snl

It made sense of SNL to hire Melissa McCarthy for a fifth hosting gig, rather than rely on a weekly Sean Spicer impression. Nonetheless, our first live coast-to-coast SNL show managed to coax McCarthy’s Spicer out for Easter, and with an intriguing twist at that.

Watch Jimmy Fallon make his grand return to 'SNL' for hosting duties on April 15.

No one was exactly surprised to see Alec Baldwin kicking off the final five SNL episodes of Season 42 as Donald Trump, though the reluctantly recurring star added yet another major media impression. See Alec Baldwin face off with Alec Baldwin, as the reigning SNL host pulls double-duty as Trump and Bill O’Reilly for a Fox News sketch.

SNL has one heck of a Season 42 finish ahead, to follow Louis C.K. with Jimmy Fallon, Chris Pine, Melissa McCarthy and The Rock, and live on every coast at that. Of all those names, however, McCarthy might build the most anticipation, as the Sean Spicer impressionist says she’s already squirreling away notes for the next appearance.

The rumors are true: SNL is taking Weekend Update out for a primetime spin once more. Seeing as today’s news is never not in need of incisive comedy, Colin Jost and Michael Che will end their summer breaks early to bring new half-hour Weekend Update episodes to NBC.

SNL writers understandably channel their feelings toward Donald Trump into comedy on a weekly basis, but aren’t immune to crossing lines. NBC seems to agree, as a writer has been given an indefinite suspension for a tweet about Trump’s son Barron.

Complicit or otherwise, SNL knew that the first post-election show needed a note of relief, moreso than reminders of Trump’s victory. Presidential portrayer Alec Baldwin even expressed uncertainty he’d ever don the wig for SNL again, but sources confirm the sketch series’ take on Trump will return Baldwin to the limelight with Kristen Wiig this weekend.

Dave Chappelle practically quit show-business over the endless association with his viral Chappelle’s Show characters, to the point few presumed we’d ever see them again. Well, it seems we owe The Walking Dead’s frustrating cliffhanger a debt of gratitude, as Chappelle took his SNL hosting as a chance to revive a number of Chappelle’s Show favorites … at least to kill one off.

For good or ill, perhaps no comedy series has benefit so much from Donald Trump as SNL. Following weeks of debate sketches, most everyone wondered how the late-night staple would react to Trump actually succeeding to the presidency, for which this weekend’s cold open brought Kate McKinnon’s Hillary out; both in tribute to Leonard Cohen, and to offer a moving “Hallelujah” going forward.

We’re still not entirely certain how SNL will fare with controversial (if revered) comedian Dave Chappelle hosting the first post-election episode, but at least the end of November looks a bit more familiar. Kristen Wiig will make her second return to SNL, hosting the final installment of this long, gloomy month.