As of Sunday morning, Oct. 4, here is the short version of Saturday’s “Saturday Night Live”: Dakota Johnson hosted for the third time, Taylor Swift made a surprise cameo in her monologue, and the band Turnstile played as musical guest for the first time. The episode was scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3, at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Who hosted and who performed
This was Season 52, Episode 2. NBC Insider says Johnson “first hosted the show in Season 40 on February 28, 2015” and “returned for round 2 in Season 49 on January 27, 2024.” NBC’s preview page calls the episode “rock band Turnstile’s Musical Guest debut.”
The Boston Globe calls Turnstile a “punk band,” NBC a “rock band” and NME a “Baltimore band.”
NME (Oct. 4) says Turnstile played “Birds” first and later “I Care” then “Dull” back-to-back. NME adds that “Birds” won Best Metal Performance at the Grammys in February.
NBC, which airs the show, is our source for the clip list, running times and cast. Swift’s lines below are quoted from TheWrap’s transcription, which differs slightly from NBC’s.
What happened in the monologue
NBC describes Swift as “making a surprise cameo during the monologue to joke about Johnson’s dating life and their friendship.” According to NBC, Johnson introduced her “literal therapist” Taylor Swift as the studio audience began to scream.
Swift’s reply, as TheWrap transcribed it: “I’m not your therapist, actually. You just show up once a week at my house with an empty bottle of wine and ask if I want some.” TheWrap then quotes her: “You plop on my couch and overshare, and every so often I just say, ‘Damn, that’s crazy.'” She finishes: “And then I give you a pedialyte and my security drives you home.”
Earlier in the monologue, Johnson joked that she is still promoting her 2024 movie “Madame Web” because “it hasn’t made any money yet,” TheWrap reports.
These are comedy lines from the monologue, not statements of fact.
Gold Derby reports that Swift returned at the end of the show to give Johnson a birthday cake.
The clips, as NBC titles them
NBC Insider’s episode page lists 16 clips; these are some of them, not in air order:
- Dakota Johnson Monologue (2:46)
- Republican Midterm Ads Cold Open (1:35)
- Mean, Scary Girlfriend (6:56)
- Guns for Women (4:46)
- Hospital Gossip (4:24)
- Press Your Luck (4:21)
- Throne of the Dragonborn (2:04)
- Get Ready with Me (2:47)
- Turnstile: BIRDS (Live) (4:05)
- Turnstile: I CARE/DULL Medley (Live) (3:20)
NBC describes the cold open with the line “it’s time to air some eleventh-hour campaign ads,” and lists Jeremy Culhane as Vice President JD Vance, Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth, Marcello Hernandez as Marco Rubio, Mikey Day as Mitch McConnell and James Austin Johnson as President Trump. These are cast impressions.
The Weekend Update segments include “Kam Patterson Gives His Thoughts on the Glee Reboot” (5:40), “Matchmaker Debbie Mush Gives Michael Che Dating Advice” (1:45) and “Shark Sighting in Flooded NJ Street” (4:51).
The context around the cameo
NBC says Johnson “made headlines” the week before for co-starring in Swift’s “Patient Zero” video. TheWrap says Swift debuted that video less than a week earlier, and adds that Johnson presented Swift with an award at the MTV Video Music Awards the week before.
NBC also notes Johnson hosted “just days ahead” of her new film, “Verity,” reaching theaters. It stars Johnson “opposite Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett.”
What happens next
NME says Shane Gillis hosts next Saturday, Oct. 10, with Rosalia as musical guest.
What we did not find
We did not find ratings for the Oct. 3 episode. We did not find an official NBC statement about the cameo beyond its episode page.