It’s not every day you find a Saturday Night Live cast member as versatile and committed as Kate McKinnon. The New York native first stepped on the Studio 8H stage in 2012, where she joined a cast of heavy hitters that included Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, and Jason Sudeikis. As early as her first season, McKinnon proved that she had what it takes to be one of the strongest cast members in the iconic sketch show’s history. For ten years, McKinnon kept us laughing with her wide range of impressions such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Hillary Clinton, and Justin Bieber to her original characters Sheila Sovage, Debette Goldry, and cat lover Barbara DeDrew. She brings a palpable energy to every sketch and segment she is in, which makes her departure from the series all the more noticeable. McKinnon has been on more episodes than any woman in SNL history and has won two Emmys for her work on the show.
Let’s take a look at some of Kate McKinnon’s best moments from Saturday Night Live.
Close Encounter
McKinnon has a number of hilarious recurring sketches and characters on SNL, but it’s hard to top Ms. Rafferty, the woman who’s had several run-ins with alien life. In the first “Close Encounter” sketch, Ms. Rafferty is interviewed along with two other alien abductees (Cecily Strong and Ryan Gosling) by Pentagon employees (Aidy Bryant and Bobby Moynihan) who are trying to get as much information on the alien interactions as they can. All three survivors share their stories, though Ms. Rafferty’s tale is a shocking contrast to the other two’s experiences. Gosling could barely keep it together as McKinnon confidently explained with haunting detail exactly what happened once she boarded that spaceship.
Themyscira
Wonder Woman hails from Themyscira, an island of all-female Amazonian warriors who spend quite a bit of time together living, laughing, and training. This “sanctuary of sisterhood” proves to be a bit of a bummer for Megan (McKinnon) and Dre (Aidy Bryant), two friends who assumed that all of the island’s inhabitants were lesbians like them. In their defense, the whole Themyscira thing seemed “super gay.” Like the Amazonian women, Dre and Megan will not go down without a fight.
Actress Roundtable
Progress still needs to be made in Hollywood both in front of and behind the camera, but it sure has come a long way since acting legend Debette Goldry (McKinnon) first started in the business. In this roundtable discussion, some of Hollywood’s top actresses, including Marion Cotillard (Strong), Lupita Nyong’o (Sasheer Zamata), and Kiera Knightley (Margot Robbie), have trouble relating to Debette’s opium-filled experiences she’s had over her 80-year career.
Teacher Fell Down
It’s always so awkward when your teacher falls down in class. But you know what’s more awkward? When the teacher refuses to stand up. McKinnon’s commitment level is on full display in this sketch about a driver’s education teacher who falls down and just can’t quite move past it. She turns her tragic fall into a Shakespearan monologue as she laments about her unfortunate circumstances, which leaves the students both helpless and entertained.
Last Call with Amy Schumer
All right everyone, last call at the bar. Oh, who do we have here? None other than regular Sheila Sovage (McKinnon) and Sue Seal (Amy Schumer), two lonely, inebriated women who think they might have some chemistry. Maybe “chemistry” is the wrong word. Perhaps it’s more of a “what’s the worst that could happen?” scenario. Watch along with the terrified bartender (Kenan Thompson) as these two women try their hardest to create a spark. McKinnon has done this sketch with a number of famous folks, including John Goodman, Woody Harrelson, and Larry David.
Sleepover
Okay, c’mon guys, who clogged the toilet? That’s the delicate question that this dad (Adam Driver) is dancing around at his daughter’s sleepover. Something baffling happened in the upstairs bathroom and, well, the insurance company is going to get involved. If you’re going purely off of evidence, all signs point to Meghan (McKinnon), but she is adamant that, despite being soaking wet and having disappeared for nearly an hour, she did not flush her large sanitary napkin down the toilet. After all, she’s a tampon kind of gal.
Whiskers R We with Kristen Wiig
Hey there, want a cat? You’ve come to the right place at the right time: it’s the Thanksgiving Catacopia giveaway at Whiskers R We! Don’t be overwhelmed by the selection of furry friends. Leave it to cat experts Barbara DeDrew (McKinnon) and Furonica (Kristen Wiig), two friends (lovers?) who will creepily share troubling details about the cats up for adoption that you definitely didn’t want to find out. If you take one thing away from this sketch, let it be that “Cats are the croutons on the salad of life.” Meow!
Weekend Update: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Not Retiring
Ruth Bader Ginsburg will always be remembered for two things: fighting for what she believed in and her superb health. When it was rumored that she would be retiring from the Supreme Court, many Americans feared what the future would look like without her. Thankfully, Ruth (McKinnon) takes time out of her busy schedule to slide over to the Weekend Update desk and assure her supporters that she isn’t going anywhere. Be careful what you say, or else you might just get Ginsburned.
Study Buddy
What happens if you are assigned to work on your school project with your crush? The very socially awkward Josh (McKinnon) tries his best to act casual around his study buddy Chrissy (Carey Mulligan), but can’t quite wrap his head around why she’s showing such an interest in him. He calls up his best friend Jason (Aidy Bryant) for some pointers, but that only leads to more questions and confusion. Mulligan can hardly keep it together as McKinnon commits hard to this nerdy boy character. She and Bryant reprised their roles as the dorky duo with Zoë Kravitz.
Hillary Clinton Election Video Cold Open
Nothing is going to get in the way of Hillary running for President. In this Cold Open, Hillary (McKinnon) does her best to be as chill and relatable to the voters as she can. But, the only problem is that it's almost impossible for her to do so. Should she laugh more, or smile wider? Her husband Bill (Darrell Hammond) drops by to share his thoughts on what it would be like to be the "First Dude."
Weekend Update: Olya Povlatsky
All Olya Povlatsky (McKinnon) wants to do is flee from her village in Russia, because, well, she cannot find one redeeming quality about it. So, you can understand her confusion when she found out that the Olympics are voluntarily being held in Russia. Olya tells Seth about Timber, the latest deadly dating app to hit her country, and recalls the time she and her sister were chased by wolves. And do not get her started on the snow!