SNL Kicks Off the Season Huge With Trump/Clinton Cold Open
Saturday Night Live kicked off the new season in high gear with strong debut performances from SNL’s newest cast members, a killer cold open featuring an SNL favorite — Kate McKinnon as Hillary and an instant new classic– Alec Baldwin debuting his Trump impression. And it was great to see Michael Che making a rare appearance away from the Weekend Update anchor desk. His turn as Lester Holt resulted in more than one trending meme. Host Margot Robbie’s strongest sketches included a Scooby Doo inspired group called the Hunch Bunch, and a turn as a hot librarian. Even social media seemed happy with the episode, despite the fact that nobody liked the dress Margot Robbie wore for her opening monologue. Variety reports it was the show’s biggest premiere in eight years ratings-wise.
If you missed it, watch our five favorite sketches this week, in order.
Cold Open: Donald Trump vs Hillary Clinton.
The top 5 starts with the show open, a Donald Trump/Hillary Clinton debate with Kate McKinnon and Alec Baldwin moderated by Michael Che as Lester Holt. Baldwin was spot on as Trump, and the writing was just over the top enough to be one of the funniest political sketches of the year. “It’s pronounced Giiiiinaaaa.” “Listen America I get it. You hate me. You hate my voice and you hate my face.” “The thing about the blacks….” and Trump closes with a nuclear revelation about Hillary’s past.
Celebrity Family Feud: Political Edition
We always love Kenan Thompson’s Steve Harvey impression, but our favorite part of this week’s celebrity Family Feud was new cast member Melissa Villasenor’s Sarah Silverman impression, followed closely behind by Beck Bennett’s Vladimir Putin. The sketch also features a Larry David cameo as Hillary Clinton supporter Bernie Sanders, Darrell Hammond appearing as Bill Clinton, Kate McKinnon playing Kellyanne Conway, newcomer Alex Moffat as Eric Trump, Mikey Day as Donald Jr., Margot Robbie as Ivanka Trump, Cecily Strong playing Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Bobby Moynihan as Chris Christie
Live Report
Two new SNL cast members made their Season 42 debut in this sketch about a Tampa, Florida sinkhole. Mikey stars in the sketch as Matt Schatt, a man interviewed about the incident with his “smokeshow” wife, played by Margot Robbie. Alex Moffat makes his SNL debut as a seismology professor brought in to assess the situation. Kenan Thompson, appears as the on-scene reporter. Cecily Strong and Beck Bennett appear as anchors with Leslie Jones as a sports analyst.
The Librarian
This digital short was Margot Robbie’s best, as a seriously hot librarian who surprises a group of students with an unexpected reaction after the boys admit they think she’s hot. Bobby Moynihan, Beck Bennett, Mikey Day, Kyle Mooney, Kenan Thompson and Alex Moffat co-star as the boys.
The Hunch Bunch
A Scooby-Doo inspired group of kids called The Hunch Bunch investigate a mystery. Margot Robbie plays Becca Ashley, a friend who tags along and doesn’t get the group dynamic, but she really tries to fit in. Beck Bennett as Fred– errr, Tad, with Aidy Bryant as Lindy/Velma, Cecily Strong as the Daphne character, Mikey Day as Joshie, and Kyle Mooney with a killer Shaggy/Fenster. Bobby Moynihan plays Groundskeeper Coggins aka The Monster.
Next week, Broadway sensation Lin-Manuel Miranda hosts an all new Saturday Night Live on NBC at 11:30pm in the East.
