Mary Ellen Matthews/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
Saturday Night Live has been a staple of late-night comedy for decades. From the antics of the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer to the musical stylings of Opera Man, the SNL cast has been able to get a chuckle out of even the most buttoned-up viewer.
With so many years of great content available, it's tough to pick a favorite, so we gathered 10 of what many believe to be the most iconic, funniest, and most memorable sketches that have stood the test of time.
This list showcases timeless sketches that continue to entertain and make audiences laugh. We selected them based on fan popularity, cultural impact, and lasting influence on comedy.
Read on to see which classic and contemporary sketches made the list.
1 / 10
Debuting in 1996, Celebrity Jeopardy! features Will Ferrell as a frustrated Alex Trebek. Instead of answering questions correctly, the "celebrity" contestants spend most of their time picking on Trebek and joking around. Fans love this recurring sketch for turning the Jeopardy! formula on its head. Darrell Hammond stands out for his portrayal of Sean Connery, which features an exaggerated Scottish accent and a penchant for misreading the clues.
2 / 10
The Californians mocks the melodramatic soap operas popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Exaggerated facial expressions, Valley Girl accents, and overly detailed driving directions come together to make this the best ensemble sketch of the 2010s.
You wouldn't think a sketch about taking the 405 and getting off on Mulholland would be all that funny, but fans love The Californians for its over-the-top portrayal of life in Los Angeles. Every cast member shines, but Kristen Wiig struggles to keep from cracking up in the middle of her lines, making her even more endearing.
3 / 10
Matt Foley: Motivational Speaker features Chris Farley as an overcaffeinated motivational speaker who's not all that motivating. Instead of encouraging teens to reach for the stars, he tells them they're going to end up living in a van down by the river if they don't shape up. Farley's physical humor takes the sketch over the top, leaving host Christina Applegate trying to hide her laughter. The Matt Foley character was so popular that SNL went on to produce seven more sketches featuring the bespectacled buffoon.
4 / 10
Disney $DIS is the happiest place on Earth — unless you're Debbie Downer, a recurring character who ruins even the most joyful moments. In Debbie Downer at Disney World, our girl Debbie brings up train explosions and heat stroke, bumming out her friends and forcing Pluto to make a hasty retreat.
None of the cast members could keep it together, making this sketch one of the most memorable of the decade.
5 / 10
Theo Wargo/ NBC via Getty Images
In the first installment of this recurring segment, three members of the Maharelle Sisters quartet look and sing like angels on Earth, while the fourth is a bit of an odd duck. Dooneese has tiny arms, a large forehead, and a singing voice that isn't meant for public consumption.
Fans can't help but crack up when Kristen Wiig waves her tiny hands and screeches, "And I'm Dooneese!" for the first time. The ladies had to wear billowing yellow dresses so Wiig would have enough room to hold her tiny doll hands.
6 / 10
The Haunted Elevator is funnier than it is frightening. When guests reach the 49th floor, they're greeted by David S. Pumpkins and his two skeleton sidekicks. Tom Hanks hits it out of the park, dancing and performing complicated hand movements to catchy music while wearing a suit adorned with grinning jack-o'-lanterns.
David S. Pumpkins was so popular that Hanks ended up doing a 21-minute animated Halloween special with Mikey Day, Bobby Moynihan, and other SNL cast members.
7 / 10
What do you get when Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell start rapping about the wonders of spending a Sunday in New York City? You get Lazy Sunday, one of SNL's most popular digital shorts of all time. This short makes watching The Chronicles of Narnia and eating cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery look cool.
Fans love this initial entry in the Lonely Island's discography, and it was also great to see Chris Parnell step outside his comfort zone. Lazy Sunday was the first SNL sketch to "go viral," with YouTube launching just one month before the digital short did.
8 / 10
Papyrus has a simple premise: Host Ryan Gosling is upset by the use of the Papyrus font in the logo for Avatar. Instead of complaining and then moving on with his life, he obsessively chases the issue and tells anyone who will listen about the "conspiracy."
The moody music elevates Papyrus from a simple sketch to a cinematic masterpiece. Hat tip to Chris Redd, who plays Gosling's confused friend.
9 / 10
In Close Encounter, Cecily Strong, Ryan Gosling, and Kate McKinnon play three people being interviewed by government officials after having alien encounters. Strong's and Gosling's characters are relaxed and laid-back, describing peaceful, cosmic experiences.
Meanwhile, McKinnon plays a potty-mouthed woman who smokes like a chimney, leaves little to the imagination, and has a much rougher story to tell. The raunchy dialogue and McKinnon's hand gestures make this sketch a fan favorite.
McKinnon improvised some of her dialogue instead of sticking to the script, causing Strong and Gosling to break character multiple times.
10 / 10
More Cowbell features a behind-the-scenes look at a Blue Öyster Cult recording session. Christopher Walken famously shouts, "I need more cowbell!" after Will Ferrell's character is a bit too timid. Walken's line is iconic, but it's Will Ferrell's ill-fitting costume and enthusiastic playing of the cowbell that make this sketch a classic. Ferrell pitched the sketch idea several times before Lorne Michaels finally agreed to add it to the lineup.
