SNL Scorecard: Kristen Stewart / Coldplay
SNL hosts come in many shapes and sizes, but the best kinds are the comedic surprises. I swear I just came up with that rhyme now, and it was unintentional, but I think it should be an official mantra. Kristen Stewart, I suppose, may not truly count as a surprise success as host, since we had precedent with her appearance in 2017.
Still, it’s hard to overstate just how surprising it is that she was a. so good in the first place and b. invited back a couple seasons later. Not only is her filmography is almost entirely Drama, Stewart is notoriously awkward, and enjoys shying away from the limelight. Yet, her last time out resulted in one of the very best episodes of Season 43, helped in no small part by her accidental f-bomb on live television during her monologue. Contrary to her prediction in the immediate wake of that flub, she was in fact invited back to host, and did nearly as stellar a job this time around, too.
Episode 5 did nothing to buck the trend of the season so far, indulging in thoroughly bizarre sketches, and drawing them out to both wonderful comedic and dramatic purpose. Unlike the previous three episodes, the writing did unfortunately run out of a steam pretty starkly near the end of this one, but on the whole, it was yet another solid and enjoyable outing from the host, cast, and musical guest.
Here's the sketch-by-sketch breakdown of the 5th episode of the season:
Sketch of the Night
“New Paint”: 7/10
My brother, as avid an SNL fan as I am, texted me in the wake of this skit his theory that “before the season, Lorne pulled Aidy, Beck, and Kyle into a room and told them to write every skit and just have fun with it.” I’m inclined to agree, because once again, the highlight of the entire night was when one of the cast members (Aidy Bryant in this case) was allowed to just go nuts. But let’s not overlook the drama of this skit, too! This felt like a Tennessee Williams play, a one-woman comedy act, and a Farrow & Ball commercial all in one.
The Good
“Weekend Update": 7.5/10
It’s been a good year for Weekend Update so far, and this was probably the best installment yet. Che and Jost have really settled into a groove this season, though the latter needs to tone down the incessant cracking up at jokes throughout the set; considering he’s definitely heard them before, it comes off as a little played-up. Anyways, aiding their strong outing were solid guest appearances; first came Melissa Villaseñor, whose “Kid Genius” didn’t entirely hit the mark, but played off of Heidi Gardner’s stage mom really well. But the stars of the segment were (surprise surprise!) Bryant and Kate McKinnon, who brought back their meat-selling characters to hilarious fashion.
“Elizabeth Warren Town Hall Cold Open": 7/10
Finally, an entire sketch with Kate McKinnon’s Elizabeth Warren! The people wanted it, and it delivered. McKinnon’s impression is so endearing and ridiculous, and it brought great energy to the opener. I’m very excited that SNL has had a couple solid Cold Opens this season. Time will tell whether this is going to be the trend heading into the Election year. Here’s hoping. (One last note: Cecily Strong’s “I work for Kamala Harris, but I’m still undecided” was at once hilarious and also a devastating commentary on Harris’ campaign.)
"Rosie the Riveter": 7/10
Sometimes I love trying to figure out where ideas for sketches come from, and this was another one of those where I’m really curious what about the Rosie the Riveter poster caused a writer at SNL to formulate these accompanying characters. Rosie. Stewart, McKinnon and Bryant were just hysterical, especially when pitching their poster idea. The writers appeared to be unsure of how to close this one, which was unfortunate, but only slightly took away from an otherwise hilarious sketch.
“Duolingo for Talking to Children": 6.5/10
I had never thought of someone having this affliction, but it is totally a real thing, and I have a mild case of it. Other than the monologue, which was really just Stewart being herself, this was probably the best use of the host all night.
“Monologue": 6/10
No F-bombs this time, sadly, but Kristen Stewart still handled the monologue more comfortably than you might expect, and the twist on the traditional Q&A format was a nice touch. It ended abruptly and somewhat strangely, but better that than overstaying its welcome, I suppose.
“Hungry Jury": 6/10
I’m kind of amazed this got aired. What a weird idea. Not to mention dumb and juvenile, and- OKAY I CRY-LAUGHED THROUGH THE WHOLE THING. I LIKE BODILY HUMOR, I’M SORRY.
“Hero Dog Press Conference”: 6/10
This was the 2nd episode of the last 3 that featured dogs and already half the episodes this season have involved animals live on set. Without fail, the animals have not entirely cooperated, leading to cast members breaking. I’m not complaining, especially because the good boy who was playing the hero dog was so cute, I just find it an interesting recurring choice. The dog was the best part of this decent sketch, but Cecily Strong’s delivery was pretty terrific as well.
“Corporate Nightmare Song”: 6/10
Not particularly memorable, but funny, and certainly down a trip down memory lane for me. It’s like the progression of my 6th grade-11th grade years were all encapsulated in one song.
The Less-Good
“A Proposition”: 4.5/10
This was close to being really good, but just didn’t quite get there. I enjoyed Kenan and Ego Nwodim’s characters being oblivious church-going social conservatives in a swinger club, but Stewart’s personality in her character just didn’t really keep any momentum going, even in a comedic sense. And the twist at the end was a little too predictable; I kind of wish Nwodim and Thompson had stayed in the same character for the entirety of the sketch.
“Stargazer Hike”: 4.5/10
This definitely felt like it was going for a “Lovahs in the Hot Tub” vibe, but just didn’t work to the same effect. It wasn’t without funny moments, but I kind of think you need the full commitment of a Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch to pull this off.
Musical Performances
Coldplay: 7.5/10
Coldplay, one of the biggest and most divisive bands in the World, made their 6th appearance on the Studio 30 stage. Regardless of your opinion on them (and full disclosure, I am a fan) , the lads always know how to put on a show. Their first performance, of their new album’s lead single “Orphans,” was testament to that. Chris Martin, strumming and singing all the way from the dressing rooms up to the stage, engaged the crowd with a singing dance crew behind the band and all sounded terrific throughout.
Their 2nd song, a debut of the upcoming album’s title track “Everyday Life,” was much more the Coldplay that most of the country are used to hearing. It was still a pleasant stripped-down experience, and the song has a worthwhile message, but especially so late in the show, didn’t quite get the heads nodding and feet stomping that their first song did.
OVERALL SCORE: 6.29 (Comedy Only score: 6.18)