Saturday Night Live returned with a Thanksgiving episode that proved to be dominated by one major theme: the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal and its political ramifications. Making his hosting debut, Glen Powell brought his signature charm to an episode that repeatedly circled back to the week's biggest news story.
Political Satire Takes Centre Stage
The episode opened with a cold take on the recent release of Epstein-related emails by Congress, immediately setting the tone for what would become the night's throughline. Ashley Padilla appeared as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, attempting to deflect reporters' questions by insisting "there was no news this week, nothing happening with the president."
James Austin Johnson's Donald Trump then took the podium, delivering what has become his signature impression. The former president attempted to distance himself from Epstein, claiming he barely knew the disgraced financier despite "thousands of pictures of us together dancing and grinding our teeth at various parties." The sketch also parodied former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly's controversial comments about Epstein.
Glen Powell's Charming Hosting Debut
Glen Powell made his first appearance as SNL host, acknowledging that while some might be tired of seeing his face recently, "one person isn't: Your mom." The actor, who currently stars in both television series Chad Powers and film The Running Man, shared his journey to the A-list.
In a particularly heartwarming moment, Powell recounted how his original SNL hosting gig four years earlier was postponed due to Top Gun: Maverick's schedule changes. He and his family had celebrated the initial news by taking a selfie with a random UPS driver named Mitch. Powell managed to track down Mitch and fly him to the studio to recreate the selfie on stage.
Standout Sketches and Returning Favourites
The episode featured several memorable sketches beyond the political opening:
- AI Thanksgiving Horror: Siblings surprise their grandmother with AI-animated old photos that become increasingly disturbing
- I Miss My Ex's Dad: A country ballad about missing former girlfriends' cool fathers
- Sebastian Maniscalco Cameo: A bachelor party disrupted by the loud comedian's unexpected appearance
- MacGruber Returns: Will Forte revived his cult character in multiple sketches involving the Epstein files
Weekend Update tackled the week's biggest stories head-on, with Colin Jost noting that legal experts are calling the Epstein revelations "Duh" in terms of their obvious nature. Michael Che speculated about the identity of "Bubba" mentioned in one infamous email.
Mixed Success in Comedy Variety
Not every sketch landed equally well. A military-themed piece featuring the "Slay Division" divided audiences with its theatrical energy, likely appealing more to Gen Z viewers than older demographics. However, Ashley Padilla delivered standout performances, particularly in a Friendsgiving sketch about a terrible haircut where her barely-contained emotional breakdown provided some of the episode's funniest moments.
The episode wrapped with a third MacGruber installment where the character finally admitted his connection to the Epstein list, claiming he was merely "a ground-crew worker on Epstein's plane" who serviced aircraft and sold "low-grade cocaine and some crystal" to powerful people.
Despite being billed as a Thanksgiving episode, this installment will be remembered as the Epstein-focused show, combining sharp political satire with Glen Powell's capable hosting and the welcome return of MacGruber to create one of the strongest episodes of the young season.
