SNL alum Martin Short and more special guests also made appearances.

Well, folks, here we are. This third remote episode will serve as the finale for Saturday Night’s 45th season, and what an unexpected way to wrap things up. At 18 episodes it is the shortest season since the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike limited season 33 to 12 episodes.
I am joined today by former SNL cast member Gary Kroeger. He says: “In my day the only disruption to the show was losing 8H to convention coverage and having to split between two small studios on separate floors. Not exactly the same,” when compared to the current pandemic-related disruption. Then again, it shows that SNL has always faced obstacles, including potential cancellation, and been forced to adjust.
What form SNL takes moving forward — …live? …from New York? — is one of the many questions facing the show. The cast has been grappling with rumors of several big departures. Could this be the last we see of some folks? “I couldn’t imagine wanting to leave that show. I would have stayed for 20 years if I could have,” Kroeger says. “Came up 17 short.”
One of the bright sides of the season was seeing the likes of Bowen Yang, Chloe Fineman, and Heidi Gardner step up and be given opportunities to shine. I vote them joint season MVPs. In a strange way, the self-quarantine has forced the cast to carve out niches of imaginative, lo-fi comedy and ushered in the next generation of talent.
Kroeger agrees: “Of course we all want to get back to some semblance of how life used to be and I’m anxious to see SNL back in Studio 8H. But it won’t be exactly the same. I think comedy has been distilled down to its essence a bit. We can be funny on our own without tons of makeup and props. Maybe this is a reset back to an actor and the premise without bells and whistles.” Let’s hope! The restrictions seem liberating in a way, to me anyhow.
Buckle up as season 45 comes to a close!
Class of 2020 virtual graduation cold open
Kate McKinnon plays Principal O’Grady during a virtual high school graduation. The eighth choice to address the graduates is *sighs* Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump. Seems even a global pandemic won’t deter the show from forcing this impression onto the culture. It’s genuinely mystifying — this scenario had so much potential. We did not need bleach jokes.
OK, upsides: Baldwin/Trump actually looks better sans makeup. And the inspirational hook works. As does Heidi as Crystal. “Taped from my home, one last time, it’s Saturday Night,” smiles Baldwin, somewhat ambiguous.
Kristen Wiig’s opening monologue
“This is the Mother’s Day show,” welcomes SNNL alum Kristen Wiig in front of candles and a mood-setting carpet. She can’t be with her mom this Mother’s Day. This is brief and includes both a dance intro and a bombastic “lullaby” song Wiig’s mother used to sing with her.
Wiig previously hosted in May 2013 and November 2016. I am wondering if she’ll be incorporated at all during any other portions of the show — and will they indeed forego a musical guest?
ZOOM friends call
Oh wow, guest star, and season 10 cast member, Martin Short is Ripley, and Heidi is Deirdre. They traveled to Italy for “Quarantina.” Their friends (Beck Bennett, Kenan Thompson, Aidy Bryant, and Melissa Villaseñor) cannot believe how oblivious their friends are being over ZOOM, exporting PPE out of the country. So it’s a showcase for Short to kill it, and Gardner is more-than-game.
“Let Kids Drink”
Chris Redd improvs and shout outs during an otherwise-heartfelt ode to letting children drink during the quarantine. “It’s really fair,” joins a children’s chorus.
Josh Gad pops up (accidentally) as Olaf to co-sign. Cecily Strong wants dogs to drink too. It’s not Lonely Island’s classic Mother’s Day ode, but this captures the likely frustration and confusion housebound parents are feeling during this time.
Masterclass quarantine edition
Chloe Fineman is season 45 host and Fleabag star/writer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She nails it. Melissa Villasenor gets to plug her recent John Mulaney impression — another s45 host — she’s been workshopping on Instagram. Woo! Then Chloe is back as Britney Spears, who recently burned down her gym. “The thing that helps me out most during quarantine is being rich!” Stupendous. Spears, another former host and musical guest, has previously been impersonated by Jennifer Aniston, Amy Poehler, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rachel Dratch, Noel Wells, and Jessica Simpson. But never this accurately.
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