Why the Saturday Night Live Alien Abduction Skit Is Still the Show's Funniest Moment

Kate McKinnon is sitting there in a folding chair, looking like she just crawled out of a dumpster behind a Greyhound station. She’s got a cigarette that’s mostly ash and a pair of trousers that have seen better decades. Beside her, Ryan Gosling and Cecily Strong are glowing—literally radiant with the "spiritual epiphany" of being chosen by extraterrestrials. This is the Saturday Night Live alien abduction skit, or as the writers officially titled it, "Close Encounter." It’s not just a funny sketch. It’s a masterclass in why live television is terrifying and wonderful all at once.

Most people remember the "breaking." You know, when the actors can’t keep a straight face? It happens a lot on SNL, sometimes too much. But this was different. Ryan Gosling didn't just giggle; he completely lost his mind. When McKinnon’s character, Ms. Rafferty, starts describing her "butt-tap" from a grey alien named Terrence, the structural integrity of the entire set starts to crumble because nobody can breathe from laughing.

The Birth of Ms. Rafferty

Comedy usually works in threes. You have the straight man, the dreamer, and the chaos agent. In the Saturday Night Live alien abduction skit, Cecily Strong and the guest host (usually a high-profile heartthrob like Gosling or Casey Affleck) play the dreamers. They talk about the "geometry of the universe" and the "telepathic warmth" of the aliens. They’ve been touched by the divine.

Then there’s Colleen Rafferty.

McKinnon based this character on a specific kind of gritty, unsinkable woman who has just had a "rough year." While the others were being bathed in light, Rafferty was getting her "knocker" batted around like a cat toy by a 40-pound creature with "huge peepers." The genius of the writing—penned by Mikey Day, Streeter Seidell, and Bobby Moynihan—is the contrast. It’s the high-brow spiritualism of New Age alien tropes slammed against the low-brow reality of a woman who just wants a decent nap and a smoke.

Why Ryan Gosling Couldn't Handle It

Let’s be honest. Ryan Gosling is a professional. He’s an Oscar-nominated actor. He’s played stoic drivers and brooding romantic leads. But he was absolutely no match for Kate McKinnon’s physical proximity.

There’s a specific moment in the original 2015 sketch where McKinnon demonstrates how the aliens examined her. She gets up, walks over to Gosling, and demonstrates a "debriefing" by physically manhandling him. Gosling’s face turns bright red. He tries to hide his smile behind his hand, then his sleeve, then he just gives up.

👉 See also: America's Got Talent Transformation: Why the Show Looks So Different in 2026

Why did it work so well? Because it felt dangerous.

In an era of highly polished, pre-recorded digital shorts, seeing a performer like McKinnon go totally off-script with her physical comedy reminded everyone that SNL is live. Anything can happen. If she decides to put her face three inches from Gosling’s nose and talk about her "coot-coot and her prune," he’s stuck. He has to take it. We, the audience, are just voyeurs to his struggle.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Recurring Sketch

Usually, when SNL hits on a popular character, they run it into the ground. They do it every week until the audience groans. But they were smart with the Saturday Night Live alien abduction skit. They saved it for special occasions.

• The Original (December 2015): The world meets Colleen Rafferty. Ryan Gosling breaks. A legend is born.
• The Follow-up (April 2017): Casey Affleck tries his best, but McKinnon’s description of her "grass-shack" being poked by a "little grey guy" wins again.
• The Gosling Return (September 2017): This is the one where McKinnon literally uses her butt to squeeze Gosling’s face. It’s arguably the most famous "break" in the history of the show.
• The Finale (May 2022): Kate McKinnon’s final episode as a cast member.

That final appearance was heavy. It started as the usual bit, but it ended with Rafferty boarding the spaceship for real. She stood on the edge of the stage, looked at the audience, and said, "I love you, thanks for letting me stay a while." It wasn't just the character leaving; it was Kate saying goodbye to the Studio 8H stage. Even in a sketch about alien probes and "flat tires," the emotion was real.

The "Ms. Rafferty" Formula

If you look at the scripts, the vocabulary is what kills. The writers didn't just use dirty words. They used weird words. Words that sound like they belong in a 1970s diner in New Jersey.

"Crackerjack."
"Chute."
"Taco bell."
"Pink-eye."

✨ Don't miss: All I Watch for Christmas: What You’re Missing About the TBS Holiday Tradition

The humor comes from the linguistic gap. The government agents (usually played by Aidy Bryant and Bobby Moynihan or Kenan Thompson) treat the encounter with military precision. They want to know about the propulsion systems. They want to know about the interstellar travel. And Colleen just wants to talk about how the aliens didn't have pants on and how her "briefs" ended up on the roof of a Long John Silver's.

It’s a classic "expectation vs. reality" trope. We expect Close Encounters of the Third Kind. We get a lady who looks like she’s about to ask you for a spare tire on the side of the I-95.

Dealing With the Breaking Habit

Some critics hate it when actors break. They think it’s unprofessional. They think it’s "cheap" comedy. But with the Saturday Night Live alien abduction skit, the breaking is the point. It’s the audience’s way in. When we see Cecily Strong or Ryan Gosling lose it, we feel like we’re in on the joke. We’re not just watching a play; we’re at a party where something hilarious just happened.

Honestly, if McKinnon hadn't made them laugh, the sketch might have been a bit too dark or just plain weird. The laughter lightens the mood. It turns a sketch about—let’s be real—non-consensual alien medical exams into a celebration of the absurd.

The Cultural Impact of the Skit

You can find the "Close Encounter" clips all over YouTube and TikTok. They have hundreds of millions of views. Why? Because it’s one of the few things that everyone seems to agree is funny. It doesn't rely on political knowledge. You don't need to know who the Secretary of State is to get the joke. You just need to understand that one person had a beautiful experience and the other person got the "short end of the stick."

It’s also a testament to Kate McKinnon’s status as one of the "Greats." She joins the ranks of Gilda Radner, Dana Carvey, and Will Ferrell. She’s a performer who can take a thin premise and turn it into a character-driven powerhouse through sheer force of will and a very specific way of squinting her eyes.

🔗 Read more: Al Pacino Angels in America: Why His Roy Cohn Still Terrifies Us

Lessons for Modern Comedy

There’s a lot to learn from the Saturday Night Live alien abduction skit if you’re a fan of comedy or a writer yourself.

First, physical space matters. McKinnon uses her body as a prop. She doesn't just stay in her seat. She leans, she lunges, she invades the personal space of the other actors. This creates tension. Tension leads to release, and release leads to laughter.

Second, the "Straight Man" is vital. Without Cecily Strong playing it completely straight, the sketch fails. You need the contrast. If everyone is acting crazy, nobody is crazy. You need someone to be the "normal" person so that the "weird" person looks even weirder.

Lastly, never underestimate the power of a good costume. The wig, the smudged eyeliner, and the way Colleen holds that unlit cigarette do 50% of the work before she even opens her mouth.

How to Watch the Best Versions

If you’re looking to revisit these gems, don’t just watch the highlights. Watch the full sketches to see the buildup.

1. Search for "SNL Close Encounter Gosling" on YouTube. This is the gold standard. Watch for the moment McKinnon puts her head in his lap.
2. Look for the "Final Encounter" from Season 47. It’s the emotional beat that wraps up the saga.
3. Pay attention to the background actors. Sometimes the "NSA Agents" are struggling just as hard as the leads to keep it together.

The Saturday Night Live alien abduction skit reminds us that life is often a mix of the profound and the pathetic. We want to believe we’re part of some grand cosmic plan, but sometimes, we’re just the lady in the folding chair who got a "butt-tap" from a guy named Terrence.

Next Steps for SNL Fans:

• Watch the "behind-the-scenes" interviews with Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell to hear how they pitched the character of Colleen Rafferty.
• Compare the alien skit to the "Village People" or "Last Call" sketches to see how McKinnon uses similar "creepy but lovable" archetypes to dominate a scene.
• Check out the official SNL YouTube channel's "Vintage" section to see the 1970s and 80s sketches that inspired this type of character-driven, high-concept absurdity.