Ahoy-hoy, welcome to the final installment in ourSNL in Reviewcoverage for season 46.

It has been a season for the record books, with peaks and valleys unlike any in recent memory.

Already, palace intrigue has begun on who will remain and who will depart once the summer hiatus begins.

Tonight’s season finale is hosted byAnya Taylor-Joy, with musical guestLil Nas X.

Anyone who follows X on social media knows how troll-y and funny the Gen Z provocateur can be.

It would be fascinating to see him in a sketch.

(Chris Reddalready played the charismatic entertainerin a cold open several weeks ago.)

Belushi knows a thing or two aboutSNLseason finales.

He specifically recalls “chronic exhaustion.

You slip into the flu, a cold.

Your adrenal glands need a month or two to refocus.

It’s like a punch in the gut.”

His advice for the cast?

“Let it all go, baby!”

It is a different sense of humor from when we were doing it.

But with Lorne at the helm, it stays on point."

That is a great way to summarize season 46’s whirlwind trajectory, I think.

Let’s dive in and see what surprises the show has in store!

Each one of the cast members discusses the past year.

“Because I believe in science!”

This is poignant and warm.

There is a great tribute to Hal Willner and a cameo from production designer Akira Yoshimura.

“Adversity only sharpens creativity,” assures Cecily.

Kenan and Beck discuss the bizarre Mike Pence/Herman Cain fly sketch.

He hosted theseason openerand wanted Kanye West to be his musical guest.

I love how heartfelt and emotional this is.

It meets the moment.

Well executed group LFNY too!

Belushi is a fan of Heidi Gardner and says Ego is “really coming on strong.

She’s really good.”

He adds: “They’re terrific.

It’s lovely to see, watch them grow as comic actors.

Those two I’ve been really watching.”

He also mentions really enjoying Pete Davidson.

I think this opener was written by Colin Jost and Kent Sublette.

I imagine we will see a tribute to at least one of them post-Update.

She gives some tips on playing chess.

They spoofQueen’s Gambit’s pill hallucinations for a moment, complete with Kenan as a chess piece.

Believe this monologue was penned by Kent Sublette and Streeter Seidell.

Belushi dugQueen’s Gambit.

Now it’s the GSN retro, and we are back in 1998!

Beck Bennett is Tom Bergeron.

Taylor-Joy is Baby Spice.

So we miss his bit.

Baby Spice gets her kind words for Cosby removed too.

Subway’s Jared Fogle compliments them; his segment gets cut due to his “heinous crimes.”

Matt Lauer and Kevin Spacey are there, and also problematic.

I think this was written by Gary Richardson and Streeter Seidell.

He had a gun.

He just wants his daughter’s date (Andrew Dismukes) not to have sex with her.

Our man Paul Briganti shot this.

Making Man

God has asked a team of designer angels to develop “human man.”

They want hair everywhere, including the butt crack.

The human woman team joins them.

“Is this final?”

They went with one huge toe instead of five.

They discuss the utility of nipples on each gender producing milk, versus the illusion of a giant face.

The ‘dangler’ and the ‘wrinkler pouch’ are also analyzed.

Jesus (Kyle Mooney) shows up to meet some homies too.

“When did all these straight girls start dressing lesbian?”

ponders Bowen and Punkie Johnson.

“We’re just happy that we’re queer and can do this every year!”

Celtic Women

This summer, your girls are back!

“Witness Irish culture… in Ohio!”

This is very specific “TheLion Kingfor Karens!”

Despite its length, I think it might surpass “Old Town Road,” his breakout hit.

It’s so transgressive well, this version is extremely edited.

“Put a smile on your mouth” Okay then, ha.

Still, with the sexual overtures (pole dancing), dare I say this has some Prince vibes?

Weekend Update

Huge applause welcomes Jost & Che.

Jost points out how much better the country is than when the season started in September.

He lays into Matt Gaetz and Mitch McConnell.

Pete Davidson comes out to discuss Mental Health Awareness Month.

He talks about wearing a mask and being anxious.

He encourages anti-vax people to move to Florida and send opioids with the vaccine to a Jimmy Buffett concert.

He ends by saying it’s been an honor growing up in front of us.

End of the season gift bit returns!

Jost and Che return jokes from each other for the first time on-air, again.

This always lands and sums up this savage era of Update.

She, as usual, lands her wine all over Jost.

Since it’s Cecily, she sings.

“The end is near” issheleaving?

I am squinting for clues.

She ends crawling into a giant boxed wine container reading White Girl Wasted.

The crowd goes crazy.

Perfect way to go out.

And they cut to Grodin.

Lingerie Store

Aidy Bryant and Anya Taylor-Joy are peddling Brawr Barn as Enid and Astrid.

They sell humongous bra designs like the Fortress and the Straight Jacket.

The Load Bearing Wall is made of two by fours.

Aidy feels up Heidi Gardner as she estimates her bra size.

“No one has had a sexual feeling in this store,” they say.

It’s one step away from being a hospital.

Denny’s Grand Slam and Chicago Style are the names of some of their sizes.

They send Chloe Fineman away.

They know Victoria’s Secret the secret is she is too afraid to help.

Enid and Astrid feel like they could’ve been an Aidy and Kate pairing.

Aidy’s husband Frank (Beck Bennett) works in construction, he builds prisons.

The cast of HBO’s “Roommates in the City” is being interviewed.

Max (Pete Davidson) is the breakout star.

They are breathless; he gets the softballs.

“Can you explain race?”

they ask Ego Nwodim.

“How has being gay and Chinese prevented you from being happy?”

He wants questions that are less devastating.

“I’m gay, so I can hit you right?”

They get increasingly frustrated.

This is a funny take on unconscious bias, and the boxes/standards we put certain groups and celebrities in.

I wonder if some of the exasperated responses/delivery here are coming from a very real place.

We know how insufferable people who interview cast members can be!

The sketch ends sharing all the cast members' cell phone numbers.

“Max, do you like soda?”

Lil Nas X “Sun Goes Down”

This is X’s latest single, released yesterday.

This surreal track reflects on his closeted self, namely his struggles with bullying and being gay.

I like the reference to his past stanning Nicki Minaj.

“I love you all!”

he shouts at the end.

AMC Commercial

Beck Bennett is Vin Diesel, talking about going to the movies.

Don’t forget: the moooo-vies."

He namechecks all the silly details of the moviegoing experience.

They capture it well!

And love Beck, even when he is interrupting Anya.

She scolds him for not wearing a mask at the end, causing him to shift gears.

Steven Castillo and Dan Bulla wrote this - they nailed it.

Final Thoughts

-That’s a wrap!

-What did you think of tonight’s season finale?Vote hereor sound off below.

-So what did we learn?

-One more thank you to Jim Belushi for his time.

Check outBelushi’s Farm ASAP.

If you are interested in helping out, he says: “Goto the website, donate money.

Whether it’s $10 or $10,000.

Plenty of addresses to send letters to.

That’s all there is to it.

It’s time to set them free.”

I make my case for why Jay-Z should be considered a legendary musical guest!

-For those keeping score, here are my poll tallies for season 46.

Not scientific, but it offers a glimpse of how each one of these episodes was perceived.

And clickhereto vote for tonight.

Thank you to everyone who followed along this season!