There is generally a 3:1 ratio of live sketches to pre-taped ones in any given episode of Saturday Night Live, with somewhere around 130 live sketches—conceived, written, rewritten and produced in just a few sleep-deprived days every week—spread out through the entire 21 episode season. Suffice it to say, there are always a lot of live sketches to go through. Not all of them land, but if you look past the cold opens and the more staid Trump material, you'll find a grab bag of great material this season.
In season 43, there were a bunch of sketches that touched upon the #MeToo movement and sexual harassment (Film Panel, Dinner Discussion, Claire from HR), surreal one-offs (Lobster Diner, Gift Wrap, Google Talk), and a sketch that perfectly captured the mood of half the country at any given time in 2018 (What Even Matters Anymore). Heidi Gardner broke out on Weekend Update, Eric & Don Jr. became regular characters, and host Sterling "Kathleen" Brown choked up a lot.
Below, check out our top 20 favorite live segments, along with the best Weekend Update guests and best monologues. And if we left something off, let us know in the comments. (And ICYMI: here are The Best Pre-Taped Segments Of 'Saturday Night Live' Season 43.)
The 20 Best Live Sketches Of The Season
Gal Gadot played a woman from Bosnia and Herzegovina who goes on a First Date with a very memorable celebrity.
Kate McKinnon's hilarious Debette Goldry returned for a Film Panel discussion about Harvey Weinstein and sexual harassment in Hollywood.
Kumail Nanjiani regrets it after he gets a little too into the gameshow Bank Breakers.
Tiffany Haddish did some impressive improvising when the kittens got unruly in Whiskers R We with McKinnon.
Steve Harvey has turned into one of Kenan Thompson's most endearing impressions, but this Family Feud: Harvey Family Thanksgiving was elevated by Chance The Rapper's turn as Harvey's illegitimate son.
Chance The Rapper's hockey-isms in Sports Announcer should be used in real play-by-plays.
Almost the entire cast, plus host Saoirse Ronan, got to do something funny and weird in Return Counter.
If you enjoy a good gross-out gag as much as we do, then you'll love Gift Wrap.
Jessica Chastain captured the mood of the nation in What Even Matters Anymore?
The reveal of Mikey Day as a dude who looks a lot like Bart Simpson in Google Talk was one of the biggest laughs of the season.
Chastain and Heidi Gardner were masterful as two women struggling to understand the buy one, get one free option in Taco Math.
The Aziz Ansari sexual misconduct allegations were handled in Dinner Discussion, one of the strongest sketches of the season.
Will Ferrell and Kate McKinnon made a great team in Commercial Shoot.
Sterling K. Brown could not fathom how anyone could not really, really love Shrek in Family Dinner.
Bill Hader is physical comedy gold in Girlfriends Game Night.
Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther was a highlight on the latest edition of Black Jeopardy.
Simply put, Diner Lobster was the best live sketch of the season.
John Mulaney plays the creator of a classic TV show with a very disturbing premise in Sitcom Reboot.
Melissa Villaseñor and her disturbing Bill Cosby impression took the spotlight in Dirty Talk.
And Donald Glover killed it as Raz P. Berry in this parody 80's Music Video.
Honorable Mentions: Gotham City locals finally gave Batman a piece of their mind in Wayne Thanksgiving; Will Ferrell leaned into his nickname in Clown Penis; Sam Rockwell had a break through with dogs in Genetics Lab; Donald Glover never quite understood what was the marketing scheme in Barbie Instagram; Sterling K Brown met some more relatives in Black Panther New Scene; Amy Schumer starred in the new spinoff show Handmaids in the City; Ryan Gosling got a case of the giggles again in Another Close Encounter; Tiffany Haddish killed it as Boo Boo Jeffries in Tournament Fighter; Charles Barkley was one of the stars to win at the Harassment Awards; James Franco worked through some personal issues in Spelling Bee; Natalie Portman had a close encounter with an Alien Lover; Fred Armisen had a killed Michael Wolff impression in the Morning Joe Cold Open; and Amy Schumer had her Last Call with Kate McKinnon's Sheila Sovage.
The Best Weekend Update Guests
Alex Moffat shined as the ultra-douchey The Guy Who Just Bought a Boat, who appeared in the Ryan Gosling season premiere and returned in Kevin Hart's episode to share dating tips for the holiday season.
Moffat also teamed up with Mikey Day as Eric & Donald Jr.—despite the fact that Day's portrayal is exceedingly kind to Don Jr., the writers and performers have turned the brothers into their own unique comedic caricatures who were so good, they made the most appearances of any recurring characters on Weekend Update this season (not to mention cameos in several cold opens). That included appearances in episodes hosted by Larry David, Sterling K. Brown, and Tina Fey.
Heidi Gardner made the most of her first season on the show, breaking out with not one but two lovable Weekend Update characters. First up is Angel, Every Boxer's Girlfriend from Every Movie About Boxing Ever, who appeared in Tiffany Haddish and Chadwick Boseman's episodes.
Gardner's other hilariously specific character was teen movie critic and YouTube star Bailey Gismert, who shared her thoughts on the Oscars in Will Ferrell's episode and reviewed summer movies in Amy Schumer's episode.
Melissa McCarthy made a surprise appearance during Amy Schumer's episode as Michael Che's Stepmom in what was undoubtedly the sweetest segment of the season.
Pete Davidson's Weekend Update appearances were hit-and-miss this season (his bit about Che and Colin Jost hosting the Emmys did not work), but when it was good, like this assessment of his native Staten Island from Chance's episode, it was phenomenal.
Cecily Strong's exasperated Claire from HR only made one appearance during Tiffany Haddish's episode, but it was an unforgettable one.
Kyle Mooney's Bruce Chandler hit a new low around Thanksgiving, when he revealed that he couldn't have kids... and he can't write cursive (or non-cursive).
Former castmember Vanessa Bayer made a surprise return to SNL in Sterling K. Brown's episode as meteorologist Dawn Lazarus. We treat that Earth like a big bitch, k?
And the king of Weekend Update guests, Bill Hader's Stefon, made his triumphant return—and brought along his attorney Shy (who is also a conceptual piss artist).
The 5 Best Monologues
For anyone who only knew Kumail Nanjiani because of Silicon Valley, his monologue must have been a revelation—his punchlines were sharper than a scalpel whether he was comparing Islamophobia to Will & Grace or dreaming of a more "informed racist."
Some people were offended by Larry David's monologue, and it had nothing to do with his bizarre Quasimodo impression. But I found his extended riff on Jewish representation and men accused of sexual harassment classic neurotic David comedy.
Despite ostensibly being a supporting character in Girls Trip, Tiffany Haddish was so wildly charismatic and effortlessly hilarious in the film, you couldn't take your eyes off of her anytime she was onscreen. She brought a similar energy to her first time hosting SNL, offering tips to men accused of sexual harassment and explaining why she breaks fashion taboos.
Sterling K. Brown showed he wasn't just a serious actor who could get choked up at the mere mention of Kenan Thompson—he also had real comic chops. Though, he chokes up a lot.
And longtime SNL writer John Mulaney adapted part of his latest stand-up special, Kid Gorgeous, for his monologue. He's a brilliant stand-up comic, and his riffs on Patrick Stewart, his need for complete strangers to like him, and gazebos was a perfect encapsulation of his mastery of the form.
And One Last Thing: The team at SNL did a better job than ever putting cut-for-time sketches, bonus material, and behind-the-scenes glimpses on their YouTube channel throughout the season. One of my favorite hard-to-categorize bits was this clip below, in which Queer Eye For The Straight Guy's Tan France took Pete Davidson clothes shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue. Davidson has never seemed more likable.
