When Kristen Wiig takes the stage during tonight's April 6 episode of Saturday Night Live season 49, she'll be joining one exclusive crew: The Five Timers Club. That distinction is given to those performers who have hosted the late-night sketch show a whopping five times and include such illustrious talents at Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Christopher Walken and, most recently, Emma Stone (who many SNL fans have dubbed one of the best hosts of the season).
Wiig famously starred in the NBC comedy series from 2005 to 2012, during which she unleashed a parade of memorable characters, including the Target Lady ("Approved!"), troublesome kiddo Gilly, doll-armed Dooneese, surprise-loving Sue, eye-rolling Aunt Linda, the overly dramatic Mindy Grayson, Karina from "The Californians"—the list is long and legendary.
Now Wiig returns to Studio 8H as an SNL host after more than three years (she last hosted the show's Christmas episode on December 19, 2020), alongside British singer-songwriter Raye as her musical guest. The actress-comedian is promoting her latest project, the Apple TV+ series Palm Royale, which premiered on the streamer on March 20.
Before Wiig proclaims, "We've got a great show for you tonight!" from that SNL stage, let's revisit some of the comedienne's best sketches from over the years. And if you don't want to miss her Five Timers Club induction, anyone with a traditional cable subscription or TV antenna can tune in to Saturday Night Live via their local NBC station. (If you're a cable-cutter, a number of live TV streaming services also carry NBC, including Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV, or you can catch up with a Peacock subscription.)
5 best Kristen Wiig SNL sketches
Sue the Surprise Lady
Kristen Wiig excelled at playing women who can barely contain the emotions bubbling within them—case in point, Sue, the too eager, sweater-wearing party attendee who is practically bursting at the seams at the mere thought of a birthday surprise. (“Oh my Gooooood!”)
The Lawrence Welk Show
Dooneese is Wiig at her most wonderfully weird: the character has toy arms, a giant forehead, an unfortunate tooth and a love of popping bubbles and chasing cars. This reprisal pairs Kristen with another SNL legend, Will Ferrell, who hilariously spends the whole sketch fighting off Dooneese's creepy wandering hands.
Super Showcase Spokesmodels
Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph are a match made in comedy heaven (their beloved 2011 flick Bridesmaids is hilarious proof), so any sketch showcasing the funny pair is one to watch. But this 2012 The Price Is Right spoof, which sees the women portray incompetent game-show spokesmodels Shonda and Vonda, is a fan favorite because it's simply too fun watching the pair try not to break character throughout.
Target Lady and Classic Peg
The retail employee whose check-out line nobody wants to get stuck at, Wiig's overly enthusiastic, heavily bobbed Target Lady made frequent appearances during the actress's seven-year SNL tenure, but we're partial to this edition that features a funny cameo from Justin Timberlake, as Target Lady's equally chaotic BFF Peg.
Liza Minnelli Tries to Turn Off a Lamp
Nonsensical? Yes. Random? Totally. Hilarious? Absolutely. In this season 37 sketch co-starring Jonah Hill, Wiig taps into the razzle-dazzle ridiculousness of the iconic Liza Minnelli ("Will a Fosse Neck do it?") and in the process showcases why she was one of the most gifted physical comedians SNL had ever seen.
