“Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles” Return to Saturday Night Live

This weekend SNL revisited one of the highlights of its first pandemic-era “at home” episode, releasing a second installment of “Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles.” While the concept might be a little obvious, this one might be even funnier than the first. The key is the quiet, serious way it pitches its little vignettes—Kenan Thompson’s heartbreak as Donatello reacts to his daughter’s decision not to come home for Christmas is palpable but understated. Too often SNL shoots entirely for the last row, but these cartoons feel human in a way most of the show doesn’t, even though it’s about grown-up cartoon turtles. And again, it’s pitch perfect in its forecast of Raphael—dude would totally be a Trumper right now, proudly wearing Oakleys and sitting at the wheel of his car in every single one of his social media profile pics.