Typically, after a new episode of “Saturday Night Live,” airs, there are one or two sketches that end up online that were cut for time. However, there hasn’t been a single sketch that was cut for time that made it online this season until now. Typically, you can see why a cut sketch didn’t make it into an episode. Sometimes, it’s literally cut for time because it would make the episode too long, either because the other sketches are better or because it just doesn’t fit within the confines of the episode with the other sketches. That means sometimes these sketches are very funny, and it’s a real bummer when you see great sketches cut in favor of sketches that didn’t hit their mark.
First up, the sketch above, titled “Court Case,” is hilarious, and I wish it would have made it into the show. But at six minutes long, especially with that slow lead in to the driving force of the sketch’s premiere, it’s easy to understand why it didn’t make the cut. Having said that, I absolutely loved this sketch. It’s perfectly absurd, uses Kenan Thompson’s greatest comedic gift of bringing reality to a situation in a hilarious way, and it’s maybe the best example of how Driver’s acting ability enhances the comedy of any given sketch.
Secondly, though not as strong, “Actor’s Journey” feels like it was inspired by awards season screenings with Q&A’s involving the filmmakers and stars. In this case, we have Dismukes as an actor talking about his humble beginnings, living in a crappy apartment, but the landlord of his old stomping grounds happens to be in the audience and doesn’t appreciate being painted with such a harsh brush. He’s not the only one from the past who’s there either, as a colorful assembly of characters from that apartment complex are also in attendance. The escalation is funny, and I’m glad that Driver wasn’t the one in the actor’s chair, which would have likely been the role for less capable hosts.
Anyway, that’s all for Adam Driver’s wholly satisfying episode of “Saturday Night Live,” which may be just behind Emma Stone’s in the rankings so far. We’ll be back next week after the final episode of 2023, which will be hosted by former cast member Kate McKinnon. As always, for more on new episodes of “SNL,” be sure to subscribe to The Ten to One Podcast, wherever podcasts are available.