This week’s host Christoph Waltz, the Austrian-born actor best known for his role in Quentin Tarantino movies like Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds, hammed it up as a variety of characters. But perhaps his most topical role was Pope Benedict XVI, who recently announced his resignation. This pre-recorded “commercial” advertised Papal Securities, a financial planning service with the following tagline: “Helping Popes retire since the last time it happened: 1415.” Something about the sketch’s aesthetics — the music, the lighting, the camera angles — really made it feel like a commercial you might see late at night between Seinfeld re-runs. Most of all, the clever premise, paired with Waltz’s excellent (and slightly bizarre) performance as the Pope, made this short skit one of the night’s best.
SNL’s 5 Best Skits: Christoph Waltz Hosts — and Even Dances
Everything from the Pope's resignation to Marco Rubio's water bottle gaffe to the Carnival cruise disaster provided fodder for this week's episode of Saturday Night Live.