The Best Saturday Night Live Sketches of All Time That Made The Show Iconic

As one of the greatest TV series of all time, Saturday Night Live remains synonymous with the sketch comedy genre itself. Forever revolutionizing the concept of comedic skits for American audiences, Saturday Night Live sketches introduced an unorthodox approach to comedy that won renown among late-night viewers.

Playing off ongoing stories in pop culture, politics, and international news, SNL delivered an endless variety of skits lampooning everything from controversial celebrity scandals to upcoming U.S. presidential elections.

Given its longevity, the world has seen hundreds of Saturday Night Live sketches over the years–some fantastic, some … less than great. More so than most sketch comedy series, the strength of SNL’s best skits derives from several factors, including the performances of the regular cast, the contributions of the guest host, and the underlying premise of the actual sketch.

Check out the most hilarious Saturday Night Live sketches, and prepare to start searching on YouTube.

More Cowbell

Nowadays, almost everyone knows the phrase “more cowbell,” more often than not speaking in a mock Christopher Walken imperssion in order to do so (“I got a fevahhh–and the only prescription … is more cowbell!). Without a doubt among Saturday Night Live’s most quoted-sketches, “More Cowbell” has achieved the same long-standing popularity as Abbott & Costello’s “Who’s On First?” or Monty Python’s “Dead Parrot.”

Of course, audiences owe it all to Will Ferrell’s distracting crop top and Walken’s unfathomable desire … for more cowbell.

Celebrity Jeopardy!

A regular sketch throughout the late ‘90s and early 2000s, “Celebrity Jeopardy!” gave audiences plenty of material to laugh at over the years. However, even by “Celebrity Jeopardy!”’s high standards, most viewers will have a hard time finding a better installment than October 23, 1999.

With guest host Norm Macdonald returning to his fan-favorite role as Burt Reynolds (er, we mean “T-rd Ferguson”) and Darrell Hammond once again hamming it up as Alex Trebek’s perpetual arch-enemy Sean Connery, the episode offers a brutal verbal sparring match between the Jeopardy! host and his combative contestants.

Wayne’s World

Like the aforementioned “Celebrity Jeopardy!”, “Wayne’s World” served as one of SNL’s most popular recurring sketches from the late ‘80s into the early ‘90s. As many popular performers as the segment included, the best installment of “Wayne’s World” came with the sudden appearance of Aerosmith on February 17, 1990.

With the legendary rock band sharing some poignant insight into prevalent political crises (including the end of the Cold War), the episode even managed to see Aerosmith deliver their own hard rock rendition of the “Wayne’s World” theme song. How much better could it get?

Matt Foley: Van Down By The River

Without a doubt one of the most iconic sketches in SNL history, “Matt Foley: Van Down By The River” involves Chris Farley’s energetic motivational speaker trying to get two teenagers (David Spade and Christina Applegate) to see the error of their ways.

Rather than sticking to the script, Farley’s Matt Foley took ample liberties with the creative delivery of his lines, hoisting his co-stars into his arms and even hurling himself through a table. In no uncertain terms, it felt like a sketch where anything could happen as Spade and Applegate struggled to contain their laughter.

The Lonely Island

The musical comedy troupe known as The Lonely Island provided SNL with some of its funniest laugh-out-loud Digital Shorts, from the absurdist “Like a Boss” to the satirical rap video “I’m on a Boat.” Yet even when compared to The Lonely Island’s impressive outpouring of musical content, a certain video ranks above all else.

With a premise involving a certain… uh, male organ crammed into a decorative box, the musical performance of Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake became a cultural phenomenon for the remainder of the decade, even winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.

Chippendale Audition

Next to “Matt Foley: Van Down By The River,” few Chris Farley sketches receive as much repeated attention as SNL’s famous “Chippendale Audition.” A divisive skit among contemporary audiences, viewers nevertheless squealed with delight as they saw Farley pose off against the chiseled Patrick Swayze for a chance to join the Chippendale dancers.

Love it or hate it, the sketch showed Farley’s complete willingness to go above and beyond with the central premise of a joke, whipping his shirt off and dancing in the most outlandish way possible for the sake of audiences’ entertainment.

NPR’s Delicious Dish: Schweddy B-lls

The prevalent hushed tones and wispy voices of NPR always made the program ripe material for Saturday Night Live sketches. Taking full advantage of a radio show’s distinct meditative voices, SNL introduced their classic 1998 sketch, “NPR’s Delicious Dish: Schweddy B-lls.”

With Molly Shannon, Ana Gasteyer, and Alec Baldwin never speaking above a whisper, all three comedians spend the entire sketch talking about Pete Schweddy’s patented holiday dish: Schweddy B-lls. As viewers might expect, the juvenile jokes rooted around Mr. Schweddy’s desert never let up, from the hosts complimenting Schweddy for his b-lls’ texture, size, and pleasant scent.

Olympia Cafe

One of the earliest notable SNL sketches, “Olympia Cafe” took viewers into the fast-paced world of its eponymous setting: the bustling New York diner known as the Olympia Cafe.

A parody of the typical greasy spoon diners found throughout Manhattan, “Olympia Cafe”’s appeal lies in its simplicity (and John Belushi’s expert portrayal of the easily-annoyed diner owner, Pete Dionisopoulos). With a menu limited to a mere three items, patrons had to decipher Pete’s thick Greek accent to order their meal–although the order almost always consisted of “cheeburgers, cheeps, and Petsi (‘No Coke–Petsi!’).”

Total B-stard Airlines

The mid-’90s saw perhaps the most star-studded cast of recurring players ever featured on SNL. To find proof of this fact, just look at the lineup of comedians who appear in “Total B-stard Airlines,” including David Spade, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, Tim Meadows, Chris Farley, and Norm Macdonald.

Relying on their cast’s unrivaled star power, “Total B-stard Airlines” poked fun at the faux courtesy displayed by most airline staff, many of whom use cheerful voices to treat their passengers with utter disdain.

President Bill Clinton at McDonald’s

In an ironic twist, one of the best SNL political sketches has almost nothing to do with American politics. Showcasing the late great Phil Hartman as the then-U.S. president, “President Bill Clinton at McDonald’s” features Clinton’s feeding spree in an average Washington D.C. McDonald’s restaurant.

Answering patrons’ questions while shoveling food down his gullet, this sketch will leave viewers chuckling, and also craving some classic McDonald’s fare.

Debbie Downer: Disney World

Like “More Cowbell,” most people will have a difficult time wondering whether “Debbie Downer at Disney World” would rank as memorable as it does today if not for the incessant laughter of the cast. One of the most notable SNL sketches of the early 2000s, “Debbie Downer: Disney World” unfolded like a perfect storm of sheer comedy.

In contrast to the downbeat nature of Debbie’s pessimistic comments, the gradual breakdown of each performer made it all the more hilarious.

Alien Abduction

Yet another sketch that benefits from the cast’s inability to keep a straight face, “Alien Abduction” also coasts on the acting might of Kate McKinnon as an uncouth alien abductee sharing her raunchy experiences in outer space. Elevated by McKinnon’s expertly delivered narration, audiences can’t help but join the cast as they listen to McKinnon recounts her increasingly bizarre story, which includes plenty of questionable alien-on-human contact.

Diner Lobster

Whenever people set foot in a diner, logic dictates they avoid certain items: namely, above all else, seafood. Taking this premise and exploring it to its fullest potential, “Diner Lobster” offers up a tantalizing “what-if” scenario for that brave diner patron who decides to do the unthinkable.

A musical spoof parodying Les Misérables, everything about this sketch works well, from Kenan Thompson’s emotional portrayal of a Jean Valjean-esque lobster to Pete Davidson’s constant cackling as the skit gets more and more absurd.

Haunted Elevator

On paper, everything about “Haunted Elevator” sounds more cringey than funny. Yet in Tom Hanks’ capable hands, the entire sketch transcends the limitations of its kitschier premise. With Hanks hitting it out of the park as the suit-wearing David S. Pumpkins, “Haunted Elevator” became an overnight sensation that makes for the perfect Halloween-themed viewing experience. Any questions?

Dunkin Donuts

Anyone who has ever wandered into a Dunkin Donuts can see that the restaurant chain can attract some seedy characters, with 2016’s “Dunkin Donuts” playing off this idea. Casting Casey Affleck as a loud-mouthed Boston native, the sketch drew on numerous stereotypes surrounding the brash New England blue-collar worker–the kind of guy who prefers spending all his time at Dunkin, for some inexplicable reason.

Landshark

Another earlier recurring sketch in SNL’s formative years, “Landshark” acted as a direct spoof of the ‘70s blockbuster, Jaws.

Mocking the ideal of harebrained sequels, “Landshark” offered up a ridiculous concept of a sequel for Jaws, this time centered around an anthropomorphic shark (Chevy Chase) able to traverse on dry land. A surreal sketch that seemed to owe plenty to Monty Python, “Landshark” also set a precedent for SNL, with the series drawing inspiration from pop culture fads in the years ahead.

Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base

As mentioned above, SNL has made a habit of basing their sketches on new films reaching mainstream audiences, often outfitting them with more ridiculous premises. In 2016, this characteristic ushered in “Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base,” with Adam Driver’s nefarious fallen Jedi, Kylo Ren, donning the guise of an average Imperial technician.

Rather than opting for a sillier portrayal of his fictional space opera counterpart, Driver takes his role in the sketch with complete seriousness, allowing for plenty of uproarious scenes between Kylo and his mundane coworkers.

Papyrus

“Papyrus” illustrates Saturday Night Live’s ability to take a ridiculous underlying idea and play it to its fullest potential. Relying on the dedicated performance of Ryan Gosling as an easily exasperated man reaching his mental breaking point, “Papyrus” focuses on Gosling’s obsession with the fact that 2009’s Avatar recycled the font papyrus from Microsoft Word.

While that idea might seem paper-thin, the sketch’s cinematic production value and Gosling’s portrayal sell the concept perfectly.

Buckwheat Buys the Farm

Making waves upon his debut to SNL at the start of the 1980s, Eddie Murphy carried the show on his back throughout his momentous tenure on the show. Headlining numerous recurring sketches, Murphy became most known for his over-the-top portrayal of Rascals character, Buckwheat.

With Murphy growing tired of fan requests to perform as the former child star, SNL soon wrote Buckwheat off the show with the multi-part series, “Buckwheat Buys the Farm.” A fitting farewell to one of Murphy’s most popular characters, it also played off of numerous conventions regarding celebrity’s deaths, with some doctored video praise from Charlton Heston, Ronald Reagan, and the Pope himself.

Career Day

In many respects, an SNL viewer can make a serious case in favor of Adam Driver as one of the show’s best guest hosts. Living up to his reputation as a versatile actor, Driver has proven his ability to appear in numerous SNL sketches without cracking a smile, as seen with September 29, 2018’s “Career Day.”

A deft parody of Daniel Day-Lewis’s unscrupulous oil baron from There Will Be Blood, “Career Day” makes endless use of Driver’s committed performance as Abraham H. Parnassus–a performance that gets more and more chaotic throughout.