SNL: Sad Mouse is Bizarrely Moving

The SNL digital shorts are usually an opportunity for the writers and cast to take a joke that would never work on stage and find a way to work it into the show. Usually, this means a premise that has too many locations or special effects to ever function live. However, last night's Saturday Night Live offered a digital short that felt more like a fully realized short film than a sketch and the result was wonderfully out-of-character: did the world's premier comedy show really just air something this strangely moving?

The premise of Sad Mouse sounds like a typical SNL sketch. A hugely depressed man is hired to be a mascot for an unspecified company and must wander around Times Square, waving at everyone. However, in his current state, he's not prepared to face the rejection that comes with people not waving back. There's plenty of silliness here (a gag involving two letters and their respective attached photos is as goofy as they come), but the whole thing is drenched in melancholy uncommon to this show. The denouement, while certainly a little hokey, comes as a relief after the amusingly depressing set-up, but we'd be lying if we said it didn't get an "awww" out of us.

What do you think? Do you think SNL should try stuff like this more often? Or should they stick to straightforward comedy?