Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 2014–2015

The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced during the fortieth season of SNL, which began on September 27, 2014.

Hollywood Game Night

A parody of the TV quiz show of the same name, with host Jane Lynch (played by Kate McKinnon) continually irritated by the cluelessness of the celebrity participants.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	October 11, 2014	Bill Hader	Bill Hader as Al Pacino, Kristen Wiig as Kathie Lee Gifford, Beck Bennett as Nick Offerman, Cecily Strong as Sofia Vergara, Jay Pharaoh as Morgan Freeman, Taran Killam as Christoph Waltz.
40	April 11, 2015	Taraji P. Henson	Taraji P. Henson as Wanda Sykes, Beck Bennett as Nick Offerman, Aidy Bryant as Wynonna Judd, Taran Killam as Vin Diesel, Jay Pharoah as Common, Cecily Strong as Marion Cotillard

How 2 Dance With Janelle

Janelle's (Sasheer Zamata) Youtube dance show is interrupted by her parents, concerned about the sexual nature of the videos and the presence of her obviously aroused friend Teddy (Kyle Mooney).

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	November 1st, 1014	Chris Rock	With Chris Rock as Janelle's father.
40	April 11, 2015	Taraji P. Henson	With Taraji P. Henson as Janelle's mother.

High school theater show

A high school theater troup attempts to open its audience's eyes and tackle big subjects during a very self-aggrandizing play.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	November 22, 2014	Cameron Diaz
40	May 9, 2015	Reese Witherspoon
41	November 14, 2015	Elizabeth Banks
41	May 21, 2016	Fred Armisen

Cathy Anne

A chain-smoking and disheveled woman played by Cecily Strong who serves as friend and mentor to various fairy-tale characters

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	December 6, 2014	James Franco	Cathy Anne advises a bridge troll (James Franco) to ask for a kiss instead of riddles.
40	February 28, 2015	Dakota Johnson	Cathy Anne chaperones Cinderella (Dakota Johnson) during the royal ball.

Right Side Of The Bed!

A morning talk-show presented by husband and wife Cory and Gracelynn Chisholm (Taran Killam and Cecily Strong). Awkward moments abound when the camera regularly cuts to guests pressured to be entertaining.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	December 13, 2014	Martin Freeman	The guests are local contractor Louie Dulux (Freeman), producer Emily Margine (Aidy Bryant), and singer Keith Urban (Kate McKinnon).
40	May 2nd, 2015	Scarlett Johansson	The guests are caterer Daniela DeNotta DiPasquale (Johansson) and singer Hozier (Kate McKinnon) .
41	November 21, 2015	Matthew McConaughey	The guests are chef Buster Littles (McConaughey) and singer Ed Sheeran (Kate McKinnon) .

Heather, a one-dimensional female character from a male-driven comedy

Cecily Strong embodies all the clichés of the female love interest during Weekend Update.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	December 13, 2014	Martin Freeman
40	January 31, 2015	J. K. Simmons
41	April 16, 2016	Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Willie

An overtly optimistic homeless man who appears on Weekend Update and is played by Kenan Thompson

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	December 20, 2014	Amy Adams
40	March 28, 2015	Dwayne Johnson
40	May 9, 2015	Reese Witherspoon
41	October 17, 2015	Tracy Morgan
41	January 23, 2016	Ronda Rousey
41	May 21, 2016	Fred Armisen

Frida Santini

Weekend update character played by Kate McKinnon. She is a middle age woman who lives in Colin Jost's building and writes passive-aggressive notes to her neighbors.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	January 17, 2015	Kevin Hart
41	October 10, 2015	Amy Schumer

Riblet

Michael Che's high school friend, played by Bobby Moynihan. He likes to interrupt Che during Weekend Update and make fun of how easy reading cue cards is.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	January 24, 2015	Blake Shelton
40	February 28, 2015	Dakota Johnson
40	May 16, 2015	Louis C.K.
41	March 12, 2016	Ariana Grande

Brother 2 Brother

A Disney Channel sitcom based around two twin students played by Taran Killam and Chris Hemsworth. When Marky switches places in class with his much more muscular brother Matty, no one falls for it...

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	March 7, 2015	Chris Hemsworth	Math class
41	December 12, 2015	Chris Hemsworth	Wrestling meet

Former acting coach on The Jeffersons

A movie director (Kenan Thompson) is convinced that the drama he is shooting will be more powerful and moving if his actors act like they're in a broad 70's sitcom.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	March 7, 2015	Chris Hemsworth	Shooting of the movie Love at first scene.
41	December 19, 2015	Tina Fey and Amy Poehler	Shooting of the movie Sarah's desire.

Jemma

Gene and his wife (Kenan Thompson and Vanessa Bayer) bump into a former acquaintance of Gene's, accompanied by his girlfriend, aspiring British singer Jemma (Cecily Strong). The boyfriend makes the couple uncomfortable by relentlessly making unappropriate comments about Gemma's attractiveness, while Gene is too scared to ask them to leave.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	March 28, 2015	Dwayne Johnson	Gene and his wife meet Gemma and her boyfriend (Johnson) during a dinner date. Jemma shares an extract from her single Banana.
40	May 16, 2015	Louis C.K.	They meet Gemma and her new boyfriend (Louis C.K.) in a couples retreat. Jemma briefly sings a part of her single Vacay.

The Janet Johnson-Luna Civil Trial

32 year-old Janet Johnson-Luna (Cecily Strong) is prosecuted for having sex with 16 year old student Gavin Daly (Pete Davidson). His mother is suing Luna on behalf of Gavin for emotional damage, but Gavin's testimony only proves how nontraumatic the experience was for him.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	April 11, 2015	Taraji P. Henson	Henson plays the prosecutor
41	January 23, 2016	Ronda Rousey	Teacher Kara Torkelson (Rousey) is tried alongside Janet Johnson-Luna

Kinky Elves

Elves purposefully botch their jobs and gleefully wait for their master to give them the punishment they deserve and desire.

Season	Episode	Host	Notes
40	May 16, 2015	Louis C.K.	Elves work for a shoemaker (Louis C.K.)
41	December 5, 2015	Ryan Gosling	They work for Santa (Bobby Moynihan)

References