Reflecting on 50 Years of SNL
- Kelsey Perriello
- Mar 20
- 4 min read
Celebrating the 50 year anniversary of his iconic sketch show, Lorne Michaels reunited countless former cast members and special guests at 30 Rock on February 16th for an unforgettable night of comedy. Premiering in 1975, SNL is responsible for some of the biggest names in comedy, including Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, and more. Regardless of personal opinions on the show’s comedy style, SNL is the front-runner when it comes to creating superstars. NBC planned this special to celebrate the accomplishments, history, and iconic sketches that are remembered by generations. The show also remained shrouded in mystery in the weeks prior to its airing, with many special guests staying under wraps to heighten excitement. With every appearance, memories of eras past arose. I watched SNL50 with my dad and grandmother, and it became clear that despite our age differences, we all had special memories from different eras of the legendary comedy show. From my grandma remembering watching the original cast of Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, John Belushi and more get their start in the 70s, to my father watching Eddie Murphy’s “James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party” sketch in the 80s, or my own memories of Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong in “Close Encounter”: the sketches and faces of SNL recall simple times spent watching the show with our family every Saturday night.
The show began with a heartwarming musical performance of “Homeward Bound” by Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter, continuing a theme of generational entertainment. Steve Martin, a member of the esteemed 5-Timers Club, gave the special’s opening monologue to the audience’s great delight, deeming himself SNL’s “newest diversity hire.” Martin was joined onstage by John Mulaney and Martin Short, who all cracked jokes about the most recent political news, including DEI, deportations, and even spending time in the “Gulf of Steve Martin.” Following the monologue, a myriad of renditions of classic SNL skits graced the screen. While the return of Kristen Wiig's classic character, Dooneese, with appearances by Kim Kardashian and Scarlett Johanson proved to be a bit of a dud to start the show, the rest of the sketches seemed to only get stronger and stronger. From classics like “Black Jeopardy,” “Bronx Beat,” “Debbie Downer,” and “Chad,” to the more recent hit, “Domingo,” the show played to its strengths by bringing back the characters that shot SNL to its towering heights. SNL uses every style of comedy—whether it is physical, character-based, or situational—to highlight the strengths of its former cast and hosts to create an authentic and genuine experience for the audience. With three hours of runtime to fill, I became apprehensive, wondering if they could keep the momentum going, especially considering the show’s recent dwindling ratings. But by using crowd interaction, balancing sketches and flashback videos, and bringing back the sketches that captured the hearts and laughter of SNL’s dedicated audience, every minute of the special felt, well … special.
While I was bent over laughing for many of the segments of this special, one moment in a musical tribute by a former cast member brought tears to my eyes. Adam Sandler, one of the most notorious celebrities to come from SNL, stood on stage with a guitar, singing a ballad reflecting on 50 years of the show. The beginning of his song reminisces on the side of SNL the viewer doesn’t see live: the read-throughs, late-night pizza dinners, writers’ chaotic dress rehearsals, and drunken after-parties. However, at the end of the piece, as Sandler’s voice grows in power, he begins listing the names of the comedians who through decades of television history have performed for the masses, reflecting on the years of dedication and talent. He ended the list with a heavy heart and teary eyes, naming Chris Farley and Norm Macdonald: two former SNL cast members who have passed away. After crooning, “50 years of standing on home base, waving goodnight and goodbye. 50 years of the best times of our lives,” the crowd erupted into applause. While this wasn’t the closer of the episode, I felt it best captured the significance of the special: reminding everyone of the incredible hard work, creativity, and manpower that comes with every episode of SNL. No other show has been able to do what SNL has, and certainly not for as long. The concept of SNL seemed nearly impossible: writing new sketches, designing costumes, and creating sets before performing live with only a few days as a timeline. However, the genius of Lorne Michaels and the dedication of the team behind him have kept SNL going and transformed it into one of the most iconic television programs on air.
Three hours of honoring the history of SNL50, even its mistakes with an “In Memoriam” montage of now cancelable skits, came together in a flawed but meaningful reflection of the eras gone by. While in classic SNL fashion, some skits missed the mark, the special served its primary purpose as a time capsule. Due to outdated comedy styles, the returning characters in Rachel Dratch’s “Debbie Downer” and Molly Shannon’s “Sally O’Malley” failed to garner the laughs they did in their prime. But without awkward slip-ups, off-timing, and a little inauthentic applause from the audience, would it really be an episode of SNL? The show is currently at a major turning point, as more and more rumors arise that the 50th season could be Michael’s final after creating the phenomenon half a century ago. The special felt a bit like a goodbye, even though SNL is still airing. As we ponder what the future holds for it, we can also reflect on the special memories SNL has given us. In the final moments of the special, nearly all the past cast members joined Lorne on stage, reminding us of the heart and passion that have made the show so impactful for so many over the past decades.
Rating: INDY
Kelsey Perriello is a sophomore in the College studying Economics and Government.
Comments