Tom Hanks brought back his cult Halloween character David S. Pumpkins to open the October 31, 2026, episode of NBC’s Saturday Night Live, hosted for the first time by Obsession star Inde Navarrette. Gracie Abrams was the musical guest on a spooky-season show that also paid tribute to the late Patrick Stewart.
What We Know
The Season 52, Episode 4 broadcast opened with a familiar sight for longtime viewers: Hanks back in the pumpkin-patterned suit, flanked by dancing skeletons. Bobby Moynihan, one of the original skeletons, returned for the bit as well, according to Entertainment Weekly and LateNighter.
The nostalgia did not last long. Reviews from The A.V. Club and LateNighter describe the cold open as a bait-and-switch, with James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump interrupting the sketch and taking over the political opener while the rest of the cast froze in place.
Navarrette, who broke out this year in the horror comedy Obsession, used her monologue for a Halloween costume bit and a jab at comedian Shane Gillis, a moment highlighted by both EW and LateNighter. Critics were split on her overall performance, but several singled out the “Uninterested Woman Game Show” sketch, led by Ashley Padilla, as one of the night’s strongest pieces. Navarrette also played Ryder in a “PAW Patrol: Special Victims Unit” parody.
On Weekend Update, Colin Jost and Michael Che welcomed back another familiar face: Moynihan revived his Drunk Uncle character to celebrate the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series victory. Cast member Ben Marshall also appeared as Pennywise.
Gracie Abrams, making her second appearance as SNL’s musical guest, performed two songs during the night.
Background
David S. Pumpkins first appeared in October 2016, in the “Haunted Elevator” sketch that became one of the show’s most quoted Halloween moments of the past decade. Hanks and Moynihan had already reprised the characters in 2022, in an episode hosted by Jack Harlow, EW noted.
The episode also marked a somber moment. At the end of the show, SNL honored Patrick Stewart, who hosted the series once and died this week at the age of 86. The tribute included a clip of Stewart introducing Salt-N-Pepa as a musical guest, according to EW and LateNighter.
The Drunk Uncle segment tied the show to the week’s biggest sports story, after William Contreras was named World Series MVP as Milwaukee won the title.
Reactions
Critics gave the episode a mixed reception. LateNighter graded it a C-plus, while EW felt the show had more energy than much of the season so far despite leaning heavily on cameos. The A.V. Club was less impressed with several sketches but praised the game-show segment.
What’s Next
Saturday Night Live continues its 52nd season on NBC, with upcoming hosts and musical guests announced by the network week to week. For Navarrette, the hosting gig caps a breakout year that began with Obsession. Fans of the show can also revisit our profile of Nate Bargatze, a past SNL host.
Sources
- Entertainment Weekly (via Yahoo Entertainment)
- The A.V. Club
- LateNighter
- Yahoo Entertainment (episode preview)