Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl

SNL 50: Rudolph, Samberg, Gaffigan, Carvey, Yang Return for Cold Open

The cold open to this weekend's SNL saw Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Jim Gaffigan, Dana Carvey, and Bowen Yang taking on the VP debate.

NBC's Saturday Night Live returned this weekend with host Nate Bargatze and musical guest Coldplay for the second show of the milestone 50th season – and just like last week, we kicked things off with a political cold open with some very big names returning from last week (now available above). Tonight's SNL kicked off with VP Kamala Harris (Maya Rudolph) and her husband, Douglas Emhoff (Andy Samberg), at home getting ready to watch the VP Debate between Gov. Tim Walz (Jim Gaffigan) and Sen. JD Vance (Bowen Yang).

The debate starts with CBS News moderators Norah O'Donnell (Heidi Gardner) and Margaret Brennan (Chloe Fineman) kicking things off – in what turns out to be a love fest of agreement between the two that starts stressing VP Harris – and it doesn't get much better when President Joseph Biden (Dana Carvey) joins her and Doug to vent about what they should be talking about. From there, Walz realizes that he's running out of time, so he hits Vance with the question about if he believed Trump legitimately lost the 2020 election (the question the real Vance wouldn't answer) – giving VP Harris the soundbite that they needed, joking that the debate did what it needed to do – make no difference whatsoever. Some serious bonus points to Carvey for the ice cream-eating Biden near the end of the sketch and how he worked some subtle breaks into his portrayal. But it's the way Rudolph turned an early flub into greatness that really started things off strong.

SNL EP Lorne Michaels on Saturday Night Live Season 50

Back in May, the word went out regarding early plans to celebrate the milestone 50th season of Saturday Night Live. The network confirmed that there will be a "celebratory weekend" that wraps up on Sunday, February 16th (from 8-11 p.m. ET), with a live, primetime special. Now, thanks to an interview he had with The New York Times at the end of the most recent season, we're learning some additional details on what's ahead – and Michaels's thoughts on those rumblings about his retiring after Season 50.

Along with the primetime special on February 16th, music producer Mark Ronson and Michaels will produce a "homecoming" of sorts at Radio City Music Hall on the Friday of that weekend. In addition, it was noted that musician and producer Questlove (The Roots) is co-producing a documentary for the anniversary season spotlighting the impact that SNL had had on music and culture, and Morgan Neville (Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces, Won't You Be My Neighbor) is producing five documentaries focusing on both Michaels and the long-running late-night sketch comedy/music series. As for those rumblings that the 50th anniversary will also be his last hurrah, Michaels is basing that decision on how he's feeling and not committing to anything. "I'm going to do it as long as I feel I can do it," he shared. "But I rely on other people and always have."

Heading into Season 50, SNL said goodbye to Punkie Johnson, Molly Kearney, and Chloe Troast – and hello to new featured players Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim, and Jane Wickline. In addition, Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker were promoted to the main cast. After this weekend, we have Oct. 12th: Ariana Grande / Stevie Nicks; Oct. 19th: Michael Keaton / Billie Eilish; Nov. 2nd: John Mulaney / Chappell Roan. The long-running late-night sketch comedy series is executive-produced by Lorne Michaels, with Liz Patrick directing and SNL alum Darrell Hammond announcing. Broadcasting from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center, Saturday Night Live is produced by SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video.

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