Kate McKinnon’s farewell to Saturday Night Live unfolded inside the show’s season 47 finale cold open on May 21, 2022: she reprised alien abductee Colleen Rafferty, then chose to leave Earth with the aliens. At the spaceship, McKinnon became visibly emotional, thanked Earth and the audience, and delivered the show’s familiar sign-off. The Washington Post and TVLine covered the moment after the broadcast.
What was Kate McKinnon’s last SNL sketch?
It was the cold open of the season 47 finale, broadcast May 21, 2022—not a separate sketch outside the episode. McKinnon returned as Colleen Rafferty, her recurring alien-abductee character. Some contemporary coverage calls the character Mrs. Rafferty; both names refer to McKinnon’s character in the recurring “Close Encounters” sketches. The Washington Post, TVLine and Out identified the scene as her farewell as a full-time cast member.
![Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Collection: Seasons One - Five [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41+XakhOIGL._SL160_.jpg)
How the alien-abduction sketch became a goodbye
The sketch began with Rafferty recounting another encounter alongside fellow abductees and government officials. Its premise then shifted toward a fictional exchange involving extraterrestrial technology: Rafferty volunteered to leave Earth with the aliens.
At the spacecraft entrance, the comedy gave way to a personal farewell. McKinnon appeared emotional, looked back toward Earth and the audience, and said, “Well, Earth. I love you. Thanks for letting me stay awhile,” before delivering, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night.” The Washington Post reported those lines; punctuation and wording can vary between published accounts, so the broadcast is the best reference for an exact transcript.
Why did Kate McKinnon leave SNL?
In a July 2022 interview with Ryan Seacrest and Kelly Ripa, McKinnon said she had thought about leaving for a long time and found the decision “very, very hard.” She described SNL as what she had always wanted to do and her decade on the show as the best, then explained that “my body was tired” and she felt it was time. Those were her stated reasons. The Los Angeles Times reported the interview and her comments.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Rank #2
- 12 DVDs of the best episodes from Seasons 1-5. Plus a 28-Page Collector’s Book telling the story of the show and cast
- 33 episodes with the original groundbreaking, irreverent, hilarious cast. Plus rare footage of the cast, including screen tests and interviews
- All-time classic sketches including “Land Shark,” “Word Association,” “The Killer Bees,” “Super Bass-o-Matic,” “Weekend Update,” and so many more
- Iconic characters including Coneheads, Samurai, Emily Litella, Chevy Chase as President Ford, Shower Mike, The Blues Brothers, Baba Wawa, and more! You'll also recieve special episodes including Chevy Chase's return to SNL with music icon Billy Joel, plus the historic 100th episode!
- Guest Hosts include George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Candice Bergen, Paul Simon, and more
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
