‘SNL’ Recap: Benedict Cumberbatch Is Just What the Doctor Ordered

How stressful has this election season been? So stressful that Saturday Night Live performers Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon had to break character during their final preelection outing as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton After mock-commenting on the events of the past week — Clinton’s emails, Trump’s FBI connections, Clinton’s emails, Trump’s KKK endorsement, and Clinton’s emails again — Baldwin suddenly dropped the Donald act. “I’m sorry, Kate; I just hate yelling all this stuff at you like this,” he told McKinnon, who replied wearily, “This whole election has been so mean.”

So rather than continue the meanness, the two performers opted to take a soul-lifting prerecorded field trip to Times Square. While Baldwin’s Trump hugged black and Latino passers-by, McKinnon’s Clinton made nice with folks dressed up in anti-Hillary attire. The rest of their visit included babies, balloons, cotton candy, street pretzels, and a giant circle dance. When they returned to the 30 Rock stage, they looked refreshed and rejuvenated and made their final out-of-character appeal to voters. “We can’t tell you who to vote for, but on Tuesday we all get a chance to choose what kind of country we want to live in,” McKinnon said. We’d choose a country where Kate McKinnon sticks with SNL for four more years.

Related: Benedict Cumberbatch’s Funniest TV Moments

Host Benedict Cumberbatch sought to continue the positive vibes, using his monologue to brag about himself in song, touting his Oscar nomination for The Imitation Game, and his CBE — which is sort of like being a knight, but a little lower. Even in bragging mode, though, he couldn’t cover up his innate British politeness, taking pains to point out that he wouldn’t have chosen the name “Cumberbitches” for his legions of male and female fans. Sorry, Benedict, but just like presidential elections, celebrity nicknames are something that only the American public has the right to vote on.

Best Sketch: “Meeting With Mr. Shaw”

Tucked away at the end of the night, this sketch provided a vintage bit of Monty Python lunacy. Cumberbatch nailed a role that John Cleese or Michael Palin would have played back in Python’s glory days as the right-hand man of a business tycoon … who happens to have the head of a bird statue.

Runner-Up: “Criminal Mastermind”

The SNL writers must have been watching Die Hard With a Vengeance on cable recently, because Cumberbatch is clearly playing Jeremy Irons’ riddle-making-villain role to Beck Bennett’s John McClane knockoff. If you’re old enough to remember that ancient sequel, you’ll laugh a lot. If not …just trust us old-timers that it’s pretty funny.

Worst Sketch: “Surprise Bachelorette”

Granted, the thought of a Benedict Cumberbatch striptease is prime heart-attack material for so many of us. But Cumberbatch’s spirited writhing — plus a late-inning appearance by three members of the Chicago Cubs — couldn’t give this short-form stripper version of Weekend at Bernie’s much life.

Best Use of Benedict Cumberbatch: “Why Is Benedict Cumberbatch Hot?”

If you have to ask, Beck Bennett, you clearly haven’t been on Tumblr in the past three years. Cumberbatch’s gracious acceptance of his own hammerhead shark-like hotness makes us react in much the same way as Aidy Bryant — through a series of excited noises.

Episode MVPs: Dana Carvey and Bill Murray

A moribund “Weekend Update” was enlivened by visits from a pair of beloved Not Ready for Primetime Players. First, Dana Carvey revived his “special” creation, Enid Strict, aka Church Lady, so she could share her typically daffy thoughts on the election. Then Bill Murray used the “Update” stage to indulge his particular passion: the Cubbies. Though we kinda wish he had sung “Go Cubs Go” as Nick the Lounge Singer.

Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:35 p.m. on NBC. Watch clips and full episodes of SNL for free on Yahoo View.