Saturday Night Live Recap: A Skarsgård Family Affair

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Alexander Skarsgård might be known for playing handsome, intense, and tough characters, but he’s actually a really playful and quirky guy. His first film role was a small part in Zoolander, where his character died in a silly accident! He’s also made surprise appearances in comedies like Documentary Now! and Drunk History. He’s even shown up to red carpet events in outrageous outfits – once dressed as Farrah Fawcett, another time in just his underwear, and even did a prom-themed photoshoot with his close friend Jack McBrayer. His choice of projects, like the underrated Murderbot and the new comedy Pillion, show he has a unique and fun sense of humor. So when he was announced as a host on Saturday Night Live, the question wasn’t if he could be funny, but if SNL could keep up with his wild energy. And the answer is… mostly!

The show started by addressing the serious situation in Minneapolis, building on a brief mention from the previous week. It’s a tough job making current events funny, and while the writers and actors didn’t fully succeed this week, they definitely made an effort. The opening sketch, featuring Pete Davidson as a White House advisor and a group of ‘ICE’ agents played by Kenan Thompson and others, had some genuinely funny parts. Highlights included an agent complaining about the fast food and a clever exchange about the release of the Epstein files, used as a distraction from the current crisis.

The show’s opening sketch accidentally made the newly portrayed Thomas Homan seem like a sensible voice, especially when compared to the previous character, Greg Bovino. The sketch acknowledged how absurd this was, attempting to use the contrast for humor – the character even joked about being known for family separations while appearing as the reasonable one. However, it still felt off. It seemed overly forgiving to have Pete Davidson’s Homan express shock at the actions of ICE agents, considering the real Thomas Homan has defended their work and training. Later, the Weekend Update segment handled current events much better, dedicating a full five minutes to discussing the week’s biggest Trump-related news, including a well-received joke about Kristi Noem’s dog.

Throughout the show, some of Bill Skarsgård’s bolder choices – like his disruptive monologue with the house band and his energetic performance in the Cards Against Humanity sketch – didn’t quite land. However, it was still fun to watch him fully embrace the bizarre! I appreciated his commitment, and it was great to see his friends and family, including his father Stellan Skarsgård and Keegan-Michael Key, come out to support him. Overall, the episode had a lot going for it.

Here are the highlights:

Mom Confession

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=-wQhY5CMMl4

The first sketch following the monologue was a standout performance, particularly for Ashley Padilla. She played a mother attempting to quietly retract her support for Trump, much to the dismay of her adult children, portrayed by Dismukes, Sarah Sherman, Jane Wickline, and Tommy Brennan. This sketch cleverly addressed the topic of Trump without relying on James Austin Johnson, who has frequently played the former president and likely needs a break. Padilla was perfectly cast in her role, but Alexander Skarsgård also impressed as the quietly exasperated father, simply wanting to enjoy his birthday dinner. His delivery of lines like “Maybe we can talk about this at Red Robin” and “Her laptop is old. She gets a different Internet than you,” unexpectedly became highlights of the sketch.

Immigrant Dad Talk Show

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=3s9TWbHcL8I

Marcello Hernández’s “Immigrant Dad Talk Show” sketch is consistently funny, but this episode was particularly hilarious thanks to a guest appearance by Bill Skarsgård. Skarsgård played Heiki Honkanen, a reserved character who perfectly balanced Hernández’s energetic and quick-witted Joaquin Antonio Gonzalez Hernandez Suarez. The sketch was at its best when Stellan Skarsgård appeared as Heiki’s father, looking incredibly realistic with his messy hair and rolled-up sweater. Adding to the fun, Cardi B showed up as Joaquin’s wife, and she seemed completely natural in the role.

Weekend Update: Two People Who Just Hooked Up Talk Super Bowl LX

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=vJAERY6gSTU

I was hoping Dismukes and Padilla’s first appearance on Weekend Update wouldn’t be their last, so I was excited to see them return. Their second bit, playing a couple who just met, definitely lived up to expectations. This time, they used the Super Bowl as a jumping-off point to discuss their relationship, and it was hilarious. The key to their success is the obvious chemistry between Dismukes and Padilla. Even though the premise is similar each time, it’s still incredibly fun to watch them together.

Play Date

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Z-y64attcsY

This hilarious sketch features a group of young girls (Skarsgård, Sherman, Wickline, Chloe Fineman, and Veronika Slowikowska) whose playdate takes a surprisingly violent turn. Skarsgård shines as Agnes, a sensitive and easily irritated girl who doesn’t react well to being corrected. A particularly funny moment was Agnes repeatedly throwing Sherman out the window, and Wickline’s line, “Stop asking her if she knows stuff,” received the loudest laughs from the audience.

Tarzan

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=1X8EoNXeHrc

One of the funniest moments from the show features Tarzan ending his relationship with Jane after realizing some concerning things about her. What makes it work so well is that the actor, Alexander Skarsgård, previously played Tarzan in a major movie, and he effortlessly slips back into the role. He playfully questions Jane about her life choices: “I’ve been thinking… you gave up your whole life for a naked man raised by gorillas who doesn’t speak English. That makes me wonder, what’s wrong with Jane? What does that say about her?” The sketch is already hilarious, but it gets even better when Kenan Thompson shows up pretending to be a leopard with his cub.

Cut for Time

Wickline really shined last night! She was hilarious in a pre-recorded sketch playing a luge champion who didn’t want to be. Throughout the show, she also excelled in smaller roles, like the ‘Play Date’ sketch and a bit where she did a funny Scandinavian accent that was a highlight.

That funny sketch with Skarsgård and Fineman, where they kept disrupting the filming of a serious, dark movie called “Stench of a Family” with their laughter, was okay, but it didn’t really work for me until Stellan Skarsgård showed up. His appearance at the end really brought it all together.

• Also fun: Sherman on Update reporting on the weather. I especially liked the bit with the pigeon.

• The digital short The Viking Raid was bloody and not much else.

The judge decided Luigi Mangione won’t be sentenced to death unless he already has a serious health problem.

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2026-02-01 21:55