Saturday Night Live Recap: Jack Black is Just What SNL Needed

Since the early 2000s, Jack Black has hosted “Saturday Night Live” three times, but it’s been nearly 20 years since we last saw him on the show. It was a pleasure to see him return recently, promoting “A Minecraft Movie” and the upcoming “Anaconda” sequel. With his extensive experience, Jack Black consistently delivers laughs (or at least pleasant smiles) whenever he’s on screen. After Mikey Madison’s shaky debut last week, it was nice to have a familiar face like Jack Black back to ease the viewing experience.

In a different wording: Black had his moments where he stumbled and needed to frequently glance at the cue cards. Yet, he consistently maintained an engaging presence on the show, which was contagious even for his co-stars who seemed to struggle keeping up. Notice the unbridled enthusiasm on Heidi Gardner’s face as she played the tambourine during Black’s energetic monologue reenacting his most notable films from the past two decades. It might be that some of those movies weren’t well-received, but I can understand why a reference to “Bernie” wasn’t made. (I would’ve appreciated a shout-out for “Bernie”, but I acknowledge the choice.)

It’s logical that Black’s pipes were extensively used throughout the night, from the song “Back Again” to his duet with Sarah Sherman about “making love,” which relied on the physical comedy of their spasmodic flying, particularly when Bowen Yang joined as their third and hung onto Black’s legs. Additionally, during Big Ricky and the Minnows’ potluck jam performance of “Free Fallin’,” a humorous skit about an excess of bass guitarists, he excelled as a suitable Tom Petty replacement while undermining his laid-back demeanor with growing annoyance at the musical imbalance. Throughout the episode, affability was a recurring theme for the host, who displayed his signature intensity when necessary but portrayed sincerity when the characters demanded it.

Here are the highlights:

Indiana Jones

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=71xSi33FcLU

In this rephrased version: The character Gene, played by Black, is a participant in a blind dating show where the female lead (Chloe Fineman) isn’t supposed to be aware of the men’s physical aspects. However, Todd Bruff (Andrew Dismukes) accidentally reveals that Gene is disguised as Indiana Jones, complete with a whip, hat, and all. Despite my initial expectation for more in-depth development, the ensuing debate between Black and Dismukes about whether the Indiana Jones costume is intentional provides ample comedic moments, particularly when Gene unintentionally reveals details about Indiana’s backstory. The introduction of Bowen Yang as a fresh contestant dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow serves as an appropriate finale to the skit.

Flamin’ Hot Commercial

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=aOJTJ87sFps

When a humorous title graces a counterfeit item, it often sets the stage for an entertaining experience. Merging Flamin’ Hot Cheetos with hemorrhoid cream might seem odd, but it’s quite amusing—and the attention to detail in the graphics, depicting an explosive outcome, is commendable. In this case, a dramatic actor like Black makes an excellent choice for portraying the agony, while Chester Cheetah’s shocked reaction adds an extra layer of humor.

Goth Kid on Vacation

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=cYQAFtkqH34

As a movie reviewer, I’d say:

In the realm of comedy, it’s all about blending appropriate content with fitting structure, and here, we have a hilarious reggae tune performed by native Jamaicans, Kenan Thompson and Ego Nwodim, that humorously explores the cultural clash between Jamaican locals and goth American families on vacation. What truly resonates with me is the unexpected appearance of the iconic Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance in a fresh rendition of the opening verse of “Welcome to the Black Parade.” This personal touch, combined with his portrayal of Way in the music video, adds an extra layer of enjoyment.

Weekend Update

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=bcVg5PU87KU

This week’s edition showcased some of the standout one-liners from the night, with Colin Jost’s comment about Morgan Wallen’s sudden exit at goodnight particularly memorable. The Trump criticism was sharp and biting this time, as exemplified by Michael Che’s joke that “The U.S. has been pillaged and violated by other nations…and Trump won’t tolerate looting.” I found it amusing when they reminisced about Russell Brand introducing Chris Brown as a musical guest, with Jost adding, “We truly knew how to match ’em up.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=4_LJASfqktU

Without a doubt, the most captivating part was Sasheer Zamata delivering an apolitical stand-up act at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Her humor wasn’t just from her food jokes but rather from her perplexing, older-than-50 “Miss Eggy” character that left everyone in stitches, even the Update hosts. An unexpected highlight occurred when the audience joined in with a loud “shit!” after her “men ain’t what?” line. For someone who doesn’t often receive recognition on this show, it was a delightful breakthrough moment.

The First Play

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

This skit revolves around an amusing and somewhat absurd idea: When the Greeks presented their first play around 500 B.C., the audience may have taken it literally, failing to grasp that they were not the direct targets of the performance. Black, Day, Dismukes, and Fineman portray the confused spectators sitting in the front row, vocally reacting after every line as if directly addressed. The skit continues without veering into unexpected or clever territory, but I found the over-the-top reactions to the staged murder most convincing to be quite entertaining.

Cut for Time

In the latest episode’s cold open, Mike Myers, portraying Elon Musk, makes another appearance, this time attending a speech by Trump in the Rose Garden to discuss tariff plans and his “Make America Great Depression Again” (MAGDA) strategy. The notion of a new Tesla model, which self-destructs with features like self-shattering headlights, slashing tires, and AI-controlled graffiti, seems not too far-fetched for a stunt Musk might actually perform to demonstrate his apparent sense of humor about the situation. The joke about “swastikas made out of penises” indeed captures Musk’s unique brand of comedy.

The drawing featuring “one uppers” doesn’t exactly venture into fresh territory beyond setting up the “subtle boast followed by an eagle call signal” formula, yet both Black and Yang portray their characters exceptionally well.

• Very little Ashley Padilla in this one, and Devon Walker is nowhere to be seen!

I won’t go into detail about Elton John and Brandi Carlile, but I did appreciate their performances, particularly Carlile’s voice on the second song, which is the title track from their album. Additionally, Carlile was featured in the “making-lurv” sketch as a fourth party to Sarah Sherman and Black’s relationship dynamic.

A ballerina broke a global record by executing a split over an extended distance on two moving all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). This incredible feat served as inspiration for the creation of the television series titled “Emergency Room: Feminine Edition.

I’m not quite fond of the ICE joke; it seems more like a lack of effort rather than a bold move, when you consider some of the clever topical humor that’s been shared here.

In my opinion, I might tone down the frequency of Marcello Hernandez’s breaks, but I couldn’t help but chuckle at his rendition of “We’ll live blissfully forever, sweetheart, like Romeo and Juliet … I presume.” It sounds more natural and easy to read.

• “You think Tom Petty is liking this?” “I do not.”

What had me chuckling was when Yang appeared with what seemed to be a keyboard, but it turned out to be a bass guitar case hiding yet another bass.

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that the “Times Square Kiss” sketch didn’t quite resonate with me, often reiterating Black’s jealousy towards his nurse girlfriend’s affection for other men. However, I can sympathize with him when it comes to his desire for four hot dogs – a craving we all understand!

2025-04-06 21:54