‘SNL’ recap: Jack Black is back after nearly 20 years in energetic episode

Hi all, and welcome back to another exciting chapter in our ongoing saga: SNL in Review – the 50th anniversary season. For Coneheads out there who enjoy Saturday Night Live history, tonight is a cool combination of host and musical guests. 

First, the host: When Jack Black originally hosted SNL in the early aughts, he was one of the brightest stars in the comedy galaxy. Shallow Hal, Nacho Libre, School of Rock — a man can dine out on his output during this era. He was one of the biggest comic forces in Hollywood, period. (Personally, I was always struck by his stellar one-off character roles in the ’90s.) Today, he returns as the star of the Minecraft movie and the new Anaconda reboot. Still cool, but ya know.

Now, Black returns for a fourth hosting stint, his first time back in nearly two decades. (Notably, his second time as host in 2003 was also Kenan Thompson’s first episode on the SNL cast.)

Just wait, the musical guests are equally fascinating! Rocketman himself, Sir Elton John, is back at Studio 8H. He previously did double duty as host and musical guest back in 2011. And he is joined by Brandi Carlile, who previously appeared in 2021 when Jason Sudeikis returned to host, then also in season 48 when Martin Short and Steve Martin co-hosted together. 

I am joined tonight by the legendary former cast member, and host of the Gary + Kenny Show on Youtube, Gary Kroeger. He shares: “Jack Black had to grow on me, but grow on me he did. Early in his career I think I resisted his over-the-top intensity as a comedian – and musician. It just wasn’t where I looked for grounded comedy. But, my sons loved him and I kept seeing him in movies. By the time he did the Jumanji films, I was on board. Sort of before that with Tropic Thunder. He has proven that he can be subtle and has incredible timing and his career integrity is to be admired.” Well said!

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly‘s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Cold Open

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced his historic tariff plan against the country’s international trade partners in a “historically awesome speech.” We join James Austin Johnson’s Trump at the Rose Garden in which he describes his “MAGDA” vision — Make America Great Depression Again — and the stock market’s recent plummet. 

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (Andrew Dismukes) brings out a sign explaining the reciprocal tariffs – Trump loves the word “reciprocal”. Oops, it is actually the Cheesecake Factory menu. He also riffs on their so-called formula determining the tariffs. 

“Get me to God’s country,” he says looking at a picture of cartoon McDonald’s, in a reference to last week’s musical guest Morgan Wallen posting a photo of a private jet with that caption on his Instagram Stories after he stormed off stage during the goodnights. Fun attitude there from JAJ, love the show demonstrating some meta swagger.

Next up: oh boy, Mike Myers returns as a cheese hat-wearing Elon Musk. He’s really smart, but says this tariff plan is really dumb. Trump swiftly says it is time for him to leave, and return to helping Tesla. Is that a sign we won’t see Myers doing this again?

Monologue

Black is “back”! And with that, he quits. “I can’t do it, it’s too stressful.” A riff begins to give him the power to host again. Starting to sing in that classic rock, AC/DC-flavored cadence, he runs through some of his biggest movies in the past 20 years, running through the audience. We get a quick shot of former SNL hosts Bill Burr and Kieran Culkin — currently starring on Broadway’s Glengarry Glen Ross — in the audience as Black jogs through the bleachers. He also shouts out that Kenan Thompson is still in the cast. The audience is animated, they are clapping, the energy is great. I love this. I might be wrong, but I think Black sings in every one of his monologues. At 55, his voice sounds great. 

“Indiana Jones”

Todd Bruff (Dismukes) presents Jamie from Syracuse (Chloe Fineman) with three potential bachelors. The first is Allan from Tempe (Johnson), Dan from Ridgefield (Marcello Hernández) and Gene from Seattle (Black), who can’t think of any puns for his name. He is dressed like Indiana Jones, which Todd points out. Jamie can’t see the contestants, so he is giving her a heads up! Gene protests as he does not know what that is. They quarrel. Jamie asks his biggest fear: snakes! Todd is angry, so Dismukes gets to be disgruntled which is always a fun mode. 

“Flamin’ Hot commercial” 

This in-your-face Cheetos flavor can create bathroom issues. That is why the iconic mascot, Chester Cheetah, is pimping Preparation H products now. He is joined by Jack Black, who wants that cream also in extreme flavors. (Shout out the old Phil Hartman commercials. Also this.)

“One Uppers”

It has been several years since a group of college friends have gotten together. The attendees worry that the stranglers will just one-up each other. Jack Black soon shows up, and friends ask where he has been lately as they never hear from him. He is off grid now, having quit social media. An eagle pronounces his humblebrag accomplishment. He only reads books now – another eagle sound cue.

Bowen Yang shows up too, he was just at a protest, and he also gets a bird signal for it. The rest of the group joins the action, pivoting goofily into the camera whenever they not so subtly virtue signal. Even the waitress (Heidi Gardner) gets a sound after announcing she adopted her son from China. Amazing stuff, fun camera angles too. The only issue? It dies on the vine. A true sketch needs that third act, or payoff. They have a brilliant premise, but unlike, say, “Debbie Downer,” it abruptly ends with zero escalation or character work. Too bad, but I recommend this. 

“The First Play”

This is silly. Actors in ancient Greece are distracted by the first ever theatrical audience, who are too literal to understand what they are seeing on stage. The concept of acting out a story is difficult. Yang’s character is pretend stabbed and they overreact. Meh. 

“Goth Kid on Vacation”

Jamaica locals (Ego Nwodim, Thompson) sing about the silly big black jeans and combat boots worn by angsty American tourists like super sweaty goth kid Michael Longfellow. Black plays an approximation of Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance, which is cute.

Elton John and Brandi Carlile first performance — “Little Richard’s Bible”

This is great . Elton John is still rocking at the piano. Total ’50s throwback jam. Fun, you can see Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who worked on this. And I need Black’s SNL50 jacket. 

John first appeared on SNL way back in 1982. Somewhere, future cast member Gary Kroeger was watching the performance, and would join the cast a few months later. He eventually crossed paths with the iconic singer and Oscar winner: “I was and remain, a huge Elton John fan. I was a producer on the George & Alana Show in the mid-90s and Elton was a guest. He was so approachable and incredibly funny and that made a lasting impression on me. I know – and he admits – that he can be a bit of a prima donna at times, but he is so clearly brilliant and a perfectionist and his impatience is just a product of his high standards. I loved him.”

“Weekend Update”

A second Morgan Wallen reference of the night! I liked this one somewhat less – Colin Jost jokes that money is leaving the stock market faster than Wallen leaves goodnights. Michael Che gets some audience applause over Cory Booker’s speech and delivers a “creepy” joke about Matt Gaetz.

Jost also reminds us when Russell Brand hosted SNL, his musical guest was Chris Brown. Ouch!

On to tell us how to maintain a healthy relationship are Grant (Hernández) and Alyssa (Jane Wickline), the couple you can’t believe are together because they are very different. Hernández and Wickline previously appeared on Weekend Update as these characters back in November. Talking boundaries, Wickline is quiet, deadpan, while Hernández is animated, loud. So, perfect for their comic energies. 

After the White House Correspondents’ Association recently announced that Amber Ruffin will no longer be the featured entertainer at its annual dinner, sparking controversy, Nwodim comes out and says she should host. The crowd agrees. Nwodim says her stance would be avoiding political jokes, go after the dinner itself. Her Miss Eggy stand-up performance voice here is hilarious. Home run. 

“Making Love”

In silk pajamas, Greg (Black) is feeling really good with Francesca (Sarah Sherman), who he has been seeing. They agree to take it to the next level, and they begin flying, singing about ‘makin’ lurve.’ Yang joins, which I do not think was necessary. Same with Carlile. I like the escalation, but it was cuter and more intimate when it was confessional between Black and Squirm. 

“Bass Lake”

Big Ricky and the Minnows host a potluck jam once a week where people are welcome to join. A few bass players enter to play some ’90s Tom Petty. Then Gardner wants to slap some bass too. “We are good on bass!” pleads Ricky. The bass players get out of control, even the hound dog joins in. The frequency undercuts the integrity of the pier, as they break out into The Simpsons theme and fall into the water.

Elton John and Brandi Carlile second performance — “Who Believes in Angels?”

Is this a rhetorical question? This is the title track from their album. Carlile really soars here, embodying John’s style so well. 

Gary Kroeger attended the SNL50 anniversary concert and noted Carlile as a highlight that night: “I love Brandi Carlile! Not only her music, her powerful voice, but for her relevance and activism, especially the creation of her Looking Out Foundation. Her SNL 50th performance was sublime, as was everyone that night. Simply magical. I didn’t get a chance to meet her at the after party, but I did look for her!”

“Times Square Kiss”

VJ Day in Times Square is a famous photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt that shows a U.S. Navy sailor embracing and kissing a nurse, who was a total stranger. We join the action afterwards. Gardner plays the nurse, Black is her beau. He is upset, but also very into buying hot dogs. He also served his country, he was an illustrator who drew racist propaganda to encourage enlistment. 

Goodnights

Final thoughts