The Saturday Night Live episode Seth Meyers says is the closest to perfection
By Matt Moore
Other than Lorne Michaels, few people know Saturday Night Live as well as Seth Meyers. So his opinion carries a little extra weight when discussing the perfect SNL episode.
Meyers spent over a decade as an SNL cast member, which include an extended run as "Weekend Update" anchor and head writer. He's heard thousands of sketches and worked with countless talented improvisers, comedians, and performers.
During an appearance on comedian Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out podcast, Meyers reflected on what it takes to produce a successful Saturday Night Live episode. According to Meyers, it requires three good sketches to make a quality SNL show.
Considering each episode has anywhere from six to 10 sketches, pretapes, and "Weekend Update" bits, three sounds like a fair assessment from Meyers. It's also why he thinks specific sketchs live on far more than individual episodes.
But that doesn't mean Saturday Night Live hasn't thrown a perfect game before. Meyers told Birbiglia that during his time on SNL, one episode stands out as the closest thing to perfection.
"If you said, 'what was the show that had nothing bad?' I think the first time Maya Rudolph came back and hosted, there wasn't anything bad in the show," Meyers shared. "But that also is built off the backs of her being one of the most enduring, multifaceted SNL cast members of all time."
Rudolph left Saturday Night Live as a cast member in 2007. She returned to host for the first time on February 18, 2012. Meyers wasn't wrong in his assessment of the season 37 episode.
The episode featured cameos by Amy Poehler, Justin Timberlake, Paul Simon, Kate Upton, and Bill O'Reilly. Rudolph brought back her "Bronx Beat" character, added a boost to "What Up with That?," and played Michelle Obama in a Cosby Show parody.
Among the more memorable sketches as "Super Showcase Spokesmodels." Rudolph and Kristen Wiig struggled to get through the Price Is Right spoof without laughing. But things going off the rails only made the sketch that much more entertaining.
Meyers told Mike Birbiglia that every Saturday Night Live episode has a "stinker" in it. But looking back at Maya Rudolph's SNL return, it's hard to see where there's a weak spot. It's a testament to Rudolph's talents as a performer as well as the incredible cast around her on that night in 2012.