Every Sketch From the Oct. 18 Episode of ‘SNL’ Ranked

Coverage of Sabrina Carpenter’s October 18th SNL appearance — which saw the divine Ms. C doing double duty as host and musical guest — has focused on the two F-bombs she dropped during her performance of “Nobody’s Son.” (Uncensored on the East Coast feed, but bleeped on the West Coast. Sorry, Los Angeles!) But lost in the FCC fuss was a more significant step in freedom of expression: the repeated references to vaginas, a bold leitmotif throughout the show.

There were four in all — that’s not including the panties Carpenter wore during her performance of “Manchild” with “It’s Saturday Night!” on the rear (though where do think the “Live!” would have gone?) or Weekend Update’s bit on Kim Kardashian’s “Ultimate Bush” Skims thongs, which are adorned with a thatch of faux pubic hair. But when co-anchor Michael Che delivered that last bit of news, the capper was: “And I know a guy who could wear it as a scarf.” Cut to the viral Time magazine photo of Donald Trump and his neck vagina, as the president’s wattle has been rebranded. And that counts! 

Overall, the show was the lightest on its feet it’s been all season (although we’re only three episodes in). There were a few out-there sketches where the comedy was cerebral, meta and more satire than laugh-out-loud funny. Perhaps SNL and Late Night with David Letterman writing legend Jim Downey — the subject of a new Peacock documentary (because what the world needs now is another SNL doc) — sent in a few ideas, as he acknowledged in a recent New York Times interview, he still does.

The show takes a break next week and returns on Nov. 1 with Miles Teller as host and Brandi Carlile as the musical guest, and on Nov. 8, a real treat when Nikki Glaser — who killed when she hosted this year’s Golden Globes — handles those duties on SNL

Until next month, a ranking of Oct. 18 sketches from worst to best.


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