Adam Driver's Splendid Saturday Night Live Serves Up Plenty Of Holiday Hilarity
Following Emma Stone's outstanding "Saturday Night Live" last weekend, the bar was set pretty high for the penultimate episode of 2023. However, this weekend didn't bring your average "SNL" host to the stage in Studio 8H in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. This episode was hosted by none other than Adam Driver, who has become one of the best hosts in recent memory. Whenever Driver comes to "Saturday Night Live," his impressive acting chops make him a comedic powerhouse, as he leans into each and every character he plays in such an authentic way that you can't help but laugh. It's the same kind of talent you see from someone like Emma Stone or Ryan Gosling, so the anticipation was up there.
Thankfully, Adam Driver's latest hosting stint on "Saturday Night Live" was filled with plenty of holiday hilarity, almost to the point where it felt like a full-on Christmas episode. Drive didn't have to dig into the "Star Wars" well for sketch inspiration this time, and instead, we were given a series of splendid original sketches
What was the best sketch of the night?
There are so many get-togethers over the holidays, and everyone knows what it's like to see that charming but faux politeness everyone puts on at these little events. In this case, that adorable kindness that is so typical of the Midwest is challenged when two mustachioed dads (Adam Driver and Andrew Dismukes) accidentally clash when they bring a dish to the food table at the same time. Each of them offers up a cutesy "beep beep," like a car trying to gently make their way through, but neither one is budging.
You can't help but laugh watching Driver and Dismukes become gradually more frustrated with each other, saying "beep beep" in a progressively more perturbed fashion before it turns into a full blown face-off. The fact that the argument includes detailing why these kinds of exchanges are typically viewed as innocuous makes it even more funny. This is one of those instances where Driver's dedication to the character shines, because even though what he's doing is funny, unlike Dismukes (who is still great in this sketch), it's clear he's not trying for the laughs. They make for a perfect comedic balance between the two, and it makes the sketch work phenomenally.
How was the rest of the episode?
ShopTV Christmas – "SNL" did bring back one recurring sketch, but it's not one you would have anticipated. After using the ShopTV framing for a sketch in Jerrod Carmichael's episode, it's back for a holiday-themed version with Adam Driver selling a delicious chocolate Santa Claus. This time, it's Heidi Gardner alongside Mikey Day as the segment's hosts, and they're certainly taken aback when they see the shape of the chocolate Santa being sold. Double entendres and sexual insinuations are almost always going to be funny in sketches like this, but for me, it's Driver's gleeful innocence about the whole thing that really sells it. The way he cluelessly talks about gobbling down this chocolate Santa had me rolling, and when Day looks concerned about giving it a little nibble, I had another good laugh. Plus, I love that they brought back the screaming sound effect gag from the first iteration.
Old Friends – In a pre-recorded sketch, the warmth that comes from reconnecting with old friends from back home after spending years apart is tested when Jake (Mikey Day) reaches out to his old buddy Keith (Adam Driver) after 15 years. Of course, things take a turn when Jake realizes what kind of person Keith has become in the years since they've seen each other, and the text thread gets more than concerning. We've all had that moment when we realize someone we used to know has turned into a psychopath, and this hits the nail right on the head. However, I don't think we're always fortunate enough to realize it before an awkward in-person encounter. While the ending of this sketch is a little odd, the basis for its inclusion is sound, because Facebook has certainly made it easier to see which people you used to know have become insane.
Airplane Baby – In what feels like the 10-to-1 sketch of the night, Adam Driver plays an infant taking a flight for the first time alongside his mother (Sarah Sherman). The rest of the airline passengers are appropriately concerned, because Driver is playing a baby who has a grown man's head and seems to be able to communicate in full sentences, and his mother has just accepted it. Honestly, I could watch an entire movie with Driver doing what is the equivalent of "Look Who's Talking," but with the adding bonus of seeing Driver's head attached to an infant body and actually speaking out loud for everyone to hear. Of course, Kenan Thompson's reactions are perfect, but again, it's Driver who brings the goods and makes this sketch land. Probably could have done without yet another unnecessary advertisement ending to this sketch, but that's just an "SNL" trope that sneaks in there.
College Presidents Cold Open – Meanwhile, on the lowest end of the spectrum, we have another bad political cold open. This is particularly upsetting since last week's cold open actually managed to be good. But in this case, I just don't think the source material offers up enough comedic potential. It's a shame too, because featured player Chloe Troast is giving everything she's got to impersonating this politician in question, and in any other sketch, it might have been funnier, but it seems like even the audience wasn't digging this one. Maybe it's because they were distracted by the prop gaffe of having the wrong nametags in front of Heidi Gardner and Chloe Fineman. Whoops!
As for the rest of the other sketches, we got a solid one with Adam Driver and Bowen Yang as a gay couple revealing that they're going to be trying for a baby the old fashioned way, as well as a decent pre-recorded sketch about old people frustrated about being used in TikTok prank videos. There was also a live commercial for "Tiny Ass Bags," which felt like something from the '90s that Chris Kattan might have starred in, and it might have overstayed its welcome a bit. However, Driver's role as the less flamboyant Kevin kept it more amusing than it otherwise might have been.
How was Adam Driver as an SNL host this time?
What can we say about Adam Driver that hasn't already been said? My only complaint is that I wish he was able to host "Saturday Night Live" more often. But then again, having him come by every now and then makes it a real treat when he gets to host. Even without a Kylo Ren "Undercover Boss" sketch to seal the deal, Driver was a pleasure to watch on "SNL" again. Right from the opening monologue, Driver just feels at home. Not every host is comfortable doing a musical gag like this, especially since Driver is actually playing the piano, which makes the entire bit feel much more genuine. Honestly, this had a similar vibe to "Steve Martin's Holiday Wish," a seasonal favorite that gets played pretty much every year in the collection of Christmas sketches, and that's a real compliment. Please, come back to "SNL" anytime, Adam Driver.
Weekend Update has been getting better
For some reason, Weekend Update hasn't felt as strong this season. I don't know if Colin Jost and Michael Che are getting sick of it, if the writers just haven't been on their game, or what the deal is here. But this Weekend Update felt like a return to form for the most part, especially with the kind of groans that Che was getting for some of his jokes, couple with Che's own reaction to their reception.
On top of that, following last weekend's fantastic appearance by Michael Longfellow at the Weekend Update desk, Marcello Hernandez got a chance to strut his stuff with this bit. The energy he brought to the desk ended up being better than the actual material, but the way he sold it and interacted with Jost allowed it to be a fairly funny appearance. Plus, I liked the meta acknowledgement of the fact that Hernandez was using stand-up material to drive this bit.
But wait, there's more!
Typically, after a new episode of "Saturday Night Live," airs, there are one or two sketches that end up online that were cut for time. However, there hasn't been a single sketch that was cut for time that made it online this season until now. Typically, you can see why a cut sketch didn't make it into an episode. Sometimes, it's literally cut for time because it would make the episode too long, either because the other sketches are better or because it just doesn't fit within the confines of the episode with the other sketches. That means sometimes these sketches are very funny, and it's a real bummer when you see great sketches cut in favor of sketches that didn't hit their mark.
First up, the sketch above, titled "Court Case," is hilarious, and I wish it would have made it into the show. But at six minutes long, especially with that slow lead in to the driving force of the sketch's premiere, it's easy to understand why it didn't make the cut. Having said that, I absolutely loved this sketch. It's perfectly absurd, uses Kenan Thompson's greatest comedic gift of bringing reality to a situation in a hilarious way, and it's maybe the best example of how Driver's acting ability enhances the comedy of any given sketch.
Secondly, though not as strong, "Actor's Journey" feels like it was inspired by awards season screenings with Q&A's involving the filmmakers and stars. In this case, we have Dismukes as an actor talking about his humble beginnings, living in a crappy apartment, but the landlord of his old stomping grounds happens to be in the audience and doesn't appreciate being painted with such a harsh brush. He's not the only one from the past who's there either, as a colorful assembly of characters from that apartment complex are also in attendance. The escalation is funny, and I'm glad that Driver wasn't the one in the actor's chair, which would have likely been the role for less capable hosts.
Anyway, that's all for Adam Driver's wholly satisfying episode of "Saturday Night Live," which may be just behind Emma Stone's in the rankings so far. We'll be back next week after the final episode of 2023, which will be hosted by former cast member Kate McKinnon. As always, for more on new episodes of "SNL," be sure to subscribe to The Ten to One Podcast, wherever podcasts are available.