It didn’t even take Saturday Night Live‘s 50th anniversary special to bring back “The Californians.”
A new commercial for Volkswagen reteams former SNL castmates Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, and Kristen Wiig as their West Coast soap opera characters Stuart, Devin, and Karina. First unveiled on NBC’s Today, the ad aims to celebrate both 50 seasons of SNL and 75 years of Volkswagen in the United States.
The Californians has been staged on SNL eight times since it debuted in 2012, including for the show’s 40th Anniversary Special in 2015. However, fans haven’t seen a new installment in seven years, when Hader last hosted the show.
While the new beachside TV spot takes the trio out of the confines of a studio, it makes sure to maintain the core traditions of every Californians sketch: dramatic close-ups of each character breaking the fourth wall, and a group gaze into a mirror. In this case, it’s the rearview mirror of a Volkswagen ID. Buzz, the automaker’s new retro-styled electric bus that’s inspired by the beachcombing VW Microbus of decades past.
“‘The Californians’ is as synonymous with SNL as the ID. Buzz is with California, making it the perfect vehicle to bring back a sketch that resonates with so many,” said Rachael Zaluzec, Volkswagen of America’s Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and Brand Marketing. “Especially in the wake of this recent tragedy that has affected communities across California, we believe in the healing power of comedy.”
To that end, Volkswagen also announced it will pay homage to the sketch’s Californian roots with a financial contribution to the non-profit California Fire Foundation, aimed at supporting the state’s first responders and their families in the wake of the recent devasting wildfires.
Each of SNL‘s key Season 50 sponsors have released ads starring cast members past or present in the leadup to the show’s 50th anniversary celebration weekend. The show has put out content for brands like T-Mobile and Allstate in recent months, and L’Oréal just unveiled an ad for its CeraVe brand starring Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman.
The one-minute Volkswagen edition of “The Californians” can be viewed in full above.
