SNL is always quick to capitalize on what’s popular, and in this case, they were wise to pick up on The Batman hype by having Zoë Kravitz (a.k.a. Catwoman) host. While it’s always hit-or-miss whether a host with a non-comedy background will do well, Kravitz pretty much fit right in, as she never broke and added a dry, subtle wit to every skit she was in.
That said, as always, some sketches were better than others. Here are the best sketches from Kravitz’s night, ranked from worst to best.
Please Don’t Destroy: We Got Her a Cat
All you have to do is visit the SNL subreddit to know that opinions on PDD are … contentious, to say the least. In ranking these sketches, I tried to look at this individual skit objectively and found that it just didn’t really have anything to offer to the episode.
The writing was frenetic, the premise a little too “random” for modern standards, and much of the skit seemed to hinge on the assumption that we were already familiar with, and endeared to, PDD. Hopefully, we’ll get there someday, but most audience members probably don’t even know their names yet. It just felt a little gratuitous and odd, but at least Kravitz seemed to be having fun.
Can I Talk to You (Cut for Time)
I get why this one was cut. It felt a little … too close to home, you know? The gags weren’t really gags, just mild observations about two creeps at a gas station, and the ramping-up of absurdities felt cheap. Although I did laugh at Mikey Day peeing himself.
Not much to say about this one otherwise, it was just kind of boring. All explosions considered.
Princess & the Frog
Ahh, yes, another “penis joke” sketch. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a good penis joke, I’m no prude, but this joke just went on way too long. The entire sketch was dedicated to one bit: “Did you know male frogs have no genitalia? Wow! Sucks for you, Tiana.”
Not only is it a little heteronormative, but it just got boring and overused well within the first minute—which is a shame, considering The Princess & The Frog is a great movie to use for a sketch. I thought they were going to do something with the recent dialogue surrounding how Tiana and Naveen barely got any screentime as humans. But, nope. Penis.
Don’t Stop Believin’ (Marching Band)
Oh, boy. It would seem the band kids mutinied and stole the writing room from the theater kids, just for this one skit. I say this with no malice, just with the passing thought, halfway through the sketch, that I’d probably enjoy this one more if I hadn’t quit band activities when I was fourteen.
So, in that vein, this is a great sketch for band kids! It hits all the right notes and conveys their chaotic-neutral energies perfectly. But for viewers who can’t relate, it’s just one mildly annoying gag “that goes on, and on, and on, and on.” Bowen and Kravitz were pretty cute together, though.
White House TikTok Meeting Cold Open
When it tries to mock Gen Z phenomena, SNL is either hilarious or agonizing to watch. In this case, the cold open veered ever-so-slightly towards the latter. While they got the trends down pat (trends which, all things considered, really deserve a good ribbing), it all still fell a little flat.
However, the “Charles D’Amelio” bit was great, and it was refreshing to see Melissa Villasenor play a role in a cold open. Plus, James Austin Johnson is just an endlessly entertaining impressionist, and his portrayal of Ol’ Joe was fairly spot-on. The real showstopper here though, was Bowen and his plunger-nipple, which became an actor of its own right.
Old Home Movies
Damn, Kenan! I didn’t even realize he was faking the fast-forwarding until halfway through the sketch when the audience started applauding him for it. The talent! You could tell he was having fun with it, too, the way he was playing with the things on the desk and smiling all the while.
Aside from that, while the premise of the sketch was silly, it wasn’t all that captivating. I wanted to laugh at what the dad had to say, but it started to feel like I was just waiting for the dad to speak in general and couldn’t care less about the other jokes in the sketch.
Maid of Honor
Oh, I love sketches that focus on women’s friendships in the silliest ways possible. This sketch was so delightful and ridiculous, I just had a constant grin the entire way through. Kravitz and Cecily were so on-point too, never missing a beat or breaking, which is impressive given the things they were saying.
Somehow, they managed to make god-like levels of debauchery sound cute and nostalgic, which is what everyone deserves in a friendship. Plus, it’s always great to see dear old Kyle have some screentime—and on that note, he played the straight-man so well, I almost forgot he never plays the straight-man!
Word Crunch
Full disclosure, the only reason this sketch gets a leg up on the previous sketch is because of “Mom Hole.” I hate admitting that. “Mom Hole” is such a nasty, juvenile thing to have to write. And yet, it was so, so funny, especially coming from Zoë Kravitz.
I love how irate they made her—that instead of being apologetic or embarrassed, she was indignant about her word crunches. It just made the premise even funnier, especially coupled with Sarah Squirm’s (neé Sherman) character shouting proudly in the background. “I wrote what, I know!” Oh, man.
Amazon Go
Sometimes, sketches are fun to watch simply because of the premise, and they don’t need big, outlandish gags to run on. This was one such sketch, even though it touched on a sensitive subject.
More and more, it feels like we’re living in a dystopian technocracy, the likes of which clash with pre-existing fears and conventions. This sketch playfully touches on this, showing how, while non-BIPOC shoppers might delight in just taking things and going, BIPOC shoppers can’t really feel comfortable doing so. It was done without resorting to cheap jabs and offensive humor, thanks in large part to being written by Vanessa Jackson.
Weekend Update
It’s Weekend Update, guys, it’s never not good. Lately, it’s a little disappointing how short these segments have been getting, but Che and Jost are still experts at packing in the best comedic bits.
And wow, Alex Moffat—it’s a wonder he’s still so underrated when all his Update appearances are so magically unhinged. He’s so good at hilarious, long-winded monologues, I found myself cry-laughing at his slow descent into madness.
Porch Scene
The last time Kate and Aidy played awkward teenage boys was delightful, so a return to this premise was already fated to be the best sketch of the night. It was only enhanced by Kate’s monologue flub earlier, which was understandable, as I would probably panic too if I was standing next to Zoë Kravitz.
There are no words to describe the degree to which this bit just works. Kate and Aidy nail their impressions of young boys, and the whole concept is so innocent and hilarious, calling your best friend in the moment while trying to make moves on a girl. Classic. Good on ya, fellas.
(featured image: NBC)
