Cold Open Glimmers in a Sea of Sketches
The Nov. 1 episode of Saturday Night Live returned from its brief hiatus with Miles Teller at the helm and Brandi Carlile on stage. As senior writer at The Charlotte Mercury, I tuned in with our slow‑journalism ethos in mind: what’s worth your attention, and what’s just noise?
The answer came swiftly. The cold open, a fictional NYC mayoral debate, featured Teller’s deadpan Andrew Cuomo alongside guest stars Ramy Youssef and Shane Gillis. Their caricatures of Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa, respectively, provided a rare burst of fresh energy. The sketch smartly riffed on urban politics—Citi Bikes and all—before James Austin Johnson’s Trump crashed the stage with a Phantom of the Opera pastiche. Unlike some star‑stuffed cold opens that sag under celebrity weight, this one balanced satire and spectacle, and even had Charlotte viewers drawing parallels to our own municipal debates.
A Weekend Update Worth Staying Up For
Later, the “Weekend Update” desk delivered the night’s other highlight. Colin Jost and Michael Che’s news bites were punchier than usual, but it was Andrew Dismukes and Ashley Padilla who stole the segment. Playing two freshly hooked‑up lovers, the pair flirted through a conversation about the federal government shutdown, turning policy talk into innuendo without cheapening the subject. For a city like Charlotte, where transportation taxes and council votes are front‑of‑mind, it’s refreshing to see national comedy take bureaucracy seriously—albeit with a wink.
Bowen Yang’s appearance as George Santos added another layer of absurdity, lampooning the embattled congressman’s fib-filled narrative. The desk, so often an afterthought, became a destination.
Everything Else? An Indifferent Interlude
Outside those bright spots, the episode struggled. Teller’s monologue, which revisited his childhood love of SNL and referenced losing his home in a fire, was sincere but flat. A Halloween hangover game show—contestants in costumes trying to recall their drunken antics—dragged despite Kenan Thompson’s hosting skills. A pre‑taped “White House Makeover” sketch, casting Teller as both Property Brothers while Trump and Melania demanded a ballroom, offered a chuckle here and there but leaned too heavily on an already‑tired premise.
Other sketches—an NHL promo gag, a police press conference derailed by a would‑be comic-book creator, and a noisy Italian restaurant bit—felt half‑formed. The writers seemed uncertain whether to go big or stay grounded. In the end, most of the night fell into a forgettable middle ground.
Brandi Carlile’s musical interludes—“Church & State” and “Human”—provided a welcome palate cleanser. Her soaring vocals and politically tinged lyrics felt more relevant than some of the comedy.
Why Our Review Matters
At The Charlotte Mercury, we choose our cultural commentary carefully. We don’t break news—we break it down. A national institution like SNL shapes political and cultural discourse, and evaluating its successes and failures helps us understand the national mood that inevitably seeps into local debates.
Speaking of debates: while this episode spotlighted New York politics, Charlotte’s own civic season is heating up. Our special election hub, “Poll Dance 2025,” is your guide to the upcoming city council and mayoral races. As you sip your Sunday coffee and recover from late-night comedy, head over to our Poll Dance 2025 page for thorough, privacy‑respecting coverage of the races that actually affect your commute, your taxes, and your community.
The Fine Print
At The Charlotte Mercury, we are more than a news site—we’re building a privacy-first, community-driven newsroom that serves Charlotte with integrity. Visit our home page for thoughtful reporting, or dive into our news and politics sections for in-depth coverage of city council, zoning, and more. Don’t miss our irreverent 2025 election coverage, “Poll Dance 2025,” where we break down candidates, campaigns, and civic minutiae with humor and insight. Want to chat? You can always message us on X.com—yes, we still call it Twix—at x.com/queencityexp.
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© 2025 The Charlotte Mercury / Strolling Ballantyne
This article, “Charlotte Mercury Review: SNL’s Cold Open and Weekend Update Outshine an Otherwise Flat Night,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY‑ND 4.0.
“Charlotte Mercury Review: SNL’s Cold Open and Weekend Update Outshine an Otherwise Flat Night”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY‑ND 4.0)