Finn Wolfhard’s “Saturday Night Live” debut came with plenty of references to “Stranger Things.” Wolfhard was joined by costars Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin in a handful of sketches.
The trio reunited in “Mike in Manhattan,” a sketch that spoofed HBO’s “Sex and the City.” Wolfhard reprised his role as Mike Wheeler, this time cast as a Carrie Bradshaw-esque writer navigating his way through life in New York City.
“And just like that, I was in a new Upside Down. New York,” he’s showed writing. “And it doesn’t take a hive mind to realize that after you dated an Eleven, even 10s fall short.”
Matarazzo and McLaughlin, reviving their own characters Dustin and Lucas, respectively, joined Mike at lunch. The trio catch up over drinks and, inevitably, the conversation turns to their relationships and sex lives.
“As you know, I recently dated that weird nerdy girl who helped us save the world,” Dustin told the group, a reference to his season 3 love interest Suzie. “And then I never talked to her again and ever since my series of bad dates has been a ‘NeverEnding Story’. I’m a disaster!”
Lucas also caught the group up on what’s going on with Max (Sadie Sink). “Max and I started off hot and heavy,” he began, “but a couple years in, she just lies there like she’s back in that coma.”
Lucas and Dustin then noticed that Mike’s nose had begun to bleed and asked their friend if he had developed powers, like Eleven. “”This is from cocaine,” he laughed instead. “New York in the ’90s, right?”
The sketch wasn’t the only one inspired by the series. The show mocked Netflix’s propensity for rebooting and recycling its own series in a trailer for several “Stranger Things” related spin-offs. “‘Stranger Things’ is back with sequels, prequels, requels, and spin-offs,” the trailer began. The trailer included new shows based on Steve Harrington’s teaching career and Nancy Wheeler’s job as a reporter.
Fans had mixed responses to the various “Stranger Things” related sketches. Some decried a third sketch that references Will’s coming out scene from the show as homophobic. As one person wrote on SNL’s Instagram account, “Why did they make fun of Noah on your show? And why the homophobic jokes? You don’t need this, Finn. Think about it again. You don’t need it. I love you.”
Others were happy with the job done by Wolfhard. “That was brilliant, damn the haters who talk about the appearance of others. You are amazing just the way you are. 🙌,” a second person added.
“He has that perfect dry humor for SNL,” a third person wrote. “No surprise he was the first of the younger cast they chose. He also famously got along with past cast members and hosts and could get them to laugh (the Ghostbusters crew, Bill Hader, frequent host Paul Rudd).”
