When Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped onto the stage of Studio 8H on October 8, 2016, the world was a very different place. Hamilton was the undisputed king of culture. You couldn't go five minutes without hearing a reference to the Room Where It Happens, and getting a ticket was basically like winning the lottery. So, when it was announced that the guy behind the phenomenon was hosting Saturday Night Live, expectations weren't just high. They were astronomical.
Honestly? He nailed it.
Most hosts are actors who can sort of do comedy, or comedians who can sort of act. Lin-Manuel is a theater kid at heart, and that energy is infectious. It’s a specific kind of "I’m just happy to be here" vibe that you don't always see from A-listers. He didn't just host; he transformed the show into a Broadway-infused fever dream for 90 minutes.
The Monologue That Ruined All Other Monologues
Usually, the monologue is the part where you check your phone. Not this time. Lin-Manuel did what he does best: he rapped. But it wasn't a lazy parody. He took the "My Shot" melody and reworked it into an anthem for every theater nerd watching at home.
He walked through the halls of NBC, high-fived the crew, and even confronted a photo of Donald Trump—who had hosted the show a year prior—with a perfectly timed "Never gon' be president now" lyric. It was bold. It was fast. It was quintessentially Lin.
The irony of the monologue was palpable. He joked that because Hamilton was a Broadway hit, most of middle America probably had no idea who he was. Looking back from 2026, that feels hilariously outdated. The guy is an EGOT-adjacent household name now, but back then, he was still the "new" genius on the block.
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Why "Crucible Cast Party" Is a Core Memory
If you ever did drama in high school, "Crucible Cast Party" didn't just make you laugh; it made you feel seen. It made you cringe.
The sketch is a music video about the "wild" parties theater kids throw after the final performance of a play. Think Sprite in plastic cups, a "massage train" that is strictly non-sexual, and someone’s basement smelling like hairspray.
- The Vibe: Pure, unadulterated awkwardness.
- The Highlight: Lin-Manuel showing up as the "cool" lead who everyone is obsessed with.
- The Accuracy: It captured that weird transition where you go from being a 17th-century Puritan on stage to a teenager eating pretzels in a suburban basement.
It’s one of those digital shorts that people still share every October when school plays start back up. It works because it’s not mean-spirited; it’s a love letter to the weirdos.
The Wells Fargo Wagon and Taking on Scandals
SNL is at its best when it uses a host's specific skill set to roast a current event. In 2016, the Wells Fargo fake account scandal was everywhere. The writers decided to parody The Music Man, specifically the "Wells Fargo Wagon" number.
Lin-Manuel played the quintessential traveling salesman, but instead of selling instruments, he was peddling fraudulent bank accounts. Watching him slip into the Harold Hill persona was a reminder that the guy is a massive musical theater geek. He wasn't just doing a bit; he knew the source material inside and out.
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"I'll shipoopi my pants" is a line that has no right being that funny, yet here we are.
Beyond the Hosting: The 2025 Surprise Return
We can't talk about SNL Lin-Manuel Miranda without mentioning his recent surprise cameo. Just this past January, during the Timothée Chalamet episode, Lin popped up in the cold open.
It was a Philadelphia-set sketch about the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence. Chalamet was doing his thing, and then suddenly, there’s Lin-Manuel in full Alexander Hamilton regalia. The crowd lost it. He dropped a quick rap about America "doing the sequel" and not needing a king.
It was a total "bait and switch" moment. Just as the audience thought they were getting a full Hamilton revival, James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump walked in to interrupt the history lesson. It served as a bridge between the 2016 era and the current political landscape, proving that Lin is basically the "Break Glass in Case of Emergency" guest for the show.
What People Get Wrong About His Performance
Some critics at the time thought the episode was "too much theater." They argued that if you didn't like musicals, the episode was a wash.
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I disagree.
You don't have to like Rent or Godspell to appreciate a host who is actually trying. We’ve all seen those episodes where the host looks like they’re reading the cue cards for the first time. Lin-Manuel was the opposite. He was over-prepared. He was precise. He brought a "pro" level of performance that forced the cast to level up.
Actionable Takeaways for the Ultimate Rewatch
If you’re going back to watch the SNL Lin-Manuel Miranda highlights, don't just stick to the YouTube clips. Dig a little deeper into the "Diego Calls His Mom" sketch. It’s one of the few times in the episode where he isn't rapping or singing. He plays a son calling home to his mother in North Dakota, and it’s surprisingly sweet and grounded. It shows his range beyond the "musical guy" trope.
Also, keep an eye out for the Stranger Things parody. Lin plays Dustin (the kid with the hat), and his commitment to the lisp and the bike-riding energy is 10/10.
To get the most out of your SNL deep dive:
- Start with the Monologue to set the energy.
- Watch Crucible Cast Party for the nostalgia hit.
- Check out the 2025 Cold Open to see how the character has evolved.
- Finish with the Wells Fargo Wagon to see how the show handles satire.
The 2016 episode remains a high-water mark for the show's 40th-decade era. It was a moment where the biggest star in the world met the biggest comedy institution, and for once, the hype was actually justified.