This concept reminds me of that horrible Ukraine cold open from the season 47 Oscar Isaac episode. This will hopefully only go but up. Nice to see the show making it known Jeremy is the new Vance. Hopefully he’ll do more with the impression than Bowen, who clearly only did it for Lorne. Not laughing at the photoshopped Trump photos, even the Epstein one. Photo-based humor isn’t for me. While very Trump-y, I admit cracking up at the award categories. While definitely in his wheelhouse, Marcello isn’t adding that much energy to the proceeding as Milei, despite his usual committed work.
January 17, 2026 – Finn Wolfhard / A$AP Rocky (S51 E10)
Yet another Trump open? Look, I love this impression and all, but they’re really overusing it of late. A laugh from the “Cabinet of Curiosities” line. Jeremy as JD Vance? He actually looks pretty uncanny to him in that wig and beard. Tommy is one I’ve seen fans mentioning as a potential performer for the VP. Not sure why we are having a meta comment on Vance being recast, as Bowen barely even played him after the Election sketches (shudder) anyways.
December 20, 2025 – Ariana Grande / Cher (S51 E9)
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.