As SNL brings its summer Weekend Update to a close, we have our first official Season 43 host. Hide your replicants, as Blade Runner 2049 star and returning guest Ryan Gosling will host the late September premiere, joined by an iconic New York musical guest.
While traditional live sketches are still the backbone of any given episode, modern SNL is frequently at its best in the pre-recorded segments. The past few years have seen an interesting evolution as the silly “digital shorts” of a decade ago have matured into full-blown filmmaking, with sketches that feel more like short films than just a comedy bit. Last night’s Ryan Gosling-hosted episode peaked with a pre-recorded sketch titled “Santa Baby,” which let both SNL and Gosling himself turn the weird up to 11.