Entertainment

“SNL” returned to the air for the ninth episode of its 50th season on Dec. 14 with former “SNL” cast member Chris Rock as host and Gracie Abrams as musical guest.

By Kevin Slane

December 15, 2024 | 11:06 AM

2 minutes to read

“SNL” returned to the air for the ninth episode of its 50th season on Dec. 14 with veteran comedian (and former “SNL” cast member) Chris Rock as host and Gracie Abrams as musical guest.

Rock is one of the more gifted standup comics of his era, and was tasked with turning a very weird news week into digestible jokes. Rock didn’t really seem comfortable with a lot of his own words this time around, though he landed one solid laugh about how “sometimes drug dealers get shot” in reference to United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Rock was spotted whispering something to Colin Jost during the “SNL” goodbyes, to which Jost seems to mouth something that looked like, “No, are you kidding me … that monologue was so funny.” (We’re not lip-reading experts, so this could be way off-base.)

Regardless, Rock’s episode had its highs and its lows. And in continuing with the rest of “SNL” Season 50, it also had a surprise guest appearance from the show’s past.

Last week during Paul Mescal’s episode, it was David Spade joining frequent guest Dana Carvey. With Rock hosting, “SNL” brought back a fourth member of the so-called “bad boys” era of the show from the early ’90s, Adam Sandler.

The New Hampshire-raised comic appeared as a patient in a hospital sketch, not only reuniting him with Rock but also with Sarah Sherman, who featured in the Sandler-produced Netflix movie “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” alongside Sandler’s daughters Sunny and Sadie.

Check out the videos below to see highlights from the latest episode of “SNL,” including Rock’s opening monologue, Gracie Abrams performing a pair of songs, and all of the guests visiting Colin Jost and Michael Che at the “Weekend Update” desk.

“Saturday Night Live” Cold Open

Chris Rock Monologue

“SNL Weekend Update” Clips

Gracie Abrams Performances

Some of the best SNL sketches

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