The 2022 Emmys Had A Good Burger Reunion

Hollywood is in the midst of a deep, life-ruining love affair with nostalgia that has resulted in more terrible reboots than I dare to count. But sometimes, nostalgia hits just right, like during the 2022 Emmys, when the night’s host, Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson, returned to his roots: the goofy, seminal 1997 comedy Good Burger.

In a skit involving a swanky bar and a frazzled bartender (which happened to be Kumail Nanjiani) who spat in his customer’s martini to make it “dirty,” Thompson turns his attention to a potentially blacked-out bar patron. “Well, why don’t you take this guy’s order over here,” he says. “Excuse me, sir, can we get you a drink or something?” The man awakens and immediately places his order: “You know what, can I get a Good Burger?” Who could it be but Kel Mitchell, Thompson’s original comedy partner and fellow Good Burger star? That’s showbiz — and nostalgia — baby!

The duo do what must be done and hype each other up, while adults who grew up watching All That think about the slippery, ephemeral nature of time. Thompson declares to “Make that two Good Burgers!” and you can almost hear a chorus of thirty-something scream “Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger. Can I take your order?” in unison. Watch the skit here and bask in the beauty of a decades-long friendship.