After a Dave Chappelle-helmed episode that tended to dwell equally on high-running emotions and getting laughs, last night’s Saturday Night Live decided to go a different route entirely, focusing more on the nostalgia of classic sketch characters while adding a small dash of Trump-related humor.
Former cast member Kristen Wiig returned to host the show, bringing back several memorable sketches including Sue (a.k.a. the lady in the turtleneck who can’t handle surprises) and former stage actress Mindy Elise Grayson, who enjoys flowing shawls and can’t stop herself from saying the Secret Word.
The “Whiskers R We” sketch, in which Wiig reunited with Ghostbusters co-star Kate McKinnon to play two literal cat ladies whose relationship is anything but platonic, was also a fun bit for those of us who always envisioned Erin/Holtzmann fanfic where the two of them grow old together. (Meanwhile, I was half-convinced that the “Target Commercial” bit would consist of a cameo from Wiig’s Target Lady, but it turned out to be an extended ad for the place you can flee to if you need to get away from your Trump-supporting relatives this Thanksgiving.)
SNL didn’t completely shy away from discussing the orange elephant in the room, however; there had been reports that Alec Baldwin would be returning to the show to continue his Trump impression, and the cold open featured Baldwin-as-Trump alongside a rotating door of cameos–from McKinnon as Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway to a surprise Jason Sudeikis as Mitt Romney and Beck Bennett as Mike Pence. The show even found a way to work in a reference to Pence’s IRL attendance of Hamilton. The bit was meant for laughs, but it was also a deeply painful reminder of the Trump administration’s lack of preparedness:
Did you have any favorite sketches from last night? Were there any classic Wiig characters you would’ve liked to see return?
—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—
Follow The Mary Sue on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, & Google+.
