SNL Returns With Hilarious Take on Slow-Paced ‘Game of Thrones’

Really, though, they have a point.

Saturday Night Live was actually live again for the May 7 episode, with Academy Award winner Brie Larson doing a turn as host and Alicia Keys as musical guest. Dana Carvey also returned in the show’s cold open for a surprise resurrection of his Church Lady skit. In it, Carvey’s twitchy religious scold skewered current and former GOP presidential candidates in typical SNL style.

It wasn’t a standout episode but there were laughs throughout. Some of the biggest came during a sketch featuring show stalwart Kate McKinnon playing one of her reliably funny and maniacal yet deadpan characters while recounting a decidedly unusual near-death experience:

Host Brie Larson was game for anything but mostly kept her considerable acting skills at bay, playing some of her best reactions in a sketch that skewered Game of Thrones for its sometimes labored pacing — particularly the glacially deliberate way the show recently brought back a character long thought dead by GoT fandom:

 It was a solid night of comedy but not necessarily a classic show. SNL has two more shows to go — Saturday, May 14 will feature Drake as host and musical guest and the season finale on May 21st will bring back longtime player Fred Armisen as host with Courtney Barnett as the featured musician.