It seemed pretty bleak back in early May when Saturday Night Live‘s (SNL) 48th season was cut short due to the writers’ strike. I, like most people, was on the edge of my seat, wondering how long it would take for the writers to get a fair deal and resume production on TV shows.
Fast forward to October, and we can all breathe out a sigh of relief! With the Writers’ Strike now over, that means that SNL is back with a new season! Without further ado, here are five sketches from season 48 that are worth rewatching.
- HBO Mario Kart Trailer
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“HBO’s Mario Kart Trailer” introduces the notion of what would happen if Mario was played by Pedro Pascal and set in a dystopian reality.
In this skit, Mario is asked to smuggle Princess Peach to Rainbow Road and meets familiar characters like Luigi and Toad along the way. The amount of references to the iconic franchise embedded in both the set and props truly makes the sketch a viewing spectacle.
As someone who loved the first season of The Last Of Us and the Mario Kart franchise, this was a very fun sketch that left me yearning for an actual HBO show with the Nintendo staple series. Even if you’re not a gamer, you’ll still be able to appreciate the stunning visual effects that capture the gritty environment and dark tone of HBO’s Mario Kart interpretation.
- Traffic Altercation
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Who knew that a sketch involving hand gestures could be so funny?
Quinta Brunson and Mikey Day kill it in this relatable performance about road rage on the highway. It starts off with Day’s character complaining to his daughter (Chloe Fineman) that Brunson’s character nearly crashed into them. From there, a slew of hand gestures serve as the primary communication method between the two drivers as they insult each other to no end.
The first time I watched this sketch, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how the actors managed to pull off such a difficult live sketch, especially one that required them to memorize hand gestures. Definitely give this another watch to appreciate the comedic timing of Brunson, Day and their hands!
- A Christmas Carol
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Steve Martin and Martin Short. Need I say anymore?
This classic Christmas tale featuring the iconic comedy duo takes a hilariously gory turn when Ebenezer Scrooge (Martin Short) ends up accidentally severely injuring the townspeople. It gets even funnier when the Ghost of Christmas Present (Steve Martin) adds to the unfolding mayhem by helping Scrooge share his wealth, only making things worse.
Without spoiling the sketch too much, I’ll just say that coins and glass dropping from a high distance don’t make for a great combination. As a major fan of the duo, this sketch was the highlight of the entire episode as it perfectly captured their dynamic chemistry. This is definitely worth rewatching to catch the snarky remarks from Martin’s character you might have missed.
- Waffle House
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This sketch is a textbook example of what physical comedy should look like.
Despite an emotional conversation that ensues between the two high school lovers (played by Jenna Ortega and Marcello Hernandez), you can’t help but divert all of your attention to the craziness happening inside the Waffle House. Complete with an impromptu dance party, an adorable dog and a mini fire, the situation keeps escalating to a new level of outrageousness. And don’t even get me started on the hilarious plot twist of an ending!
Rewatch the sketch a second time, and you’ll be even more astonished at how Ortega and Hernandez keep it together to deliver something out of a teen drama amidst the utter chaos happening beside them.
- Lisa From Temecula
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I had to add another Pedro Pascal sketch here. Honestly, that entire episode is comedy gold and definitely worth rewatching. But if there’s one sketch from this past season that’s mandatory viewing, this is the one.
A sketch that will forever go down in Saturday Night Live history, “Lisa From Temecula” follows Lisa (Ego Nwodim), disrupting her sister’s (Punkie Johnson) birthday dinner. From the table shaking vigorously to every single person breaking character to the impeccable delivery of quotable lines, this sketch had me in tears.
I laughed so hard when I first witnessed this masterpiece. It was just a perfect storm of hilarious circumstances. I don’t even need to explain why this sketch is worth rewatching. I guarantee with every rewatch, you’ll find something new to laugh at. It’s just that good. It’s safe to say that after watching this sketch, you will never look at well-done steaks the same anymore.
As a longtime fan of the show, it’s true that not all SNL sketches hit the mark every single time. However, I think that’s the beauty of the show.
With a tight deadline of a week to churn out new, relevant and funny content, it’s even more satisfying when they produce a gem that goes down in Saturday Night Live history as an iconic and hilarious bit. Whether you’re a huge fan of the show or a first-time viewer, hopefully these sketches are able to bring you a bit of joy in your day!