The season finale of Saturday Night Live's 51st season kicks off in the Oval Office. President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson), fresh from a three-day diplomatic visit to China, commiserates with his vice-president, JD Vance (Jeremy Culhane). Trump apologizes for not taking Vance along, explaining that "I didn't want to."
After giving Vance the boot, Trump takes a nap using a gold bar gifted by Sweden as a pillow. He is visited by the ghost of his friend Jeffrey Epstein (host Will Ferrell). Epstein has been busy in hell playing mahjong with Stalin and John Wayne Gacy, and writing for the Netflix Roast of Kevin Hart. Epstein shows Trump visions of the future: Kristi Noem (Ashley Padilla) hawking vacuum cleaners, Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) and Kash Patel (Aziz Ansari) hosting a podcast after the Iran war. Epstein reminds Trump that people will always associate him with Trump. They sing Just the Two of Us before almost kissing.
Clever Opening and Strong Sketches
In a clever opening, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, a Ferrell doppelganger, attempts to hijack the show. Ferrell kicks him off and takes audience questions, with musical guest Paul McCartney front row. McCartney confuses Ferrell for Smith, telling him to get behind the drums.
Ferrell plays a doctor informing a patient (Mikey Day) and his wife (Padilla) that appendix surgery went well, but "some wires got crossed and I accidentally removed your penis." The sketch relies on the premise and Day's breaking.
A new Midnight Matinee short from Dan Bulla is a musical spin on the Battle of Helm's Deep from Lord of the Rings. Ferrell plays a Hobbit who volunteers for a suicide mission but betrays his band to join the orcs. He is beheaded after revealing the location of women and children.
Weekend Update and Joke Swap
On Weekend Update, Jost and Che sign off with their annual joke swap. Che gives Jost offensive racist material, but Jost hits back with jokes about Che dating a little boy and defending Michael Jackson. They almost have a barber shave Jost's head but relent at the last moment.
Day and Padilla play a couple at an auto repair shop. Mechanics (Ferrell, McCartney, Marcello Hernández) suggest rebuilding the car, speaking incomprehensibly. They agree on a price, but the mechanics demand the husband "pay in ass." The sketch ends darkly.
Final Sketches and Cameos
The show wraps with a young woman (Veronika Slowikowska) introducing her beau (Andrew Dismukes) to her family. Ferrell's dad turns around, revealing leather bra and panties. The sight gag earns laughs, but the rest is forgettable.
While SNL didn't give Ferrell enough one-on-one time with cast members like Sherman and Padilla, his strong hosting, the clever opening, delightful cameos, and two McCartney performances make this an above-average close to an above-average season. The new cast is coming into their own, promising an interesting 52nd season.
