SNL recently aired “Viking Advisory” to take a spin at representing high schoolers, so what better way to do it than by shining a magnifying glass on Irvington High School? Irvington High School, sheltered by its “Bay Area Bubble”, definitely has its fair share of popular stereotypes.
The skit starts off with a morning announcement during advisory by Mrs. Ann O. Ying, a creative arts teacher played by Kate McKinnon. Instead of a pleasant “Good morning, Irvington High!” to the students, she pesters students about using their phones during advisory. “Advisory may be a free period, but we will mandate our no-phone policies!” she squawks.
Meanwhile, sophomore student Cleo N. Waters, played by Aidy Bryant, complains about the notoriously time-consuming World Issues Project to her senior friend, Fassel Fuell. Cleo reads out loud as she texts Fassel: “Literally, why is W.I.P. … a thing…?”, despite both students sitting side-by-side, Fassel drones in response, “I… know… right? This… is literally… our third re-do…”
Sitting in the back of the classroom is Perez I. Dante, played by Kenan Thompson, is a highly-motivated club president with a buttload of extracurriculars behind him. As a typical high schooler in the Bay, he is constantly running through a rat-race to outcompete his opponents. Just like the rest of his classmates, he started a nonprofit in freshman year to tutor underprivileged communities. Is it a bit cliche? Yes. Has he only started this organization to gain service hours and fluff up his college applications? Also yes.
Following the morning announcement, Timothee Chalamet, who plays Ty Hard, a frustrated student in AP Biology, runs into the classroom late. He missed his chance to make up a pop quiz. With his 4.0 unweighted GPA at stake, Ty gets on his knees, begging his teacher for yet another chance. He exclaims, “My alarm didn’t go off in time! I really, really, really need to make up this quiz for my own sanity.” But the skit immediately ends with the ringing of the school bell. As the live audience applauds, Ty is left alone in the classroom, still on his knees.
I would rate the skit as 8/10. The skit is definitely creative, capturing the chaotic charm of Irvington High School. By utilizing student names that allude to their mannerisms and experiences, coupled with their exaggerated actions within the classroom, this skit delivers a painfully accurate representation of the high schoolers. The comedic relief falls nothing short of genius, as the daily interactions the students have in the classroom reflect both their humor and struggles. One suggestion to add more depth to this skit is adding a POV of a teacher at Irvington. This can add another layer of comedy as a burnt-out teacher can react to the chaos of the classroom from leaky roofs to desperate students. Overall, Viking Advisory takes a sharp and hilarious take on the lives of Irvington high schoolers as they navigate their youth through classes, AP exams, clubs, and social life.
