Finn Wolfhard hosted the first Saturday Night Live of 2026, and he was joined by his Stranger Things co-stars Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin for a hilarious opening monologue. The three made fun of how they went from being “child stars” to “former child stars,” sarcastically referring to how fans have criticized how their looks have changed over the years. Wolfhard ended the moment sincerely, calling them “my boys” even though they had grown up together on the hit Netflix show.
One of the best sketches made fun of fan theories about the end of Stranger Things by making fake ads for silly spinoffs like “Strangerous Minds” starring Steve Harrington and “The Wheeler Report” for Nancy. Wolfhard starred in a “Sex and the City”-style ad for his character Mike Wheeler’s writing jobs, which added to the show’s emotional sendoff buzz. The bit showed how fans were split over the finale while also praising the cast’s chemistry.
People on social media shared clips from the episode, mixing memories of Stranger Things’ ten-year run with laughs at the show’s self-aware jokes. Fans went wild when Matarazzo and McLaughlin showed up out of the blue, which showed how close they are in real life after the show ended. This SNL appearance makes Wolfhard a comedy star outside of Hawkins, even though there is a lot of buzz about his music and directing work.
