It seemed the only thing America wanted to talk about this week was The Bachelor or Trump – so Saturday Night Live decided to put the two together.
The show opened with a rare pre-recorded cold open to poke fun at the reality show’s controversial ending, giving it a political twist.
On Monday the ABC show had come under fire for airing Arie Luyendyk Jr’s brutal break-up with fiance Becca Kufrin, before ultimately proposing to runner-up Lauren Burnham.
But in the SNL version Luyendyk was transformed into Robert Mueller, who had some crushing news for Becca K about the impeachment she had been dreaming of.
SNL opened with a pre-recorded cold open to poke fun at The Bachelor’s controversial ending and gave it a political twist with Kate McKinnon as Robert Mueller on Saturday’s episode
Mueller, played by Kate McKinnon, broke the news to Cecily Strong’s Becca that he didn’t ‘have Trump on collusion’
Mueller, played by Kate McKinnon, broke the news to Cecily Strong’s Becca that he didn’t ‘have Trump on collusion’.
‘How do I start this conversation? You know I’ve been struggling a little over the last few months, trying to figure this whole thing out and grasp everything,’ Mueller begins.
‘The reality is that I don’t think I can give you everything that you want right now, and I think you sense that.’
The split screen, copied straight from The Bachelor break-up, captured McKinnon’s perfect imitation of Arie’s awkwardness as she delivered the crushing news.
‘So, you don’t have Trump on collusion?’ Becca asks.
‘I think I need to explore the possibility that I might have a stronger case with some other stuff,’ Mueller responds, imitating the moment Luyendyk reveals he had feelings for Burnham.
‘I can’t f*****g believe this,’ Becca says as Mueller admits he is thinking about ‘obstruction’ for Trump instead of collusion
The split screen, copied straight from The Bachelor break-up, captured McKinnon’s perfect imitation of Arie’s awkwardness as she let down Strong
‘I can’t f*****g believe this,’ Becca says.
‘I’m trying to be honest with you, and tell you I can’t commit to collusion right now,’ Mueller responds. ‘The more time goes by, the more I keep thinking about obstruction.’
Becca then reveals that collusion was the ‘only thing I’ve been looking forward to in the past year.’
‘I feel like I’m only half in with collusion,’ he tells her.
As Becca walks out of the room, Mueller follows her.
‘I’m not going to give you a hug goodbye,’ Becca says. ‘I was ready. I was ready to do the damn thing.’
‘Do you want a few minutes to yourself? Or do you want me to go?’ he asks.
Becca then reveals that collusion was the ‘only thing I’ve been looking forward to in the past year’ as they both begin to cry
‘I’m not going to give you a hug goodbye,’ Becca says. ‘I was ready. I was ready to do the damn thing,’ as she walks away from Mueller
She broke down in front of the camera much like Becca did in the uncomfortable scene that many said ABC never should have aired
‘I want you to go,’ Becca says, before going into the bathroom to cry away from the cameras.
But Mueller stays, much like Luyendeyk and the ABC camera crew did as Becca broke down during the painful scene the channel advertised as ‘unedited’.
Mueller goes up to the bathroom door in the SNL sketch and asks, ‘Hey, are you okay?’
‘Just leave! What are you still doing here? Just go,’ Becca responds.
But, once again, Mueller stays in the house, sitting on the couch and waiting for her.
‘So that’s it?’ Becca asks. ‘He’s just going to be president?’
‘I don’t know how to answer that. Can you just come talk to me for two minute?,’ Mueller replies.
‘I let my walls down for you,’ Becca says.
And like Luyendyk, McKinnon’s Mueller stuck around far past his welcome – coming up to the door where Becca was crying to ask if she was okay
At one point Becca comes back to talk to Mueller and then, devastated, realizes she will be stuck with Trump for two more years
‘Oh my god, I have to wait two more years for him to be out of office,’ she suddenly realizes.
‘Honestly, probably six,’ Mueller replies.
‘So Stormy Daniels, that’s nothing?’ she asks hopefully.
‘That’s definitely fun,’ Mueller says. ‘That’s just not what I’m doing.’
Becca then asks if Mueller has any good news for her.
‘Do you own American steel?’ he asks, referencing Trump’s newly announced tariffs.
Some viewers, likely Bachelor fans, applauded the sketch and praised McKinnon as the perfect combination of Mueller and Luyendyk
‘I feel we need to come together as a country now and stop hoping for things that might not happen,’ he says as Becca begins to walk away again.
‘It would be Pence, do you want Pence!?’ Mueller yells after her.
Some viewers, including Bachelor fans, applauded the sketch and praised McKinnon as the perfect combination of Mueller and Luyendyk.
‘Kate McKinnon is a gem. Is there any role she can’t play? Jeff Sessions and now Robert,’ tweeted Franklin Brown.
‘Can’t stop laughing at Kate McKinnon’s portrayal of Robert! This investigation is driving us all mad!’ another viewer added.
But some found the SNL sketch to be depressing, while others criticized the show for choosing to spoof The Bachelor in a week full of political news
‘The #SNL opening spoofing #TheBachelor breakup w/ Robert Mueller was the best opening they’ve had all year and it’s not close!’ one fan said.
But some found the SNL sketch to be depressing, while others criticized the show for choosing to spoof The Bachelor in a week full of big political news.
‘Ok. Am I the only one who is now uber depressed after the cold open with Kate McKinnon as Mueller?’ one person asked.
‘#SNL opening was so depressing. #KateMcKinnon portrayed #Mueller telling the USA as represented by #CecilyStrong that we should stop counting on Trump being impeached. Thanks for nothing .@nbcsnl,’ another added.
‘Hindsight 20/20 the line “this is hard to watch” at the start of the Mueller cold open was incredibly accurate,’ one viewer tweeted.