SNL101

S51 E10: Finn Wolfhard

We talk about the clever genre blending and figurative language, as well as slash fiction and fan creativity in “Heated Wizardry” and expand into how reboots, remakes, and fan-inspired storytelling function in corporate media with “Stranger Things Promo.”
S51 E09: Ariana Grande

We discuss “Black Santa” and race, sentimentality, white guilt, and humor’s role in social critique, as well as the linguistic power of impressions.
S51 E08 Josh O’Connor

We discuss how “Bachelorette Party Strippers” plays on the “soft boy” aesthetic as well as the complexity of masculinity and how desire, gender norms, and emotional authenticity are negotiated in popular culture. We also talk about how “Uber Eats Wrapped” can be used for a deep dive into memory, shame, data privacy, and self-perception.
S51 E07 Melissa McCarthy

We discuss Pentagon Press Conference Cold Open and Jost’s growing confidence as a performer, A Helping Hand and McCarthy’s dramatic range, and closely analyze Free Sample as a way to discuss fat humor, embodiment, loneliness, and attachment theory.
S51 E06 Glen Powell

Luvell explores how “AI Photos” taps into concerns about AI ethics, memory, and “enshittification,” Charisse praises “Norwegian Movie” for illustrating cultivation theory and how media shapes perceptions of entire cultures, and Chuck highlights “Bob Army” for its choreography, queer slang, and playful stereotypes.
S51 E05: Nikki Glaser

Glaser’s Stand-Up Monologue —filled with taboo humor about rape, trafficking, and pedophilia—was a masterclass in “gross-out” comedy where Glaser targets herself rather than others.
S51 E04: Miles Teller

We discuss how we could use “Missing Wives” in class to discuss the true crime genre, strategic use of archetypes in comedy, and using gendered dynamics in screenwriting
S51 E03: Sabrina Carpenter

This iteration may have hit its stride, but may have underutilized Sabrina’s talents. We discuss Boys Podcast as well as Jost’s joke about Trump and Argentina.
S51E02: Amy Poehler

We talk about Emo Mom through the lens of liminality on both ends of adulthood, in adolescence and menopause, as well as gendered differences in aging, and representations of grief.
S51 E01: Bad Bunny

In this season premiere episode hosted by Bad Bunny on October 4, 2025, we discuss the Pete Hegseth Cold Open and satirizing authoritarianism.