The Return of David Pumpkins Is the Halloween Treat I Didn’t Know I Needed

The most recent episode of Saturday Night Live gave viewers a surprise treat I didn’t know I needed. Jack Harlow had the honor of hosting his first time on the weekend before Halloween. Forty-eight seasons into SNL, we all know that means at least a few hilarious Halloween sketches.

This year, SNL had an extra special surprise in store. During a sketch, Harlow, along with regular cast members Ego Nwodim and Andrew Dismukes, get on a scary ride called “Cellblock 666” to experience the classic horrors of “the silver scream.” After seeing Halloween’s Michael Myers and the haunted doll Annabelle, the friends got a real surprise when David Pumpkins appeared.

The First David Pumpkins

A century ago, way back in October 2016, the world first met David S. Pumpkins, played by beloved actor Tom Hanks. The character was basically Hanks in a jack-o’lantern business suit with two dancing skeletons that he would spank. It was a strange addition to a scary ride. However odd, the nonsensical sketch blew up around the world. But this wonderful slice of life happened right before the unfortunate 2016 Presidential election. Since we first laughed with David S. Pumpkins, the world has drastically changed. Would David S. Pumpkins’s quirky responses and skeletons who call him “Papi” still be taken the same way in 2022? I mean, we’ve all been through a lot since 2016.

David Pumpkins gets it

Hanks made a surprise return as renowned Halloween icon David S. Pumpkins. Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan also reprised their roles as the hot b-boy skeletons with updated Mario Bros. sound effects. The three friends on the scary ride obviously didn’t have the same reaction that fans at home did. While they questioned Pumpkins about his origin story, one asked “And David Pumpkins is…?” To which David Pumpkins responded: “Taking it one day at a time.” This newer version of Pumpkins seems to understand what all the rest of us are feeling these days.

Dismukes’s character was confused and irritated by David Pumpkins, but Harlow seemed to roll with it pretty fast. When David S. Pumpkins announced he was from Spain, Dismukes pointed out his lack of an accent. Harlow said to let Pumpkins “write his own story.” Exactly, just let David Pumpkins be himself and let us enjoy something silly. It wasn’t something I expected to happen again since Hanks has spoken about being puzzled by the success of the character. It was a Halloween miracle to see Pumpkins again, with fresh jokes but still taking me back to a simpler time. Make sure you add a little levity to your Halloween and watch the full sketch below:

(featured image: NBC)