Maya Rudolph Takes a Kubrick-Influenced Trip Through "SNL"

Plenty of people have hosted Saturday Night Live over the years, but there’s something ineffable about the handful of former cast members who have done so. In some cases, this has involved a revival of beloved characters; in others, it’s more like adding someone already skilled in sketch comedy to a talented ensemble. One of the benefits of the show casting alumnus Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris during the 2020 election was having Rudolph on hand for assorted sketches — leading to moments of surreal genius.

Rudolph hosted this week’s episode, which included more scenes of strange, wonderful comedy. But the episode also paid tribute to Rudolph’s own history with the show — and the show’s long history itself — with The Maya-ing, a parody of The Shining which featured cameos from a few other SNL alumni.

The sketch does a fine job of allowing both the current cast and a few returning favorites to share the spotlight — Beck Bennett randomly stealing Rudolph’s purse is a particularly bizarre moment in a sketch abounding with them. The last few years have abounded with appreciation for Rudolph’s impressive career to date; it’s not hard to see this sketch as a very deserved victory lap.