“Saturday Night Live” recap: “SNL” and host Bill Burr land tough post-election episode with fun cold open, wry sketches

Mk.gee joined as musical guest.

Welcome to the post-election Saturday Night Live in review. We live in a new world order.

Even before last Tuesday, the show was at a creative crossroads, always navel gazing, but SNL50 compounded a fixation on its lore and inner-facing alumni cameos. Now it faces a question: should it adjust its sensibility to reflect the (apparent) national mood, or be defiant? Unfortunately, SNL as the "face of the resistance" during the original Trump years meant bloated, celebrity driven cold opens. In fact, we have seen the show embrace more generally conservative postures before – rewatch the early 2000s era sometime.

Tonight should give a hint as to the show’s direction, staring down four more years of Donald Trump. Will we see another Kate McKinnon as Hillary at the piano moment, earnestly belting out Leonard Cohen? Former cast member Gary Kroeger opined to me: “This election was the 9/11 of justice in America. Imitating Trump or [Kamala] Harris and whatever post election satire is out there just isn’t funny. It would be like a sketch of the terrorists playing rock-paper-scissors in the cockpit to decide who flies the plane. Just not funny. I don’t know what SNL will do but I do know smart, funny people are grappling with it and will find something. Maybe there is humor in a sketch about the future where idiots run the government and - oops - that movie was already made.” Bleak words - but they get to the reality of stakes for this episode.

Scroll down and find out how they did. Bill Burr is at the helm, back for his second gig as host.

Related: Jim Gaffigan kept 'secretly hoping' Tim Walz would do something more newsworthy for his SNL impression

Cold Open

Oh boy - show leaders Bowen Yang, Heidi Gardner, Kenan Thompson and Ego Nwodim come out looking very serious about Tuesday's results. Luckily, they quickly show their hand, kissing up to the president-elect and pledging their loyalty. This strikes a way better balance from McKinnon's infamous piano serenade - and, in my view, utilized the cast as an ensemble in a way that’s been lacking in these political cold opens for ages. They are all mostly playing themselves, with (a horned headdress) Colin Jost even joining to throw Michael Che under the bus. Later, the cast call out and sacrifice the feature players by name too, a nice cheeky touch.

Kenan says an “overwhelming majority” of the country voted for Trump, which may be an overstatement, and references Trump’s enemies list, for those who crossed him. “We should not be on that list!” asserts Marcello Hernandez. The cast pledge their loyalty and retroactively claim to have been with him the entire time.

They debut a new character: hot jacked Trump (James Austin Johnson), noting they finally got the body right.

Next, Dana Carvey comes out as former SNL host Elon Musk. This is interesting because Carvey is essentially a cast member, channeling some classic Carveyisms to capture the awkward Tesla magnet. Also, it has to be said: both Musk and the president-elect have leveraged SNL appearances at pivotal moments to win mainstream acceptance. Musk is a mockable and dangerous figure; but a few seasons ago, fans of the show applauded its decision to let him host.

Overall, this is a smart approach - not just for tonight, but moving forward. Use the cast! Dare to have a smart POV that is specific but also funny! That’s classic SNL. Watch!

Monologue

Burr jokes it’s a “fun week” but wants to keep things light. He professes to not follow politics and quickly gets into his set, describing how he recently got over the flu. He laments God keeps creating morons who don’t wear shoes on the airplane but not enough Gandhis. Meh.

“Alright ladies you are 0 and 2 against this guy!” finally getting into the election a bit. He calls out the use of pants suits and says the election took forever, so he’s glad it's actually over. He says Trump is a lunatic but won the election after surviving assassination. Trump working at McDonalds was the happiest that Burr has ever seen him, comparing him to the Grinch growing his heart. He jumps around a bit here, not as seamless as he usually is.

Former cast member, who can be currently heard as one of the main voices in the video game [REDACTED], Jeff Richards notes that Burr “obviously is a great stand-up. He talks to you and it sounds like a polished bit, but he’s not running a bit. It’s his side of a conversation, a great actor. He’s an accessible guy who tells it like it is. He just talks. I know a couple of people who can really do that well, it’s really interesting. And it’s not hard for him, he has an opinion and just puts it all together, illustrates it.”

"Firefighter Psychological Test"

The sketch is set at a firehouse on Hanover Street in Boston. A mental health specialist (Heidi Gardner) comes out with a Rorschach test, asking a group of tough firefighters to describe what they see in inkblots to access how they are doing.

Ralphie (Burr) sees a series of sexualized animated characters, starting with Mike Wazowski, Billy Crystal’s character from Monsters Inc.

Gardner thinks he is suppressing trauma, but the guys note he just works the front desk. Things get more elaborate: the dad from Bluey is into BDSM.

"Buffalo Wild Wings" football game commercial

Gameday just got even hotter, NFL fans are having a fun time. The Patriots fan (Burr) is a mess, dysfunctional and hostile. This recalls some of the (more classic) Casey Affleck ad spoofs from years past. Meh.

Related: Kenan Thompson shares hardest part of working at SNL so long: 'There's a lot of bittersweet'

"Sex Rock CD"

This sketch is a paid advertisement with Burr in a garage, talking up real music. No autotune, no mumble tap. It's just pure Snake Skin, metal rock from the 80s. The band is our legends: Andrew Dismukes, Sarah Sherman, and Johnson. Dismukes and Johnson collaborations are increasingly my favorite part of the show.

Burr's son Joaquin thinks they are "corny and lame" and calls them out for wearing women's clothes.

I love this - great song spoofs, and very specific to rock compilation commercials. Watch it!

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"The Janitor"

In a Good Will Hunting spoof, Yang is a MIT professor who leaves a hard equation up on the chalkboard for his students to attempt all semester. A janitor Donny (Michael Longfellow) comes in to crack it. His boss comes in and chews him out for neglecting his actual job: cleaning up vomit in the classroom. Their supervisor (Burr) and dean of the school (Thompson) also come in, impressed by his equation work, then distracted by the barf. Things escalate between recognizing the young janitor's genius and his issues handling the puke.

Even the music recalls Danny Elfman's score from the movie. In the end Johnson gets to do a solid Robin Williams and update his "It's Not Your Fault" scene.

"Calling Dad"

Devon Walker and Andrew Dismukes take a break from playing pickleball to call their dads. But the traditional men don't want to be vulnerable. It is easier to talk about the Eagles, their cars. This is a well-done look at how men speak in metaphors to discuss their feelings. A few recurring themes this episode for Burr: therapy and manhood.

Mk.gee performs "Rockman"

This is a pretty dynamic performance. Was that a bird craw I heard? “ROCKMAN” has a real '80s vibe.

He has worked as songwriter and producer with various artists, including Dijon, Omar Apollo, and Kacy Hill.

"Weekend Update"

Jost notes that Democrats actually don’t know how to rig elections, and that Trump has a video game cheat code. Che is drinking and says, “If white people can elect their felons, I can dance to mine,” he jokes, commenting on his desire to finally admit he still listens to R. Kelly. You can see the show trying to figure out how to joke through the prospect of more Trump in real time practically.

More Americans are lonely. Active listening to key. A woman who can’t find something in her purse (Nwodim) comes out, but is distracted. “Yes, girl!” She is registered to vote in multiple states! She’s looking for her gun! “What’s crazy is I flew here!” Not sure this warranted the Update desk!

Yes, more Americans are feeling down. Che’s neighbor Willie (Thompson) comes out to cheer folks up. Wow, this is a surprise! Willie used to show up a few seasons ago. He was practically a fixture back in seasons 42 and 43 and tonight they chat about the Yankees blowing it (yay!) and dog fighting, catching up. Che has technically moved, for the record!

"Bald Guys"

Sherman is out on a first date with Mikey Day. She says nothing weird has happened at all - the food was normal as was the waiter. Day stops her: everyone in the restaurant is bald. Is it a coincidence? A song breaks out. (Is John Mulaney hosting?! Just kidding. This one is actually way more inspired.) This is a surreal ode to baldness, complete with an interpretative dance and a church canton. I love this - very imaginative. Watch it.

"Trauma Support Group"

Samuel (Yang) hasn’t shared yet with his trauma group. All his problems seem pretty trivial. He ruins others’ sharing by interrupting and his bad attitude. The featured players get to flex here a bit alongside the host and the anointed star of the show, Yang.

Related: Saturday Night Live recap: Kristen Wiig enters 5-timers club with star-studded cameos galore

Burr plays the enabling counselor George ... is he channeling Stuart Smalley?

Mk.gee rocks "Alesis"

“Alesis” is a track off his album from this year, Two Star & The Dream Police. It’s moving and introspective.

"I Got One"

Tom (Thompson) is taking out his employees, and everyone begins cracking jokes. Someone’s wife, Linda (Ashley Padilla) gets a chance and totally flops. It’s awkward: “Four gorgeous dogs,” she starts again, with the same joke. She melts down, leading to an existential crisis.

Related: Chloe Fineman is nervous to do Chappell Roan impression in front of SNL musical guest

“It sure wouldn’t smell like DADDDD!” should be on a coffee mug or sweatshirt. Nice to see Padilla get a shot.

Final thoughts

Thank you to former cast members Gary Kroeger and Jeff Richards on this fascinating episode!

I think they landed this once, folks. There were even recurring themes and I never felt a real lag throughout the show. But how about you? Vote here!

Nice title card to Quincy Jones, who just passed away this week. He hosted back in the 80s.

I didn't see a ton of Chloe Fineman this week - you?