Shane Gillis Hosts SNL Again: Did He Redeem Himself or Just Make Things More Awkward?

Alright folks Saturday Night Live just had Shane Gillis back as host . Remember Shane? He was hired then fired in 2019 before even starting because of some old podcast stuff. Well he already hosted once but this second time around was it better worse or just as cringe? Let's dive into the highlights and lowlights of the episode and see if Gillis managed to win over the SNL crowd this time.

Monologue Misfire? Shane Gillis' Opening Jokes Fall Flat and Feel a Bit Cringe

Let's be real the monologue was rough. Gillis walked out knowing the audience might be skeptical and he even acknowledged the "liberal" crowd. He started with some pretty standard jokes about Biden's age and Trump's ideas which were okay nothing special. Then he tried to get into some edgier territory and it just didn't land.

He did a bit about "white guys" and asking girlfriends if they'd been with Black men which he tried to frame as self-deprecating but mostly came off as just...awkward. Then there was a joke referencing Bill Cosby and Ken Burns documentaries as a "tip" for... well it was a really bad joke implying using Ken Burns to bore women into submission. Yikes. Critics pretty much agreed the monologue "bombed" feeling basic unfunny and like Gillis was just playing to a specific kind of bro-y audience without trying to connect with anyone else.

"CouplaBeers" Skit: Is This Actually the "Best SNL Skit in 20 Years" or Just Hype?

Okay but there was one sketch that people are actually buzzing about and that's "CouplaBeers". This one's a parody ad for a fake medication for anxiety and depression and yeah it's pretty funny. Gillis plays a guy selling "CouplaBeers" as a cure-all for life's problems. The joke is that "CouplaBeers" is literally just a couple of beers but it's being sold like some kind of miracle drug.

The skit shows Gillis's character going from a miserable dude to suddenly being super confident and "himself" again thanks to his beer meds. It pokes fun at those cheesy pharmaceutical commercials and also the idea of just self-medicating with alcohol. Heidi Gardner plays his wife and the whole thing escalates into classic SNL absurdity with a follow-up "aLilBump" medication and Gillis ending up pantsless. Some fans online are calling it the "best SNL skit in 20 years!" That might be a stretch but it was definitely a highlight of the episode and the kind of silly sharp comedy SNL can do well.

Mike Myers' Surprise Elon Musk Cameo: Did He Save the Cold Open?

Speaking of highlights the cold open had a surprise up its sleeve: Mike Myers as Elon Musk. This was pretty unexpected and a lot of people thought Myers totally stole the scene. He played Musk as this kind of goofy almost robotic guy in a "Tech Support" t-shirt making weird jokes and just being generally… Elon Musk-y. It was a random but inspired casting choice and Myers really went for it playing Musk with exaggerated movements and a strange energy. Some reviews said Myers' cameo was the one genuinely great moment of the whole episode and definitely livened up what was otherwise a pretty standard political cold open about Trump and Zelensky.

Sketches: Some Hits Some Misses and Gillis Playing the Same Dude Over and Over

Beyond "CouplaBeers" and the cold open the rest of the sketches were a bit of a mixed bag. Gillis tended to play variations on the same character throughout the night: a kind of disaffected slightly sad dude who's maybe a bit of a mess and drinks too much. Sketches like "Dad's House" a parody of a depressing kids' show and "Boyfriend's Parents" where he's a put-upon boyfriend showed this persona. Heidi Gardner again stood out in the "Boyfriend's Parents" sketch praised for her comedic energy even when the material was just okay.

There was also the " Mid-Day News 2 " sketch which was a reprise of a previous bit about news anchors tracking crime suspects by race. Some thought this one worked better with Gillis than the original host maybe because of Gillis's own history and the sketch's social commentary landing a bit sharper. But overall many reviews felt the sketches were either crude relied on shock value or just weren't that funny even when cast members like Kenan Thompson and Ego Nwodim tried to elevate the material.

Musical Guest Tate McRae: Did Anyone Notice?

Oh yeah there was also a musical guest: Tate McRae. She performed "Sports Car" and "Dear God". Honestly the reviews didn't say much about her performances maybe because the whole focus was on Gillis and the unevenness of the episode. Some mentions were made of her stage setup involving a precarious looking arrangement of metal chairs but musically it seems she was fine just not the main talking point.

Weekend Update: Not Really Part of the Gillis Story

Weekend Update with Colin Jost and Michael Che happened as usual. Jane Wickline a featured player had a bit with dating advice through romantic songs which some critics thought was charming and clever. But Weekend Update itself didn't really tie into the Shane Gillis of it all it was just its regular segment doing its own thing.

Shane Gillis SNL Hosting Verdict: A Mixed Bag with a Few Sparks But Mostly a Misfire

So overall Shane Gillis's second SNL hosting gig seems to be a pretty mixed bag leaning towards negative. The monologue bombed hard most sketches were just okay or worse and Gillis himself didn't really break out or show a ton of range beyond playing a somewhat glum dude. "CouplaBeers" skit was a genuine bright spot and Mike Myers' Elon Musk cameo was a fun surprise but those weren't enough to save the whole episode from feeling a bit grim and underwhelming especially coming right after the big 50th anniversary show. Maybe next time SNL will find a host who can bring a bit more consistent comedic fire to the stage.