The first episode of Saturday Night Live in 2026, hosted by Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard, has ignited a fiery debate among fans. The show featured a sketch directly parodying persistent online theories about a secret bonus episode for the hit Netflix series, but one particular joke has landed the comedy institution in hot water.
SNL Takes Aim at Fan Theories
The episode, which aired on Sunday 18 January 2026, marked the hosting debut of Finn Wolfhard, famous for his nine-year role as Mike Wheeler. Wolfhard was joined in a surprise appearance during his monologue by co-stars Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin. The trio later featured in a pre-recorded sketch designed to lampoon the wild fan conspiracies that have proliferated since Stranger Things' divisive series finale aired on 31 December.
The sketch took the form of a parody Netflix advertisement, promising a universe of "sequels, prequels, requels, and spin-offs." It showcased fake trailers for imagined shows like 'Strangerous Minds', following Steve Harrington's teaching career, 'The Wheeler Report' with Nancy as an investigative journalist, and a 'Sex and the City' spoof starring Wolfhard's Mike. The voiceover then directly addressed the rampant rumour, stating: "Remember that mysterious ninth episode the internet was convinced existed? It didn't, but it does now!"
The Controversial Joke That Divided Viewers
The sketch then cut to Wolfhard, McLaughlin, and Matarazzo back in character, hinting that the villain Vecna was "still out there" before being joined by Kenan Thompson playing Eleven. However, the segment's most contentious moment came earlier. As the fake trailers played, the voiceover quipped: "And before you get all mad and go, ‘How come Will isn’t in that?’ It’s because his coming out scene is still going on."
This was a direct reference to the five-minute monologue in episode seven where Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp, comes out as gay to his friends. The joke, implying the scene was overly long, did not sit well with a significant portion of the audience. Fans quickly took to social media to express their disappointment, with many labelling the humour as "unnecessary" and in poor taste.
Fan Reaction: A Clear Split
The backlash was immediate on platforms like Instagram. One critic stated, "It's unnecessary to make fun of Will's scene, even if the dialogue was bad." Another agreed, writing, "That Will joke was so unnecessary," while a third called it "disrespectful." The criticism centred on the feeling that the show was mocking a pivotal moment of LGBTQ+ representation.
However, other viewers rushed to defend SNL's comedic approach. One supporter argued, "They are making fun of how long that Will scene was and how it was written, not that he was gay. SNL is not a teen show and has mature jokes." Another simply advised critics to relax, noting, "Yall complaining about the jokes, it’s SNL." This defence highlighted the show's long history of satirising all aspects of pop culture, regardless of sensitivity.
The controversy underscores the lasting impact of Stranger Things' finale, which was met with a mixed reception. The disappointment led some fans to concoct a theory that a true, secret final episode was yet to be released—a theory seemingly debunked by Vecna actor Jamie Campbell Bower, who called the aired finale "the ending the show deserves." Wolfhard's SNL sketch attempted to comedically put these theories to bed, but in doing so, opened a new debate about the boundaries of satire and representation.
