Miles Teller and Brandi Carlile Rock SNL: A Season-Defining Episode?

Miles Teller returned to host Saturday Night Live with musical guest Brandi Carlile, delivering a jam-packed episode full of hilarious parodies and sharp satire that critics are calling a season high.

TL;DR: Your Quick Snapshot of the Episode

• Miles Teller hosted for the second time, bringing his comedic chops to sketches like a true-crime parody and a hungover Halloween game show.
• Brandi Carlile lit up the stage with two powerful performances from her latest album, despite some technical audio hiccups.
• The episode featured standout political satire in its Cold Open and Weekend Update, effectively setting a high bar for Season 51.

Alright, fellow comedy fanatics! After a week off, Saturday Night Live burst back onto our screens on November 1, 2025, with an episode that many are already hailing as one of Season 51's strongest. We had the charismatic actor Miles Teller, 38, back for his second hosting gig, alongside the incredible singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, 44, making her fourth appearance as musical guest. It was a night that mixed sharp political commentary with laugh-out-loud absurdity, proving that this show still has plenty of gas in the tank!

The Return of Miles Teller and Brandi Carlile's Powerful Performances

Miles Teller, fresh off his success in films like Whiplash and Top Gun: Maverick, proved once again why he's a fantastic host. He first debuted on the iconic Studio 8H stage for the Season 48 opener in October 2022 and even popped up in the show’s 50th anniversary special back in February. This time around, Teller was also on hand to promote his upcoming film, Eternity. Critics noted his strong charisma and willingness to dive headfirst into the ridiculous, reminding some of his Top Gun: Maverick co-star, Jon Hamm.

Brandi Carlile, a Grammy-winning artist, brought her raw talent and powerful vocals to the stage, performing "Church & State" and "Human" from her recently released album, Returning to Myself. Her performances were described as "intense and passionate," providing a perfect musical backdrop for the evening. However, some viewers on YouTube did point out that the sound quality for "Church & State" wasn't ideal, a common complaint sometimes heard with Snl's musical guest segments.

Kicking Off the Night with a Political Punch in the Cold Open

The episode wasted no time in diving into current events, starting strong with the "NYC Mayoral Debate Cold Open." Miles Teller stepped into the role of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, joining recent SNL hosts Ramy Youssef as Zohran Mamdani and Shane Gillis as Curtis Sliwa. The sketch skillfully lampooned the highly publicized mayoral race, and it even featured James Austin Johnson's increasingly "creepy good" impersonation of Donald Trump, along with new cast member Kam Patterson as Mayor Eric Adams.

Reviewers praised this Cold Open as "one of the best in some time," highlighting its ability to deliver biting satire while taking shots at all three candidates, plus a little "extra love" for Trump. Shane Gillis, in particular, received "serious bonus points" for what was called his best SNL sketch performance to date, with a call for "more of this, please!" It truly set a high bar for the rest of the night.

Netflix True Crime Gets a Hilarious, Relatable Spin in "Gone Without a Trace"

One of the night's most talked-about sketches was "Gone Without a Trace," a brilliant parody of Netflix's true-crime documentaries, specifically nodding to their latest hit, The Perfect Neighbor. This sketch adopted the original's use of primary-source material, like body cams and interrogation rooms, but applied it to a far more mundane yet equally dramatic topic: the division of household labor.

Miles Teller's character, Doug, along with Ben Marshall and Kenan Thompson, played three clueless husbands whose wives seemingly "vanished." Through "never-before-seen interviews" with the wives (played by Veronika Slowikowska, Ashley Padilla, and Sarah Sherman), we quickly learned they hadn't been abducted at all. Two were simply traveling – with Slowikowska's exasperated character noting she had told Doug "maybe 45 times" – and Sherman's character was just in the bathroom for a while! The husbands' utter inability to manage without their partners led to hilarious moments, like Doug crying out "Is this a game to you?" while reading Post-it notes with chore instructions stuck to the fridge. Thompson’s character, bewildered by his own children, referred to them as "two small men" emerging from the basement.

This sketch cleverly animated the concept of the "mental load" – the unspoken, often invisible work women in heterosexual partnerships typically manage for their households. It underscored how some men might not even realize this burden until they're left to fend for themselves, with one wife clearly marking her work trip with circles, stars, and arrows on a calendar, yet her husband (played by Thompson) still claimed, "there was no way I could have known." The sketch, while played for laughs, offered a pointed social commentary on these fraught domestic dynamics, illustrating how men "failed to recognize the warning signs" of their "tragedies" (i.e., having to do chores).

Laughs and Lessons from a Hungover Halloween and a Quirky Detective

The comedic momentum continued with the "Hungover Halloween Game Show," aptly titled "What Did I Do Last Night?" Kenan Thompson hosted as Gay Fopay, challenging hungover contestants to recall their drunken Halloween antics. Miles Teller, dressed in a corn on the cob costume 24 hours after Halloween, played Kenneth from New Jersey, who admitted to "clawing the castle" (14 White Claws followed by White Castle). His Uber faux pas wasn't puking in the car, but in a "random person’s Camry," a detail he defended with "In my defense, I do that a lot."

Kenneth, joined by Veronika Slowikowska as "sexy cat" Elizabeth and Ben Marshall as "vampire" Ron, faced amusing punishments for wrong answers. Kenneth had to endure a badly playing saxophone player, while Elizabeth's penalty was far more terrifying: catching up with a high school acquaintance (Jane Wickline) who gave a mumbled update about her life not going great and needing a couch moved, leading Elizabeth to exclaim "Nooooo!" Kenneth's ultimate shame came from realizing his black eye was from a young boy whose corn costume he had stolen. Prizes for the winners included a bottle of Pedialyte and a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.

Another sketch that utilized Teller's talents was an unnamed "Detective Press Conference." Teller played a detective delivering an update on a potential serial killer. The real star, however, was Andrew Dismukes as a reporter who seized the opportunity to pitch his bizarre superhero comic, Gar-Girl, about a teenage girl with the powers of a gargoyle. Ashley Padilla also shone in this sketch, transitioning from professional to "unhinged" in a performance reminiscent of "peak Will Forte."

"Weekend Update" Highlights and "White House Makeover" Mirth

The iconic "Weekend Update" segment had its own share of memorable moments. Andrew Dismukes and Ashley Padilla appeared as a flirtatious duo, using innuendo to discuss the government shutdown. Their chemistry and playful banter about a president continuing a "project of this size" were a definite hit with viewers.

Bowen Yang also made a triumphant return as George Santos, the "pop culture court jester," who was "all about making up for lost time" by claiming credit for everything from hosting SNL to winning the World Series and even being prison buddies with Luigi Mangione. Yang's performance was called "killer," with bonus points for the detail of having Santos use a prison visitation room divider and phone for his calls. The segment also "trashed" Trump's White House renovations and "weird" Halloween habits.

Speaking of White House makeovers, another strong sketch featured Miles Teller as one of "The Property Brothers," Jonathan and Drew Scott, alongside James Austin Johnson as Trump and Chloe Fineman as Melania. The duo was called in to renovate the White House after the demolition of the East Wing. The sketch cleverly spotlighted the "absurdity and obscenity" of Trump's actions, particularly his desire for a "huge ballroom" and the ironic delay in construction due to his deportation of workers. Johnson's Trump and Fineman's Melania received high praise, with Teller also excelling in his role as the unimpressed Property Brother.

Teller's Monologue Stumbles and an "Italian Restaurant" Miss

While the overall episode was strong, not every segment landed perfectly. Miles Teller's opening monologue, for instance, received a mixed-to-negative reception from viewers. He talked about dressing as the Roxbury Guys for Halloween as a child, joked about drinking a lot before the show, and shared a personal story about his family losing their home during the Palisades fire. YouTube commenters found it "terrible" and "cringey," with one person noting, "He looked like he hated every minute of it. I was sitting here cringing and feeling very uncomfortable with my second-hand embarrassment. Poor Miles."

Another sketch, "Italian Restaurant Date," also drew criticism. Teller and Marcello Hernández played flirtatious waiters interrupting a couple's date, with Kenan Thompson as the chef. Viewers complained that the sketch "needed more work to make the jokes funny" and that it "relied on s------ on Italians to make it funny." Some even compared it unfavorably to classic SNL bits, calling it "a less funny version of the classic skit with Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider."

"For me, this was the show that set the bar for the season. From the Cold Open through Colin Jost and Michael Che's killer 'Weekend Update' to our new obsession with Gar-Girl, it was all bangers, no misses."

— Ray Flook, Bleeding Cool

A Packed Night and What's Next for Season 51

The episode was so full of content, it even ran a little long! Viewers noted that the "good nights" segment was cut short, with the broadcast abruptly transitioning to "several bumper images," suggesting an unplanned ending. Despite these minor hiccups, the episode was widely seen as a significant rebound for Season 51, showcasing SNL's enduring ability to deliver both timely satire and broad comedic absurdity.

Looking ahead, the show isn't slowing down! Fans can mark their calendars for upcoming episodes:

• November 8: Comedian and actress Nikki Glaser will make her hosting debut, with musical guest Sombr.
• November 15: Actor Glen Powell (of Chad Powers fame) will host for the first time, joined by musical guest Olivia Dean.

With a strong lineup and a high bar set by Miles Teller and Brandi Carlile, Season 51 is definitely one to watch! Frequently Asked Questions About SNL's Latest Episode

Got more questions about the Miles Teller and Brandi Carlile episode? We've got you covered!

When did Miles Teller and Brandi Carlile's SNL episode air?

The episode, which was the fourth of Season 51, aired live on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

Where can I watch the latest episode of Saturday Night Live?

New episodes of Saturday Night Live air live on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT. You can also stream the episode live on Peacock, or catch it on-demand the following day on Peacock.

How many times has Miles Teller hosted SNL?

This episode marked Miles Teller's second time hosting Saturday Night Live. His first hosting stint was in October 2022 for the Season 48 premiere.

What was Brandi Carlile's latest album featured on SNL?

Brandi Carlile performed songs from her recently released album, "Returning to Myself," during her musical guest appearance on the show.

Sources:

• Content from provided articles on Saturday Night Live's November 1, 2025 episode.