Grace Diviny, Staff Writer
On Halloween night, New York comedy live show Saturday Night Live had a special Halloween episode that had breakout star Inde Navarrette as the show’s host. Navarrette became an overnight sensation over the summer, when her starring role as Nikki Freeman in horror movie Obsession took the world by storm. SNL tends to have people who are currently trending or promoting a project on their show, so Inde being a host is a no-brainer as people are still buzzing about the movie. And a performance she gave on Halloween night as we saw a more comedic, bubbly side of her.
Navarrette had a strong start in her opening monologue, in which not only did she humorously highlight the various costumes the SNL cast ensemble wore onto the stage, but she also took a hit at Shane Gillis’ controversial and misogynistic monologue in the previous October 10th episode of SNL in her own twist that had the audience roaring in solidarity.
Navarrette then continued to show her comedic range throughout the variety of sketches, such as the first sketch titled Queen Mary Ghosts, where her rendition of a hyper and annoying ghostly child alongside Marcello Hernandez was not only painfully realistic, but also hilarious. Her next role in the sketch “Delta Disruptive” as a ‘trashy’ 2000s-esque teenage girl being, well, disruptive on a plane was also memorable, with her again portraying an annoying character we’d most likely come across in our daily lives perfectly well to where it is laughable.
Another notable and popular sketch that came from this episode was “Paw Patrol: Special Victims Unit” where Navarrette plays the children’s show’s leader Ryder in a deadpan, serious manner reminiscent of a mix of Olivia Benson and Odafin Tutuola that is unnerving, yet charming with the contrast between the two shows.
However, my personal favorite sketch in this episode was “Telenovela: El Corazón Que No Siente.” As someone who grew up in a Hispanic household and had an abuela who’d hog up the television by watching telenovelas on Univision, this sketch felt nostalgic for me, even if its plot was ultimately an exaggerated Sprite ad!
I have been following Inde since she appeared in the last season of 13 Reasons Why, and her role as Estrela de la Cruz, while not major, showed immense potential that made me know that she was going to be a star. While her niche is in serious roles, this episode showcases that her range is there, and can be used to her advantage on a major comedic platform such as Saturday Night Live.
However, some people have felt as though Navarrette may have fallen flat throughout the episode, and while she may have had some comedic fall offs here and there, it is to note that this is her first appearance on a comedy show, and not every performance is going to be outstanding. Navarrette ultimately did a great job for a first timer, and while again, her strength is in serious roles, the doors seem ready to open for potential comedic roles soon for her after this episode.
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