SNL always has great Christmas Sketches. They even have an annual Christmas special, An SNL Christmas. There's also a few Christmas DVDs. So SNL has had its fair share of funny Christmas episodes. Here, I'll count down my favorite Christmas sketches of recent years:
With the 2020 election approaching, and with SNL recently wrapping for the season, I thought it would be appropriate to revisit my top 10 favorite political impressions from SNL. Each politician will only be included once in the Top 10, even if said politician has been impersonated multiple times and has multiple impressions worthy of a mention (such as Amy Poehler's Hillary Clinton).
SNL is one of TV's best comedy shows, and that wouldn't even be close to true without a strong cast of players. Over its 40+ year history, the show has had more than a hundred cast members. While some didn't leave much of an impression, the women on this list did. These are SNL's best female cast members. This list will only include cast members that have left SNL, so current favorites like Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong are not included.
Throughout its 40+ year history, SNL has given us lots of Halloween gems. One of those gems has launched an animated special, while the others make their rounds in SNL's yearly Halloween collection. Some, unfortunately, have been forgotten about, left only for those willing to make the dangerous journey to NBC's website. No matter how they're viewed nowadays, all of these sketches have made a lasting impression.
Honorable Mentions: Martha Stewart on Halloween, A Girl's Halloween
I love these two sketches so much, but they don't quite make this list. One is a brand-new classic, while the other is a hilarious old favorite. They both fit the holiday in their own unique ways, and that makes them fun, festive treats that are great for the whole family. Okay, maybe not the whole family.
10- The Exorcist II
The Exorcist is a Halloween classic, and so is this parody. Laraine Newman plays a possessed girl who terrorizes priests played by guests Richard Pryor and Thalmus Rasulala. It's not as off-the-walls as it could be considering the premise, but it's effective parody at its finest. It's very entertaining to watch, and I love it. It's unfortunate that it seems lost to time and isn't featured on SNL Halloween specials, but at least it's on YouTube.
9- The Zimmermans: Halloween
The Zimmermans are fun and insane recurring characters, and this Halloween sketch might be the best of them all. It was fun and in the zany spirit of both Halloween and the Zimmermans. Plus, it features Ben Stiller, which makes it even better.
8- Rita DelVecchio's Halloween
I adore Cheri Oteri, and Rita DelVecchio is one of my favorite characters of hers. She's cranky, yet hilarious. Her hating trick-or-treaters just makes so much sense, because she is a miserable woman. She's definitely justified in some of her Halloween hatred, but that doesn't make this any less hilarious. Throw in Molly Shannon as one of her friends, and you make a great sketch even greater.
7- Geoff's Halloween Emporium
This thing is just so bizarre that it just works. Jim Carey as Geoff, the demonic owner of a Halloween shop, is comedic gold. Cecily Strong and Vanessa Bayer as workers that could care less that their boss is a demon is also great, and the ending of this is pretty perfect.
6- Happy Halloween... What?!
This is so great because it's unfortunately a very real (and uncomfortable) situation that happens in real life, taken to the extreme. Will Forte as someone who may or may not be a sexual predator is hilarious, and Jon Hamm's reaction to Forte's unclear message is great.
5- Clinton Halloween Party
The introductions of all of the Democrats at the Clinton Halloween bash like John Edwards and Mike on the cake here. It was an unexpected and hilarious appearance, especially with the buildup to it with the Obama mask. The Joe Biden/Chris Dodd bit was great too, because honestly, who wouldn't believe that Joe Biden would dress up as SpongeBob? Amy Poheler is one of two famous Hillary impressions, and this sketch definitely helps prove why that is true. Also, great witch costume.
4- Graveyard Song
Paul and Phil seem like nice guys. Also, really dumb guys. The scary residents of the graveyard are clearly annoyed with the not-at-all scary Paul and Phil's antics, but they don't really care and keep interrupting their spooky graveyard song. It's a pretty simple premise, but it works really well. Paul and Phil are super lovable and you can't help but feel bad for them here. The likability of both Jim Carey and Taran Killam really helps this sketch work, and I'm not sure it would have worked without them as Paul and Phil.
3- Vincent Price's Halloween Special
Bill Hader's Vincent Price is somehow the most sane person involved in this sketch, and that helps make it a Halloween classic. Vincent Price is a master of horror, yet is definitely more family friendly than Kristen Wiig's Gloria Swanson (who is a pirate, apparently), Jon Hamm's James Mason (who is not a spaceman), and Fred Armisen's Liberace. All of these impersonations are so great, and are varying degrees of over-the-top. It just works so well, and it's hard to pick a favorite out of them all. The sketch works so well and an SNL Halloween really isn't complete without it.
2- The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders
This parody of everything Wes Anderson is a perfect sketch. It's funny, it gives up Ed Norton's Owen Wilson impression, and it's just freaking over-the-top insane. All of the impressions packed into this sketch's short run time help make it one of their best Halloween sketches. It's a great parody of Anderson's bizarre (but effective) filmmaking style, and it's terrific from start to finish.
1- Haunted Elevator (David S. Pumpkins)
One question: were you expecting anything different to take the #1 spot? The newest sketch on this list takes the top prize easily, making a very lasting impression on me. While the others on this list are great, they couldn't hold a candle to Tom Hanks's lovable, grinning, pumpkin suit-wearing man (is he a man though?). Combine Hanks's enthusiasm with the hilarious reactions of Kate McKinnon and Beck Bennett, and you've got comedy gold. And don't even get me started on the b-boy skeletons.
What did you think of the list? What's your favorite SNL Halloween sketch? Let me know in the comments and vote in the poll below!
Another season of SNL has come and gone, and it was a very solid season. With the election from hell 2016 election, the presidency of Donald Trump, and various other national happenings, it certainly was an exciting season. While there weren't any Ariana Grande-level unexpected breakout first-time hosts, some reliable favorites returned for some very solid episodes. Last time around, I crowned Grande as the top host of the season, with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as runners-up. Stay tuned for who will take top honors this season.
5) Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
The Rock is a really reliable host, who's always funny and a true delight to watch. That continued with this hosting gig, and he was really a great pick to host the season finale. The "World's Most Evil Invention" sketch was the highlight for me here, and I don't think anyone could have pulled that sketch off petter than Johnson. This episode also was our time to say farewell to two long-running SNL stars, Bobby Moynihan and Vanessa Bayer. We got one last Drunk Uncle, which is always welcome. The callback to the post-election Hallelujah sketch, this time featuring Trump & Co, was great too. And we got a David Pumpkins mention again! This was a fitting end to a great season of comedy. #JohnsonHanks2020
Best Sketch: World's Most Evil Invention
4) Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon was a longtime SNL cast member, so it's no surprise that this was a great episode. But that doesn't make it any less funny. There was so much for me to love about this episode. It featured the return of the Boston no-longer-Teens (which meant a Rachel Dratch appearance), Spicey, the final Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy, Fallon as Kushner, and a great Celebrity Family Feud. It was just such a fun episode and Fallon brought so much energy to the show and I loved it.
Best Sketch: Easter Message from Sean Spicer
3) Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle somehow hosted SNL for only the first time, as he was predictably a natural at it. He was the best first-time host of this season, and he's the only one to make this list in a season dominated by old pros. Election Night was a hysterical (and very true) sketch that brought some hearty laughs after a long election cycle. Jheri's Place was an original and very funny sketch that I greatly enjoyed. It was so different than the stuff we typically see on the show, and it also featured a great David S. Pumpkins callback. I would gladly welcome Chappelle back to the SNL stage anytime, because this was a great episode.
Best Sketch: Election Night
2) Melissa McCarthy
Melissa McCarthy is one of the most consistently funny hosts of recent SNL memory. In fact, she made this list in the #3 spot last year. Her humor is goofy and fits perfectly with this show. Plus, she was SNL's resident Sean "Spicey" Spicer impersonator during his brief White House tenure, bringing us lots of laughs for more than just her hosting gig. She's more than earned this #2 spot.
Best Sketch: Sean Spicer Returns
1) Tom Hanks
After a decade of being absent from the SNL stage (save for cameos) for over a decade, Hanks made his triumphant return during the front half of Season 42. This gig brought us the wonderful David S. Pumpkins, the finest Black Jeopardy sketch to date, and a hilarious (yet very messed up) sketch about girls on Halloween. Hanks made this episode great, and the writing was fantastic. The political cold open was really great, too, probably one of my favorites of the season. There weren't any bad sketches during this episode, with even its weakest sketch being stronger than most other SNL42 sketches. This was easily the best of the episode of the season.
Sketch of the Night: David Pumpkins. Any questions?
Honorable Mentions-
Lin-Manuel Miranda:
While this episode wasn't in my Top 5, it was still really good. Lin-Manuel Miranda was someone I wanted to see host before the season began, and he didn't let me down. This was a strong second episode and was a step up from a (actually pretty solid) premiere. And it gave us "A Day Off" With Kellyanne Conway, and for that I'm eternally grateful to this episode.
Sketch of the Night: "A Day Off" With Kellyanne Conway
Aziz Ansari:
Ansari is similar to Chappelle in that he's someone that seemingly should have hosted a long time ago, but he finally got his shot this season and it was great. He was a natural host and meshed really well with the cast. My favorite moment was his sketch with Melissa Villaseñor, the Bedroom, which was rally hilarious.
Sketch of the Night: Bedroom
Who were your favorites hosts during season 42? Let me know in the comments below and don't forget to vote for your favorite in the poll below. Join me very soon for another SNL Throwback, and don't forget to check out the TV Ratings Guide every day for more fun features.
