Saturday Night Live Season-Premiere Recap: Bad Bunny Is The Ultimate Sweetie

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When Bad Bunny hosted *Saturday Night Live* two years ago, he famously appeared as Shrek and asked the Please Don’t Destroy group to write a sketch around the character – and he was a huge hit. Now, he’s back to host again for the start of season 51, remaining a consistently funny performer even though the show itself has changed a lot. The Please Don’t Destroy team won’t be doing sketches *on* the show anymore (though they’re still performing elsewhere), and there have been other cast changes too. Some popular cast members like Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim have left, but it looks like Marcello Hernandez, Sarah Sherman, and Chloe Fineman are stepping up to fill those roles. Hopefully, Bowen Yang will do the same. The show has also added four new featured players: TikTok star Veronika Slowikowska, Jeremy Culhane from Dropout, Kam Patterson from *Kill Tony*, and comedian Tommy Brennan, alongside Ben Marshall.

Beyond the established names, some new writers are really shining. Jack Bensinger, Maddie Wiener, Rachel Pegram, Jo Sunday, and Claire McFadden are all incredibly funny. I’ve been a fan of Bensinger’s quirky humor, Wiener’s sharp wit, and McFadden’s sketches for almost ten years, back when they were all working in Chicago. Sunday brings a captivating, offbeat energy, and Pegram excels both on stage and on the page. I’m not familiar with the two new hires from The Lampoon, but I’m optimistic. If the show embraces their fresh, alternative perspectives, this season has the potential to be excellent.

Despite some changes to the show, Bad Bunny remains a highlight. This time, with Doja Cat as the musical guest, he didn’t have to pull double duty. Plus, he’s gained more acting experience, recently appearing in *Happy Gilmore 2* with Marcello Hernandez. Their chemistry from that film is clear on screen here, and the best sketches of the premiere – like ChatGPTío and Parent-Teacher Conferences – really showcased their strong teamwork. It would have been fun to see them do a sketch based on *Sabado Gigante*, though.

Overall, the show’s premiere felt about average for Saturday Night Live – some parts were good, and others weren’t. The cold open had Colin Jost surprisingly nailing an impression of Pete Hegseth, poking fun at his speech about opposing diversity initiatives, and was followed by James Austin Johnson as Trump summarizing his summer. The Jeopardy! sketch wasn’t particularly memorable, and the sketch about ‘Inventing Spanish,’ which shared a similar style to Nate Bargatze’s previous sketches, didn’t quite live up to its comedic potential, despite having some clever moments. A sketch based on the show El Chavo de Ocho didn’t quite land unless you were already familiar with the original.

Even when the jokes weren’t landing perfectly, Bad Bunny’s energy and commitment kept every sketch engaging. He’s a naturally funny performer, but what really stands out is how sincerely he plays each role. You find yourself laughing *and* rooting for his characters, because deep down, they’re all good-hearted. The fact that he can make even an oddball character, like an awkward potential sperm donor, feel likable is a real talent. Given how often he’s been appearing on *Saturday Night Live* for someone new to the show, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him become a more frequent guest.

Here are the highlights:

Monologue

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=A0Pt7qHpWNg

Okay, let me tell you, Bad Bunny absolutely *nailed* his hosting debut on SNL. Seriously, he was so comfortable and funny up there – all those reports about how at ease he was weren’t exaggerations at all. He kicked things off with a hilarious bit about his time in Puerto Rico, poking fun at his own dance moves and even referencing Jon Hamm (or ‘Juan Jamón,’ as he called him – and yes, Hamm was definitely in the audience!). He didn’t shy away from the recent controversy either, making a really clever joke about the backlash he got and even editing together clips of Fox News personalities pretending to be fans. He even threw in some Spanish at the end, playfully challenging anyone who didn’t understand to brush up on their language skills. What I really appreciated was how naturally he brought his political views into the monologue – it felt so refreshing, especially for SNL. He was unapologetically himself, and completely unbothered by the predictable conservative criticism. Honestly, I’m just a little worried this might mean they’ll book someone like Tony Hinchcliffe later to ‘balance things out,’ but I’m trying not to think about that right now. He was just fantastic.

The Donor

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=cGYY9Iam2qY

Okay, so this sketch starts with a lesbian couple, brilliantly played by Sarah Sherman and Chloe Fineman, asking their friend Mikey Day to donate sperm. He’s hesitant, which is fine, but then things get *really* weird. Suddenly, Bad Bunny shows up as this incredibly eager, slightly unsettling guy with a bowl cut who’s desperate to be a dad. And, inexplicably, Kenan Thompson is just…there, wanting free sperm? Honestly, the whole setup is a bit nonsensical, but I was laughing too hard to care. The sketch is absolutely saved by a slow camera pan revealing Bad Bunny delivering his line – “Uuuuuuuuuh … I will do it!” – with the most wonderfully over-the-top commitment. It’s pure, silly gold.

ChatGPTío

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=YAzLh7eOSrk

The digital short starts with a funny idea: what if ChatGPT was your Latino uncle? The character, played by Marcello Hernandez, would constantly remind you to call your grandmother. Bad Bunny appears as a supporting character with a unique look. It’s great to see Hernandez and Bad Bunny together, and hopefully Bad Bunny will be in more sketches this season. *Saturday Night Live* is at its best when it incorporates specific cultural references, which feels special given the show’s increasingly white cast. Plus, this sketch gives us a look at four of the five new cast members.

KPop Demon Hunters

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=LW9QJIT_T-A

During a brunch conversation about favorite media, Thomas (played by Bad Bunny) unexpectedly gets upset when defending his enjoyment of a children’s movie called KPop Demon Hunter. Even after the group changes the subject, he remains visibly annoyed, silently fuming while secretly enjoying the movie’s music. Bad Bunny excels at portraying a lovable character who can still playfully tease his friends, and it’s genuinely funny. The sketch also cleverly unfolded like a three-part story, culminating in a full Huntr/x performance after Bowen Yang appeared as a demon. A standout moment was Sarah Sherman’s character, a frumpy woman who hilariously found herself on the Epstein list – a brilliant addition.

Parent Teacher Conference

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

The standout sketch of the night involved a school principal (Ashley Padilla) and a teacher (Andrew Dismukes) scolding a student (Hernandez) for doodles depicting him attacking the principal. Things changed instantly when the student’s father (Bad Bunny) arrived, and the principal immediately became interested in *him*. It was hilarious watching her character transform into a romantic comedy lead, only for Bad Bunny to remain completely unimpressed and the teacher—who’s secretly in love with her—to become frustrated. A particularly funny moment was when Bad Bunny allowed her to use his first name, and she responded with disbelief, asking if anyone had ever called him that before. His deadpan reply of “Yes” was perfect. But the highlight of the sketch was Padilla’s delivery of a line where she initially insults his late wife, then quickly corrects herself with, “Then the bitch is I!”

Cut For Time

• Doja Cat … that woman is a performer performer. I’m surprised she wasn’t in any sketches.

I really enjoyed seeing Bowen dancing with the Huntr/X girls during the end credits. I’m not sure if they’re a real band or just part of the movie—I guess I’m finally old enough to be in the target audience for *Saturday Night Live* and can’t keep up with these things! But I thought it was a sweet moment.

• I did miss having a Please Don’t Destroy sketch.

Okay, so that moment in the KPop Demon Hunters sketch where slime just *pours* out of Sarah Sherman’s mouth? Amazing. Seriously, I’m a sucker for body horror, and it’s so good to see her leaning into that again – she’s fantastic at it!

Okay, I’m already excited about Veronika Slowikowska and Jeremy Culhane this season! Honestly, I wasn’t super familiar with either of them going in – I know Veronika has a big following on TikTok and Jeremy’s known from Dropout – but seeing how enthusiastic their fans are is genuinely heartwarming. It’s a really sweet feeling to witness that kind of genuine excitement, and it definitely makes me want to tune in and see what they bring to the table.

• Benicio del Toro cameo? Is everyone just free?

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2025-10-05 22:56