Saturday Night Live tarnishes Dr. Seuss' legacy with a threesome gag involving the Grinch. Hosted by the Kristen Wiig, the ninth episode of season 46 marks the final 2020 show for the NBC series, and the collective sketches are indeed full of Christmas flair. However, one particular bit called "The Grinch" may be upsetting to those who have fond memories of reading Dr. Seuss tales during the holiday season.
Wiig starred on Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2012. Since then, she's hosted the show four times, and received an Oscar nomination for co-writing the feature film Bridesmaids. During her latest Saturday Night Live gig, Wiig once again displays her knack for both maniacal and dry humor, evidenced by sketches like "Christmas Morning," "Home for Christmas," and "Home Alone." With "The Grinch," she dials down the zany comedic energy for a reactionary performance that's laced with sexual innuendos.
"The Grinch" takes place the morning after the events of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, as the Who children (Kyle Mooney and Chloe Fineman) tell their parents (Mikey Day and Wiig) how pleased they are that Mr. Grinch (Pete Davidson) decided to celebrate with them. However, the kids seem a bit confused when their new friend emerges wearing their father's robe. The moment becomes even more awkward for everybody when it's implied that Mr. Grinch slept in the parents' bedroom. For a comedic set-up, the sketch references the original Dr. Seuss tale and how Grinch's heart eventually grows three sizes. In the Saturday Night Live skit, Wiig's character delivers a one-liner by muttering, "it's not the only thing that grew sizes," with the implication being that the Who parents had a threesome with their green guest.
Mid-way through the four-minute Saturday Night Live bit, voiceover narration reveals that the Who parents decided to spice up their marriage after having a little too much Who punch. Wiig's character urges her guest to stay for some green eggs and bacon, while the husband notes that Mr. Grinch must be hungry because he "put in some work" the night before. Saturday Night Live presses harder with the bit through a sex toy joke, and by having the kids question their parents about odd statements they heard during the night, such as "Punish me, my green King." The sketch ends with Mr. Grinch referencing his "a-hole" dog, Max, and Wiig's character giving her guest an extended hug.
"The Grinch" bit in Saturday Night Live season 46 is typical of the show's current approach, one that seems targeted at millennials who find humor in heavy irony and sexual innuendos. For Davidson, that formula works especially well, and this particular Dr. Seuss-themed sketch doesn't really require him to do anything other than smile and use a Grinch accent. Fortunately, the rest of the Saturday Night Live skits mostly cater to Wiig's performance style, which allows for stronger performances from the cast members.