Powell Episode is Best of SNL Season 51

Let’s assume we will see more of Glen Powell in Studio 8H. The actor made his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live this evening, and helped produce the best episode of Season 51 by far.

Powell and musical guest Oliva Dean were excellent in this episode, which leaned heavily on sketches, vintage pretape segments, and amazing music. The key points were Dean’s two performances, and strong writing in sketches throughout the evening.

We give this episode an A-, and Dean gets an A for her performance.

Here’s a rundown of the show’s lineup.

Lineup for Glen Powell SNL Episode, Season 51

In a CSPAN Cold Open, Ashley Padilla appears as the Trump administration’s press secretary Caroline Levitt in a press conference. James Austin Johnson pops in as Donald Trump, in an attempt to confuse the assembled press about the Epstein Files controversy.
A heartwarming monologue from Powell, as he explains that he originally was scheduled to host in 2021, but was bumped because of the delay of Top Gun 2. At the time he and his family thought he was hosting they celebrated as a UPS driver showed up with a package. In the moment he took a selfie with the driver and his family. Now, years later and hosting SNL for the first time, Powell brought that UPS driver on-stage for another selfie.
AI Photo Sketch: a sketch set in a senior home has Padilla as an old woman being visited by her family. The grandchildren show their grandma photographs of her family from years before. The grandchildren show grandma how an AI app can bring old photos to life, with strange consequences. Features Hernandez, Sherman, Fineman, Brennan, Glen Powell, and Veronika Slowikowska.
Pretape featuring Brennan and Marshall as country singers performing “I Miss My Exes Dad.” The dad’s are played by Powell and Kenan Thompson.
Bachelor Weekend Sketch: Featuring Powell (as the groom), Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, James Austin Johnson, and Kam Patterson on a guy’s party weekend. Marcello Hernandez drops in as Sebastian Maniscalco, a friend of the groom. This sketch is a vehicle for physical comedy from Hernandez, who places himself into weird positions with the other men. Chloe Fineman finishes off the sketch by playing “stripper” Jennifer Coolidge. This was the weakest sketch of the night, but better than many that were aired in the first five episodes of the season.
Scent of a Marriage Sketch: Mikey Day is the director of a film starring Chloe Fineman and Glen Powell. The pair celebrate their amazing chemistry with over-the-top exuberance after each take. Also an appearance by Jane Wickline as the clapper on set, Jeremy Culhane, and James Austin Johnson as actors in the film.
MacGruber Pretapes: The classic sketch makes an appearance as former cast member Will Forte returns as the titular character, attempting to defuse a bomb. Glen Powell and Chloe Fineman also appear in this pretape. The premise is centered on the Epstein Files. A second and third pretape mini-episode of MacGruber appeared later. The final one serving as the 10-to-1 episode to fill the last moments of the episode.
Bob Battalion Sletch: Andrew Dismukes portrays a U.S. Army soldier in the Bob Battalion. Dismukes is encouraged to get a “bob” haircut by Powell, Bowen Yang, and Sarah Sherman. Also appearing are Ben Marshall, Veronika Slowikowska, and Kenan Thompson. It evolves into the Bang Battalion (Padilla, Patterson, Culhane, JAJ, Brennan, and Wickline) vs the Bob Batalion. Ultimately, Dismukes chooses the Bob.
Musical number by Olivia Dean, who essentially stole the show, even with the very strong comedy present in this episode.
Weekend Update: Hey, there’s another joke from Michael Che about how Colin Jost is a Nazi or a white supremacist. That’s enough already, it’s just lazy and not funny. Che tries out two jokes on the U.S. Mint stopping the production of pennies. The second one, about Abraham Lincoln, was the funniest. No guests at the WU desk this week, as the show is very packed with sketch and pretape material. It’s really time SNL pushed Che/Jost aside and tried something new here. At least tonight WU didn’t gobble up screen time.
Ex-Husband and Sex Traffickers Sketch: Andrew Dismukes as a wimpy husband who accompanies his wife to the airport to welcome back her ex, who is returning from rescuing their daughter from sex traffickers. Chloe Fineman as the wife, and Veronika Slowikowska as the daughter.
Oliva Dean was stunning as she deliverer her second musical number of the evening, a jazzy tune, The completion of one of the best musical appearances in recent years.
Friendsgiving Haircut Sketch: Powell, Bowen Yang, Sarah Sherman, and Ben Marshall as friends at a restaurant who are joined by Ashley Padilla, who reveals her new haircut. Mikey Day plays the waiter. The premise is built around the friends trying to support Padilla’s haircut, but unsure based on her emotional outbursts whether she likes it or not. A shining moment for Padilla.