On the Halloween edition of Saturday Night Live, host Inde Navarrette starred in “The Inventor,” a sketch featuring a cute Wall-E-like robot that turns out to be a lethal penis destroyer designed by her eccentric late husband.
Here is the kicker: despite a shaky cold open featuring guest appearances from Tom Hanks as David S. Pumpkins alongside Donald Trump and Nicki Minaj, plus an opening monologue where Navarrette took a swipe at Shane Gillis, the sketch managed to be a surprisingly fun segment.
The Sketch Highlights And Narrative Arc
- The Setup: Navarrette delivers a eulogy for her husband, an eccentric inventor who built a friendly little robot named PD 44 in his workshop before passing away.
- The Twist: Six years later, the lonely widow goes on a pleasant date with a man named Tom Oakland (played by Ben Marshall), brings him home for a nightcap, and watches as PD transforms into a giant killer robot.
- The Punchline: After the robot obliterates Tom with a laser beam and hurls his detached anatomy into the moon, Navarrette’s character says, “He did love me… My husband loved me after all!”
Navarrette Commands The Screen In A Standout Digital Short
The sketch functioned as a showcase for Navarrette’s crack timing and commitment to the bit. While the live portion of the broadcast navigated some political cameos, the pre-taped digital short leaned into absurdity.
The juxtaposition between the sweet, innocuous design of the robot and the sudden, graphic violence defined the segment.
Production Scale And The Evolution Of SNL Digital Shorts
The sketch was one of the better SNL digital shorts in some time.
| Sketch Element | Character / Role | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| The Widow | Widow | Inde Navarrette |
| The Date | Tom Oakland | Ben Marshall |
| The Companion | PD 44 | N/A |
By contrasting the comforting tropes of domestic sci-fi with explosive, cartoonish carnage, the writers gave Navarrette material that played directly to her strengths.
Audience Reception And Cultural Footprint
Whether the show chooses to revisit the mechanics of PD 44 in future episodes remains to be seen.
