'SNL' Highlights: Nate Bargatze, George Washington, and Sushi ...

Cold Open — For the second week in a row, the Cold Open brings back the SNL celebrities to play the various politicians in the Presidential debate: Gaffigan is Walz, Dana Carvey as Biden, Samberg as Emhoff, and Maya Rudolph as Harris. One interpretation is that this is going to get old very quickly. My interpretation, however, is that we can expect to see this every episode until the election and that Jim Gaffigan is a fun Tim Walz, and Dana Carvey’s Joe Biden cracks me up. I wouldn’t call the skit funny, but I wouldn’t call it not funny. (Score: 6 out of 10)

Nate Bargatze — I like Bargatze. I am also a poor kid from the South who didn’t eat a lot of things until I was an adult (I had never even had coffee or a bagel until I was 24). And I appreciate the low stakes of his comedy. But maybe the stakes were a little too low here, riffing on Door Dash orders. Amusing, but it feels like stand-up bits he’s trying out, rather than bits he’s perfected. (Score: 6 out of 10)

Washington’s Dream — Bargatze’s George Washington skit was a top-five skit of last season, so bringing it back was inevitable. It’s lost some of its novelty, but the way Bargatze mocks the English language still works. This is his wheelhouse. (Score: 7.5 out of 10)

Oakmont Classic — Bargatze plays a golfer with some really bad luck: He keeps inadvertently killing animals. There’s a new adventure (and a new dead animal) with every shot! (Score: 5.5 out of 10)

Sábado Gigante — Bargatze plays a clueless American who ends up a contestant on a Spanish-speaking game show, and a lot happens, but he has no idea what’s going on (and neither do most of us at home, to be honest). It’s worth a smile, but not much more. (Watch Here) (Score: 4.5 out of 10)

Water Park — This is the kind of dumb that I appreciate! A guy has a heart attack after climbing 255 stairs to the top of a water slide. Here, Bargatze and Co. debate whether to carry him back down the stairs or just send him down the water slide. It’s so ridiculous, but the answer is obvious, right? (Score: 6 out of 10)

Weekend Update — The quality of the jokes are usually inversely proportional to how much Jost and Che laugh at their them. They laugh at their own jokes a lot this week. I did like Che’s Marjorie Taylor Greene/Jewish joke, but otherwise, it was fairly meh. Meanwhile, new cast member Jane Wickline trots out a song about a woman who … I dunno, who is partying all night at a place where the party ended early in the night, and she’s just hanging out by herself? I didn’t love the song, though Wickline has a funny vibe. She’s going places. (And if you’re trying to figure out who Jane Wickline reminds you of, it’s Clea Duvall. You’re welcome). This is not going to take her there. But something else will! (Score: 4.5 out of 10)

Mile High Burger — A group gets together at a restaurant to discuss their Dad’s dementia, but the new girlfriend inadvertently signs up for a food challenge. Heidi Gardner is fantastic chowing down, and the cast — particularly Bowen Yang — cannot keep their shit together. (Score: 6.5 out of 10)

Sushi Glory Hole — Andy Samberg is back (presumably with the Lonely Island Guys) for Sushi Glory Hole, a business pitch/rap song about exactly what it sounds like: A glory hole. But for sushi. Mat skit of the week right here! (Score: 7 out of 10)

Coach Alan — During a halftime speech, one coach is preoccupied with getting the $20 the players owe him for their jersey. Sometimes, the 10-1 skit is inspired. Sometimes, it’s just what’s left. (Watch Here) (Score: 3 out of 10)

Average Episode Score: 5.65. The episode is better than the season premiere, but what made Bargatze’s episode so successful last year is that we had no expectations. However, given how good his episode last year was, we had high expectations for this episode. He fell short. The surprise factor is gone. Meanwhile, I don’t mind all the cameos, but some of the cast’s strongest players are not getting enough time: Sarah Sherman, Ego Nwodim, and Heidi Gardner, in particular, and we’ve barely got to know any of the new cast members.