Live-action Fortnite shows up on Saturday Night Live

Adam Driver portrayed a clueless and insecure forty-something divorcé trying to get hip to Fortnite in this sketch from Saturday Night Live’s season premiere yesterday.

The generational humor and Driver’s lack of hipness are par for the comedy course, what’s more amusing is the live-action round of Fortnite Battle Royale going on in the split-screen. Heidi Gardner and Chris Redd nail the idle animations and jump-shooting while Mikey Day emotes, runs against a wall and fails to open a loot chest — all with perfectly placid expressions.

We keep ticking off popularity milestones like they’re stretch goals in the most obnoxious crowdfunding drive ever. Sports have led the list, with cameos in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the World Cup (thanks to Antoine Griezmann). Celebrities have also been drawn to the game, livestreaming with top competitors. If The A-Team was still on, we’d be due for an episode where Fortnite was Murdock’s schtick of the week.

Whether an SNL sketch signifies Fortnite is still an ascendant trend, or has jumped the shark, I leave that to you, the readers and players, to debate. The remainder of SNL’s 44th season was more distinguished by the cold open featuring Matt Damon in a surprise role as embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and Kanye West’s three musical numbers.