'SNL' Tonight: New Episode Features John Krasinski as Host, Machine Gun Kelly as Musical Guest

The first new Saturday Night Live of 2021 features John Krasinski as the host and Machine Gun [...]

By Michael Hein

The first new Saturday Night Live of 2021 features John Krasinski as the host and Machine Gun Kelly as the musical guest. The new episode premieres on Jan. 30, and it will have plenty to catch up on since the show went on hiatus. From the looks of it, Krasinski is feeling the pressure to deliver.

Krasinski appeared in a promo for the sketch comedy show with Kelly and cast member Heidi Gardner on Friday, where he acknowledged that the expectations are high. In the short ad, Gardner said: "big week, huge week," and Krasinski joked: "no pressure, though." "No, I'm saying there's tons of pressure," Gardner replied. "It's the first show back, the first show of 2021, the first show since Trump."

"No, no, no. She's right. You better be funny," Kelly added. The ad has fans relatively excited, with many remarking that Krasinski has never lost his comedic timing. The actor is still best-known for playing Jim on The Office, but in recent years he has focused far more on the action and horror genres.

Gardner is undoubtedly right when he says that the expectations are high for this weekend's episode of SNL. The show has been on hiatus since Dec. 20, and the news cycle has been non-stop chaos since then. The show will have to comment on Donald Trump's exit from the presidency, Joe Biden's inauguration, the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and who knows how many other historic incidents.

Whether Krasinski will take part in the political satire remains to be seen. Krasinski is likely taking the stage this weekend to promote A Quiet Place Part II and Jack Ryan Season 3, both of which are reportedly on the way. A Quiet Place Part II follows on the immense success of Krasinski's directorial debut, but its release date has been shuffled several times due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is now expected to hit theaters in September of 2021.

Meanwhile, Krasinski stars as Jack Ryan in Amazon Prime Video's adaptation of the acclaimed action novels, and fans have been waiting for Season 3 for a long time. The show is likely also facing COVID-19 delays, but seeing Krasinski on SNL this weekend is sure to make fans eager for another installment.

Finally, Krasinski may be promoting his show Some Good News, which is now airing on CBS All Access. Krasinski started the light-hearted series on YouTube as a way to break up the gloomy news cycle of 2020. He remains an executive producer and occasional star on the new iteration. He will take the stage for Saturday Night Live at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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