On February 16, 2025, "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) celebrated its 50th anniversary as a live television event, shot in Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, featuring stars. The three-hour show saw a combination of classic TV sketches, performances, and cast and former cast member visits as well as well-known celebrities visiting. Despite this, the reunion was plagued by the unfair absence of the archetypal alumni (Dan Aykroyd, Bill Hader, and Dana Carvey).
A Star-Studded Celebration
The anniversary collection started with a moving interpretation of "Homeward Bound" by Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter that connected the history of the series to its legacy today. Steve Martin, a frequent host and beloved figure in SNL's legacy, delivered an opening monologue alongside John Mulaney and Martin Short, setting a humorous and nostalgic tone for the evening.
The audience spent the night listening to revivals of bygone characters and skits. Reunited with her side, Kristen Wiig took on the part of Dooneese on a "Lawrence Welk Show" sketch cast alongside Kim Kardashian's role as one of the Maharelle sisters in an upline cameo. The sketch attracted attention by the use of playful humor, such as in one scene in which Wiig's character lathered Kardashian, a timing reminiscent of the traditional piece.
Eddie Murphy walked into the SNL booth and brought back his famous "Black Jeopardy" persona with Kenan Thompson and Will Ferrell. The sketch brought together humor and social criticism in a way that clearly demonstrated that the comedic tradition of SNL still has relevance today.
Musical performances were a highlight of the evening. The Lonely Island got them back together for a medley of several of their breakout viral songs and their comedy songs set the audience ablaze. Lil Wayne put on an energetic demonstration, whereas the Backstreet Boys have made things feel like a party of the past with classic hits. The festivities concluded with Paul McCartney, a tribute to what must have always been there in the name of the recording, singing a medley of "Golden Slumbers", "Carry That Weight" and "The End" which proved a fitting conclusion to the day.
Honoring the Past
A special honor to celebrate the history of the program and its people. Tom Hanks narrated a "In Memoriam" segment honoring departed cast members including Gilda Radner, Chris Farley, and Norm Macdonald. Adam Sandler also performed a bittersweet song called "50 Years" which evoked his life history and the life history of the show as belonging to the show family.
Garrett Morris, one of the original cast, introduced the 1978 short film "Don't Look Back in Anger", starring John Belushi. The film served as a time capsule of one of the show's peak beginnings and the skills that started the show on its road to today's success.
Notable Absences
Despite the extensive lineup of returning cast members and celebrities, the absence of certain iconic figures did not go unnoticed. Dan Aykroyd, an original cast member known for characters like one-half of the Blues Brothers, was notably missing from the celebration. There are reports that Aykroyd's departure was officially notified to his agent, but the reason why remains secret.
Another top performer from 2005 to 2013, Bill Hader, did not appear in the special. Time in the host chair on Saturday Night Live of Hader was characterized by memorable characters, such as Stefon the wacky city-beat reporter, etc. While Hader was present at the 40th anniversary special, his absence from the 50th has continued his longest stretch away from the show since his departure.
Actor Dana Carvey (known for impersonation, such as the Church Lady and impersonation of current events (subjects) was one of several notable absences. Carvey (contributions for the unforgettable hours spent in SNL house) in the house, argued a visceral and lasting effect, and its lack of a jubilant scene is noteworthy enough.
The reasons for the lost appearances are still unclear, and no endogenous information (from subjects) or synthetic feedback (from the show team) has been made public.
A Night to Remember
Despite these notable absences, the 50th-anniversary special of "Saturday Night Live" succeeded in delivering a blend of nostalgia, humor, and heartfelt tributes. The event covered the history of the event over the last 5-decades, its effect on comedy (and on culture in general) so on. In the meantime, during the time of fifth-generation television, as SNL marches on, it honors the magnificent history, welcomes new people and new views, and thus has a future all its own in television.
For the vintage viewer looking to relive the cast in question in a repeat, the telecast is also on Peacock and provides an opportunity to revisit for a vintage experience of the historical moments and the craft that made this one celebration of the 50th anniversary of Show business happen.
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