Che and Jost Exchange Jokes on the Kate McKinnon Hosted 'SNL' Xmas Episode

By Dustin Rowles | TV | December 17, 2023 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | December 17, 2023 |

Cold Open — Bowen Yang and Heidi Gardner are hosts of an E awards ceremony that gives out Santees, awards for — among others — the most convincing reaction to a bad Christmas gift, the most disappointing Christmas gift for a 10-year-old boy, etc. It’s a funny idea. It’s only so-so in execution. (Watch Here) (Score: 5 out of 10)

Kate McKinnon Monologue — Kate McKinnon says it’s weird for her to come out and do the monologue as “herself,” and honestly, it’s kind of weird to see Kate McKinnon as herself. She is eventually joined briefly by Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig because it’s the Christmas episode, and that’s how they do. (Score: 5.5 out of 10)

North Pole News — A news report from the North Pole where a killer whale has broken through the ice and eaten a bunch of elves — Kate McKinnon’s “strange Scottish woman” who pukes Skittles is the only survivor. (Watch Here) (Score: 3.5 out of 10)

Pongo — An ad for an animal that is the perfect pet for Christmas — it has no holes, it doesn’t die because it’s neither alive nor dead, and it’s kind of wet, and a whole lot of creepy. (Score: 5.5 out of 10)

ABBA Christmas — Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Bowen Yang join Kate McKinnon to perform some of ABBA’s Christmas songs. It’s an OK sketch, except when they sing into each others’ faces, and Wiig can’t keep it together, which is when it shines! (Score: 6.5 out of 10)

Low Self-Esteem Mom — You know that friend or family member who gives you a present and says, “It’s nothing. Just something I picked up. No big deal. You can take it back if you don’t like it.” Kate McKinnon plays the extreme version of that person. (Score: 6.5 out of 10)

Tampon Farm — Longtime SNL writer and cast member on Girls5Eva, Paula Pell, joins Maya, Kristen, Kate, Billie Eilish, and others for a song about a female utopia, a tampon farm. It is exactly what you think, and it is perfect. (Score: 8 out of 10)

Weekend Update — Everyone’s in the house this week. Before “Update,” Greta Gerwig introduced Billie Eilish with McKinnon. As for “Update,” the political jokes this week are lame. Ego plays Rich Aunt with No Kids, who is not stressed this Xmas (watch here). It’s a mediocre “Update” until they switch jokes again for a holiday, and somehow, all these years later, it’s the best edition of that ever. Oh my god. (Score: 9 out of 10)

Yankee Swap — There’s a Yankee Swap gift exchange, and one of the gifts is a cure for Sickle Cell Anemia. But there’s also a boogie-woogie dancing Santa. Let’s see how this goes. (Watch Here) (Score: 4.5 out of 10)

Cinema Classics — In old clips from a Judy Garland movie, in order to elicit tears from one character, they tell her that her dog has died. Instead of simply crying, she loses her damn mind. (Watch Here) (Score: 4 out of 10)

Whiskers R We — Kate McKinnon and Billie Eilish play mother-and-daughter who adorably exchange a whole lot of bad cat puns. It’s not so funny as it is adorable, and Eilish is good enough that I hope she hosts someday. (Score: 6.5 out of 10)