Going through a new era of television, Saturday Night Live maintains its status as an institution of relevant comedy. Granted, it has few notable moments that neither break new grounds nor presents anything fresh out of other comedy variety shows. However, it is an amazing feat that SNL maintained its longevity for laugh-out-loud sketches with a fresher breed of cast .
In honor of those sketches that are always revisited, here are the top 10 recurring sketches that premiered in the 2010’s. Like previous lists, Weekend Update characters, Digital Shorts, and political sketches will not count. But, filmed sketches do.
High School Theater Show
Premiered in November 2014, this series of sketches involves a band of rotating cast , alongside the host, playing of a high school theater troupe, whose productions commonly revolve on their pretentious, but vague interpretations of relevant topics. And they are oblivious to how they misunderstand the subjects. During the course of the sketch, it cuts to parents from the audience aghast at the troupe’s self-importance.
The entire sketch is a clear caricature of amateur theater productions and the stereotypes associated with it. The recurring hilarious gigs include the parents trying to grasp meaning and the kids’ deadpan delivery.
Chad
Pete Davidson’s main assets in Saturday Night Live are his observational comedy bits and his slacker characters. For the latter, his most famous sketch character is Chad, a lethargic teen with his words only limited to “okay.” He is largely distracted and ignorant to the people around him, trying to call his attention. Commonly, those people would be older than him and very attracted to him. And their plans to attract him backfire.
Chad’s first appearance is in 2015, with him playing a pool boy for Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ housewife. His latest appearances had him hounded by RuPaul.
Mr. Patterson (Baby Boss)
Before the Boss Baby was a thing, there was SNL’s Baby Boss. Played by Beck Bennett, Mr. Dick Patterson is depicted as a top executive for a company but inhabits babyish movements. As aptly described by his colleagues, he has “the mind of a man but the body of a baby.” Patterson’s shtick would constantly center on Patterson conducting professional work, despite showing infant routines. And one colleague, usually played by the host, is baffled by him. The last time he appeared, he was running for president.
This is all on Bennett’s exaggerated body movements and physical humor to no fault.
Principal Daniel Frye
Though he is mostly known for his seamless impressions, Jay Pharoah has a SNL signature character in him with Principal Daniel Frye. The character is usually seen announcing abruptly during other teacher’s announcements, beginning with “Attention teachers and students,” about outlandish shenanigans happening during their events. He does his reminders with a puffing, stuttering manner and refers to the rascally pupils as “jive time turkeys.”
Other gags for Frye’s appearances include Vanessa Bayer’s vice principal introducing the subject of the school’s event, the host being a victim of the antics, and Kenan Thompson’s gym teacher mitigating students who are booing.
Colleen Rafferty
Kate McKinnon is currently Saturday Night Live’s MVP. Her impressions and her characters help carry the variety of the show. While Sheila Sovage from “The Last Call” is a nasty treat, Debette Goldry is a funny homage to old Hollywood, and Shud is a living-and-breathing meme, Colleen Rafferty stands out as McKinnon’s most sidesplitting character.
Rafferty is one of the three people (the two being played by the host and Cecily Strong) being cross-examined about an otherworldly phenomenon they encountered. However, Rafferty’s strays away from the subject (very obliviously) and includes gross-out information that cracks the two up.
Maine Justice
“Maine Justice” is a spoof of reality courtroom TV shows. This series of sketches features Judge Marshall T. Boudreaux (Jason Sudeikis) and Jessop the Bailiff (the episode’s host) as they run a court case, with repeated emphasis that the show is taking place in Bangor, Maine. However, all locals speak with Southern drawls, express adoration for jazz and Mardi Gras, and make references to New Orleans culture.
While the defendant questions about the authenticity of their “Maine” culture, Boudreaux, Jessop, and other characters largely insist that they are purely Louisiana locals. This is a laugh riot farce on Americana culture.
Black Jeopardy!
While SNL has its proud iteration of Jeopardy! with “Alex Trebek), leading three contestants (two African-American cast and the host). The topics for this Jeopardy! format center on household African-American tropes and urban culture, and the accepted answers are black culture lingo.
“Black Jeopardy!” is the perfect outlet for the cast of color to discuss African-American subjects in an honest manner. While past segments get gradually funny and relevant, the best installment is featuring Tom Hanks as a Trump er.
Herb Welch
Bill Hader plays WXPD News reporter Herb Welch, a grouchy senior news reporter who is unashamedly uncooperative on reporting on the spot, that he would hit his subjects with his microphone or ask them non-sequitur questions. He also throws a fit to the news anchors, Jack Rizzoli and Wanda Ramirez (Jason Sudeikis and Nasim Pedrad, respectively). Near at the end of each segment, Rizzoli announces that Welch ed away on the spot. But when it cuts back to Welch, he suddenly recuperates.
It is a delight to see Hader growl as an old man and try not to break character.
Big Nick's
Broadway musicals and songs, to convince Davidson otherwise.
In just three solid installments, Big Nick’s is an unexpected fun-filled surprise from the show lately.
The Californians
“The Californians” is the poster child for recurring Saturday Night Live sketches. A parody of soap operas and their stereotypes, the sketch focuses on three segments, centering on secret exploits between Devin (Bill Hader) and Karina (Kristen Wiig), with Karina’s husband Stuart (Fred Armisen) catching them on the act. Most of the characters have blonde hair, speak in exaggerated Valleyspeak, and have their dialogue centered on navigating routes around the Los Angeles area or Southern California culture.
The sketch is all about mocking first-world problems in an over-the-top dramatic manner and poking fun of daytime drama clichés. Though the quality varies for every sketch, “The Californians” is reliably funny.