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SNL Second-Guessing: 2 SNL Sketches Free of Bad Bunny Blame (VIDEO)

In this week's SNL Second-Guessing, even a bad Bad Bunny effort couldn't drag down Ego Nwodim's Jada Pinkett Smith and "Subway Platform."

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Welcome to a new edition of SNL Second-Guessing, our weekend series where we look back on NBC's Saturday Night Live Season 49 shows (depending on what's being repeated during the between-seasons break) to see if we missed anything the first time around, to shine a spotlight on standout sketches that deserve more love, or to offer a different perspective on what a particular show did (or did not) work – and sometimes, a mix of all three. This week, we look back at the second episode of the season (October 21, 2023), when Bad Bunny was the host and musical guest – and it wasn't good. In fact, in our rankings, it was second only to Jacob Elordi in terms of the worst show of the season. If you checked out our original review, then you know that it was an instance where the SNL cast held up their end of the bargain and then some – but Bad Bunny was both out of his element and way too caught up in the moment. That said, there were two sketches – one where Bad Bunny was a background player in an ensemble filmed sketch and another that he didn't appear in at all – that gave the SNL cast a chance to really shine.

SNL
Image: NBCUniversal Screencap

In "Subway Platform," James Austin Johnson and Devon Walker perfectly dial up the dramatic earnestness with their "Lifetime movie-esque" back-and-forth that sees a young man's career dreams finally becoming a reality. Serious props to Johnson and Walker because they were the perfect contrast to what was going on in the subway cars behind them. Mikey Day, Punkie Johnson, Kenan Thompson, Ego Nwodim, Bowen Yang, and others find themselves dealing with monster rats, exposed penises, and an even bigger threat – each other. Everyone was in top form, telling a tale that more than a few NYC folks could laugh at with deep, soul-scarring appreciation.

As for "Weekend Update," Michael Che and Colin Jost broke up the doldrums by hitting fast and hitting hard with their topic list. The joke about Netflix opening a series of physical stores being akin to a serial killer wearing the skin of their victims might be one the best "WU" jokes of the season. But Nwodim's Jada Pinkett Smith stole the segment, speaking to the viewers in response to the criticisms that Pinkett Smith received regarding what she shares in public about her relationship and family life with Will Smith. Nwodim did her homework and then some – this was no broad caricature that went the easy/low road for laughs. We're talking true satire at its finest – focusing less on the personal aspects of the person being satirized and keeping the focus on who the public has seen and how they've chosen to present themselves.

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Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
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