Fresh from her Best Actress Oscar victory for Anora, Mikey Madison took to the Saturday Night Live stage this weekend for what many expected would be a dynamic and career-making hosting debut. Instead, her turn relied heavily on rehashed material and supporting roles, leaving both comedy enthusiasts and Madison’s fans disappointed.
Even with the promise of a post-Oscars victory lap, SNL was unable to leverage Madison’s particular mixture of indie grit and comedic charm. Unlike more recent hosts such as Lady Gaga, who had room to really shine in custom-written sketches, Madison was limited to supporting roles, hardly ever being placed at the lead of any given moment.
A Missed Opportunity for Fresh Character Work
Right from the start, the episode relied on old sketches and familiar premises. Madison popped up in a reworked version of the acting class sketch initially done by Charli XCX and Marcello Hernández, played an OB-GYN to a recurring midwife character, and was involved in a disappointing “Jury Duty” sketch hosted by Ego Nwodim. Her time on screen too often came across as an afterthought instead of an homage to her star power.
It wasn’t until the third act of the show, during the parody dating game segment “So Like… What Are We?”, that Madison was permitted to take charge of a sketch — and even then, the premise felt like tired tropes. Although her delivery was evidence that she has comedic timing, the script didn’t permit her to fly as high as fans of Better Things know she can.
Better Moments Without the Host
Ironically, the best moments on the show were when Madison wasn’t present. The animated short “Planning New York,” with Bowen Yang and Michael Longfellow playing 17th-century city planners, provided witty one-liners and quick timing. “Weekend Update” was also strong, especially with Devon Walker’s internet-famous influencer parody and Ashley Padilla’s Joann Fabrics goodbye.
Musical guest Morgan Wallen performed “I’m the Problem” and “Just in Case,” offering emotional depth that the rest of the episode largely lacked.
Final Thoughts: A Dim Spotlight
Mikey Madison’s SNL hosting debut was supposed to be a breakout moment. Instead, it was a reminder that even an Oscar win is no guarantee that a host will be provided with material worthy of their talent. Though Madison carried the disappointing writing with aplomb, one can only hope she gets a second chance — with newer sketches and a brighter spotlight.
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