The first time The Rise Of Skywalker antihero Adam Driver hosted Saturday Night Live, he did a funny turn on the mandatory Star Wars sketch when his dourly oversensitive Kylo Ren went incognito among his First Order minions as part of a long-ago, far-away spinoff (or prequel) to late-capitalist propaganda reality show Undercover Boss. It didn’t go well that time, since the imperious Ren is about as thin-skinned as your tortured Sith Lords get, and because nobody in this or any other galaxy looks like Adam Driver. Still, everybody wants to be liked, even murderous, laser-sword-wielding, patricidal would-be Emperors.
With Driver hosting for the third time last night, Ren and the sketch were back, as, this time, the glowering terror took on the disguise of Randy, a First Order intern tasked with menial tasks such as “droid-wrangling,” still dealing with sass-backing stormtroopers, and fetching some of that blue milk that his nemesis Luke Skywalker seems to enjoy. Sadly for Randy/Kylo, things don’t go much better in this attempt at surreptitious worker surveillance, as he can’t control his temper (or his force-pushes—just ask that printer, or that supercilious admiral), and everyone definitely knows exactly who he is. Still, in his second go-round, Ren does actually seem to be trying, as seen in his chance encounter with a weeping co-worker upset the the most evil fascist dictatorship in the galaxy also has some backward-ass ideas when it comes to hiring female TIE fighter pilots. Knowing that only Kylo Ren can change things, he makes a present of a new commission and a shiny pilot’s helmet to his colleague—and then summarily murders her with a lightsaber the second she tells Randy she’s super into Luke. Well, he’s out of parents. Gotta laser-stab somebody.
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Alternate Headline: Adam Driver confirms he’s the only member of the sequel cast who still enjoys Star Wars.
In his defense, he was basically Darth Vader. Darth Vader in a shitty series is still Darth Vader.Unrelatedly, this is how I convince my wife not to leave.
Well, he got to play the only worthwhile character in the sequels, so…
He was BB8?
This was never going to top the first one, which I think they knew given the shorter running time, but I still enjoyed it. I actually preferred the ending to this one – the shift to him killing Chloe Fineman’s character and then saying he made four friends but only killed one. Driver was just great in that whole sequence, and Chloe was also very good. The deadness in his voice as he kept saying, “OK, boomer” to try to fit in made me laugh. Driver was perfect in all of this.
He brings such intensity to his dramatic roles, its easy to forget just how funny he is. I don’t make this comparison lightly, but he really resembles Tom Hanks, in his ability to do comedy and drama equally well.
“This is so much better than ‘The Last Jedi.’”
-Aging Male Star Wars Fans
You forgot “Caucasian” in your stereotypical, shit-stirring comment.
smile more
Y U PEOPLE GOT 2 BRING REYS INTO THINGS!
“Only aging male Star Wars fans dislike The Last Jedi.”-Bandwagon Rider Incapable of Independent Thought
Isn’t a reactionary accusation that one isn’t having an independent thought also indicative of one who is bereft of independent thought?
Nope. You’re easily manipulated. I’m sorry that’s hard for you to grasp. Stay gold, dip shit.
I think i sat next to that dude when I watched the last film, he seemed miserable and hated that I was smiling and enjoying myself so much.
It was a great viewing 🙂
This sketch was fabulous. You don’t even have to follow the two original sources to find it funny (although most viewers are at least familiar with Star Wars). I thought “The Science Room” sketch was even better (compare it to Sam Rockwell’s attempt). Presumably performed live, it exemplifies just how brilliant Driver can be with comedy and, most important, comedic timing. He never interrupts the audience’s response or his fellow actors’. He fully understands his character and the inanity of the situation.And this personal note: I just love it when a man discovers his NBF (Natural Bearded Face) and embraces it. Driver is finally sexy af with the facial hair (unlike Keanu – please shave).
I love the idea that he needs a disguise to get around, and not just use his powers to hide his identity. It’s like a TV exec convinced him to go with their make up department:
Kylo: “Am i going to look stupid?”
Exec: “NO, no, not at all!”