Jane Wickline and an Adam Sandler Cameo Salvage a Chris Rock Hosted 'SNL'

Cold Open — I had no idea Nancy Grace was still around, let alone on YouTube, but here she is (played by Sarah Sherman) talking about how hot Luigi Mangione is. Sherman can barely keep it together, especially when Marcello Hernandez interrupts with a YouTube ad for roid meds. It’s lively, I’ll give it that. (Score: 6.5 out of 10)

Chris Rock Monologue — Rock delivers some zingers and a lot of groaners, taking aim at Jake Paul, Elon Musk, Jonah Hill, and making mass deportation jokes. The delivery is all over the place. I guess, as Michael Che might say, “OK, you know what? It’s the ’90s, Colin.” (Score: 5.5 out of 10)

Mall Santa — Chris Rock plays an elf who gives families an option between two Santas: one white, one Black. It’s a one-joke sketch, and unfortunately, it doesn’t have the juice. (Watch Here) (Score: 4 out of 10)

Secret Santa — During an office Secret Santa exchange, Rock gets a picture of himself as a The Simpsons character and proceeds to describe what his episode might look like: basically, Homer hits Marge, goes to the bar and gets wasted, and Rock shows up to save the day. Eh. (Watch Here) (Score: 4 out of 10)

Grandpa’s Magic Car — Some guys find an old, magic, Herbie-like car from 1958, only it turns out the car is racist and sexist. That’s about it. (Watch Here) (Score: 4.5 out of 10)

Sexual Harassment Charlie — We’ve seen this guy before. Two guys get fired: one everyone hates for saying uncomfortable things in the workplace and an old guy named Charlie who says wildly inappropriate things but is somehow considered harmless. It was funnier the first time. (Score: 5.5 out of 10)

Weekend Update — It’s one of those nights where “Update” saves the show. For one, I’m glad someone isn’t kissing up to Trump. “Update” is still making Trump jokes and not paying him $15 million, so thank you, Colin and Che. I feel like I’m taking crazy pills — has the whole world suddenly forgotten we used to hate this guy? Anyway, Jane Wickline performs a song as Sabrina Carpenter about wishing someone would think she’s gay, and it’s the best thing on the entire show. (Also, Andrew Dismukes does a skit about bald harassment, which you can watch here). (Score: 8 out of 10)

Gallbladder Surgery — Adam Sandler makes a cameo here, and it’s all very, very dumb, but it’s also easily the funniest sketch of the night and the Mat sketch of the week. (Score: 7.5 out of 10)

Office Christmas Party Extravaganza — Lots of insane shenanigans at the office Christmas party in this pretape, which helps make the back half of the show far superior to the front half. (Score: 7 out of 10)

Blind Date — And the run of good skits ends with a 10-1 about a man crashing a blind date and trying to convince the woman to have sex with him in the back of his car. (Watch Here) (Score: 3 out of 10)

Average Score: 5.5. Chris Rock hosts a show that feels very 2000s, but I am really digging the new cast members, who are finally starting to get some airtime. It helps when Dana Carvey is not in every episode. Marcello Hernandez, Jane Wickline, and Emil Wakim suggest a bright future for SNL beyond the 50th. I should also not that the musical guest, Gracie Abrams (daughter of JJ), is very good, and I heard her on the Song Exploder podcast yesterday and she’s Maine connected, so I like her even more.