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SNL host Teyana Taylor brought fire and energy to this weekend's show, but some of the sketches would've benefitted from some trimming.
Posted in: NBC, Peacock, Review, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl
SNL 51 Review: Teyana Taylor Brings Energy to Otherwise Mixed Effort
SNL host Teyana Taylor brought fire and energy to this weekend's show, but some of the sketches would've benefitted from some trimming.
The good news? NBC's Saturday Night Live host Teyana Taylor made it two-for-two in 2026, showing solid comedic skills and a willingness to play into her strengths while giving us a chance to see just how much talent she brings to the table. Her opening monologue was funny and sweet (we loved it when the camera cut to her kids), with Taylor making it crystal clear well before musical guest Geese took the stage for their first performance that she deserves an invite back. Also, props to SNL for a hard-hitting Cold Open that went after Trump's (James Austin Johnson) obsession with winning things. Considering the violence happening on the streets of Minneapolis – punctuated by the outrage over the shooting death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents on Saturday – we weren't sure what route SNL would take to kick things off.
The not-so-great news? This weekend's show didn't have any sketches that "missed," but many would've benefited from some serious trimming. While Ashley Padilla was excellent in "Confident Class," it felt like a nearly six-minute sketch (saved by the PowerPoint scroll at the end). "Beyond the Headlines" hit its punchline about White people not having an understanding of how U.S. history hasn't exactly been too kind to people of color over the centuries, hard early on, only to continue to repeat it for nearly four minutes. I was loving Martin Herlihy's "Blowing It" filmed sketch, a guide for men on how to get their girlfriends to break up with them so the guys don't have to, but there was something about the absurdity of that final suggestion that actually took me out of it. With that in mind, here's a look at what worked for us by the time the credits rolled…
SNL Season 51: Teyana Taylor & Geese Highlights
"NFL on ESPN": Johnson's Joe Buck, Andrew Dismukes' Troy Aikman, and Taylor's Lisa Salters look to keep the coverage of the AFC Championship between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots on track while promoting "the steamy new lesbian culinary drama 'Quefs.'" Forced corporate synergy and Buck's desperate efforts to keep anyone from saying the wrong thing about the wrong person at the worst time were a winning combination. Bonus points for the Gavin Newsom and Bo Nix name-drops, and pointing out how it seems like every show gets a post-show talk show now.
"Toy Commercial" That's right, the hottest film going today that all of the kids are raving about is KPop Demon Hunters… One Battle After Another! While we have nothing but love for Mikey Day and Padilla's shocked and now clearly traumatized parents, the sketch works because Taylor is in fine form reprising her role as Perfidia Beverly Hills, and the young actors had us believing that this was the best toy ever. Seriously, the look on Padilla's mom's face and her reaction after her daughter introduces her to Junglepussy, aims the doll's gun at her, and drops the line, "See my face? This is what Black power looks like," is gold. Oh, and can someone make the "Paul Thomas Anderson Master Set" of action figures a reality, please?
"Weekend Update: Mr. On Blast Speaks His Mind Without Holding Back": Congratulations to Jeremy Culhane for introducing us to Mr. On Blast, a man who likes to speak his mind on some of the hottest topics going today and isn't afraid to put people "on blast." The premise itself is pretty cut-and-dry: it turns out his "blasts" are nothing more than all hype and no punch, and it would've worn out its welcome if it wasn't for Culhane and whoever was working his version of a "rimshot." Watching absurdity being so perfectly in sync musically, you had no choice but to give yourself over to it. With Bowen Yang gone, it's nice to see a number of the SNL cast members stepping up their "Weekend Update" game, and Culhane is definitely on that list.
"Grandpa at the Wedding": Taylor plays a grandpa at his grandson's (Kam Patterson) wedding, and let's just say the DJ's playlist has serious rejuvenating magic, because Grandpa ends up owning the dance floor. And we're not talking about "The Electric Slide" or "The Chicken Dance." Kenan Thompson and Taylor make for the kind of comedic pairing that I would love to see on the big screen, with Taylor getting bonus points for maintaining the laughs while unleashing some sick dance moves.
Saturday Night Live Season 51: Teyana Taylor & Geese
7.5/10
The good news? NBC's Saturday Night Live host Teyana Taylor made it two-for-two in 2026, showing solid comedic skills and a willingness to play into her strengths while giving us a chance to see just how much talent she brings to the table. Also, props to SNL for a hard-hitting Cold Open that went after Trump's (James Austin Johnson) obsession with winning things. Considering the violence happening on the streets of Minneapolis - punctuated by the outrage over the shooting death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents on Saturday - we weren't sure what route SNL would take to kick things off. The not-so-great news? This weekend's show didn't have any sketches that "missed," but many would've benefited from some serious trimming. Here's a rundown of our thoughts on this weekend's SNL...
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