Scarlett Johansson Hosts SNL: Watch Video of the Best & Worst Sketches

Ryan Schwartz

Click here to read the full article.

What do Baby Yoda and the future Mrs. Colin Jost have in common? They both appeared on this weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live.

The second-to-last show before the holiday break was also one of Season 45’s strongest, rivaling only Will Ferrell’s November homecoming. Having previously hosted five times, Scarlett Johansson seemed comfortable no matter what was asked of her — whether she was cast as a deceased stripper, a singing elf, or the woman at the center of every Hallmark Channel original movie.

More from TVLine

Then again, why wouldn’t she be? “If the show’s bad, what are they gonna do? Fire my fiancé?” she deadpanned. “‘Oh no! What are we going to do without his paycheck?'” (To watch her Avengers-themed monologue, click here.)

BEST: HALLMARK DATING SHOW
“I have to write a big article for the paper about how Santa isn’t real, and the last thing I’m looking for is a guy,” ScarJo’s “New York 6/Buffalo 10” said in this savage takedown. The dating-show sketch proceeded to skewer the network for its mostly homogenous casting (see: Alex Moffat as “Prince Simon of Caucasia”), its underdeveloped black characters (see: Chris Redd as the friend with no name or backstory) and its inability to recognize holidays other than Christmas (see: Beck Bennett’s Brian unable to properly identify a menorah). (This sketch came after Weekend Update co-anchor Michael Che acknowledged Hallmark’s decision to pull a commercial featuring a wedding between two women.)

BEST: CHILDREN’S CLOTHING AD
You don’t need to be a parent to know that this Macy’s parody — which advertised thick winter clothes for children, including “wool sweaters that won’t fit over his head,” “cozy corduroys that’ll pinch his little nuts” and “holiday rompers she’ll never get off in time [to pee]” — was spot on. Mikey Day and Heidi Gardner were especially great as ‘rents whose marriage was strained by a pair of kids’ snow boots.

BEST: I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS
Cecily Strong was excellent in SNL‘s totally warped take on the holiday classic, which not only added Daddy to the mix, but featured a second, voyeuristic twist. I fully expect this one to air as part of SNL‘s primetime Christmas special for years to come.

BEST: WEEKEND UPDATE
Bowen Yang’s Chinese “trade daddy” was even funnier the second time around, as he revealed to Che how he has tried to cut all the negativity out of his life. (“No one needs your idea for CBD lipgloss, Ainsley!” he exclaimed. “[She’s] probably some Shark Tank reject whose Instagram bio says ‘Mogul/Activist.’ Pick a lane!”) Mooney was also very good as The Mandalorian‘s breakout star, whose newfound Internet fame had already gotten to his head.

HONORABLE MENTION: A CONWAY MARRIAGE STORY
This Marriage Story parody was not the sharpest political satire of the night, but Kate McKinnon and Beck Bennett made a perfect pair as the D.C. odd couple who always “agree on the big stuff — like small government and no food for poors.” Best of all was the climactic fight scene, when Kellyanne called George out for not having a blue checkmark on Twitter.

WORST: HOT TUB CHRISTMAS
This one’s more of a “best-worst.” While the spot probably should’ve gone to “Office Apology” or “Another Translator,” I needed somewhere to acknowledge just how much joy this utterly ridiculous skit brought me. It was plagued by technical difficulties and featured a song about a pair of strippers (Johansson and Strong) and their sleazy boss (Niall Horan), all of whom died of an accidental drowning while hopped up on quaaludes. Even before Ego Nwodim’s character found out that she was pregnant because she, um, diarrhea’d in a hot tub, I was completely dumbfounded.

What were your favorite sketches this week? And what missed the mark? Watch all of the highlights (and lowlights) above, then grade the episode in our poll.

Best of TVLine

Sign up for TVLine's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.