Saturday Night Live mainstay Kate McKinnon said goodbye to the show during its season finale on Saturday. In the process, she revisited one of her classic characters: Ms. Rafferty, the blunt-talking chain smoker who has a penchant for getting abducted by handsy aliens.
Per usual, McKinnon’s abduction experience was, let’s say…crass in nature…while the other abductees — played by Cecily Strong and host Natasha Lyonne — had a beautiful spiritual awakening.
The sketch, which actually served as the cold open for the show, was a perfect vehicle for McKinnon. She delivered hilarious monologues as the other cast members played everything straight. It’s hardly worth trying to explain it in quotes, you’ve just got watch it.
But the end of the sketch did deliver a new, touching ending. Ms. Rafferty was offered the chance to leave permanently with the aliens, an obvious reference to McKinnon leaving the show.
Gazing back at the audience as she enters a faux spaceship, McKinnon clearly tears up.
“Well Earth, I love ya,” she said, still in character as Ms. Rafferty. “Thanks for letting me stay a while. Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night.”
