Anticipation is riding high for Saturday Night Live this weekend as Ryan Gosling, one of the show’s most dependable modern hosts, returns to Studio 8H. Several memorable sketches have emerged from his past appearances, raising expecatations for his fourth (not his fifth!) turn at bat.
Joining him will be first-time musical guest Gorillaz, marking the band’s debut on the show as they celebrate their 25th anniversary with their new album The Mountain.
Here are five storylines we’ll be watching Saturday night.
Gosling’s Greatest Hits
Few returning hosts have as many landmark SNL moments under their belt as Gosling, raising hopes this weekend will see at least one sequel sketch anchored by the Project Hail Mary star.
Among the top contenders is “Close Encounter,” the recurring alien-abduction sketch featuring Kate McKinnon’s Colleen Rafferty that was introduced during Gosling’s SNL debut in December 2015. Each time he’s returned to the show, Gosling has appeared in a version of the sketch, including in 2024—when McKinnon (who had left the show earlier that year) returned alongside him and the sketch aired as the night’s Cold Open.
Another possibility is a new installment of the Papyrus films. The series debuted during Gosling’s 2017 appearance and returned in 2024 with a cut-for-time sequel that was unusually promoted during the live broadcast with an on-screen graphic directing viewers to watch it on YouTube.
And then there’s “Beavis and Butt-Head,” which went viral after Gosling and Mikey Day played two characters who happened to look exactly like the animated duo. The sketch became even more memorable when Day caused Heidi Gardner to break on air. Might a sequel woo Gardner back for her first appearance as an SNL alum?
A Return to the Update Desk?
Though hosts rarely appear on “Weekend Update,” Gosling has joined cast members at desk on two different occasions, each time alongside an established character.
In 2015, he joined Bobby Moynihan’s Anthony Crispino as Angelo Skaggs, Crispino’s third-hand news source. Two years later, he appeared alongside Alex Moffat’s “Guy Who Just Bought a Boat” as “The Guy Who Just Joined Soho House.” Fun fact: Greta Gerwig has said that the the latter performance inspired to cast Gosling as Ken in 2023’s Barbie.
With several strong desk characters currently in the cast, the question is whether one of them might recruit Gosling as a sidekick once again.
Fineman’s Return—and Slowikowska’s Momentum
One cast member notably absent from last week’s episode was seven-season vet Chloe Fineman, who missed the show due to a production conflict.
Her absence opened the door for rookie Veronika Slowikowska to log the largest screen-time total we’ve seen from a first-year performer in quite some time—and that number would have been even higher had Slowikowska and Jane Wickline’s“Car Song” pretape not been cut for time.
The strong showing gave Slowikowska significant momentum heading into this week’s episode. But with Fineman’s return, the question becomes whether Slowikowska will continue to see that level of opportunity.
Gorillaz Make Their SNL Debut
Despite more than five decades of musical guests, Saturday Night Live has never hosted a band quite like Gorillaz.
The English group—best known for its distinctive visual identity—will make its first appearance on the show this weekend as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Whether Gorillaz lean into the group’s animated mythology or opt for a more traditional live setup as they have in more recent TV appearances remains to be seen. But witit SNL’s production team increasingly experimenting with LED screens and elaborate staging, the performance could offer a visually distinctive moment on Saturday night.
Noem No More
This week’s cold open may have written itself after Donald Trump fired Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
Tina Fey portrayed Noem in an Amy Poehler-hosted episode earlier this season, but Ashley Padilla has since taken over the role—likely setting up another showcase for the rising star.
Trump’s first administration became known for its frequent personnel changes, giving SNL a rotating gallery of political characters to satirize. If additional administration changes follow, the question will be whether SNL assigns those roles to newer cast members—or once again turns to outside guest performers for help filling the political bench.
This weekend’s Saturday Night Live airs Saturday, March 7 at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock. Join us at LateNighter.com immediately after for the Saturday Night Network’s live after-show, where SNL experts and superfans share their hot takes on the night’s best and worst moments.
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