‘SNL’ Scorecard: Melissa McCarthy's Spicer Makes Out With Donald Trump

This Melissa McCarthy-hosted SNL (which, as we learned during the goodnights was her fifth time – it was kind of fun they left that, with Steve Martin showing up, for the end) actually lived up to the high expectations. This often doesn’t happen. And it’s not just because McCarthy was hosting, and it’s not just because everyone wanted to see McCarthy’s Spicer again (which was a given, even besides the point just about everybody in New York saw her riding around down on her motorized podium) – it was that and the fact that this past week was one of the longest registered in human existence. It was pointed out that the Sally Yates testimony wasn’t even a week ago and I didn’t believe it. In any other era of SNL, the Yates hearing would have been the cold open. Now, in the world we live in, it seems like a million years ago. This particular SNL felt like it needed to be some sort of catharsis. We all needed it. It came through.

Here is your Scorecard:

Sketch of the Night

“Sean Spicer Returns” What started like most other Spicer sketches transformed into an auteur’s vision of the Spicer-Trump relationship that ended with the two of them making out. In all likelihood, this was the last time we will see McCarthy’s Spicer. SNL’s season ends next weekend and the odds of Spicer still being press secretary when the show returns in the fall are very low for a whole host of reasons. So, yes, they went for it here and I’m fairly certain they achieved it.

If Trump wasn’t watching live, could you imagine having to be the one to tell him about this?

“What did they say about me on SNL last night?”

“Oh … you know, usual stuff. Oh, yeah, one thing: you made out with Spicer.”

I imagine this is sort of what it was like for Imperial officers to give Darth Vader bad news in The Empire Strikes Back. I’m guessing straws are drawn.

Score: 9.2

Other Highlights

“Kyle and Leslie” First, I think it’s so great the “Kyle and Leslie” storyline is still going. Second, I can’t remember laughing louder in the last few months than I did when Kyle Mooney shot Colin Jost, followed by the look on Lorne’s face. I honestly think this is the loudest I’ve laughed since Trump became president.

Score: 8.0

“Game Show” A great thing about Melissa McCarthy hosting is that there will be some sort of physical humor and this time pies were involved. Mikey Day and McCarthy were at The Groundlings together and their timing together feels like they just fell back into an old routine. Yes, the idea of Press Your Luck, only with pies, is kind of dumb! But dumb can be good. And my goodness this was funny.

Score: 8.0

“Melissa McCarthy Monologue” This was nice! And I do know at dress rehearsal McCarthy performed this with a completely different mother – so this wasn’t some staged thing (well, maybe a little, it was Sarah Schneider’s mom) with the same person twice. But, yes, it’s been a good run of monologues lately. The worst are usually the “ask questions from the audience” monologues and SNL hasn’t done that in some time. It’s way too early to judge, but I think this 42nd season of Saturday Night Live will go down as one of its best – at least this post-election run they’ve had. (Honestly, I barely remember anything that happened on this show before November. It feels like five years ago.)

Score: 7.3

“Production Logo” I’ve kind of always been fascinated with how these logos before movies get made. I imagine it’s quite a bit like this: people sitting in a room watching nonsense before the title of the production company appears. I bet half of all production logos are chosen after enduring a never-ending day of watching these things. “Okay, fine, just choose the one with the guy shooting a bow and arrow. Whatever!”