Jake Gyllenhaal performs End of the Road on SNL season 49 finale

Andy Hoglund, freelance writer at Entertainment Weekly since 2019, reflects on the highs and lows of Saturday Night Live season 49.

Here we are, Conehead nation! It's graduation season, not just for millions of college seniors but for season 49 and our comedy heroes at Studio 8H. Wrapping up an entire season has me in full on commencement mode, reflecting on what went right (or didn't!) over the past 20 episodes. We are in the midst of a kind of show detente, in my view, a precarious peace in uncertain times - nowhere near the nadirs we know Saturday Night Live is capable of, but not exactly a golden era, either.

To conclude season 49, Jake Gyllenhaal gets the ball. Following a long hiatus between his first and second times hosting - most recently back in 2022 - tonight is his third time out. Season finales can sometimes be underwhelming affairs, but let's see.

I recently spoke with former SNL cast member Gail Matthius who watches the show "absolutely religiously" and says "they're doing great work. Kristen Wiig as the guest host and Maya the other night? Bold and crazy - they were in their playground." However, recalling Ryan Gosling's episode and recent Beavis + Butthead sketch, she correctly points out the cast is increasingly breaking a lot - which would have been unheard of in her era.

Season 49 concludes in 3...2...1.

James Austin Johnson is Donald Trump in a "very weird and depressing" hallway, outside his Manhattan courthouse. This begins as your standard stream of consciousness monologue from JAJ, which have become the hallmark of this era. He namedrops "Elaine from Seinfeld" AKA former SNL cast member Julia Louis Dreyfus.

Trump gets into his veep candidates. Devon Walker returns as Senator Tim Scott. Heidi Gardner brings out a fake dog but a real gun as South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. The "late, great" Hannibal Lector (Michael Longfellow) is giving Pence vibes.

Solid stuff - short and sweet. Nothing to write home about. We have seen worse political cold opens, haven't we friends?

49 is a great number, Gyllenhaal says. He riffs about numbers and working with Conor McGregor in the streaming remake of Roadhouse. He is right - this is the last episode before the big 5-0, the key anniversary season.

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I love him shouting out the Ed Kock episode, way back in season 9. (Let's be accurate: Edwin Newman, Father Guido Sarducci, Betty Thomas and Billy Crystal co-hosted!)

He sings a Boyz 2 Men parody about all the other people who were asked to host but said no. Over 900 shows! I like Kenan Thompson noting most of this season were "fine."

Andrew Dismukes wants to propose to girlfriend Chloe Troast at her parents' house. However the father (Gyllenhaal) has a bigger obsession: his wife's peanut butter cookie. She forbid him, but he couldn't help himself.

Matthius calls Troast a "wonderful new singer... she's terrific."

There is some Tim Robinson influence here, right folks?

Mikey Day is Shaggy, with Gyllenhaal (as Freddie), musical guest Sabrina Carpenter (as Daphne) and Sarah Sherman (as Velma) tagging along with CGI Scooby. Old man Franklin (Johnson) is found out as the phantom. So far, a standard Scooby mystery - the villain has been revealed. However, more is in store for these kooky kids.

Things take a dark turn when Gyllenhaal turns violent. High concept Sherman short film. Meh!

We witness a chorus line of attractive, well put together young women. Here's the hook: now the "boys" get a turn. Something for the ladies in the audience. We go Busby Berkley with the camera work, after hearing backstories for most of the male cast members. Gyllenhaal sings for the second time in a half hour.

This is like a cousin to the "Lawrence Welk" set-ups from the Kristen Wiig era, no?

It is wild that Chloe Fineman was just at the Cannes Film Festival promoting Megalopolis. Now she is appearing here! (In a small role.) Pretty pedestrian, despite the choreography.

Mikey Day and Chloe Fineman are having a heart-to-heart about their relationship while hiking when Gyllenhaal interrupts, biking. He is very obnoxious! He audibly enters text, dictating emojis. "Send with invisible ink!" he orders to his iPhone. Another slight sketch.

We get our second Apple reference in several minutes. Very curious when that happens. "Clip out, then clip back in."

These clothes are pretty cheap - don't worry about it! No prisoners involved, don't worry about the labor issues behind these deals. The glossy, pretty models grapple in real time with the casually soulless admissions about the company and its tactics. This is pretty incisive, watch it!

Here's the point: even if you were aware of these ethical issues, would you keep buying it?

"Espresso" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Carpenter's first top ten single on the chart. I get it, it has a catchy hook. One key fact: it was co-written by Windham, Maine's Amy Allen.

Our anchors tackle the recently announced Biden-Trump debates, as well as the Trump trial and recent shenanigans in the House of Representatives.

Two separate broods of cicadas will come this summer. To comment, two cicadas.

This feels symbolic - the ultimate legacy cast member (Kenan Thompson) is partnered with the new face of the show (Marcello Hernandez). Colin Jost raps Kreayshawn. Lots of tentacle-related fun. Marcello had a fun season - Emmy nomination, maybe?

Here's the fun takeaway: the return of Joke Swap! Last time, Che hired an actress to play a civil rights activist. This time, it's Rabbi Jill. Kendrick Lamar jokes! Scarjo-Her references! Puppets! This kind of flops no?

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