The Top Five Sketches From the Glen Powell-Hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’

Saturday Night Live often works best when the host is willing to leave his ego at the door to Studio 8H, and Glen Powell is that kind of guy. The Running Man star’s commitment to his both his sketch roles and the absurd wigs he wore for them helped make the Nov. 15 episode — which featured the neo-soul singer-songwriter Olivia Dean as the musical guest — the best of the season so far.

Powell’s million-dollar smile and the moments he was clearly struggling to not break scene left no doubt that he was having a ball. And the writers must have loved him, because he was in every sketch — save for the cold open and Weekend Update. 

Not surprisingly the Epstein files were a big topic this time out: they were referenced in Weekend Update and five-count-‘em-five of the sketches — although three of those were MacGruber vignettes, which brought back former SNL cast member Will Forte as the duct-tape-and-chewing-gum bomb defuser who never fails to blow himself up real good.  

As for the cast, there was a lot of ensemble work in this episode, and everyone appeared in at least two skits. Jane Wickline‘s roles were minimal — which may have had to do with her comedy sketch duo with Liva Pierce, Dukes, appearing at the New York Comedy Festival the following night. Only Marcello Hernandez stole the show from Powell. More about that later.  

In the run-up to Thanksgiving, SNL takes the next two weekends off and returns on Dec. 6 with Melissa McCarthy hosting — expect plenty of physical comedy — and Dijon as the musical guest. In the meantime, here are the top five skits of the Nov. 16 show in ascending order from funny to funniest.