Colman Domingo Makes Saturday Night Live Hosting Debut in Season's Top Episode
Colman Domingo, the two-time Oscar nominee, took the stage as host of Saturday Night Live for the first time, ushering in an unusually strong and hilarious episode. Known for roles in projects like the upcoming controversial Michael Jackson biopic, Domingo brought a natural ease and theatrical flair that immediately set him apart as the season's best host to date.
Cold Open Skewers Trump and Political Chaos
The episode kicked off with a cold open set in the Oval Office, featuring James Austin Johnson as President Trump dictating an insane, Islamophobic Truth Social post to press secretary Karoline Leavitt, played by Ashley Padilla. Trump's absurdity was on full display as he reassured her with a laugh line about firing staff, breaking the fourth wall to note that all three characters were portrayed by Ashley. The sketch then escalated with calls to Tiger Woods, played by Kenan Thompson, and a bizarre conversation with Melania, portrayed by Chloe Fineman, who announced a random speech denying Epstein victimhood. Finally, Trump turned to the war with Iran, calling Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, played by Colin Jost, who bragged about obliterating Iran while suggesting drafting 40-year-olds to fight millennial cringe. The president revealed his secret weapon: JD Vance, sent to bore Iranians into submission.
With the past week's insanity, SNL had ample material to cover, though the cold open felt rushed, lacking depth in any single headline. Nonetheless, it set a sharp, satirical tone for the night.
Domingo's Charismatic Monologue and Sketch Highlights
Colman Domingo's monologue showcased his impressive resume, from Fear the Walking Dead to Star Wars, and his ability to set a great vibe. He proved this by transforming the studio into a sexy mood, making the audience swoon and even elevating Jeremy Culhane's dweeby charm. Domingo's comfort on stage was palpable, as if he had hosted multiple times before.
Interestingly, while Domingo mentioned his role in HBO's Euphoria, there was no reference to his upcoming part in the Michael Jackson biopic, a curious omission given the controversy surrounding it.
The sketches that followed were a mix of hits and misses. In a New York news program parody, a bank robbery in the fashion district led to interviews with style-obsessed students and a bitchy professor, played by Domingo, who focused on the suspect's fashion crimes rather than the actual crime. This character was a standout, adding fresh humor to the show.
Another sketch, Black Barbershops, offered an alternative therapy for depressed white guys, blending ball busting and bad haircuts with surprisingly effective results. However, a NASA video log sketch fell flat, with Domingo's astronaut interrupted by goofy crew antics involving zero-gravity shenanigans, feeling dull and overlong.
Absurdist Gems and Weekend Update Laughs
The Knowledge Hour, a cult classic PBS spoof, featured Domingo as a Jonathan Frakes-like host revealing that most of the set was people disguised as objects. The absurdity spiraled into a surprise same-sex marriage, a rare mid-episode placement for such a quirky sketch.
After musical guest Anitta performed, Weekend Update brought laughs with guests like two rowdy school kids discussing inflation, who instead hit Colin Jost with Deez Nutz jokes, and Gen Z sexpert Lindt Greer, played by Jane Wickline, offering hilariously vague sex advice. Wickline's new character added a quirky, nervy energy to the segment.
Funeral Sketch and Nostalgic Parodies
At an open casket funeral, grandsons played by Marcello Hernández and Jeremy Culhane discovered their grandpa's secret life as a boy whore, greeted by pimps and prostitutes. The recurring gag of pimps recruiting Hernández while dismissing Culhane was solid gold.
A clunky Dead Poet's Society parody followed, with Domingo's professor failing to inject free-spirited ethos into math. The episode wrapped with a spoof of 90s YA series Animorphs, called Beastomorphs, featuring a teen stuck mid-morph after a sneeze-fart, offering a fun bit of scatological nostalgia.
Verdict: A Standout Episode with Domingo's Star Power
This episode stands as one of the strongest of the season, with Colman Domingo proving to be the best host so far. His theatrical style and range in playing wildly different characters made for a perfect fit with SNL's format. The show would be wise to invite him back next year, as his performance elevated the comedy to new heights.
