The 10 Best 'SNL' Sketches of the Last 5 Years, Ranked

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Some naysayers suggest Saturday Night Live (SNL) isn’t as funny as it used to be. Then again, critics have been saying this for decades, yet the sketch comedy series is celebrating its milestone 50th season in 2024 and is still going strong.

What has always been evident with Saturday Night Live is that a great sketch can make or break an episode. An amazing sketch will often become a recurring one. Think Bill Hader’s Stefon, Celebrity Jeopardy!, or Kristin Wiig’s Target Lady. There have been some great SNL sketches over the last five years, many that have become recurring ones, along with memorable digital shorts, and some single sketches that had fans in stitches.

Saturday Night Live

A famous guest host stars in parodies and sketches created by the cast of this witty show.

Release Date October 11, 1975

Cast Leslie Jones , Aidy Bryant , Kyle Mooney , Alex Moffat , Kate McKinnon , Beck Bennett , Kenan Thompson , Colin Jost , Mikey Day , Cecily Strong , Michael Che , Pete Davidson , Melissa Villaseñor

Seasons 48

10 “Star Wars Undercover Boss: Where Are They Now”

Host: Adam Driver

Adam Driver dressed as an intern in a sketch from SNL.

Adam Driver first donned a cape to play Kylo Ren in the Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base sketch in 2016. It was so popular then when he hosted again, he brought it back. This time, instead of spoofing the reality show Undercover Boss’ typical episode, it parodied the “where are they now?” specials whereby the bosses who went undercover return for a second time to see if things have changed.

The setting is five years after the Supreme Leader of the First Order went undercover, hoping to change things at the organization. Appearing after the second movie, he discusses the personal drama he has been dealing with like, of course, killing his own father. The deadpan delivery is everything in this sketch, along with his hilarious attempts at being Kylo Ren disguised as an intern. Yes, there are even references to “OK, boomer” and “Deez nuts,” and Ren is not impressed with how his staff treats him, to deadline consequences.

9 “Baking Championship”

Host: Eddie Murphy

Heidi Gardner and Eddie Murphy in a sketch from SNL

There have been several variations of this sketch over the years, each one parodying baking competition shows. The gist is that each contestant discusses their creation in great detail, with a drawing shown to depict what it’s supposed to look like. But when they reveal the baked good, it’s downright terrifying, sometimes resembling something inappropriate. There’s usually one contestant who does a great job, but they’re ignored, which makes them angry. Especially as each cake, more worse than the next, is revealed and given better accolades than them. This version of the skit with Eddie Murphy, known for all his hilarious movies as well as stand-up, is among the best.

It begins with Cecily Strong revealing her cake that’s supposed to look like Elsa from Frozen, but the cake didn’t quite turn out the way she hoped. When the judges taste it and gag, asking if there’s garlic, she replies “yes, maybe. At one point I blacked out and just started making pasta.” When Murphy reveals his creation and admits that he “made a lot of bad choices,” it’s a subtle yet funny moment. The skit usually ends with a baked creation coming to life or bursting into flames. This one doesn’t disappoint.

8 “Cancelling Cable”

Host: Kieran Culkin

A split screen of Kieran Culkin and Andy Bryant in the Canceling Cable sketch of SNL

SNL has done a number of these sketches depicting the host trying desperately to get help from someone on a customer service line. But as it often goes in real life, they get increasingly frustrated as their issue is not resolved. In this sketch, viewers see the agent as well, and the runaround is embellished to hilarious degrees.

Jake Gyllenhaal did one of these sketches trying to cancel a flight, but it’s Kieran Culkin’s sketch where he’s trying to cancel his home cable subscription that takes the win. The call starts out straightforward enough but through the six minutes, he starts to lose his cool when he’s asked to do things like provide the 43-digit number that appeared on his very first bill. The agents give him the run-around and try to do everything but actually help. It’s pure comedy gold as Culkin’s reactions are so natural and relatable and the agents get more and more bizarre with each switchover.

7 “Spirit Halloween”

Host: Nate Bergatze

Three cast members from SNL standing in front of a Spirit Halloween store, the sign loosely covering a Kmart.

This sketch even caught the attention of Spirit Halloween, which fired back with a scathing response. The short is delivered like a mock commercial where three happy employees talk about vacant retail spots around town. “We don’t see an abandoned Kmart,” they say. “We see a spirit. A Spirit Halloween.” It then goes on to mock how Spirit Halloween stores seemingly pop up overnight in various empty shuttered retail locations, capitalizing on the economic strife by selling Halloween-themed costumes, decorations, and accessories for a solid month before disappearing like magic. They even poke fun at the sorts of people who purportedly work there.

To troll SNL and NBC, Spirit Halloween posted to X stating that they are “great at raising things back from the dead” along with a mock costume package with the SNL50 logo called “irrelevant 50-year-old TV show.” Despite the emotional response, there’s no denying the sketch was downright funny, not to mention brought a lot of free publicity to the store in the process.

6 “Black Jeopardy”

Host: Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy as Velvet Jones on Black Jeopardy on SNL, an inset image of Tom Hanks in the same sketch.

The Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch is arguably one of the best ever on SNL, with Will Ferrell as host and cast members impersonating actors like Sean Connery delivering the most hilarious responses. SNL followed this up with another parody version of the iconic show called Black Jeopardy. The recurring sketch has appeared numerous times, featuring guest hosts like Tom Hanks and the late Chadwick Boseman.

Most recently, Eddie Murphy appeared as the character Velvet Jones, most interested in hawking his business and books like “I Wanna Be a Ho” and “How to Dance Like a Ho.” For even more laughs, check out Tom Hanks’ hilarious edition from seven years ago where he plays the only white man on the panel and a very obvious MAGA supporter. He seems to be doing well, the others both surprised and excited at how much their views line up. That is, until the final category is revealed.

5 “Murder Show”

Host: Nick Jonas

Chloe Fineman looking back at the camera, the words Murder Shows on her TV screen in SNL

It’s no secret that America has an obsession with true crime. This digital short pokes fun at the affinity for the genre in a way that has viewers nodding their heads in acknowledgement that this totally describes them, even if in a slightly embellished way. It begins when host Nick Jonas bids his girlfriend goodbye before heading out for the night. She says she’ll just enjoy a quiet night in, finishing up some work. But as soon as he leaves, she and others in the hilarious musical video turn off the lights and curl up on the couch to watch a “murder show.”

They describe it as “self-care,” singing about how they’ll watch while folding pajamas, eat pizza while learning about severed limbs being found on a beach, or text sis with cute messages about her baby while watching a show about a bodybuilder who chopped up an old lady. So many people can relate to this skit and the irony of enjoying relaxing time while watching shows about satanic killers, cults, and cannibals.

4 “Stu”

Host: Jason Bateman

Pete Davidson as Stu gritting his teeth in the dark in an SNL sketch

Jason Bateman plays Santa Claus in this holiday-themed sketch. He’s going through letters from kids with the help of his elves. But when he comes across one letter from a man named Stu, played by Pete Davidson, he finds it troubling. A parody of Eminem’s hit song “Stan,” the sketch cuts to a pre-recorded short of Davidson in a dark basement with a white tank top, rapping as he pens his letter. As with the real song, he gets increasingly angry and dark as he writes about his year, his desires, and how frustrated he is with Santa for not responding to him.

In the end, what Stu is asking so desperately for is a PlayStation 5 which, at the time, was near impossible to find. A surprise comes at the end, and it’s worth watching through the entire four-plus minutes to get there.

3 “Lisa From Temecula”

Host: Pedro Pascal

Cast members from SNL and Pedro Pascal sitting in a restaurant, one woman in bright pink standing up aggressively cutting a steak on SNL.

Hands-down one of the funniest recurring sketches of late is Lisa From Temecula, starring Ego Nwodim as the titular character. But the best one by far was the skit featuring Pedro Pascal as guest host. In each one, Lisa is out for dinner with her sister, played by Punkie Johnson, and some friends. But she becomes increasingly offended and frustrated with someone, usually unreasonably so. It might be the wait staff who have done nothing wrong or a man she believes is coming on to her. She angrily tries to cut her food, shaking the entire table and making a massive mess in the process.

It's one of those skits when the cast members have a tough time keeping a straight face, and Pascal was no exception. As liquid spilled and food went flying everywhere, Nwodim kept in character like a pro. The host, however, couldn’t help but let out a whimper now and then, impressive that he didn’t fall into full-blown laughter.

2 “Beavis and Butt-Head”

Host: Ryan Gosling

Mikey Day and Ryan Gosling in a crowd dressed as Beavis and Butt-Head on SNL

This sketch made such an impression that Ryan Gosling and Mikey Day, who played the titular characters, appeared on red carpets after the episode, fully in costume and character. As one of the best Ryan Gosling sketches on SNL,Heidi Gardner is a journalist interviewing an expert (Keenan Thompson) about the implications of AI technology. But he gets distracted when a man in the audience, played by Gosling, looks strikingly like Beavis from Beavis and Butt-Head. When Gardner turns around to see, she can’t hold in her laugh, as if she hadn’t yet seen him in costume. Gosling plays the character perfectly, completely unaware of who he resembles.

When he moves seats to prevent the distraction, Thompson’s character can’t handle it because he’s now sitting beside a man who looks like Butt-Head, played by Day. It’s Day’s expression and his exposed teeth that make it impossible for Gardner to contain her laugh. The pair together are comedy gold and fans couldn’t get enough of it for weeks after the episode aired.

1 “Close Encounter”

Host: Ryan Gosling

Kate McKinnon, Ryan Gosling, and Sarah Sherman sitting in three chairs in a scene from the Close Encounter sketch on SNL

This is the sketch that solidified Ryan Gosling as one of the best SNL hosts, but also the most endearing one, unable to get through an entire episode without breaking character at least once. In this sketch, it was largely because of Kate McKinnon, one of the best SNL comediennes, and her physical comedy and antics. It was impossible for Gosling to keep it together. The sketch returned in season 49 as a cold open. The premise is always the same: three individuals claim to have witnessed an alien event, and they are being questioned by authorities.

Gosling and Sarah Sherman calmly recall their encounters in the way that most interviews go about these kinds of things, recalling the life-changing experience. But the cigarette smoking, laid back Colleen Rafferty (McKinnon) always has an especially unbelievable and very different tale. She recounts how she was abducted, sucked up through a vacuum hole and emerged pantsless, for example. She uses hilarious words to describe her private parts and what these aliens supposedly did to her and reenacts the moments by getting intimately close with Gosling, which is usually when he comes close to bursting out in tears laughing. By this episode, the eighth interpretation of Close Encounter and the third starring Gosling, it’s evident that McKinnon is purposely trying to make him break character, which makes it even funnier. The sketch is the perfect combination of incredible physical comedy and cast members and the host simply having fun for their own sake as well as the audience and viewers at home.

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