The 47th season of Saturday Night Live came to a close on May 21, 2022. Most fans of the show can agree that one of the best parts of the season has been the "Please Don’t Destroy" sketches. The PDD trio consists of Ben, Martin, and John. They met while attending NYU and they began writing and performing comedy routines together.
They gained popularity when they shared their skits on social media, which caught the attention of higher-ups at SNL. It helped that John and Martin had parents who had written for the show before. Since their debut sketch in October 2021, their popularity has grown and SNL fans looked forward to their segments every week.
Calling Angie - 39K Likes
In this sketch, John mourns his breakup with Angie. He tries calling her to apologize but to his confusion, the wrong words come out. The phone gets passed around and none of the guys manage to say what they’re trying to say. In the end, Angie barges in and beats John up.
“Calling Angie” was the trio’s third skit on SNL. The guys are working with a simple concept, yet the finished product is anything but normal. YouTube user Stephanie Geffrard comments on the video, “Lmaoo this escalated quickly.” The Origami Guru adds, “That was 100% hilarious content right there” while HamStringTheory admires the attention to detail, saying “Angie pointing at him with a flip phone is another layer of comedy.”
New Personalities - 43K Likes
The guys decide they want to change their personalities for the new year in an attempt to become more interesting. Martin wants to be Snape, one of the most powerful wizards in Harry Potter, while John considers being ‘that guy’ who freaks out when his years of research have been destroyed.
“New Personalities” was cut for time. The guys discuss their desires to be anyone else but themselves. Adalynleigh comments “The longer this went, the funnier it got, and that’s hard to do in a sketch.” Other comments reference the specific personalities. Flimsy Coyote says, “Ben is my spirit animal, and his genuine concern and fear during the missing research bit is all I’ve ever needed.”
Lizzo Has Writer’s Block - 43K Likes
Lizzo visits the guys and requests their help in writing a song. The boys burst out with the most random lyrics and fail to impress her. They change the subject to a sketch they wanted to pitch her—a horny zookeeper bit—which turns into a concept for her new song.
Lizzo and the guys bounce off each other well in this sketch. YouTube user Bailynne comments on the video saying, “I’m crying. This collaboration is everything I needed.” T. Park praises Lizzo, posing the question, “How is it that even in a funny joke song, Lizzo can still make it a banger?” As Bryce W. points out, viewers have “never seen Lizzo act before. She was fantastic!”
We Got Her A Cat - 44K Likes
The boys bought Zoë Kravitz a cat so they could say they gave ‘Catwoman a cat.’ The problem is, that the cat is a ninja. They run amok in the office trying to find it. Amid the chaos, the guys discover a dog in a desk and Paul Dano, arguably the best Riddler yet, hiding under their couch.
“We Got Her A Cat” is so absurd that it’s great. The camera shaking and the talking over one another add hilarious tension to the sketch. Dreamerose1706 on YouTube says, “This was a 3-minute emotional journey and I’m here for it!” Tenderly Mondragon admits “I’m slightly embarrassed at the amount of times I’ve watched this, but it’s so ridiculously funny.”
Future Selves - 45K Likes
Older versions of the PDD guys appear. They time-traveled to warn their young selves about climate change, but all the boys are interested in is how they turn out. When they aren’t satisfied with their futures, they become disinterested in the conversation.
The changes between the young and old guys in “Future Selves” are clever, especially future John acting ‘more Italian’ than the young John. Joseph Todd praises the execution, saying, “The pacing and comedic timing of this sketch was on point.” Noah L. explains, “I had a giddy smile on my face that whole way through!”
Good Variant - 48K Likes
In this sketch, there is a new Covid variant, one that makes the infected individual “feel dope.” The guys test positive and throw a huge party. Fun new symptoms keep emerging, including luscious locks and the arrival of Pokémon in the real world. Paul Rudd— newly appointed to the SNL five-timers club — and Al Roker make appearances.
“Good Variant” makes light of the pandemic. As YouTube user Gustavo C. says, “this was very wholesome and definitely what we needed in these dark times.” Lulu H. points out, “This seemed like an excuse to party with Paul Rudd and I’m not mad about it.” Several viewers wish this was real life. For example, Kevin Bessey says, “After I finish watching this sketch, I watch it again. This is the reality I want!”
Touch Up - 51K Likes
Ben arrives at the office after getting botox and his friends berate him for it. John’s criticism is hypocritical, however, as he got his own work done on his fingers. Martin hasn't gotten any work done, but the sketch takes a turn when it’s discovered he has an extra face on his head.
The build and shock value of “Touch Up” is hilarious. SayU SayMee comments, “I’m lowkey horrified yet I can’t look away.” JO praises the sketch, saying, “This is the only SNL sketch I’ve seen in over a decade that actually made me laugh out loud! From the second I saw those fingers pretty much right to the end.” Petunia Pandy puts it simply: “This was stupidly wonderful.”
Hard Seltzer - 62K
The guys discuss the different brands of hard seltzer that are available to purchase. They make fun of companies that are just now jumping on the bandwagon with such a product. Martin is drinking some from JC Penney and Ben brings some Jiffy Lube.
This is the first Please Don’t Destroy sketch that aired on SNL. “Hard Seltzer” surprised fans of the show and hooked them. DietLIT comments on the video, “This feels so fresh, surreal, and fun. It’s like a Twitter fever dream.” GrazyNicole adds, “Every [one of their sketches] so far has been a hit but I can’t stop coming back to this one.”
Rami Wants A Treat - 65K Likes
Rami Malek visits the guys in their office. He wants a reward for the great work he’s done that week and he threatens to start acting up if he doesn't get it. They don't give him an award he likes and he starts acting like a child, destroying the boys’ office.
Rami plays an exaggerated version of himself in this SNL sketch, named one of the best of the season, and he seems to be having fun with it. Unfortunately, “Rami Wants A Treat” was cut for time and didn’t air during the show. Penelope Strange takes issue with this, saying “This was the strongest skit. Kind of shocked [that it] got cut.” Jack praises the skit and the trio of writers, saying, “These guys have the perfect mix of The Office and pure insanity and I love it so much.”
Three Sad Virgins - 177K Likes
Pete Davidson asks the guys to be a part of a music video he’s creating and they accept. The song starts as a fun bop, but it quickly turns into a song making fun of the guys’ assumed virginities. The boys beg Pete to change the purpose of the song, but it’s too late. Taylor Swift joins in with a fun bridge.
It comes as no surprise that “Three Sad Virgins” takes the number one spot out of all the other "Please Don’t Destroy" skits. Between Taylor’s cameo and the amazing production value, this sketch was made to attract viewers. Emily Garcia writes, “ My favorite part about all of this is that the “3 sad virgins” [actually wrote] this themselves.” Fran Bollinger adds, “This was a really good blend of Pete and the guys’ comedy styles. Also, I’d let Taylor insult me in a song any day of the week.”