Saturday Night Live’s best sketches with host John Mulaney

John Mulaney returned to host Saturday Night Live during a week that had plenty of things to talk about.

There certainly seemed to be some added pressure on Saturday Night Live last week. Anticipation was high after a week off and the headline-dominating testimony of Michael Cohen in front of Congress. John Mulaney was just the man to deliver.

Whether or not that added pressure was warranted is debatable. Here at Last Night On, we suggested that the episode could be the best of the season. While Mulaney’s second time hosting didn’t quite stand out above all others from season 44, it nevertheless provided highlights that will be included as the year’s best.

Audiences were eager to see what Saturday Night Live was going to do this week, no doubt due to the Cohen testimony. Ratings improved for SNL and it’s possible that Mulaney’s return to the show helped build anticipation for the episode.

Here now are the top three sketches of the night. The picks are what you would expect from the show this week but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.

Michael Cohen Hearing Cold Open

Everyone knew that the cold open would be a parody of Michael Cohen’s testimony. Everyone knew that Ben Stiller would be back as Cohen, a part he’s done a handful of times now. Everyone knew that the Republicans would be the butt of the jokes.

There is nothing wrong with Saturday Night Live giving the people what they want. Anyone tuning into the show these days knows where the show stands politically. Still, the cold open was able to capture the circus-like atmosphere of the Cohen hearing and took a few shots at Democrats as well.

What people didn’t expect was the return of Bill Hader. It was clear that Representative Jim Jordan was going to be a big factor in the sketch. But with the Stiller-as-Cohen cameo already a lock, most people assumed there wouldn’t be any other surprised.

But Hader came back and nailed the role as the hypocritical and unaware Jordan. It was great to see the fan-favorite Hader back on the show. He even stuck around to host another edition of “What’s that Name?” in one of the night’s other top sketches.

Bodega Bathroom

Who would have guessed that John Mulaney would be the face of SNL musicals? That is the case now as Mulaney has gone 2 for 2 on musical parodies while hosting.

Last year Mulaney introduced the world to “Diner Lobster” that spoofed Les Miserables. It was one of the best sketches in recent memory and one that Mulaney had been trying to get on the show during his time as a writer.

The success of “Diner Lobster” made “Bodega Bathroom” possible. Mulaney, Kenan Thompson, and the rest of the cast delivered. Like the original, this one perfectly skewers a part of New York City life as well as musical theater.

The more we see John Mulaney, the more we learn about his love for musical theater. The genre was the subject of a recent Documentary Now episode Mulaney wrote and starred in. He certainly has set the bar high for himself when he inevitably returns to host for a third time.

Chad Horror Movie

On the surface, Pete Davidson’s “Chad” character shouldn’t be a recurring sketch. But somehow the writers continue to come up with the perfect set ups to keep the character fresh.

Chad has had hilarious encounters with his doctor, professor, and Narnia-like creatures. He manages to do all this without saying more than a handful of words. It really is the perfect sketch character for Pete Davidson.

Chad turns out to be the worst possible person for John Mulaney’s character to exact revenge upon. And like the other sketches, it is everyone else who comes to a strange realization or is flustered by Chad.

Overall it was a strong episode of Saturday Night Live that was consistent with what we’ve seen this season. The focus is much more on the full cast as season 44 progresses which is a very good thing considering the talent. The show will return next week with a new episode hosted by Idris Elba so stay tuned to Last Night On for updates.