‘Saturday Night Live’ director Matt Villines dead at 39; watch some of his best sketches

There’s some incredibly sad news coming out today from the “Saturday Night Live.” Matt Villines, one-half of the stellar duo of Matt & Oz alongside Osmany Rodriguez, has passed after a battle with cancer. He was 39 years old.

In the world of sketch comedy, it is sometimes difficult for directors to stand out from the mold. Villines was one of those directors. His pieces were always extremely innovative, and he added something profound and poignant to a show that can otherwise be very silly. One of the great examples of that is “Sad Mouse,” a sketch from the Bruno Mars edition of the show. It’s the sort of sketch that you can really watch several times over and find something new to appreciate. (We’re posting all of the videos at the bottom of the article, that way you can go from one straight to the night.)

One of Villines’ best collaborators was Mike O’Brien, and while their “Jay-Z Story” sketch was funny, what makes it special is how they played the entire game of it out without feeling the need to pile on extra commentary. It was really strong, even to the point where “SNL” mimicked it down the road.

Another highlight for us came from earlier this season, with the “Thanksgiving Miracle” that proved to be a really fun take on Adele’s “Hello” music video. Or, for a completely silly representation of his catalogue, why not check out “Do It on My Twin Bed”? This sketch inspired many other musical numbers from the ladies of “SNL,” but few captured the enthusiasm or the humor this one did.

We did not know Villines, but we greatly appreciated his work and know he will be very missed. Our thoughts are with everyone who knew him and worked with him during what must be a very difficult time. (Photo: NBC.)

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