"You can spot a McCarthy character coming from a mile away. They're usually turned up to 100 on every level: unpredictable, overbearing, and blessed with a bonkers physicality that can squeeze a laugh out of even the most reluctant viewer. McCarthy, who bagged an Emmy for hosting SNL in 2017, has a level of ease and familiarity on the Studio 8H stage that's difficult to fake."
"Usually, I find that Jost works best behind the Update desk, but his Hegseth has definitely improved from its last outing. Jost is not the most gifted impressionist, but I don't think the real Hegseth's voice and mannerisms are particularly recognizable anyway, so it doesn't really matter in this case. Other highlights of the cold open include Sarah Sherman as a terrifying Matt Gaetz, and James Austin Johnson's Trump having a wet dream about New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani."
Melissa McCarthy hosted SNL for the sixth time, becoming one of four women to host more than five times alongside Drew Barrymore, Tina Fey, and Scarlett Johansson. She integrates seamlessly with the cast, excelling both as a lead in sketches like "Free Sample" and as a support in pieces like "Cousin Planet." McCarthy's characters are amplified, unpredictable, overbearing, and possess intense physicality that elicits laughs from even reluctant viewers. She previously won an Emmy for hosting SNL in 2017 and displays notable ease and familiarity on the Studio 8H stage. The episode opened with a Pentagon press briefing featuring Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth and included Sarah Sherman as Matt Gaetz and James Austin Johnson's Trump fantasizing about Zohran Mamdani. McCarthy's monologue involved heavy fake snow and a comedic confrontation with Marcello Hernández dressed as a Christmas elf.
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