Top 10 Times SNL Made Fun of Sitcoms

In a story about getting young people into local government, who do you call? “Parks and Rec’s” April Ludgate? Sure, why not? April brings her unique take on civic duty, and clearly, she hasn’t changed a bit. It turns out that it’s not March 31st yet because April dodges Colin Jost’s follow-ups and hands things off to Leslie Knope herself. Seeing former cast members return is always fun, but this one’s special—Knope’s pure joy at her first visit to Studio 8H and the “Weekend Update” desk is peak Leslie. That said, she’s not quite built for the segment’s darker humor. Let’s just say Seth Meyers was wise to host this segment totally alone.

Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett are known for their quirky, offbeat parodies of sitcoms on “SNL.” Their sketches capture those cheesy 80s and 90s styles, complete with over-the-top laugh tracks, awkward camera work, and clunky dialogue. They’ve poked fun at so many of our favorite shows but one of our favorites is this “Cut For Time” sketch with Ryan Gosling. Kyle plays Dougie, a nerdy nod to Steve Urkel, who transforms into a “cool guy” with disastrous results. The whole thing turns into one of those classic “very special episodes” from back in the day, wrapped up in a super rushed and exaggerated finish that just makes it all the funnier.

While we’re on Urkel… when the trailer for the “Fresh Prince” dramatic reimagining dropped, “SNL” asked, “What if Steve Urkel got the same treatment?” Well, there’s a reason some characters belong in sitcoms, not gritty dramas. The writers hilariously exaggerate Urkel’s quirks to an almost unrecognizable degree, showing how out of place such an over-the-top character would be in today’s TV landscape. It’s a spot-on satire of how these reboots often take beloved characters and stretch them so far that they lose all the charm that made us love them in the first place. Plus, it pokes fun at how reboots try way too hard to be “relevant,” forgetting what really made the originals great.

If you’re a “Good Times” fan, you already know “Good” isn’t always the word you’d use for their lives. So, with Janet Jackson, who starred in the original series as host “SNL,” took some of the show’s most chaotic moments and crammed them into one hilariously exaggerated episode. The cast captures those iconic lines with such sincere delivery, making the whole thing even funnier. Instead of celebrating “Good Times,” they’re just trying to survive one absurd mishap after another—stuck in this endless cycle of chaos. It’s like watching a 70s sitcom where everyone’s drowning in problems but cranked up to 120. Who knew that a string of disasters could provide this much comedy gold?

Who loves orange soda? Kel-ly loves orange soda? Host Keke Palmer tricks longtime cast member Kenan Thompson into rebooting this popular Nickelodeon show. Sure, it’s been a while, but we don’t remember the original series being this… dramatic? You can tell Palmer is a megafan of the original as she brings Kel Mitchell’s chaotic energy to the skit—but if Kel’s life had taken a dark turn. While we love Kelly, it’s not Kenan and Kel without, well, Kel. Luckily, you can’t keep him away from a fridge full of orange soda for long—as long as you’re unarmed. At least Kenan and Kel got something out of this. What about Kelly? Well, here comes the bus.

As we’ve seen, “SNL” loves taking shots at reboot culture. They’ve also skewered how good old-fashioned sitcoms often get buried under intense dramas dabbling in humor. Then there’s “The Dudleys,” a fictional sitcom bending over backward to appease every armchair critic demanding more inclusivity and diversity. Don’t get us wrong, that’s a very noble goal. However, is it realistic for one sitcom to tick every single box? Probably not. And let’s not forget the snail mail warriors chiming in because why should the social media generation have all the fun? It’s a cheeky nod to the never-ending pressure on creators to please everyone—talk about a tall order. These days, everyone’s a critic!

If you love “The Fresh Prince” theme song, you might have mixed feelings about this rewrite. But if you’re a fan of the series, you’ll probably enjoy this “lost episodes” bit—Jay Pharoah’s spot-on Will Smith impression alone is worth it! Before “Fresh Prince,” Smith had next to no acting experience, and it’s often been commented on by fans and critics alike. However, this parody gives more insight into how Smith made some of his more… unusual acting choices. Meanwhile, Kenan plays Alfonso Ribeiro/Carlton and nails the balance between actor and character perfectly. While it’s clear why these scenes didn’t make the episodes that aired, we’re sure glad “SNL” dug ‘em up.

If you can’t get Bernie Sanders in, who’s the next best choice? Why Larry David, of course! “SNL” hit the mark perfectly, finding the intersection where politics and comedy meet, casting David as the senator and presidential hopeful in a parody of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” In the sketch, Sanders totally turns off supporters by refusing to shake a woman’s hand (Although, post-pandemic, we get it). Then there’s the coffee rant, and let’s not forget the woman who might’ve voted for him—if only he’d helped pop her shoulder back in. The sketch is so brilliant, and honestly, a version of “Curb” featuring Sanders’ daily misadventures is something we’d definitely tune into.

“Friends” was and still is a cultural phenomenon, so naturally, “SNL” spoofed it several times. Remember when Jennifer Aniston joked about an alternate finale? Unsurprisingly, it didn’t make the cut. Then there’s the sketch with Matthew Perry as… Joey? If you ever wondered what Joey would sound like played by Chandler, this is it. But when Colin Quinn enters as Chandler, the whole scene derails. Chandler’s “quality” was a running joke in the original series, but Quinn leans into it more than Perry ever did. In fact, could it BE any further from Perry’s character? What's that they say about imitation being the most sincere form of flattery?

Another sitcom that’s been parodied a lot is “The Office.” Maybe that’s because both shows have more in common than you’d think? We’re not saying every parody hits, but there are definitely some standout moments. Case in point—when Martin Freeman, star of the UK version and “The Hobbit,” hosted. Making the mundane office setting collide with the fantasy elements of Middle Earth was a stroke of genius. The contrast between typical office drama and the high-stakes fantasy plot is absolutely hysterical. If Ricky Gervais ever considered a reboot, maybe this sketch could be his inspiration. Seriously, who wouldn’t watch that? And, yes, Taran Killam absolutely needs to reprise his role as Gollum.

Which sitcom would you love to see “SNL” parody? Let us know in the comments