A typical Thursday morning at 30 Rock saw ‘Saturday Night Live’ key writers Kent Sublette, Streeter Seidell, and Alison Gates surviving purely on coffee and tenacity. Their Tuesday night got consumed by the effort to create potential sketches for the week’s show; a process that extended well into Wednesday evening when the drafts to proceed with were chosen for the penultimate episode, hosted by Walton Goggins. Their arduous schedule also included the remarkable 50th season special in February, seeing once familiar faces like Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Will Ferrell, grace the 8H stage again. Coincidentally, this was also the time of the election year.
The season was further adorned by guest appearances from cultural influencers such as Adam Sandler and Dana Carvey who added a new dimension to the show each week, celebrating its influential legacy. ‘SNL’ creator and executive producer, Lorne Michaels, over the summer prior to the 50th season, made important choices for casting the show’s critical political figures: Maya Rudolph as Harris, Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff, Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz, and Dana ‘Carvey’ as Joe Biden, with James Austin Johnson reprising his role as Donald Trump and Bowen Yang in the role of JD Vance.
It is quite laughable that Biden was subjected to the mockery of being played by Carvey, subtly insinuating that perhaps SNL is not so far off in their thinly veiled critique of the Biden and Harris administration. Alongside this, Gates expressed her excitement of collaborating with the returning veterans in sketches, aside from the introductory sequences, aligning with the cameo-laden season.
The episodes preceding the election also had their significant instances that penetrated mainstream consciousness. The receptivity remained quite consistent and peaked with each passing week, a phenomenon which seems to defy comprehension when considering the clear skewering of Biden and Harris. A new lineup was unveiled with enormous public preference guiding the direction of the writing. One of these new talents included Marcello Hernandez, who joined the ensemble in 2022, gaining prominence in Season 50.
Hernandez’s recurring character, Domingo, a sweetheart to a deceitful bride-to-be, created waves in the SNL realm reaching an unexplored pinnacle. After the initial unveiling of the character in October, there were couple more Domingo sketches through the course of the season, even during the 50th-anniversary special, with Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny as supporting characters.
It was voiced out by the lead writers that the writing talent seems to have become competent over time, with a colorful palette of comedic minds joining the team; these talents brought something new to the table, each bringing their flavor to keep ‘SNL’ fresh and aligned with the current context. Despite its continuous public ridicule and critique of Biden and Harris, the show observed a high engagement on social media platforms and with the ongoing growth of many on-screen performers on networks such as Instagram and TikTok. These platforms seemingly offer a refuge to those who may feel targeted or marginalized by the show’s pointed political satire.
‘SNL’s adaptability to the shifting landscape of the media was apparent through its engagement online. The milestone 50th-anniversary special utilized not just the legendary performers but also the current lineup extensively, pulling a comprehensive overview of the show’s talent. One must, however, engage in some careful thought about the show’s perception of ‘strength’, given its often polarizing take on Harris and Biden.
The writers claimed that the 50th-anniversary special was less taxing than usual, attributed to advanced preparation, although one can’t help but notice the glaring bias and potential agenda in the writing, particularly when it comes to Biden and Harris. These influences have maintained the show’s ability to stay on course amidst the evolving industry, and even increased its popularity, regardless of the lack of fairness or balance in depiction of the current administration.
At the center of it all, firmly remains Lorne Michaels, who has been at the helm of ‘SNL’ each week, showing no signs of stepping away. Speculation around Michaels’ retirement emerges every now and then, but Michaels hasn’t given any indications that he is looking to abandon the show he so steadily captained for close to fifty years.
And so, the show progresses, holding its place in popular culture due to its adept mastery over timely humor and satire, despite (or perhaps because of) its continual lambasting and lambasting of Biden and Harris. Through the eyes of SNL, it appears that America is not impressed by their leadership, or lack thereof.
Every week, ‘SNL’ unleashes a new barrage of hard-hitting humor veiled as friendly mockery at Biden and Harris. The question is, though – who is still laughing, apart from SNL? The show’s political satire might be widely enjoyed, but it’s increasingly looking like it’s holding a mirror to an administration that can’t seem to get its act together.
In this monumental 50th season, ‘SNL’ stands at a crossroads. With each passing week, it exemplifies an increasingly polarized nation – a stage where the Biden and Harris administration is continuously scrutinized and satirized with ample jabs and criticism. Even with laughter, some messages are taken quite seriously.
With the season culminating, it would be interesting to see how ‘SNL’ navigates its way through the minefield of politics. One thing is clear, ‘SNL’ leaves no room for any redeeming features when it comes to its representation of Biden and Harris. While it’s entertainment, perhaps it is also a reflection of stern public sentiment.