As the Writers Guild of America strike comes to a close due to better conditions being secured for Hollywood’s writers, the notorious sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” returned with its season 49 premiere last weekend. With Pete Davidson hosting and Ice Spice performing this episode was sure to bring a lot of excitement from longtime fans and casual viewers alike.
Pete Davidson’s Return as a Host
An alumnus of the show, Davidson was expected to make a memorable appearance as he assumed a new role as host of the season 49 premiere episode. However, I don’t think anyone expected the cold open to be a tasteful speech about the Israel-Hamas crisis. Like many others, I was skeptical about seeing a comedian like Davidson speak on such a serious subject. Despite those initial expectations, Pete Davidson recounts when he lost his father to the 9/11 terrorist attacks as a child and that he can relate to the children involved in this tragedy. He then shared an experience he had with his mother when they’d listen to comedy shows and mentioned that it was the first time he genuinely smiled after the loss of his father. He stressed that “comedy is really the only way forward through tragedy.” The cold open was a highlight for many as it displayed the show’s versatility while also speaking respectfully about the crisis in the Middle East.
Ice Spice’s Performances
Making her debut on the “Saturday Night Live” stage, Ice Spice performed her most famous and newest hits, “In Ha Mood” and “Pretty Girl”. Rocking her iconic, custom-made Jewels By Benny necklace, the up-and-coming rapper gave rather mediocre performances which other viewers have described as “boring”. She did a good job, but I was personally surprised at how stiff the performances felt given her massive stage presence seen at her other shows. The rapper had her own special guests, having featured artist, Rema for his part on the track “Pretty Girl”, and even was introduced by the one and only, Taylor Swift for said performance. I was somewhat disappointed that Ice Spice did not appear in any of the sketches and was only mentioned in two, a small cameo from the rapper could have potentially turned one of the night’s weaker skits into a more memorable one.
The Sketches
The sketches in the season 49 premiere of “Saturday Night Live” came out swinging with two of their best skits placed back-to-back at the beginning of the episode. My personal favorite was a spoof of the NFL and Taylor Swift buzz because of her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce. The actors play various sports commentators on a live broadcast talking about Swift, her concerts’ surprise songs and potential “easter eggs” she may be dropping about upcoming projects. This skit fortunately provided my recently updated favorite picture of Pete Davidson wearing a sparkly, pink cowboy hat and an “Eras Tour” crewneck. Kelce himself even made a surprise cameo at the end of the skit! “I’m Just Pete”, Davidson’s version of Ken’s ballad from the 2023 blockbuster film, “Barbie” was another highlight. With lyrics like “I’m just Pete, anywhere else I’d be a three” and “Out of the blue, like three times a year when you least expect it, I go to rehab,” the song served as a humorous way for Davidson to poke fun at himself. The “Weekend Update” skit was a delight to watch with Bowen Yang’s rendition of Christopher Columbus where he claimed to discover random pieces of modern pop culture, such as the famous talk show, “Hot Ones” and the indie musical trio, boygenius. While most sketches ranged from average to great, some fell flat like the overzealous secretary or the “Star Trek” inspired crewmate who “used to work here”.
All-in-all, the season 49 premiere of “Saturday Night Live” was an amazing way to bring back the series after a six-month-long hiatus. Pete Davidson and Ice Spice were the perfect celebrities to hype up the new season. With several playful skits and surprise guests, the episode kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. This episode instilled a lot of hope for what is sure to be a wonderful season of “Saturday Night Live”.
References
Saturday Night Live. (2023, October 15). Fox NFL Sunday – SNL [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUgHMGb74ZM&ab_channel=SaturdayNightLive
Saturday Night Live. (2023, October 15). Ice Spice: In Ha Mood (Live) – SNL [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4t2SKGjkTE&ab_channel=SaturdayNightLive
Saturday Night Live. (2023, October 15). Ice Spice: Pretty Girl (Live) – SNL [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3FzkxeEACE&ab_channel=SaturdayNightLive
Saturday Night Live. (2023, October 15). I’m Just Pete – SNL [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-UfkZKKGc0&ab_channel=SaturdayNightLive
Saturday Night Live. (2023, October 15). Pete Davidson Cold Open – SNL [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqGs93VPuZw&ab_channel=SaturdayNightLiveSocial media reacts to Ice Spice’s debut “SNL” performance. Rap. (n.d.). https://www.rap-up.com/2023/10/15/social-media-reacts-to-ice-spices-debut-snl-performance/