CREDIT: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC

Oh my god, Saturday Night Live Season 46 is already complete?! It’s already late May 2021?! Okay then, I guess it’s time to let you know what I liked the most about the past year of Studio 8H’s offerings in various categories. If you want to know my absolute favorite hosts, musical guests, episodes, etc., then get with it and keep reading! The number of entrants varies by category, because that’s just what I felt like doing, lol.
(My favorite ketches get their own post, which can be found here.)

Most Valuable Cast Member
I don’t think I’ve ever picked Pete Davidson as the MVCM of a season, so I’m going to go ahead and do that now. Why not! After all, he appeared in several of my favorite sketches this year. Can you believe he just finished his seventh season?
Pete Davidson
Runners-Up:
Kenan Thompson
Kate McKinnon

Best Hosts
Really, the clincher for Daniel Kaluuya as the cream of this hosting crop was when he sported sunglasses that made him like a jazzman version of Morpheus from The Matrix. Meanwhile, K-MK is obviously a sketch comedy legend, AT-J fit right in, Chalamet hung out with his buddy Pete, and Dan Levy was bullied by taxes.
1. Daniel Kaluuya
2. Keegan-Michael Key
3. Anya Taylor-Joy
4. Timothée Chalamet
5. Dan Levy

Best Monologues
In the Era of Now, if John Mulaney hosts SNL, you might as well pencil him in for #1 Monologue. Elsewhere, Kristen Wiig sang a song, Jason Bateman revisited monkey memories, and Dave Chappelle talked about ice cream.
1. John Mulaney
2. Kristen Wiig
3. Jason Bateman
4. Dave Chappelle

Best Musical Guests
How is it possible to pull off what Lil Nas X did on the SNL stage? Answer: it’s not. Except, clearly, it is.
1. Lil Nas X
2. Bad Bunny
3. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
4. St. Vincent
5. Phoebe Bridgers

Best Weekend Update Segments
There were several great new Update bits this season, but the best of the best was once again Colin and Michael swapping jokes, which somehow … KEEPS … GETTING … BETTER!
1. Joke Swap
2. The Village People
3. Dr. Wayne Wenowdis
4. Pauline, a Weary Mother in Her Darkest Hour
5. Iceberg That Sank the Titanic
6. TwinsthenewTrend
7. Stephanie Green

Best Episodes
I enjoyed the season finale the most of any episode this season despite being quite full while digesting it. Usually I find that I react most favorably to SNL while hungry after a long and hard workout. But in this case, being weighed down a little by a big breakfast and getting in only a moderate calorie-burning session didn’t prevent the laughter.
1. Anya Taylor-Joy/Lil Nas X
2. Daniel Kaluuya/St. Vincent
3. Timothée Chalamet/Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

Best Quotes
The most quotable sketch of the season was the NYU College Panel from the finale, so the vast majority of the best quote entrants originated from there.
1. “And Jess, you’re girl gay, so no wear dress?”
2. “How has being gay and Chinese prevented you from being happy?”
3. “And for queer cast members, what’s it like to do comedy that cavalierly mocks your very existence?”
4. “And Naomi, what advice do you have for survivors of terrorist attacks when it comes to breaking into the comedy community?”
5. “And Natalie, marital rape is still not a crime in all 50 states. What will you as a female comedian do about that?”
6. “Max, Playstation?” “Play-sta-tion!”
And now for the section of the Best Quotes that weren’t from the NYU College Panel:
7. “Why do you think you’re MMM material? Sorry, I stuttered: material.”
8. “Hey, Kramer! You stupid!”