Cold Opening – The Cleansing of the Temple
President Trump (JAJ) interrupts the cleansing of the Temple
- Another Easter cold open? We are definitely getting JAJ again as the President, right?
- Ah, and here he is as Trump.
- I admit underrating the first Easter/Biblical cold open from two seasons ago, but I’m not sure I needed it to be reprised. With that said, considering the upswing in quality these JAJ-as-Trump cold opens have been witnessing (though JAJ was always great in them), I’m going to give this one a fair shot.
- I’ll admit loving the stock market/Jesus resurrection analogy. There’s something about the combination of JAJ’s uncanny impression and these absurd lines that makes them funnier than they are.
- I got a huge laugh from JAJ’s Trump explaining Passover as “we pass right over the Jewish food section and go straight to the Easter Candy”.
- Nice meta moments about newbie Emil in comparison to the well-loved vet Mikey Day. This probably gonna age poorly if Emil gets cut (sob), but I’m liking it now. The portion with Kenan walking off was also decent.
- All-in-all, for a retread, this was pretty good. These Trumpologues still have some meat on them.
Rating: ***1/2
Monologue
host talks various cameos; Kieran Culkin cameo
- Words cannot express how exciting it feels for me to review a Jon Hamm-hosted episode on the blog. This brilliant performer has always been in my top 5 SNL hosts and one of my favorite modern actors in general.
- Also, between Jon, Steve & Marty, Jack Black, Jason Sudeikis, Adam Driver and a few others – very proud I got to review some of my favorite SNL-adjacent performers in just 4 seasons of live reviews. I cannot only imagine when I (hopefully) review 4-6 more live seasons after this one, how many favorites of mine would be back. (If only Tom Hanks & Christopher Walken would come back to host soon….)
- Jon is coming off as likable as always.
- I admit laughing at the very quick moment with the many cameos Jon made between his third and fourth hosting stints.
- This monologue isn’t really the best written and doesn’t hold a candle to the prior solid monologues Jon had (especially the great ones in seasons 35-36), but he is making the best out of this.
- A Kieran Culkin cameo? Guess it makes sense as he’s been seen both backstage and in the audience for some time these past few episodes. Is he being prepped to host again? Knowing how many repeat hosts this season had (and we have another one next episode), I won’t be surprised if he is hosting again.
- This whole monologue just came and went. Decent enough, as structurally confused as it was – the case in many monologues of late.
Rating: ***
Check to Check Business News
the news for people living paycheck to paycheck
- I’m not sure this tariffs-related sketch will be working for me, as the show’s cable news pieces at times feel slow.
- Ego is so solid as always, but the portion with her explaining some of the prices going up didn’t work for me. Guess I’m not into that type of humor.
- OK, I got two laughs: one from Ego’s ramen line and Jon admitting not understanding what a T-bill is.
- Did we need that overlong segment with Kenan? And also, did he really need to break character for no reason whatsoever?
- This sketch is going longer than needed, and despite solid performances by both Jon and Ego, I have no idea why this sketch got on outside of its topical nature.
- I never understood the hype with these Funko toys. Proud I never bought one in my life.
Rating: **1/2
Please Don’t Destroy – Missing Person
detectives (host), (Ben Marshall), (John Higgins), (Martin Herlihy) order food while solving case
- I wouldn’t have expected a PDD short with Jon, considering who last week’s host was, but I guess they’ve now returned again from a slump earlier in the year. I know some fans are sick of this trio, but I do admire them still trying different styles and directions with their work. This is more than I can say about some current writers and cast members.
- I’m totally not buying Ben in that fake mustache. It really looks like one of those mustaches you’d see some teens wearing.
- Jon is just perfect for the role of a detective. I also got a good laugh from his “pizza!” and the little cheer he did. This man is so good at his job.
- Aww. I actually felt bad for Jon being shut down and getting upset over the pizza order.
- This premise isn’t my idea of comedy gold, but I’m enjoying this fine enough, especially some getting upset over Hawaiian pizza. I’ve never had it, as a self-professed pizza lover, but I guess it isn’t that good from how it is dissed here.
- Ashley Padilla keeps feeling like a vet each time when given such roles. That one Redditor is dead-on saying she is a walk-on veteran.
- The whole ending with Jane was OK, I guess?
Rating: ***
Guess! The Correct! Answer!
contestants struggle to answer questions
- The usual solid gameshow host performance by Michael.
- Feels rather odd seeing Mikey playing such a role, considering how he’s been utilized in general this season. On the other hand, very sweet seeing newbies Ashley & Emil paired together in this.
- This sketch with the contestants struggling to answer questions reminds me of The Phrase That Pays from two seasons ago, but this is so far letting me down. Also, despite a good job by Jon, the material given to him feels like the typical material Kristen Wiig would be given in her latter seasons.
- Michael is solid as usual, but I’m not sure he can really play a diabolical gameshow host the way Bill Hader did or even JAJ in the aforementioned sketch.
- And we now get farting jokes, further giving me flashbacks to the type of material Anderlette would be writing.
- I admit getting a laugh from the reveal the other team left the show earlier.
- Surprised this rather forgettable sketch ended earlier than I expected. Felt this had a minute in it before we ended abruptly.
Rating: **1/2
The White Potus
the Trump administration is chaotic during resort retreat
- An inspired way to parody the Trump regime. I am not too familiar with this show, but I’ve seen enough of it to “get” this parody and its tone.
- I have no idea what is Chloe Fineman even going for with her Melania impression. She is no Cecily Strong in that department, to say the least.
- Alex Moffat?! Holy hell! I see he is also as hilarious as ever playing Eric Trump. I see him & Mikey still got it with that charming chemistry.
- I’m not sure I needed Scarlett in this short, but I guess it is a harmless cameo once every few seasons, and in the case of this season, every few episodes. I’m surprised her cameo was just seconds long. I expected more of her.
- This take on Trump is really strong. To see him this broken, this tired, and JAJ is doing a fantastic job in this interpretation.
- OK, guess Chloe is playing a mix of Melania and Parker Posey. I’m familiar with the latter and Chloe’s take is leaving me cold.
- A hilarious RFK Jr. impression from Jon. His ranting and wanting to eat that monkey is priceless.
- I have no idea who Sarah Sherman is playing (despite seeing the latest season’s trailer), but she is coming off hilarious in this.
- An odd way to have Lizzo in her obligatory sketch appearance of the night.
- Ashley & Heidi are total naturals for this show’s style. In fact, I could easily see both having a post-SNL career in these types of shows/movies. Ashley is just uncanny as Pam Bondi.
- Beck Bennett! I am so happy to see him making a cameo, even when his Putin was never one of my favorite things he did.
- The part with JAJ’s Trump being hollowed out, miserable and destroying everything in his way is just fantastic. This is the typical standout pretaped JAJ moments I love, and so glad we had such an impressive record of them so far into his tenure.
- Did we seriously need that Tiger Woods moment with Kenan? How many times am I supposed to crack up at him doing his usual shtick?
- All-in-all, I really liked this. A clever, scathing take on the Trump administration and despite the length, it flew by rather well, and with a terrific performance from JAJ himself.
Rating: ****
Musical Performance – “Love in Real Life/Still Bad”
Weekend Update
Chen Biao (BOY) talks US-China tariffs war
EMW talks patriotism in America
Colin’s accountant (SAS) on taxes
- A solid breakdown of the tariffs debacle. Both Colin and Che have some standout lines, though to me, I found the discount joke from Che to be the funniest.
- I’m pretty stunned, unless I forgot something, that this is Bowen’s first appearance of the night. As you know, unlike Mikey and Heidi, he won’t be phasing himself out with grace.
- This is one of the few times I can tolerate Bowen’s sassy shtick, as it’s been some time since he played such a role. This commentary is really good so far, especially that it isn’t relying on the intentional “cute” nature of Chen Biao and instead going into a darker direction. This is a style Bowen nails well and he did here. Wish we had more desk pieces like this and less camp.
- Nice to see the underrated Emil Wakim getting another desk piece. He’s been so brutally underused and for no reason I could think of this back half. Seeing how always solid, likable he is, it just makes no sense.
- The usual solid work from Emil. I especially love his whole Uber Eats portion. He manages to really show sharp commentary without going clapter or becoming a blanket with things “getting better” eventually.
- A third desk piece? Last time that happened was that Dua Lipa Update (shudder) from late last season.
- Considering I haven’t been as salty as I expected with Sarah, I’m going into this desk piece of hers with an open mind.
- The concept of the financial situation is at least a good twist on this piece and Sarah’s isn’t at least dressed up as a mascot or in drag. There are some laugh here, especially that Sarah isn’t playing to the crowd like usual.
- OK, I did love the whole backdrop moment. Sarah was great here. A really solid way to finish Update.
Rating: ***1/2
New Parents
new dads (host) & (BOY) talk becoming such
- A sequel to that great sketch with Adam Driver last season? Seriously? Further evidence Bowen Yang has nothing new to give to the show.
- Like the last sketch, Bowen is pretty solid and Jon is actually quite believable as his partner. With that said, this is also going the same route the prior one went, just with not enough standout lines or moments.
- The whole “she/he/they” portion was my biggest laugh in this sketch.
- Holy hell at that ending with Lizzo. What a bizarre way to both use her in a live sketch and to end this otherwise harmless piece with.
Rating: ***
Musical Performance – “Don’t Make Me Love You”
Herpastopper
the connection between herpes and recreational activities
- Always nice to see the host playing a commercial spokesman and Jon is beyond a natural for such a role.
- A solid laugh from Jon’s herpes line.
- This is easily the least we’ve seen Marcello in a long time. Chloe also has been barely in tonight’s episode. Yet, I’m not going to complain about both’s airtime decrease tonight to be honest.
- Jon is doing a very solid job as expected in this role, with just effortless charm and charisma.
- One of the signs of having being herpes including dancing with your white husband is hilarious.
- An overall solid fake ad.
Rating: ****
Icebreaker
office icebreaker session goes horribly wrong
- These group sketches are usually a lot of fun, such as that underrated gem from last season: People Pleaser Support Group.
- After an episode with her barely on, nice to see Ashley Padilla having a good night tonight. Like always, she doesn’t feel at all like a newbie when she is paired with vets of the cast.
- Lots of Mikey & Heidi tonight.
- This premise of trying to break the ice is very relatable to me, as I happen to be extremely introverted in real-life, at work or anywhere else.
- I got a big laugh from Jon’s fact that his mom killed his dad naked on TV.
- Already, Ashley Padilla is just a marvel to watch in this sketch. Had it been some other performer playing her part, they might’ve went OTT or played to the audience, but her playing her disturbed character with such layers and a deep sense of pathos is an excellent choice.
- I’m loving the back-and-forth between Jon & Ashley, and it is really heightening this sketch to another level, instead of just ignoring what happened.
- I loved the whole “favorite part of being a woman” with Ashley being her breasts. Heidi was no slouch either as her answer to what she swims in being…. water killed me.
- The other cast members are having good moments on their own, though I do love the portions focusing on both Jon & Ashley. This is easily one of Ashley’s best performances so far into her tenure, and that’s saying something.
- Such a great “that was just my lie” moment with Ashley, and the nonchalant fact she shares that today is indeed her birthday is brilliant. She truly is elevating an already-strong sketch with a layered, subtle performance.
- The absurdist ending fit the offbeat vibes of this whole sketch. An overall new favorite of mine, with an especially standout work from Jon & Ashley.
Rating: ****1/2
Goodnights
Segments Ranked From Best to Worst
Icebreaker
The White Potus
Herpastopper
Weekend Update
The Cleansing of the Temple
New Parents
PDD – Missing Person
Monologue
Check to Check Business News
Guess! The Correct! Answer!
Final Thoughts:
- As expected with a Jon Hamm episode, this was a fairly reliable effort as a whole, despite most of the worthwhile material being buried post-Update. There were enough highlights and nothing I felt was terrible, helped by a mostly-good cast utilization. This episode did feel oddly paced, but I guess the combo of the White Lotus parody and the usually-lengthy edition of the desk in this era is why. Jon Hamm himself wasn’t really utilized to his maximum potential, till the aforementioned post-Update half of the night, but he was still very solid when given any moments and I loved his work especially in the pretapes and the 10-to-1. I sincerely hope this episode will lead to Jon coming back and hosting regularly, as it’ll be a blast for me to cover him the coming seasons.
My Favorite Moments of the Episode, Represented with Screencaps:
Up Next:
- May 3rd: Quinta Brunson / Benson Boone
My full set of screencaps from this episode is here
As always, great review from you Blood! Cannot thank you enough for your dedication to these quality reviews.
“Reliable” is a good way to describe this episode. With the exception of a couple of strong highlights, the material tonight was nothing to really write home about (I’ll probably forget at least half of this episode in a few days), but there was nothing flat out terrible or bad to me. And, thankfully, the highs were very strong.
Despite having never seen the White Lotus, I enjoyed the parody quite a bit. I could tell that they were nailing the aesthetic and look of the show and the acting (especially from JAJ) was very good. It was also a real treat to see Alex & Beck return and they haven’t lost a step at all in their respective impressions. Even though some references flew over my head, I enjoyed this quite a bit.
I’m so happy to see Ashley’s continued steady rise this season and Icebreaker was another home run for her. I loved how you described her performance as layered with pathos. One thing I love about Ashley is that she often comes across as playing a REAL person, complete with a history and a layered personality. I know that sounds odd talking about a silly sketch comedy show, but it’s really refreshing to see, especially juxtaposed with certain cast members who feel the need to ham it up.
Herpastopper was the other highlight of the night for me. It was such a dead on parody of pharmaceutical ads and Jon was perfect as the commercial spokesman.
Jon, as always, was a phenomenal host. He was super committed, clearly game, and really having a blast all night. Even though this episode doesn’t hold a candle to his first two episodes especially, it was good fun and I sincerely hope he comes back to host again and become a Five Timer.
Sarah is playing Aimee Lou Wood in the White Potus pretape.
Thanks.
Let’s ignore my feelings of Bowen and Marcello. Let’s also ignore my feelings on trump interrupting sketches (And not slurring/mumbling cause why do a current version)
My female friend I was watching this with, Gave up on the Runny eggs squirm line.
The white Potus reminded me how much I miss Alex.
I liked the News Sketch and Lizzo’s 2nd song (Mainly cause I could understand the lyrics)
SNL, Please don’t do a sequel to that Sexual Harassment sketch.
Another great review.
I appreciate reading your comments on White POTUS because other than JAJ’s excellent work, I intensely disliked everything on display. Rather than focus on that, as this review isn’t about me, I am just going to praise James Austin Johnson for how much he brought to two pieces I don’t think would have worked without him (this and the cold open, which was, like the monologue, such a clunky and hesitant hash). Imagine what he could do with actual showcases? I also like how the White POTUS piece relied on his chemistry with Andrew for a critical moment, even if the show never does enough with them.
The show has received a great deal of criticism due to the Aimee Lee Wood joke. My general view is that SNL has done and said far worse, even if I can understand why she felt hurt – it’s only natural. However, the show has also tried hard for years now to appeal specifically to fans who are very much in the side of fandom that recoils at this type of display, and White POTUS seemed designed to appeal to every “resistance” viewer who has drifted away. Lorne still tries to appeal to everyone but much of the time the end result seems to just leave many of them alienated.
I think you are right that the episode was mostly reliable and fine. I had low expectations for Hamm’s return because I’m not a big fan of his and think his past episodes, and that era of SNL in general, were overhyped, and also because I thought we’d get a forced fun, party episode, vomiting up cameos. None of that happened (aside from one pre-tape and that awkward monologue [which mostly reminded me I didn’t enjoy many of Hamm’s cameos]), and we got what amounted to a regular episode. I respect that enough to let me check off some of the usual flaws in the show that are so common (lack of focus, lack of energy).
Other than poor Devon getting shut out again, the cast use was fairer than many weeks – no shoehorning Jane into an “awkward” part for the 59th straight episode, Marcello getting a night off, Emil getting a showcase, etc.
You said everything about Update and the final sketch to where I can’t even add. I’ve often criticized Bowen on Update but if he is on there this is how he should be – laser-precise, tapping into his coldness as a performer instead of vamping. And I was very impressed once again by how amazingly smooth Emil is – on paper this was a bit of a jumble, some tough points about America never threaded together, but he packaged it and sold it. If this is his last showcase, it’s a very good audition for employment elsewhere.
I will just say again how impressed I am by Ashley Padilla. I was wary early on, so I was not walking into this just rolling out prefab statements. Her timing is exquisite, her performances rarely play to the rafters. There’s a real trust in herself. Everything in this clicked – all the performances, the energy, the careful writing, If Ashley’s self-confidence was a reason why this worked so well they should lean on her more often.
I was also impressed with how Andrew did in the anchor role, something I never thought he’d play in a sketch even a year ago. I am aware some in the cast might have been a little better, but in this case, I think he was the right choice.
The game show sketch wasn’t bad (helped by being severely cut down – so glad the show is willing to chop up sketches again and not let everything die for five minutes), but it felt like Hamm was playing a Kristen Wiig character from his hosting era. Even the fart jokes had that sense.
I liked the CNBC sketch more than you did, aside from Kenan’s pointless involvement (and yes, his repeatedly almost breaking for no apparent reason was lazy senioritis and made me hope he is leaving soon). I thought the Funko section did a good job of combining a humor with the despair of the moment. Ego also did a very good job.
I need to watch PDD again because I just check out any time they do videos now. They not only seem out of ideas, they seem like kids trying to be what they aren’t.
This was a very uneven bloc of three, the show going back down to earth after an unusually good run of four, but none ever truly bottomed out for me and all had some strong surprises. I hope this last run can overcome the usual fatigue and tighten up the writing enough to end 50 on a decent note.
Great review. You’re the best in the biz, Blood.
You know, for the second worst episode of the calendar year, that really wasn’t bad. In fact, there was greatness – Update, Icebreaker – and several other moments of promise and near-greatness.
In terms of the retreads, those Trump opens are a format that are generally agreeable to me. They’re loose but not flabby. They’re pointed without being strident. Since it’s a recurring format, I get kind of shrugging them off, but without a strong conceptual foundation, this is a really good failsafe – akin to the Carvey vamps of yesteryear (and I like those!).
The other reset was the Hamm n’ Yang gay couple which I really thought was moving along quite swimmingly before the dud ending. I’m still generally amenable to a lot of the re-hashes – they don’t rattle my cage too much – especially when there is room for improvement of the inaugural installment. The Adam Driver sketch was a strong piece, but not necessarily perfect. I actually thought this one was doing a good job of subtly improving on the previous version up until the superfluous Lizzo cameo.
The monologue felt like an almost fully functioning concept, but the execution just was too haphazard. Hamm is a pro, so it went by without incident, but it actually felt like there was something that COULD have been great but was just lazily executed.
Speaking of COULD have been great, I thought the CTCBC piece was really close. I certainly liked it more than Blood, but I can’t deny it lost steam with Kenan’s bit. Still, I like strong, relatable premises, and other than a little trimming, I don’t think this needed much more to get over the hump.
The PDD piece was more first gear comedy from, as John correctly noted, three kids who are trying to be what they aren’t. I think the essential missing element of the PDD shorts is that their unique voice isn’t that far from the show’s own version of the middle of the road. Historically, those featured voices – from Albert Brooks to Jack Handey to Roberta to Lonely Island to Mike O’Brien – have felt like dispatches from a completely different SNL planet. The PDD guys, on the other hand, just feel like the milieu of the show – regular jokes by regular guys, but FASTER!! Anyways, this piece had no need to be a pre-tape anyway. It was just a standard “One guy gets too excited about minutiae” sketch.
The game show sketch felt pretty familiar, but also shockingly unpadded. I also like Michael in the host role. Frankly, I like Michael in so many roles.
I can’t tell if the White Lotus piece was a rousing success or a baffling mess. A part of the problem is me, having not seen any of the show, but it’s also enough in the zeitgeist that I get SOME references. There were things I liked (beyond being thrilled by the returns of Beck and Alex), but there were also elements that really obfuscated the point of it all – using actual White Lotus characters felt like it was just muddying the waters of everything and the Tiger Woods ending was just completely lost on me. So I guess I’ll punt on my opinion, but I would say it seemed like the writers were trying to do everything at once and it just kind of canceled itself out.
Oh, and with the Aimee Lou Wood controversy…anything that brings the comedy “experts” out to talk about “punching down” is just exhausting in my book.
The Herpes ad was a decent joke stretched out beyond a reasonable run time.
As for the best pieces of the night…Update was more solid work by Che and Jost, but the commentaries really did their job. Sarah did the Sarah thing, which still works for me when it’s doled out judiciously. Yang’s bit is probably the most pointed and applicable use of his trade minister character yet. These pieces have often flown (however low to the ground) on Yang’s inherent charm, but this when felt purposeful, which is deeply refreshing. Even more refreshing is Emil’s piece, which includes a ton of bite but with all the necessary knowingness and playfulness to keep it from descending into hectoring or, worse yet, clapter. There is much consternation about Emil’s future, but all I think he’s shown is an ability to connect with an audience with tricky material and a natural comfort with his sketch work. He is used sparingly, but I think he has a wider arsenal than many more established castmembers.
Speaking of newcomers with exceptional utility, all Ashley Padilla is doing is putting up performances that remind people of the show’s true greats. Icebreakers was a bit of a messy sketch, but Padilla’s commitment and actorly poise gave it the center it needed until the madness really began taking off (the conclusion where they are all reacting in unison was off the charts funny and would have only been better if they went longer). There is much to be hopeful for with the newcomers and I could see Padilla taking on a key role in the very near future.
“In terms of the retreads, those Trump opens are a format that are generally agreeable to me. They’re loose but not flabby. They’re pointed without being strident. Since it’s a recurring format, I get kind of shrugging them off, but without a strong conceptual foundation, this is a really good failsafe – akin to the Carvey vamps of yesteryear (and I like those!).”
Believe it or not, outside of very few cold opens, this season, in my view, has been having some of the best cold opens the show did since….. Christ…. S41?! You said it all about why they’ve been working as well as they’ve, but I’d also give JAJ credit with his strong writing & lampooning of the President this back half especially.
(Those Bush Sr. cold opens do come to mind to me, especially the reliance on delivering well-paced monologue with many genuinely funny lines, as well as a good premise. This impression, which is already a HoF-levels take, will hopefully help JAJ become a GOAT player, like playing the President did for Dana & Ferrell.)
We’ve come a long way since the endless, cameo-filled Trumpwin cold opens. Glad we are moving forward from those days.
Thank you very much for the very sweet comment about me at the start. That means a lot.
Great review as always, Blood.
Been pretty busy this week, so I haven’t had much time to type a long comment out.
I thought this was another strong episode. Like last week, there were no segments I disliked, and Jon Hamm was thankfully utilized well, despite not necessarily getting to shine as much as his previous hosting stints. While nothing was fantastic, this episode as a whole was VERY consistent.
The cold open was the only segment that I felt was average, and everything else to me ranged from above average to strong. It honestly feels like the Shane Gillis episode from last season, where almost everything in that episode was consistently good.
My favorite sketch of the night is honestly hard to pick, as there was a lot to love here; But I think my favorite was the Icebreaker 10-to-1. Jon’s fact about himself was hilarious and everyone else had great moments here. I also loved the offbeat vibe to it, which is perfect for a 10-to-1.
The White POTUS was a great pre-tape, and it feels nice to see the show FINALLY do something new with JAJ’s Trump impression. The Aimee Lee Wood impression got backlash, there I mentioned it. Also words cannot describe how happy I was to see Alex and Beck make cameos for the first time since leaving the show.
I also really enjoyed Check to Check News, with Jon and Ego giving great performances. I also loved what Andrew brought to the sketch with his part.
PDD was also great this week, with Jon being a fun addition. Also, like I said with the Shane Gillis episode, it’s nice to see them playing characters instead of themselves in this short.
I don’t know if they are genuinely getting better, or maybe the improvements in quality in the second half of this season are altering my feelings, but this is the 4th Update edition in a row I’ve felt highly about.
I’ll basically just repeat what I’ve been saying these past few weeks. The jokes felt above average, and the commentaries were great.
I LOVED seeing Chen Biao return after not seeing him since Season 47. This might actually be my favorite character from Bowen, as he is always very likable when playing this character. It also helps that this installment had a dark tone to it, which I loved.
I also LOVED seeing Emil at the desk again, as I loved his first commentary from the Michael Keaton episode (the only thing from that episode I remember honestly). He was once again, very likable and funny here.
Since I’m being all sunshine and lollipops about Update, let me be positive about Sarah for once! I actually really enjoyed her commentary here. It helps that she wasn’t mugging to an annoying degree, and her head going through the Update wall was a great ending.
I also loved the Herpes Medication ad, which was a great showcase for Jon. His deadpan here also helped the material come off even funnier than it actually was.
Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. I’m very excited for Quinta Brunson, and it’s automatically gonna be better than her first episode because it won’t have a Midwife sketch! (I’m just kidding, hopefully)