About a week before Saturday Night Live season 52 debuted, it was announced that there would be two new faces joining the cast, online comedians Grace Reiter and Saidah Belo-Osagie. After some of last season's new members did not quite hit the way audiences hoped, there was concern over whether casting people from online sketches was a good idea. Reiter and Belo-Osagie are trying to put that concern to rest.
After just two episodes, SNL’s newest cast members are learning what every other cast member learned: earning your place takes time. Reiter and Belo-Osagie both joined as featured players. So far, Reiter has had the more visible introduction. Both of their first sketches were “Dream Academy,” where Reiter appeared as a character named Margle, a contestant trying to join a fictional girl group. The sketch gave her the chance to lean into what she is best known for: physical, offbeat comedy. On the other hand, Belo-Osagie had a much quieter start. She was also a contestant in “Dream Academy,” but she didn’t have as much screen time. She was supposed to perform another role in the premiere episode, but it was cut before the live show, leaving audiences with only a brief introduction to what she can do.
While both new members were barely shown in the premiere, Reiter, in particular, exemplified the commitment to absurdity and deadpan delivery she’s known for on TikTok and YouTube in her limited screen time. Beyond her individual comedy, Reiter somehow makes three-season veteran Jane Wickline funnier, complementing her socially awkward humor audiences have previously had difficulty relating to. Reiter is known across the internet for many different things, but one of the most popular is her YouTube parody movie, “The Hunger Games (but better) - A Parody,” which currently has over 15 million views. She has also been seen with sketch comedy groups “American High” and “Staplevie.” Wickline was also a part of “Stapleview,” which might be the answer to how they seem to be better when they are together.
Belo-Osagie, while shown less in the first episodes, is also no stranger to performing. She is the creator of the New York City event series “Afrobeats Futura,” and her solo show “Saidah Gets Closure.” She also appeared in the YouTube comedy series “Abigail's Divine Comedy.” In 2020, she wrote and directed her first short film, “Tinge.” She is the daughter of Nigerian immigrants. This makes her the only woman of color on the show after the departure of Ego Nwodim during season 50. The lack of diverse representation has sparked some debate online, heavily centered on structural pipelines, casting practices and systemic priorities within the comedy industry.
Last year's new cast members were a slight disappointment. Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, Kam Patterson and Jeremy Culhane all joined last season, and they had very mixed reviews and audience feedback. This, mixed with Chloe Fineman, Martin Herlihy and Bowen Yang announcing they would not be returning, had a lot of people doubting that this season was going to be a success.
What is most important for Reiter and Belo-Osagie moving forward is how much the show allows them to develop their own identities. Being featured players means they will have to compete for limited screen time, while also proving they can work well within the fast-paced environment of live television. If the writers give both performers sketches that play into their strengths, they could have the ability to become staple cast members, rather than just being featured.
There has not been much of the season so far, but the first two episodes have been enjoyable. As always, some jokes fall flat, but there have been more good than bad skits so far. The newest cast additions seem to be meshing with past cast members well. Reiter and Belo-Osagie both did well at balancing their physical comedy with pre-written jokes in the limited episode exposure they had. Overall, the season seems to be heading in a positive direction, which is exactly what the show needs after the criticism from last season.
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