The 50th anniversary event of the hit comedy-sketch show “Saturday Night Live (SNL)” was held Feb. 16, featuring a studio full of celebrities and cast members, both recent and past, to produce a three hour show.
After 50 years on air, “SNL” celebrated the milestone by bringing back previous sketches with new twists such as a revamps of Debbie Downer and a Lonely Island musical sketch. The show, originating in 1975, has become a cornerstone of American popular culture and has led to countless infamous quotes and moments.
The show started with a classic “SNL” monologue by Steve Martin, an actor and previous cast member. During his opening he brought many famous faces to the stage including his long time professional partner Martin Short, and former “SNL” writer and cast member John Mulaney.
One of the more popular sketches brought back for “SNL 50” was Mulaney’s musical sketch about New York over the past 50 years. The skit had celebrities like Mulaney himself, Pete Davidson, David Spade, Maya Rudolph and Cecily Strong, singing parodies to Broadway Songs.
Towards the middle of the three hour show, former cast members Tina Fey and Amy Poehler held a question and answer bit where they got to interact with the star studded audience. Adam Sandler, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell and Jenna Ortega were just a few of the prominent names in Studio 8H.
Another sketch that returned to the show was Kate McKinnon’s Close Encounters sketch alongside Pedro Pascal, Woody Harrelson and Meryl Streep, marking Streep’s first appearance on the “SNL” stage. Talking about their encounter with aliens to interviewers Aidy Bryant and John Hamm, the new sketch kept many of the same aspects from the previous times the show has played the skit. Just like the versions, McKinnon broke her fellow actors with the hilarious delivery and context of the bit.
The Weekend Update segment, with current hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che, brought back past hosts Bill Murray and Seth Meyers. Some fan favorite regulars on the show also appeared throughout the segment, such as The Girl You Wished You Hadn’t Started a Conversation with at a Party, played by Strong, and Drunk Uncle, played by Bobby Moynihan. Being interviewed by Meyers, Fred Armisen and Vanessa Bayer also appeared on the segment as Lorne Michaels’, “SNL” creator and producer, Best Friends.
The show featured several musical guests throughout the course of the show, beginning with Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon, as well as performances by Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus with Brittney Howard and Lil Wayne with The Roots. Another memorable musical performance was given by Adam Sandler in his heartfelt tribute to honor the show and many of the long time crew members.
The iconic show has led a long 50 years on American television, with no signs of stopping now. Into the near future, “SNL” will continue to grace viewers every week with their comedic skits, celebrity hosts and classic, “live from New York, it’s Saturday night.”
