Anyone who knows me knows that I love “Saturday Night Live.” I could spend hours scrolling through YouTube watching and rewatching sketches. I have grown up watching sketches from various eras of the show online and have read through many cast members’ and SNL related Wikipedia pages.
While I always enjoy rewatching classic sketches like “Matt Foley: Van Down By The River” and “Debbie Downer,” there are many sketches that are less popular, but are still extremely funny.
Throughout my years of SNL deep diving, I have put together a good list of hilarious sketches that people who aren’t huge SNL fans have likely never seen. With finals week around the corner, I thought I would share a list of 10 underrated sketches I find very funny for anyone looking for a good laugh.
“Flight Attendants” – [Season 43, 2018]
Most of us have had to deal with others pushing their beliefs on us, whether it’s family during the holidays or someone standing outside of the Student Union, shouting their opinions at you as you walk past.
This sketch perfectly represents that scenario as Will Ferrell, an overenthusiastic flight attendant, tries to spread his views to the passengers during the safety instructions. The absurdity of the oversharing, opinionated Ferrell accompanied with the reaction of both his fellow flight attendants and passenger Leslie Jones heighten the sketch and make it a great watch.
“National Anthem” – [Season 32, 2006]
The premise of this sketch is that Maya Rudolph sings the National Anthem – that’s it. Rudolph’s character won a competition to sing the National Anthem at the 2006 World Series. She surprises the newscasters with her singing abilities and really makes you wonder what her cue cards said.
“Basketball Scene” – [Season 42, 2017]
This sketch is physical comedy at its finest. While a dramatic scene is being shot, background actors have a hard time following the instructions of the director. The contrast between the scene playing out in front of the camera and that playing out in the background is stark. Overall, this sketch is very funny and lighthearted, making it a great one to de-stress with during a break in studying.
“Please Don’t Destroy – New Personalities” – [Season 47, 2022]
Please Don’t Destroy is a comedy trio that was hired for the 47th season of “SNL.” The trio consists of Ben Marshall, John Higgins and Martin Herlihy. One of my favorite additions to the show in recent years, their sketches never miss.
The skits the group produces are reminiscent of the era of the Lonely Island, digital shorts and exclusives. The group has a unique style of filming with zooms and angles that give the camera work a handheld feel. The chemistry between the guys and their ability to toe the line between everyday occurrences and absolute absurdity are great and add to the humor of the sketches.
“Reel Quotes Game Show” – [Season 35, 2010]
It is hard for hosts to hold their own in sketches when put together with SNL greats, but Charles Barkley manages to stand out alongside Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. In this sketch, Wiig and Barkley are game show contestants on a show called “Reel Quotes.” Hader becomes increasingly frustrated with the contestants as it becomes clear that they don’t quite understand what a quote is.
“Game Night” – [Season 28, 2002]
As the name would suggest, this sketch centers around a game night. One of the guests, Rachel Dratch, takes the game a bit more seriously than her friends. We all have that friend – or maybe we are that friend – who gets very competitive when it comes to games.
Dratch gives an Oscar-worthy performance and you can feel her frustration through the screen. This sketch features a great lineup of some of the best cast members of the early 2000s, including Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, Maya Rudolph and Will Forte. The cast members have amazing chemistry which makes the sketch even more enjoyable.
“The Needlers: The Fertility Clinic” – [Season 31. 2006]
Having both joined the show in 2001, Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers have great chemistry which shines through in this sketch. The two play a married couple that, to outsiders, need a divorce. They cannot stop arguing with each other, making everyone around them extremely uncomfortable. Poehler and Meyers work incredibly well together and their chemistry sells the sketch.
“Boss Dinner” – [Season 39, 2014]
As someone who has struggled with anxiety throughout my life, I can relate to this sketch. Jonah Hill attends a dinner at his boss’ house, but his nerves seem to get in the way of his attempts at casual conversation. His misspeaking causes him to become embarrassed, followed by him excusing himself from the table.
Hill conveys how many of us feel when we make mistakes or say incorrect things in front of our peers. The heightened stakes of being at his boss’ house and the absurd situations in the sketch is sure to elicit a laugh.
“Brothers” – [Season 44, 2018]
Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney are a great comedic duo and when paired together, they create some truly iconic sketches; this skit is no exception. The sketch originated from characters the pair originally played in their comedy group at the University of Southern California.
The sketch that they did in college involved two brothers wrestling when their parents pulled them apart and told them they were getting a divorce. The version of the sketch that made it to air was slightly different, and involved many props and careful choreography, but it remains a hilarious sketch in which you can see the comedian’s talents shine.
It is funny to watch Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney take their characters so seriously while everyone around them is holding back laughter. If you like this sketch, Bennett and Mooney also did a second sketch called “Another Brothers,” where the premise is the same but there are even more antics.
“PowerPoint” – [Season 44, 2019]
This sketch is my favorite on this list. I love anything Kate McKinnon is in and in this sketch she takes center stage alongside Aidy Bryant. This duos’ friendship shines through every sketch they act in together and elevates the humor of the performance.
In this skit, the two play older women at a company meeting who struggle to understand new technologies. Though the plot of the sketch may seem simple, the execution is excellent. Their personal frustration is the main focus and their acting adds levels of humor that will make you laugh out loud.
Asha Baron can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @ashajbaron.
