New 'SNL' Not on Tonight, NBC Re-Airing Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Taylor Swift Episode

Before heading into the final stretch of 2019 that also sees the return of Eddie Murphy, Saturday [...]

Before heading into the final stretch of 2019 that also sees the return of Eddie Murphy, Saturday Night Live is taking a break tonight and re-airing its very funny edition Oct. 5 episode featuring Fleabag star, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and musical guest, Taylor Swift tonight. It was the first time hosting for the actress, writer and producer, who charmed audiences with a slew of sketches in the second episode of the season. Swift also returned with her new record, Lover performing two tracks.

With a one-week breather for the cast and writers to prepare for two new shows airing in the last days of this year, including Harry Styles doing double duty and Eddie Murphy with a yet to be announced guest musician for Dec. 21, NBC is replaying its sophomore episode of the season with Waller-Bridge, whose show Amazon series, Fleabag dominated this past year's Primetime Emmy Awards in the comedy categories. Her performance brought home 6 Emmy Award statuettes, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.

The Fleabag star opened up her SNL monologue with an introduction to her Amazon series character and the differences between herself and onscreen persona. The episode of the evening with plenty of British accents, also found Matthew Broderick as a special guest in the cold open, playing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

In what was a predictable stab at the political quagmire the country has found itself in under President Donald Trump, the cold open sees Vice President Mike Pence's (Beck Bennett) office, where Rudy Gulliani (Kate McKinnon) and Attorney General William Barr are trying to tell him not to worry about Trump getting impeached.

The sketch even included a few references to Broderick's iconic role in Ferris Bueller's Day Off — the first being of a meeting happening while Pompeo was supposed to be testifying before Congress, but was not in attendance. The House committee chairman was left saying "Pompeo... Pompeo... Pompeo" repeatedly as a quip to Ben Stein's "Bueller, Bueller, Bueller."

Swift also performed her two tracks, "Lover" and "False God" off Lover, which brought many of her fans to social media to compliment her voice and style during the show.

Saturday Night Live airs weekly at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Photo credit: Rosalind O'Connor/NBC

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