The hills are alive! But does that mean they’re dangerous? That depends on who you ask. Last night,Saturday Night Liveventured into the world of musical governesses with an anachronistic take of the 1965 classicThe Sound of Music. Longtime cast memberKate McKinnonreturned as Maria, the governess who — in her own words — took the neighboring Von Trapp children and made them immediately perfect. While she declines the opportunity to do the same for the children before her, what with being stretched thin between puppet shows and fleeing the Nazis, she does bring them the next best thing: a similarly erratic former nun-turned-governess, played byAriana DeBose.
DeBose arrives singing a warning not to venture outside as the hills are literally alive. But before the children — played byBowen Yang,Sarah Sherman,Andrew Dismukes,Chris Redd, andChloe Fineman— have time to worry, she assures them that Maria taught her a very valuable lesson. Simply put, “you can solve all the family’s emotional problems just by singing.” Naturally, none of the children know how but fortunately their new governess has come equipped with a song designed to teach the notes of the scale.
Where Maria was a little unconventional, DeBose’s governess is far more off-beat, singing a modified version of the Do-Re-Mi tune. Instead of female deers, golden sun, or jam and bread, the children get references to Homer Simpson,Jamie Foxx,Peter Gabrieland IUDs. Maria is baffled by this new approach, but the children are a little more willing to try, even though they didn’t quite catch each reference. What follows is a second verse that adds nods toRay Romanoand three separate mentions ofQueen Latifah. When the youngest of the children, Greta (played by Fineman) tries to join in with the actual lyrics from the movie, DeBose is quick to step in and correct her.
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The music lesson is brought to a halt with the arrival of the children’s father (Keenan Thompson), summoned by the unexpected noise in the foyer. Rather than being upset by the singing, he reminisces about his own youth as a renowned “chanteuse,” telling his children that he used to draw inspiration from “The most beautiful thing in the world: fast food,” or more specifically: Arby’s. The sketch ends with a harmonious ode to French fries of all shapes and consistencies.
Don’t take our word for it. Start at the very beginning, and check the sketch out here:
