We discuss Finn Wolfhard's January 2026 SNL hosting debut on January 17, 2026. Known for Stranger Things, It, and Ghostbusters. Finn's monologue featured former castmates, sparking nostalgia and strong audience energy, but the episode was uneven with many underdeveloped sketches. We talk about the clever genre blending and figurative language, as well as slash fiction and fan creativity in "Heated Wizardry" and expand into how reboots, remakes, and fan-inspired storytelling function in corporate media with "Stranger Things Promo." Readings include a primer on figurative language from the poetry foundation and Textual Poachers by Henry Jenkins, as well as examples of great remakes, reboots, and requels - oh my!

In this episode, we discuss Ariana Grande's third time hosting on December 20, 2025. She aced the assignment, seamlessly fitting in with the cast, vocal talent, and playful, theater-kid energy. Coupled with the Bowen Yang's final appearance and Cher as musical guest, the episode was one of the best of the season. We discuss "Black Santa" and race, sentimentality, white guilt, and humor's role in social critique, as well as the linguistic power of impressions. Readings include James Baldwin, linguistic research on paralanguage, and Jordan Peele's Get Out.

We discuss Josh O'Connor's hosting debut on December 13, 2025. He was charming but the episode was uneven. We discuss how "Bachelorette Party Strippers" plays on the "soft boy" aesthetic as well as the complexity of masculinity and how desire, gender norms, and emotional authenticity are negotiated in popular culture. We also talk about how "Uber Eats Wrapped" can be used for a deep dive into memory, shame, data privacy, and self-perception. Resources including readings on shame and the privacy paradox as well as films that explore the concept of memory.

Online comments hailed Melissa McCarthy's sixth turn hosting on December 6, 2025 as comic genius, but our collective take was more mixed. We discuss Pentagon Press Conference Cold Open and Jost's growing confidence as a performer as well as A Helping Hand, which showcased McCarthy's dramatic range. We focus on Free Sample to discuss fat humor, embodiment, loneliness, and attachment theory. Readings and resources include theoretical work regarding fatness and loneliness, as well as conversations on Harlow's psychologically deprived monkeys.

We discuss Glen Powell's November 15 2025 hosting debut, one of the season's strongest thanks to his full commitment, physicality, and enthusiasm. Luvell explores how "AI Photos" taps into concerns about AI ethics, memory, and "enshittification," Charisse praises "Norwegian Movie" for illustrating cultivation theory and how media shapes perceptions of entire cultures, and Chuck highlights "Bob Army" for its choreography, queer slang, and playful stereotypes. We also examine the darkly comic return of MacGruber and the episode's surprisingly sharp handling of Epstein, showcasing the show's willingness to take risks.

We discuss Nikki Glaser's first time hosting on November 8, 2025. bringing her bold, boundary-pushing comedy to network broadcast television. Glaser's Stand-Up Monologue —filled with taboo humor about rape, trafficking, and pedophilia—was a masterclass in "gross-out" comedy where Glaser targets herself rather than others. Charisse compares Glaser to John Waters, Luvell connects the episode to philosophical debates about ethical taboos in humor, and Chuck situates it in a tradition of transgressive film comedies like Scary Movie, Road Trip, and Serial Mom. Readings include Film Comedy by Geoff King and the Politico article, "'I love Hitler': Leaked messages expose Young Republicans' racist chat."

We discuss Miles Teller's second time hosting on November 1, 2025. The episode was uneven, it was technically good but lacked "flavor." We discuss how we could use "Missing Wives" in class to discuss the true crime genre, strategic use of archetypes in comedy, and using gendered dynamics in screenwriting. Readings feature Ralph Ellison, Richard Butsch, and a history of true crime from Jstor Daily, as well as films that comment on intimacy in relationships including On Golden Pond (1981) and Together (2025).

Charisse chats with Michelle Santosuosso, a pioneering voice in hip-hop radio, a music industry veteran, about Sabrina Carpenter's recent SNL appearance and album rollout. They analyze the performance's marketing strategy, sanitized humor, and sexuality themes, comparing Carpenter's authenticity to Taylor Swift's image control. The discussion also examines SNL's evolving cultural risks, streaming-era language freedom, and music industry promotion dynamics.

There were a lot of thoughts on Sabrina Carpenter's first time hosting on October 18, 2025. This iteration may have hit its stride, but may have underutilized Sabrina's talents. We discuss Boys Podcast as well as Jost's joke about Trump and Argentina. We also hear from Michelle Santosuosso, Professor of Practice at Newhouse's Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries, about Sabrina's career trajectory and the role of SNL in the music business.

We discuss Any Poehler's second time solo hosting on October 11, 2025. We talk about Emo Mom through the lens of liminality on both ends of adulthood, in adolescence and menopause, as well as gendered differences in aging, and representations of grief. Readings include an article about the We Do Not Care Club and Kendrick Lamar's Die Hard.