‘Saturday Night Live’ opened its 52nd season over the weekend with New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson serving as host, his first turn leading the NBC sketch show. The Season 52 premiere aired Saturday, with the group Katseye booked as musical guest for the night. The pairing put a current NBA star at the front of the program alongside a rising act in pop music, setting the tone for the show’s return from its summer hiatus.
NBC promoted the episode with a video released the Thursday before the broadcast. In the teaser, Brunson appeared with Katseye and cast member Marcello Hernandez, who pushed the guard to attempt ‘a silly one.’ Brunson answered, ‘That was a silly one,’ leaning on a deadpan delivery. He also told the camera he was ‘locked in’ ahead of his debut as host. The clip played up the contrast between the athlete and the show’s comic ensemble.
Brunson, 30, has grown into one of the most recognizable players on the Knicks, and the hosting slot came during a stretch of screen work away from the court. He was previously announced as a guest star on ‘Law and Order: SVU,’ giving him a scripted network appearance to go with the live comedy showcase. The booking followed a long line of athletes who have taken the ‘SNL’ host chair over the years.
Katseye handled the musical portions of the premiere while Brunson carried the sketches, the customary division of duties for the show. The group’s slot continued the program’s habit of matching a host from outside music with a performer drawing attention on the charts. The premiere returned ‘SNL’ to its weekly Saturday schedule after the summer break, opening a fresh run of live episodes.
The season opener set up a busy early stretch. NBC lined up actress Dakota Johnson to guest host the following episode on Oct. 3, keeping the show on its regular cadence. Johnson, known for the ‘Fifty Shades’ films and the coming release ‘Verity,’ was set to follow Brunson as the new season got under way. The back-to-back bookings pointed to the show’s usual push at the start of a season.
