“Saturday Night Live” recap: Kristen Wiig enters 5-timers club with star-studded cameos galore

Paul Rudd, Paula Pell, Matt Damon, Jon Hamm, Will Forte, Martin Short, and Fred Armisen serenaded the new inductee. Oh, and Ryan Gosling.

You all know me. You know how I earn a livin'. I'll recap this episode for ya, but it ain't gonna be easy. It’s SNL in Review. [scratches fingernails against a chalkboard.]

Tonight, Kristen Wiig returns to host, as she has a new project over at Apple TV+, Palm Royale. Yes, this appearance ushers her into the show’s five-timers club - but let’s be honest, that distinction has never felt less consequential. Will the show check the box and acknowledge it in the monologue?

Some fans accuse the Bridesmaids star of shtick or self-indulgence as a performer, but it’s hard to deny her legacy on the show, at least as a cast member. She was a centerpiece the last time the show was truly firing on all cylinders.

Saturday Night Live alum Siobhan Fallon Hogan — whose film Shelter in Solitude is screening in DC at Catholic University’s campus on April 16 — says “Kristin Wiig's hilarious. I love that she is an upstate New York, Rochester gal. Being a Syracuse girl upstater, I am especially thrilled for her success.”

And former cast member Gary Kroeger concurs, telling me “Kristin Wiig is in the pantheon of the greatest SNL players of all time. Going back to the beginning, including John Belushi, through Eddie Murphy, to Phil Hartman, to Will Ferrell. Wiig is a comic genius.”

Raye is the musical guest here - let’s explore, shall we?

Cold Open

The March Madness post-game coverage on TBS. Charles Barkley (Kenan Thompson) is more comfortable discussing world affairs on CNN than watching this year’s NCAA tournament. This year’s women’s tournament is where it is at: Caitlin Clark is the big story, and making a lot of endorsements. “She is so cool!” The crowd loves this talk.

The men's teams this year are not nearly as fun. LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey (Heidi Gardner) is tough. But she’s also not watching.

And...that’s that? Gardner awkwardly enters the wide shot early for the LFNY. Not much of a Cold Open premise this week. Worth skipping this one, folks, unless you’ve really been loving this year’s March Madness coverage.

Monologue

Paul Rudd cameos to welcome Wiig into the Five-Timers Club! Paula Pell, former SNL writer playing an audience member, thinks it is sweet that Wiig is excited to get her jacket. Matt Damon messes up his math while also referencing his goofy Brett Kavanaugh impression. He’s hosted twice, but wearing a jacket — seems they are just giving these things away!

Wiig is concerned the jacket has lost all meaning. Jon Hamm, Fred Armisen, Will Forte, and Martin Short join the madness. “It’s not even that special,” Wiig laments. You know what? She's right!

There was a time when the show’s rituals — like joining the Five-Timers Club — carried a degree of fun (if not exactly weight). But in today’s rudderless, leaderless era, these elements of the show have become just so perfunctory. I know it, you know it, the show clearly knows it. The comedy equivalent of decades of scar tissue and cartilage, the show’s habits and superficial fan service increasingly challenge the entire purpose of being a live comedy show. As it approaches 50, it’s never been clearer that SNL may need some profound rejiggering or revamping to capture that je ne sais quoi — that danger that made it a cultural institution in the first place!

But hey, I’m being cranky. The song is fun. Watch this. And the show is being super meta: Jon Hamm whining that he hasn’t hosted in years; Martin Short, as always, stealing the moment by defending his pal Lorne (who can barely hold back laughter).

Stay til the end, friends — great final cameo! Good to see Lorne doing well, trying his hand at a bit of acting at this stage of the game.

"Jumanji"

Wiig is dating James Austin Johnson — she’s finally meeting his friends. Our man Dismukes suggests they play a new board game, Ticket to Ride. “No,” Wiig says. “I don’t...play board games.” She’s not afraid of playing them per se, she’s cautious about getting Jumanji’d. It’s a movie about a magical game — but she isn’t taking any risks.

There’s a very funny argument where (a hysterical) Dismukes and Wiig debate the meaning of Jumanji: It’s a jungle emergency! Or does the game come to you? Do you go into it?

Another fun ending, though I didn’t need the cameo. Wiig is the heir to Carol Burnett, but you don’t need to go full Carol Burnett, you know?

Watch it!

Trailer — "Pilates"

From the makers of Saw X, a terrifying spoof of pilates exercise classes! Love the vibe, the dialogue here.

“So hard but so boring,” warns Sarah Sherman. “You don’t understand, time is different in there.” The women are former dancers, first time moms, sometimes Kaia Gerber.

Finally a good role for Molly Kearney! Another great one — watch it!

"Secretary"

Wow, repeat character alert! We saw this back in the Pete Davidson episode. Trudy is the ultimate devoted executive assistant, even landing pratfalls in a way that conjure Farley. Tootie (Wiig) joins her. The banter is straight out of Howard Hawks.

Bowen Yang, Wiig, and Jon Hamm — channeling Don Draper — can barely suppress their laughs here. This is how I reviewed the first sketch FYI:

“Gardner sells it hard — literally, falling into a desk. It doesn't totally kill, but it's yet another example of Gardner bringing an original character. In a different era, she'd be one of the show's breakout players, easily.”

Is this Gardner’s Lisa from Temecula?

"Retirement Party"

Jerry (Thompson) from accounting is retiring. Bowen Yang takes the mic — he vamps and does his Yang thing.

The office musical improv troupe (Rudd, Punki Johnson, Chloe Fineman) appear, as does Fred Armisen. Wiig brings back her character from the "Retirement Party" skits during her run on the show (“Kissed me once one the mouth.") as does Forte. Meh, skip this one folks. Another familiar one, where it’s a rotation, everyone takes a turn. Endless.

I did enjoy Matt Damon referring to himself as the Hollywood actor from Legend of Bagger Vance.

Raye performs "Escapism"

“Escapism” was first released back in 2022 as the third single from Raye’s debut album My 21st Century Blues.

Raye has written for the likes of Beyoncé, including on Cowboy Carter. Bit of an Amy Winehouse vibe. 

Weekend Update

An earthquake happened in New York City — or did it? The earthquake (Marcello Hernandez) comes on to discuss the surprise and “chaos” he caused. “Did you just...feel something?” He punched the whole city in the face, causing minutes-long delays. He lands a great joke about New Jersey. Kenan plays the pending eclipse. I love when the Update commentaries takes on their own life, and become mini-sketches. They talk trash like it’s Wrestlemania. Really fun, check it out! NYC-specific humor!

Lots of Trump jokes. And a nice meta joke about Che and Diddy! Jost leaves him hanging.

Recurring character alert! Aunt Linda (Wiig) comes out to discuss hit movies. “Hello, Seth. Someone’s gotten some work done.” She is a bitter, angry, middle-aged film critic. Wiig's Aunt Linda appeared on "Weekend Update" six times, debuting in 2006 during Season 32 and making a final appearance in 2010. A lifetime in show years! Fun.

Aunt Linda is Wiig's favorite character from her time on SNL.

"Go-Karts"

Dismukes appreciates his parents (Wiig, Johnson) taking him to go carts. There’s been a delay — once it’s over, his parents have something awful to tell him. They keep debating and delaying the news, presumably regarding divorce. Things get serious.

This is a bit weak. It’s fine, but no need to click the play button.

Earlier this episode, JAJ and Wiig were merely dating ("Jumanji") and now they’re middle aged and at the end of love’s rainbow. Arcs!

Raye performs "Worth It" and "Let There Be Light"

“Worth It” is a happy little ditty. She asks if the person she loves will be worth giving up time for. She also jumps into “Let There Be Light” off her upcoming album. Lots of jazz scatting. 

"La Maison Du Bang!"

One of these — a public broadcasting host (Ego Nwodim) does a retrospective of an old program. Another familiar template of modern SNL, every cast member gets a moment to be special, including (briefly) Molly Kearney! French pop songs from the “swinging '70s” get spoofed as part of the old variety show La Maison Du Bang. Wiig’s pop star character steals the show. Otherwise, skip. 

Final thoughts

—Well, what did you think? Vote here! I was initially skeptical going in, but there was a stretch during tonight’s episode that rivals anything they’ve done all season. Especially after last week’s clunker of a show, they brought it. Lorne clearly still loves Wiig. Everyone is wearing the jackets during the goodnights. They know!

—Speaking of, last week’s episode, while not the worst in the show’s history, might be one of the dullest of the season. Here’s a stat to chew on, for better or worse: the poll results for Ramy Youssef, while respectable, attracted the worst total numbers of season 49.

—So so many cameos tonight. Including Gosling! I guess it was justified...right?

—No Target Lady? Huh.

—This weekend is the final episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. (It’s a show from former SNL writer Larry David, FYI.) I spoke with Gary Kroeger about his time on the show a few years back: “First, it seems impossible that Curb has been around for 24 years! I was on the show in season 4 and it was already established back then. I, like a lot of other people, have been addicted to Larry. I'm also addicted to the other characters and their relationships. I even had a dream the other night that I was Jeff Garlin's best friend and we hung out just as he and Larry do on the show.... I'll continue to binge watch old episodes and so Curb will continue to be around in the same way that I still go back to Game Of Thrones.” Suzie Essman is going to be a guest on his podcast "The Gary and Kenny Show."

—Speaking of Curb, smart SNL in Review devotees will recall this clip I posted from another past SNL writer: JB Smoove!

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