Saturday Night Live Recap: Sabrina Carpenter Does It All

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Fans who follow *Saturday Night Live* closely weren’t surprised to see Sabrina Carpenter host and perform on the show this season. While this was her first time as host, Carpenter has been appearing in various ways on *SNL* for the past year. She was especially memorable in the follow-up to the wildly popular “Domingo” sketch – which originally featured Ariana Grande and Carpenter’s hit song, Espresso – during the show’s 50th anniversary special. Although *SNL50* had many cameos, and Carpenter also performed a duet with Paul Simon during the special, her sketch appearance was a clear sign she’d be back in a bigger role.

Okay, so looking back, it totally makes sense she’s hosting now! I remember seeing her playfully interact with Marcello Hernández during her L.A. concert, and then she showed up for a quick, fun cameo in Quinta Brunson’s monologue – loved that! Plus, Kyle Mooney popped up in her Netflix holiday special, and Jane Wickline even did a whole segment on Weekend Update *about* that special. Basically, she’s been subtly building up to this ‘SNL’ hosting gig for over a year, so it wasn’t a surprise at all that she absolutely killed it on Saturday.

While Carpenter seems incredibly gifted, it’s important to recognize the strong foundation she received as a Disney Channel star – and that’s a good thing! Having starred in *Girl Meets World* at just 14, she underwent the demanding comedic training Disney provides its young actors. This episode really showcased her charm, confidence, and excellent comedic timing, with some surprisingly funny line deliveries. She’s ready for a leading role in a fun, lighthearted romantic comedy right now!

The show’s creators clearly trusted Carpenter’s comedic talent, as she appeared in every sketch of the night, including the opening bit which continued the running joke about the character Domingo. This is unusual because the opening sketch typically focuses on current events, and the host doesn’t usually participate. While the sketch itself was just okay – the Domingo character is starting to feel a bit repetitive – Carpenter did deliver the word “together” in a delightfully quirky way that was a highlight.

Sabrina Carpenter’s monologue was brief, likely because of a long college football game that shortened the show’s time. She immediately addressed the recent controversy surrounding her new album cover, revealing it was Bowen Yang playfully lifting her by the hair in the photo. The main point of her monologue was that while she’s known for being confident and playful, that side of her wasn’t really present in last night’s episode. The show actually shined when it let Carpenter show off her comedic talent, moving beyond her usual ‘sexy’ image.

Here are the highlights:

Snack Homiez

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=ID1jre5kmUI

The sketch, which followed Carpenter’s solo performance, features Carpenter, Chloe Fineman, Jane Wickline, and Veronika Slowikowska as a group of preteen boys running a podcast called “Snack Homiez.” What’s great about this sketch is how realistically it portrays this age group – it could have easily become overly silly like the infamous “Gen Z Hospital” sketch, but the characters feel authentic and, as many viewers have noted, surprisingly accurate to how kids actually talk in 2025. The natural, rambling conversation between the “Snack Homiez” reminded me of a funny duo Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant did in 2021. The sketch really comes together when James Austin Johnson appears as his goofy Trump character, and there are so many funny lines it’s hard to pick a favorite, but “Am I going to heaven, chat?” stood out. I realized I especially enjoy Johnson’s Trump when he’s put in absurd, unexpected situations like this, rather than in more typical political scenarios.

Grind Song

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=92-2DNF-jTU

Bowen Yang couldn’t be on last night’s show because he was receiving an award in Los Angeles, but he did film a fun digital short with Pete Davidson about slow dancing at middle school. The song, called “Grind Song,” feels very similar to the popular, funny songs Lonely Island made in the late 2000s, like “Like A Boss” or “I Just Had Sex.” What makes it work is that it’s actually a really good, catchy song! The sketch also has some great little moments, such as Kenan Thompson playing a frustrated principal. It wouldn’t be surprising if this song became popular on TikTok, similar to “Big Boys.”

Girlboss Seminar

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=ZPpdZ-_PmQo

Carpenter is fantastic as Queenlisha, a hilariously unhinged leader running a seminar on becoming a “girlboss.” Like previous sketches such as “Male Confidence Seminar,” this one mostly lets the main character deliver increasingly absurd lines, and Carpenter nails the performance. After being dramatically launched from a window by her dancers, Queenlisha declares, “There’s a special place in hell for women who act like women! But when you’re riding to success, the only Susan B. Anthony that matters is *me*, and I’m on my period!” The sketch wasn’t without a few minor issues – the audio briefly cut out at the beginning, and Kenan Thompson accidentally missed with a prop – but these mishaps actually enhanced the chaotic and funny atmosphere.

Plans

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=f83L0Wd_mKI

The digital sketch ‘Plans’ presents a familiar scenario – a couple dreading a weekend visit from an irritating relative – but it stands out thanks to its incredibly detailed characters. Filmed with the tension of a horror movie, the sketch frequently cuts to the unwelcome guest, played by Sarah Sherman, who’s obsessed with marathon running, and her husband (Mikey Day), known as “the guy who always shows me YouTube videos.” It’s a situation many can relate to, and the sketch showcases Heidi Gardner’s dedication to her performance, particularly in the memorable line, “They don’t believe in that.”

Surprise

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=UI9M_hE_e60

I generally don’t find fart jokes funny, but this sketch, called “Surprise,” really made me laugh. Ashley Padilla plays a woman who uncontrollably farts around her colleagues. The sketch, which runs about 10-15 seconds, is entirely carried by Padilla’s performance – she convincingly acts as if she’s genuinely struggling. It’s awkward, even a little disturbing to watch, but ultimately hilarious. Several cast members, including Ben Marshall and Chloe Fineman, couldn’t hold back their laughter, which is a great indicator of a well-written and well-executed sketch. Interestingly, the version online is from the dress rehearsal, not the live performance. Padilla stumbles over a line in this version, but it actually *adds* to the humor.

Cut for Time

• “My nana always says short folks will be tall in heaven.”

The episode concluded with a digital short featuring Martin Herlihy – a writer for the show, not an on-screen performer. It had a similar vibe to the sketches done by Please Don’t Destroy, and while it was a bit unexpected, it was enjoyable!

“You should really remember this – it’s our anniversary today.” “After you were unfaithful, I made a decision to move on and not dwell on the past.”

• Loved the staging of both of Carpenter’s musical performances.

Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update featured the usual jokes about George Santos and Donald Trump’s TIME magazine cover. However, the funniest moment for me wasn’t about those topics at all. It was Colin Jost’s deadpan response to news that the fall foliage season is getting shorter: he jokingly said, “Cool, guess I’ll just kill myself then!”

Tommy Brennan joined the cast of Weekend Update last night and immediately made a splash with a memorable first line: “I look like a guy who was really good at football before schools integrated.”

Everyone really missed Heidi and Ego, particularly in an episode that had the cozy feel of a girls’ night in.

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2025-10-19 20:56