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| ‘S.N.L.’ and Michael Che Take On Trump Over Puerto Rico and Race | ‘S.N.L.’ and Michael Che Take On Trump Over Puerto Rico and Race |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| As a viewer, you usually enter a new season of “Saturday Night Live” like a student coming back to school after summer vacation. You look at the cast members and wonder, who’ll be this year’s homecoming king and queen? And who are these new people, and should I bother to learn their names? | As a viewer, you usually enter a new season of “Saturday Night Live” like a student coming back to school after summer vacation. You look at the cast members and wonder, who’ll be this year’s homecoming king and queen? And who are these new people, and should I bother to learn their names? |
| Sometimes “S.N.L.” itself returns like the kid who had a sudden growth spurt, brimming with energy and confidence. And sometimes it’s the blockhead at the back of the room who didn’t do the summer reading assignment and needs time before being ready to start doing homework again. | Sometimes “S.N.L.” itself returns like the kid who had a sudden growth spurt, brimming with energy and confidence. And sometimes it’s the blockhead at the back of the room who didn’t do the summer reading assignment and needs time before being ready to start doing homework again. |
| But at the outset of its 43rd season Saturday, in an episode hosted by Ryan Gosling, “Saturday Night Live” was something else: The dutiful student, almost gingerly approaching topical satire. The show touched on timely subjects (Puerto Rico’s devastation) and familiar impersonations (Alec Baldwin as President Trump), but only occasionally showed a willingness to throw a few gut-punches while it poked you in the ribs. | But at the outset of its 43rd season Saturday, in an episode hosted by Ryan Gosling, “Saturday Night Live” was something else: The dutiful student, almost gingerly approaching topical satire. The show touched on timely subjects (Puerto Rico’s devastation) and familiar impersonations (Alec Baldwin as President Trump), but only occasionally showed a willingness to throw a few gut-punches while it poked you in the ribs. |
| That is, until Michael Che and Jay-Z showed up. | That is, until Michael Che and Jay-Z showed up. |
| Mr. Che, the “Weekend Update” co-anchor, delivered a pointed mini-monologue assailing President Trump as a “cheap cracker” over aid to Puerto Rico and defending the professional athletes who have knelt in protest during the national anthem. Up to that point, the biggest statement of the night had come from Jay-Z, the musical guest, when he performed his first number, “Bam” featuring Damian Marley, in a Colin Kaepernick jersey. | |
| Over all, though, the show’s moments of tepidness or hesitation were a bit surprising, given that “S.N.L.” has been basking in the afterglow of Season 42, when it enjoyed some of its highest ratings in more than 20 years, and for which it won nine Emmy Awards — including trophies for outstanding variety sketch series and for the performances of Kate McKinnon, Mr. Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy and Dave Chappelle. | Over all, though, the show’s moments of tepidness or hesitation were a bit surprising, given that “S.N.L.” has been basking in the afterglow of Season 42, when it enjoyed some of its highest ratings in more than 20 years, and for which it won nine Emmy Awards — including trophies for outstanding variety sketch series and for the performances of Kate McKinnon, Mr. Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy and Dave Chappelle. |
| The show would also seem to have breathing room to sharpen its satire, given that its most vocal critic — the president of the United States — hasn’t mentioned it on Twitter since January. | The show would also seem to have breathing room to sharpen its satire, given that its most vocal critic — the president of the United States — hasn’t mentioned it on Twitter since January. |
| And “S.N.L.” needs to stay fresh, given the importance of new characters and targets after all the turnover in the Trump administration. The writers don’t have Stephen K. Bannon, the former presidential strategist, to kick around anymore, and Ms. McCarthy has presumably taken her last podium ride in the guise of Sean Spicer, the ex-White House press secretary. (Maybe “S.N.L.” could get Mr. Spicer to appear as himself? You know what – never mind.) | And “S.N.L.” needs to stay fresh, given the importance of new characters and targets after all the turnover in the Trump administration. The writers don’t have Stephen K. Bannon, the former presidential strategist, to kick around anymore, and Ms. McCarthy has presumably taken her last podium ride in the guise of Sean Spicer, the ex-White House press secretary. (Maybe “S.N.L.” could get Mr. Spicer to appear as himself? You know what – never mind.) |
| So which sketches were worth your attention in this episode? | So which sketches were worth your attention in this episode? |
| Naturally, the show’s cold open starred Mr. Baldwin as Mr. Trump, making a return to the Oval Office in a golf shirt so he could address the devastation in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. (“Sometimes when you’re president you have to make sacrifices, so I skipped the back nine,” Mr. Baldwin said.) | Naturally, the show’s cold open starred Mr. Baldwin as Mr. Trump, making a return to the Oval Office in a golf shirt so he could address the devastation in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. (“Sometimes when you’re president you have to make sacrifices, so I skipped the back nine,” Mr. Baldwin said.) |
| The sketch imagined a phone call between Mr. Trump and Carmen Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan (played by the cast member Melissa Villaseñor). “I’m begging you, Puerto Rico needs your help,” she told him. | The sketch imagined a phone call between Mr. Trump and Carmen Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan (played by the cast member Melissa Villaseñor). “I’m begging you, Puerto Rico needs your help,” she told him. |
| Mr. Baldwin responded, “You called the best person for the job. Trust me, I know things are, as the locals say, despacito.” | Mr. Baldwin responded, “You called the best person for the job. Trust me, I know things are, as the locals say, despacito.” |
| He promised to send help “by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.” When Ms. Villaseñor said that wouldn’t be good enough, he replied, “Well, you should have paid your bills. FEMA takes a few days, unless you join FEMA Prime.” | He promised to send help “by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.” When Ms. Villaseñor said that wouldn’t be good enough, he replied, “Well, you should have paid your bills. FEMA takes a few days, unless you join FEMA Prime.” |
| At one point, Mr. Baldwin said, “We want to help you, but we have to take care of America first.” Ms. Villaseñor replied, “You do know we’re a U.S. territory, don’t you?” | At one point, Mr. Baldwin said, “We want to help you, but we have to take care of America first.” Ms. Villaseñor replied, “You do know we’re a U.S. territory, don’t you?” |
| After a pause, Mr. Baldwin answered, “I mean, I do, but not many people know that.” | After a pause, Mr. Baldwin answered, “I mean, I do, but not many people know that.” |
| Mr. Baldwin also shared an exchange with Aidy Bryant, playing the White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Reflecting on her handling of “the N.F.L. thing,” Ms. Bryant said, “I’m a little embarrassed that I said it’s a black and white issue. I should have said it’s a black versus white issue.” | Mr. Baldwin also shared an exchange with Aidy Bryant, playing the White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Reflecting on her handling of “the N.F.L. thing,” Ms. Bryant said, “I’m a little embarrassed that I said it’s a black and white issue. I should have said it’s a black versus white issue.” |
| Mr. Baldwin replied, “People say I remind them of an N.F.L. player, because I’m combative, I like to win, and I might have a degenerative brain disease.” | Mr. Baldwin replied, “People say I remind them of an N.F.L. player, because I’m combative, I like to win, and I might have a degenerative brain disease.” |
| The distinction goes to Mr. Che, who eased into his outrage by languidly reading one of Mr. Trump’s tweets in which the president criticized Ms. Cruz. | The distinction goes to Mr. Che, who eased into his outrage by languidly reading one of Mr. Trump’s tweets in which the president criticized Ms. Cruz. |
| Mr. Che then said: | Mr. Che then said: |
| A short while later, Mr. Che addressed recent remarks by Adam Silver, the N.B.A. commissioner. | A short while later, Mr. Che addressed recent remarks by Adam Silver, the N.B.A. commissioner. |
| Ms. McKinnon reprised her role as Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany, appearing on “Weekend Update” to celebrate her recent re-election while lamenting the fact that a far-right party had also won seats in the nation’s Parliament. | Ms. McKinnon reprised her role as Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany, appearing on “Weekend Update” to celebrate her recent re-election while lamenting the fact that a far-right party had also won seats in the nation’s Parliament. |
| “Everyone in Europe is having this rowdy slumber party and I’m the mean mom who has to send them straight to bed without their radishes,” Ms. McKinnon said. | “Everyone in Europe is having this rowdy slumber party and I’m the mean mom who has to send them straight to bed without their radishes,” Ms. McKinnon said. |
| The co-anchor Colin Jost asked her, “Do you have any allies left?” | The co-anchor Colin Jost asked her, “Do you have any allies left?” |
| “No allies,” she answered. “It’s mostly axis these days.” | “No allies,” she answered. “It’s mostly axis these days.” |