Dua Lipa joins as musical guest.
Once more unto the breach, dear Coneheads, to anotherSNL in Review.
Welcome to theSaturday Night LiveChristmas show, hosted byKristen Wiigand featuring musical guestDua Lipa.
Credit: Will Heath/NBC
For one thing, Jim Carreyannounced earlier todayhe will not be returning as President-elect Joe Biden.
Kate McKinnon?!?!
Speaking of McKinnon, she is poised to begin filming a new project in early 2021.
Questions remain how long she, or Aidy Bryant, or Cecily Strong will remain on the show.
They know all-too-well about the sometimes-difficult yet successful transition fromSNLto Hollywood.
But lets focus on the shows well-worn holiday traditions.
So did the sketch.
He was funny and kind.
I was still so new and he made it a point to compliment me on a scene.
We did a big musical number with Steve and it was a riot.
I especially remember Chris Farley getting really into it and Steve getting a huge kick out of him.
Its Saturday night, friends, lets dive in!
Cold Open
Mike Pence (Beck Bennett) is receiving the COVID-19 vaccine on live TV.
Lauren Holt is playing his wife, Karen, who won’t talk.
Maya Rudolphreturns as Kamala Harris.
She won more votes, and smacks the current vice president.
And heyo Moffat appears as Biden.
It feels deeply cathartic to have a cast member portray the president… for the first time in years!
They joke aboutMario Lopez playing the role one day go AC Slater!
(Hes having an incredible year!)
Im all for it.
Moffat seems to be channeling mid-2000s-eraSNLGeorge Bush.
Anything is better than Fire Marshall Biden.
We get our obligatory grotesque Rudy Giuliani, played by McKinnon.
Anyway,Kenan Thompsonis back as Ben Carson.
Not a ton of these jokes land, its just a gallery of pop-in appearances with no story.
So, Biden aside,SNL/Colin Jost continues phoning these cold opens in.
Monologue
Wiig considersSNLhome, and is thrilled to be home for the holidays.
She reminds us this is the last show of 2020 and that she had twins!
She assures us everything will go back to normal once this year ends.
She is giving her assistant Glen a hard time.
She then warps the lyrics from My Favorite Things fromThe Sound of Music.
Rudolph joins her on stage a funBridesmaidsreunion!
They also appear together inBless the Hearts,one of the more underrated animated shows on TV right now.
McKinnon joins in on the fun.
Denny Dillon predicts: Kate McKinnon will probably start her own comedy planet with her own unique creations.
I cried laughing at her Kellyanne Conway.
Fallon Hogan says: I think Kristen Wiig is hilarious.
I loved Kristen inBridesmaids.
I thought her performance was hilarious, specific and inspired.
Secret Word
And we have a recurring sketch!
Mindy Grayson (Wiig) is back.
And Thompsons Grant Choad returns as the host, not Bill Hader.
McKinnon joins Wiig as another washed-up celebrity botching the show.
This is your standard fare, goofing clues like Trimming the Tree.
Fun fact: the first Secret Word sketch debuted way back in 2009.
So I believe this is this 10th appearance.
Victoria Jackson says: “Kristen doing that old movie star brilliant.”
Christmas Morning
I got a robe.
But poor mom (Wiig) is internalizing her pain.
Even the dog is getting superb gifts.
(Is that Chloes real-life dog?!)
This is deadly sharp, hilarious and well-observed.
Funny, smart, catchy and perfect."
Christmas 1944
Its a talent show during the war, for the 174th division.
Wiig is the nurse on stage, who selectsBowen Yangfor a saucy duet.
They nail the choreography, as things descend into madness.
Lipa joins them it is a steady move for the show to include the musical guest in sketches.
This is random, and surreal.
I guess I can see what they were going for here, but it feels so truncated.
Like the premise short circuited.
Props for the effort, nevertheless.
Break it down now, yall.
She is not having it.
God, I hate kids.
30th Anniversary of Home Alone
Melissa Villasenoris Kevin McCallister.
Harry (Mooney) and Marv (Day) attempt to steal Kevins credit card.
So Wiig loses it, murdering the Wet Bandits.
This leads to Villasenor perfectly doing the iconic screaming Macaulay Culkin face.
It is fun to see so many currentSNLcast members impersonate several formerSNLhosts here.
Somehow, the show resisted including a Trump reference here.
Strong ’80s-disco vibes here.
New York was so beautiful at Christmas.
He decides to show a montage of Trumps best moments in office, to Closing Time by Semisonic.
Horrific, how far we have come.
Michael Che introduces Smokey Robinson (Chris Redd), who went viral this week mispronouncing Hanukkah.
Then his neighbor Willie (Thompson) comes on to discuss the vaccine.
Use code: OldPeeple for free shopping.
This is a brilliant takedown of social media hucksters and their detached corporate partnerships.
Gardner never fails in these Update commentaries.
It ends with Jost and Che giving one another jokes that they have never seen before.
This is always a holiday treat.
Whoa, thats pretty racist Colin!
It concludes with Jost being forced to joke about his wifeScarlett Johanssonplaying Sammy Davis Jr. in a movie.
Wow I am dying.
Whoville the Morning After
This is a follow-up to the classic Grinch story.
He thanks the Who parents (Day, Wiig) for the memories.
The children are rightfully confused.
The show loves its childhood nostalgia send-ups.
She managed to overcome COVID-19 to see her beloved pops.
However, her Aunt Sue (Wiig) can barely contain herself.
Hilariousness and chaos ensues.
Pop (Moffat) returns from Coinstar, sure enough.
Sue, as is her way, word vomits and spazzes.
Eventually she crashes through the window.
This is the way.
As such this is a very funky ’60s flavored jam, and performance.
Final thoughts
-Thank you to theSNLcast members who weighed in tonight!
What did you all think?
Weigh in below orvote here.
-Many cast members were MIA this episode.
They can move forward with confidence.
Maybe even brain surgery… Aidy Bryant has a sweetness she brings to all her characters which is disarming.
-Victoria Jackson weighs in that tonights show was excellent.
Wiig [was] excellent.
Sketches are super funny.
On your way out or when you get back leave an extra big tip for your next NYC waiter!
Go seeRUSHEDonce its out, people!
-Solid episode for Lauren Holt and Andrew Dismukes, which is fun to see.
And Kate McKinnon had a strong first half.
See you all in 2021!
