 hosts combined. Jack Black is a reliable comedic force. Is he a bit much? Yes, often. But sometimes SNL needs that wackiness, it needs someone who can — through a sheer act of will and ability to mug for the camera — force a laugh out of the audience. The sketches in this episode were for the most part very dumb, but thanks to Black’s insistent clownery and manic energy, I found myself amused more often than not. SNL needs to not wait another 20 years to bring him back; he’s more than earned that five-timers jacket next time around.
It’s another political cold open, because how could it not be after this week’s insanity, what with the stupid tariffs and Elon’s humiliation in Wisconsin. As always, the Trump and Elon impersonations are both note perfect — with a clever dig at Morgan Wallen worked in there for good measure — but I just don’t understand why the cold opens have to be so long. I mean, I guess it’s a formula that has worked for 50 years, so what do I know, but if I were running things, we’d trim 2 or 3 minutes off the cold opens.
Grade: B+
Fittingly, Jack Black sings his way through the monologue, detailing his career since he last hosted, some 20 years ago. It’s big Jack Black energy, which, depending on your tolerance for Jack Black, mileage may vary. Personally, I like Jack Black in moderate doses, and this monologue felt very on-brand to me.
Oh, and yes, that was Bill Burr and Kieran Culkin in the audience:
View on Threads
Grade: A-
On a Dating Game-style show, in which a woman has to pick a date sight unseen, Jack Black is a potential suitor who is dressed in Indiana Jones cosplay, but argues with the exasperated host that he’s never heard of Indiana Jones. It works thanks to Jack Black goofiness and Andrew Dismuke’s increasingly irate game show host.
Grade: A
It’s a commercial for a new Flamin’ Hot product — one that gives even Chester Cheetah pause.
Grade: A
A group of old friends get together for dinner, and attempt to one-up each other over what good people they are — that’s the set-up. But the joke is entirely based on the faces they pull while mugging for the camera, which nearly breaks the cast on numerous occasions.
Grade: B
Here, the very first play in Ancient Greece is imagined, but because it’s the very first play, the audience has no idea how any of it works and reacts accordingly.
Grade: B+
This is a whole-ass Reggae song about how island natives make themselves feel better by laughing at miserable Goth kids on vacation with their families. They manage to work Jack Black into the song with a full-on My Chemical Romance tribute. Perfect, no notes.
Grade: A+
“Weekend Update” comes for Trump and his tariffs, RFK Jr., Morgan Wallen, and Cory Booker. But they also make fun of SNL itself, by including a now thoroughly damning clip of previous host Russell Brand introducing former musical guest, Chris Brown. Yikes.
Grade: A
Marcello Hernandez and Jane Wickline return as the Couple You Can’t Believe Are Together to offer relationship tips. I know Marcello is a huge fan-favorite, but it’s Wickline’s dry delivery that makes this entire bit.
Grade: A
On the news that the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has fired Amber Ruffin as the comedic host, Ego Nwodim auditions to roast the dinner — as in the food — itself. In doing so, she channels her inner 1990’s Showtime at the Apollo comedian to hilarious results, including inducing the audience to yell out the word, “SHIT!” It is an amazing moment, one that will be remembered.
Ego got the audience to say "shit" live on SNL. 🤣
— Marielle (@nolachick.bsky.social) 2025-04-06T04:59:21.310Z
Grade: A+
Jack Black and Sarah Sherman (and later Bowen Yand and Brandi Carlile) sing a song about having sex all while being suspended on cables for some reason.
Grade: B-
And then we start getting into the weeds here with this bit about a jam band playing Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin'” but with entirely too much bass guitar. Props to Heidi Gardner’s fake boobs, though, they steal the show.
Grade: B-
Hey, you know the famous picture of the soldier kissing the nurse in Times Square after World War II ended? Yeah, her boyfriend was right there and he was pissed. It’s easily the worst sketch of the night mostly because it’s so boring — all that manic Jack Black energy was missing here.
Grade: C+
They would have been better off going with this animated short that was cut for time:
Final Grade: A very solid A.
Saturday Night Live airs at 10:30/11:30 p.m. Saturdays on NBC and streams on Peacock.
Absolutely wonderful SNL!! I had a smile on my face throughout the whole show.
P.S. Your recap was Great!!!