John Mulaney hosted Saturday Night Live tonight for the second time in 2020, and fourth time overall. The stand-up comedian and former SNL writer has been the best and most consistent host of the show over the last few seasons—honestly, the only host who has reliably guaranteed a solid episode in that time span. Tonight might’ve been his weakest episode yet, but it was still a clear cut above what the show has been cranking out so far this season. And, as is traditional when a stand-up hosts, it all got started with a set of new Mulaney stand-up.
Mulaney’s monologue was almost 10 minutes of new material touching on a variety of subjects, from how New York City has dealt with the pandemic, to how COVID-19 has changed our daily lives, to how Tuesday’s election is basically a popularity contest between elderly men. His best stuff comes near the end, when he focuses on his 94-year-old grandmother—Mulaney is a keen observer of cultural mores and social foibles and whatnot, but he’s most engaging as a comic when he’s discussing his own life and family. That held true in his monologue tonight, which also wound up being the highlight of the entire episode.
If you missed it, or feel the need to watch it again, here’s John Mulaney’s monologue in full. It’s, y’know, funny, and such.