McCarthy began appearing in television and film in the late 1990s, and first gained recognition for her role as Sookie St. James on the television series "Gilmore Girls" (2000–2007). She played Dena on the ABC sitcom "Samantha Who?" (2007–2009) before starring as Molly Flynn on the CBS sitcom "Mike & Molly" (2010–2016), for which she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011. McCarthy's appearances as a host on "Saturday Night Live" led to a win for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017.