SNL drops “brilliant” sequel to fan-favorite Ryan Gosling sketch

Ryan Gosling returned to host Saturday Night Live for the third time, and finally gave SNL fans a sequel to one of the show’s most-loved skits.

Gosling made his hosting return on SNL last night, making a splash with sketches that included Beavis and Butt-Head, a surprise Emily Blunt cameo, and a callback to the Close Encounter skit. But a highlight of the episode was cut for time, released a few hours after the show aired: a sequel to the famous Papyrus sketch.

The original sketch aired in 2017 and followed Gosling as “Steven”, an average man who becomes completely haunted by the idea that James Cameron‘s multi-million dollar cinematic undertaking, Avatar, would use Papyrus as the title font.

Steven undergoes therapy, loses all sense of reality, and even stalks the graphic designer for the film, played by Kyle Mooney. His slow descent into madness and Gosling’s dead-straight approach to the character made the Papyrus sketch an instant classic, with 22 million views today.

On April 13, SNL finally took the opportunity that Gosling’s return to the show provided and made a Papyrus sequel. Six years and a new Avatar movie later, Steven is still obsessed with the font choice for the sci-fi epic. But he’s tried to move on, joining support groups and even attempting to date.

Things look up when he discovers that Avatar’s sequel, The Way of Water, used a seemingly different font. However, when he discovers that the new film simply used a bold version of Papyrus, he’s sent down a rabbit hole of conspiracy, and does everything in his power to finally confront the graphic designer responsible.

For fans of this particular sketch (of which there are many), this long-awaited follow-up hit the spot. Gosling picks up on Steven’s character perfectly once again, putting a pathetic spin on a man rattled by disappointment. What’s more, it features the return of Mooney, who left the show back in 2022.

On YouTube, the comments prove that SNL really hit the nail on the head when it came to the beloved sketch’s continuation. “Flawless follow up. No Notes. Extremely cathartic, and there’s even Kyle,” said one comment. Another wrote: “I legit got swept up in the drama. I care for these characters and their struggle. Well done.”

A third said: “Papyrus has been my favorite SNL sketch for years! And this was equally as brilliant! I’m actually crying with laughter!”

For more unmissable TV, check out our list of the best shows to stream this month.