'SNL' and Zoë Kravitz Take on 'Amazon Go,' 'Word Crunch' and 'Don't Stop Believin'

By Dustin Rowles | TV | March 13, 2022 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | March 13, 2022 |

This week’s SNL is the rare episode that starts slow but actually gets better over the course of the night, peaking with a fantastic 10 to 1 skit.

Cold Open — Because TikTok is the only platform still remaining in Russia, Biden and Psaki (McKinnon) bring in a bunch of TikTokkers to discuss how to defeat Putin. The jokes are exactly as obvious as you think they will be. (Watch Here) (Score: 4 out of 10)

Zoë Kravitz Monologue — Kravitz, who now appears in The Batman as Catwoman, is introduced to a number of Cat Women/Cat Ladies/Cat People who make cat jokes, which is to say: Kravitz is little-featured in her own monologue. A shame. (Score: 4 out of 10)

Wedding Speech — Kravitz plays a Maid of Honor who reveals a lot about the bride that the groom did not know before he married her, like the fact that she stormed the Capitol and had a baby with Suge Knight. Eh. (Watch Here) (Score: 5 out of 10)

Amazon Go Ad — You know those Amazon Go stores where you can just walk in, pick up your items, walk out, and everything is charged to your account through your phone? Yeah, Black people are not OK with that. “It’s a damn trap.” (Score: 7 out of 10)

Porch Scene — McKinnon plays that nerdy boy, Josh, who calls his other nerdy friend Jason (Aidy Bryant) for advice about kissing a girl (Kravitz). It’s a recurring skit, but not a particularly good one. (Watch Here) (Score: 5 out of 10)

The Princess and the Frog — Kravitz plays Tiana, who is in love with the frog but is very disturbed to learn that the Frog does not have a penis, and maybe “true love” does not extend that far. Hmmm. (Score: 5.5 out of 10)

Please Don’t Destroy — The guys bought Kravitz a cat because she’s Cat Woman, but then they lose the cat, and everyone goes berserk trying to find the cat, and then Paul Dano shows up and someone steps on a LEGO set. It’s wild and just absurd and dumb enough to be funny. (Score: 6.5 out of 10)

Home Video — A couple of kids and their Mom find their Dad’s video will, only he’s not dead yet, and he makes a number of surprising revelations, plus an idea for a movie he wrote. This one gets by purely on the comedic talents of Kenan. (Score: 7 out of 10)

Weekend Update — Che and Jost take on Putin, “Don’t Say Gay,” a Jussee Smollet joke that stings, and an International Women’s Day joke that is on-brand for Michael Che. Terry Fink — the movie critic who watches films on LSD — returns with his take on the Oscar nominees. I love Terry Fink. Kyle Moony also comes out as lifestyle influencer Dan Boulder, and I’m going to spare you. (Score: 7.5 out of 10)

Word Crunch — This is a word search game, and a contestant played by Kravitz keeps finding “MomHole,” and doesn’t understand why they won’t accept it. It’s one of those skits that goes on so long that it actually becomes hysterical, and is not only my favorite skit of the night but the perfect Mat skit of the night. (Score: 7.5 out of 10)

Don’t Stop Believin’ — I was wrong. This is the best skit of the night. Bowen Yang plays a character who loses his shit over how awesome the Ohio State marching band version of “Don’t Stop Believin’” is, and every second of this is outstanding. This may be the most crowd-pleasing skit of 2022. (Score: 8.5 out of 10)