Ryan Gosling returned to Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center on Saturday night for his fourth hosting appearance on "Saturday Night Live" — though, as a viral promo released earlier in the week made clear, Gosling himself was under the impression he'd already hosted five times. The playful sketch, in which cast member Mikey Day gently corrected Gosling's count before the Academy Award-nominated actor erupted into an exaggerated tantrum, set the comedic tone for what turned out to be one of Season 51's most entertaining episodes.
The real surprise of the evening came during Gosling's opening monologue. After barely a minute onstage, the "Barbie" and "La La Land" star noticed a familiar face seated in the front row: pop superstar Harry Styles, who is set to host — and perform — the following week's episode. Gosling paused mid-thought. "Is that Harry Styles?" he said, prompting the audience to erupt into deafening applause. The camera panned to Styles, looking his typically effortless self, who explained that he was simply there to watch and get a feel for the show before his own appearance. "That's so professional. I just wish someone would have told me," Gosling deadpanned, before the two engaged in a witty back-and-forth that extended well beyond the usual monologue length.
Beyond the Styles cameo, Gosling delivered what critics and fans quickly called a classic episode. A hilariously surreal parody commercial for Otezla, the psoriasis medication, became the episode's most-shared pre-tape almost immediately after airing. A sketch called "Passing Notes" also drew enormous laughs: writers had secretly replaced the script cards that Gosling, cast member Ashley Padilla, and Mikey Day were supposed to read aloud with increasingly insulting descriptions of their own characters, forcing all three performers to visibly struggle to hold it together. Padilla, in particular, was left gasping for breath as she tried to deliver her lines.
The episode was also historic for reasons entirely separate from its comedic content. Musical guest Gorillaz — the virtual band created in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and visual artist Jamie Hewlett — became the first animated or virtual act in "SNL"'s 51-year history to perform on its stage. The band appeared to commemorate both its 25th anniversary and the impending release of a new album. In a rare treat for a show that typically uses musical slots to promote new material, Gorillaz performed "Clint Eastwood," the band's iconic 2001 debut single, alongside the rapper Del the Funky Homosapien, who originally appeared on the recording. The Studio 8H crowd responded with unmistakable enthusiasm.
Gosling is currently promoting "Project Hail Mary," his upcoming sci-fi feature based on Andy Weir's bestselling novel, in which he plays a science teacher who wakes up alone on a spacecraft with no memory of how he got there. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film opens in theaters on March 20. Early reactions from press screenings have been overwhelmingly positive. His hosting appearance on "SNL" served as an effective and entertaining kickoff to what looks to be a major promotional push ahead of the film's launch — and, if Saturday night was any indication, Gosling shows no signs of losing his comedic touch anytime soon.