Michael Che: Shot in Minnesota

Michael Che has spent more than a decade behind the Weekend Update desk on Saturday Night Live, delivering the news with a half-smile, as if he can't quite believe what he's reading. His stand-up has the same energy, cool and unbothered even when the material gets sharp. His third Netflix special, Michael Che: Shot in Minnesota, premiered on October 13, 2026. It was filmed at First Avenue, the legendary Minneapolis music venue, and it's the first one he directed himself.

The title is provocative, and so is some of the material. Here's what the special covers, why Che chose Minnesota and whether it's worth an hour of your night.

Why Minnesota

Che recorded the special over four shows across two nights, August 28 and 29, at First Avenue. He told MPR News he simply likes the place. "I love that it's cold. I love everything about it," he said. "It's such a dope spot to do shows."

His connection goes back a few years. He first visited in 2022 for a college gig at Winona State University, stayed in Minneapolis and worked out some of his material there.

The title is the part that has drawn the most attention. Minnesota has been at the center of national news, and many viewers will connect the word "shot" with the state's recent history of violence. Che told MPR the title is tongue-in-cheek. "It is kind of hinting at the subject matter," he said, while also explaining that it's meant to be inclusive, since such violence "could happen to any of us."

What he avoids on purpose

According to MPR News, some Minnesotans might expect a special with this title to address specific deaths, including the police killings of Daunte Wright and Philando Castile, and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents earlier this year. The special doesn't name them.

That was a deliberate choice. "I didn't want to invoke those names in a joking way," Che told AllHipHop, explaining that the special is "not necessarily about those people individually." He said the focus is on "the frustration of what's happening."

He also made clear he knew exactly where he was performing. "I am paying attention and I do know where I am," he told MPR.

Whether that approach works will depend on the viewer. Some will appreciate that he didn't turn real tragedies into punchlines. Others may feel the title promises a more direct conversation than the special delivers.

What the hour covers

The special opens with politics. According to MPR News and Ready Steady Cut, Che begins with material about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and about President Trump. Ready Steady Cut said this opening has "the biting quality" that the rest of the hour sometimes lacks.

From there, he jumps around a lot. He gets into Pete Buttigieg and the Epstein list, then Pride, then the Diddy case. He talks about his friend "Gay Kevin" and tells a long story about a man buying him drinks at a bar. He also has a joke about divorce that Ready Steady Cut called "a brilliant little joke."

There's a brief nod to Minnesota itself, about a minute of the 59-minute hour, according to MPR. In it, he says the state is fighting a group of people trying to take rights away. And there's a joke about owning daycares as a "no-show job," which MPR connects to an alleged fraud scandal at childcare centers in the Twin Cities. Che described it as "a wink at the people in the crowd."

And, as fans of Weekend Update might expect, LateNighter reports that he takes some shots at his co-anchor Colin Jost's marriage to Scarlett Johansson. The two have a long tradition of roasting each other.

His style

Che is one of the most relaxed performers in stand-up. He doesn't run around the stage or shout. He talks to the audience like he's telling stories to friends late at night, and that calm, slightly detached delivery is a big part of why his jokes land on Weekend Update.

In a special, though, that style can cut both ways. Ready Steady Cut described the tone as "a late-night, slightly drunken conversation" and praised how he makes "serious political points" while "doing so unseriously." But the same review worried that "his lackadaisical, almost uninterested delivery threatens to let the best bits" slip by, and that "the overly relaxed vibe makes it all blur together."

The stage setup adds to the intimate feel. First Avenue's smaller, theater-in-the-round arrangement puts the audience close around him.

What critics said

The early reviews are mixed but respectful. Critics agree that Che is a sharp joke writer and that the best moments, especially the political opening and the divorce joke, are strong.

The main criticisms are about pacing and commitment. Ready Steady Cut felt the bar story "goes on much too long for how tame the outcome is" and that the closing bit, about God as an absent father, shows "little commitment to that joke." It also found the Diddy material overused.

So the general take is that Shot in Minnesota starts strong, wanders a bit in the middle and doesn't quite stick the landing.

Where it fits in his career

This is Che's third Netflix special, after Michael Che Matters in 2016 and Michael Che: Shame the Devil in 2021. It's also his first as director, and he executive produced it alongside Matthew Vaughan.

The timing matters too. He's back at the Weekend Update desk with Colin Jost for SNL's 52nd season, their record 13th season together as co-anchors. A lot of viewers know Che best in that role, delivering quick jokes about the news. This special gives him room to stretch those ideas out and talk about them on his own terms.

Should you watch it?

If you're a Weekend Update fan, yes. This is Che at his most Che, cool on the surface and cutting underneath, with plenty of political jokes that would never make it past the network censors.

If you prefer high-energy stand-up with big physical bits, this might feel too low-key. And since some of the material touches on politics and current events, it won't be for everyone.

The special is for adults, with strong language and adult topics throughout.

I'll admit the title is what got my attention, and it's also the part I keep thinking about. Choosing not to name the victims was a thoughtful call, but it also leaves the title doing a lot of work. That tension between joking and saying something serious is basically Che's whole style.

So if you're in the mood for an hour of sharp, slow-burning jokes, press play. Just don't expect him to raise his voice. That's never been his thing.