I’m surprised we are getting another Trump open, especially that the last two Christmas episodes had apolitical opens. A laugh from the we “added a fourth ho” line. The usual good laughs from JAJ’s Trump. I know some fans are plain sick watching political cold opens (though that seems to be a minority, considering the praise this impression [rightfully] keeps getting). I am fine with them myself, however.
December 13, 2025 – Josh O’Connor / Lily Allen (S51 E8)
Already a creative and interesting start to the cold open. Nice seeing Ashley right from the get-go. Good camera angles during this cold open so far. Hilarious closeup on Ashley’s Karoline. Both JAJ and Ashley had really fun chemistry during this whole portion.
December 6, 2025 – Melissa McCarthy / Dijon (S51 E7)
Is Jeremy playing the same guy he played in the very first cold open of the season? I wasn’t hot on the season premiere’s cold open, even when I expected a Hegseth appearance in this cold open. Maybe parodying that bizarre cabinet meeting. Ugh at the literal “OK…..?” bit with Mikey. Some of Mikey’s roles this season genuinely feel like a parody of how some fans see him as. The whole booze jingle from Colin’s Hegseth made me laugh out loud. Surprisingly well-delivered from Colin.
November 15, 2025 – Glen Powell / Olivia Dean (S51 E6)
For a brief moment, due to the C-Span intro, I thought the cold open would be congress-based, much like the Amy Poehler one earlier in the season. Ashley as Karoline Leavitt is good casting. Nice also to see a cast member instead of a random cameo in the role. Ashley is already great in her passive-aggressive behavior towards reporters. Even when the material given to her is nothing amazing.
November 8, 2025 – Nikki Glaser / sombr (S51 E5)
Figures they’d be doing a cold open around this incident. Andrew as RFK Jr? Andrew is one of my favorite current cast members, but seriously? Marcello as Dr. Oz is even more baffling. A lot of this cast, both good and bad, makes me feel at times I’m watching a talent show instead of a sketch comedy show.
November 1, 2025 – Miles Teller / Brandi Carlile (S51 E4)
SNL just now doing an NYC-centric cold open? I still remember some fans thinking this would be too niche for the rest of the country, but I guess not. Nice seeing the solid Miles Teller in the cold open, for the second hosting stint in a row. I’m liking that voice he is using as Cuomo. Ramy Youssef as Zohran Mamdani? I like that guy (and Zohran, too, not to get too political for these reviews), but why not a cast member? Ramy is also an Arab (like yours truly) and as far as I know, we aren’t that close looks-wise to how Indian people look like. I’m also sure we don’t need more cameos.
October 18, 2025 – Sabrina Carpenter (S51 E3)
Ugh. Seriously SNL? We’re getting this overhyped Fowlie/O’Sullivan TikTok pandering dreck right out of the gate? Something always felt creepy seeing a sketch that’s targeting mega pop stars’ fanbases written by a duo 20+ years older than them, but I digress. I see, so this sketch has now “graduated” from later in the night to the cold open spot? Does Lorne think this is a new Wayne’s World or something? or is Bowen being absent tonight (at least from the live show) canceled out plans for a Trump/Santos (shudder) cold open?
October 11, 2025 – Amy Poehler / Role Model (S51 E2)
I figured the show would be parodying the fiasco Bondi hearing. On its own, it's ripe for mockery. Also, I believe this is our first Congress-centric cold open since halfway through season 49. After that GOP members meeting at a bar open when Shane Gillis first hosted. Feels somewhat odd seeing JAJ playing another politician other than the President. I like his Senator Grassley voice here.
October 4, 2025 – Bad Bunny / Doja Cat (S51 E1)
Sweet seeing Jeremy Culhane being the very first cast member opening the season, especially before he is even credited in the montage. That ridiculous Trump/Hegseth meeting with the generals seems like a decent way to open the season, alongside I’m sure some government shutdown mentions. A good no-nonsense general performance from Jeremy. I thought Colin playing Hegseth last season was a fun one-time thing for his potential goodbye, but he is now playing him regularly? I won’t be surprised if some big names turned down a cameo to open the season with him for clicks.
SNL50 Wrap-up Extravaganza!
Overall Thoughts on the Season: Season 50 was a true whirlwind of a year. It began, as expected with the election coverage, bloated and confused - soaking deep in nostalgia with cameos from both past alums and one certain comedian who has basically no connection at all to SNL. That period, while definitely not as …