After a summer of cast shake-ups and departures, SNL returned to Studio 8H for its 52nd season. New York Knicks all-star point guard Jalen Brunson made his hosting debut alongside musical guest KATSEYE, with new featured players joining the cast.
While the episode wasn’t necessarily a slam dunk, a handful of successful sketches and promising performances from the show’s newer cast members offered plenty of reasons to look forward to the season ahead.
The Lows: An Unremarkable Host and a Forgettable Musical Debut
Coming off a successful season with the Knicks, Brunson was a fitting choice to kick off a new season of New York’s most iconic comedy show. However, being a professional basketball player doesn’t necessarily make you a natural comedian. Brunson’s opening monologue featured appearances from his Knicks teammates and Kenan Thompson as Stephen A. Smith. While the cameos were entertaining, they didn’t do much to elevate an otherwise unremarkable introduction.
Throughout the evening, Brunson was fine. He wasn’t particularly memorable, but he certainly wasn’t bad, either. He’s simply one of those hosts whose limited comedic range requires the writers to build sketches around his abilities rather than expecting him to carry the comedy himself.
“Men’s Support Group,” which centered on men whose partners had been brought onstage during an Usher and Chris Brown concert, was one of the evening’s weaker sketches. Its premise quickly became repetitive, making it one sketch that could have been cut entirely.
KATSEYE’s highly anticipated musical debut was similarly underwhelming. Despite the group’s growing popularity and reputation for elaborate choreography, its performances of “Animal” and “Hootie Frutti” fell flat. For a group that has generated so much excitement, I expected more energy from their first appearance in Studio 8H.
The Highs: A New Generation Steals the Show
Despite the evening’s shortcomings, several sketches demonstrated exactly why SNL remains one of my favorite shows. One of the strongest was “North High,” a High School Musical parody featuring Brunson as a transfer student who disrupts his new school’s basketball team.
However, the evening’s biggest revelation was newcomer Grace Reiter.
Reiter made a phenomenal first impression in “Dream Academy,” a prerecorded parody of the reality competition that formed the group that became KATSEYE. She appeared alongside Jane Wickline as one of two wildly unqualified contestants who somehow secured their places in the competition. Their resulting song, “Newton’s Cradle,” was easily one of the episode’s funniest moments.
Beyond the overall absurdity of the pre-tape, Reiter’s comedic delivery complemented Wickline’s distinctive deadpan style, giving her an excellent scene partner. If “Dream Academy” is any indication of what’s to come, Reiter is a phenomenal addition to the cast, and I’m excited to see how her partnership with Wickline develops.
Of course, no discussion of the evening’s highlights would be complete without “Weekend Update.”Colin Jost and Michael Che were, as usual, my personal highlights of the episode. Their chemistry and impeccable comedic timing continue to make “Weekend Update” one of the show’s most consistently entertaining segments. The segment also featured Wickline as Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Jeremy Culhane as Tucker Carlson, giving the newer cast members another opportunity to shine.
Who’s Missing From Studio 8H?
The premiere also marked another significant transition for SNL. Following the departures of Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim before Season 51 and Bowen Yang’s exit midway through the season, the show entered Season 52 without yet another familiar face: Chloe Fineman.
However, these departures have also created opportunities for other performers to shine, who may have previously received less time in the spotlight. Wickline and Ashley Padilla have officially been promoted to the main cast, while Reiter and Saidah Belo-Osagie have joined as featured players.
While losing so many familiar faces is bittersweet, the show’s established performers remain incredibly strong. With newcomers like Reiter already making an impression, I’m optimistic this group will hit its stride as the season progresses.
What’s Next for Season 52?
Overall, the Season 52 premiere was a perfectly solid start to what could be an exciting year for SNL. Although Brunson’s performance was hindered by his lack of comedic range, forcing the writers and cast to work around him, the show’s established performers were more than capable of picking up the slack. Between Culhane’s consistently hilarious performances, Reiter’s phenomenal debut, and the familiar brilliance of Jost and Che, there was still plenty to enjoy.
Even with its shortcomings, SNL has a strong main cast and a promising group of featured players; I’m excited to see how Season 52 develops.