This past Sunday Saturday Night Live premiered their long awaited 50th anniversary special episode, which brought back actors from every cast all the way back to 1975. The episode ran an additional hour and a half longer than usual, making it 3 hours long, and re-ran its most famous skits, even bringing back the comedians who originally starred in the sketch. They brought back previous cast members such as Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and previous musical guests like Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, and Miley Cyrus. 

Saturday Night Live, or SNL, first aired on television on October 11th, 1975 and made what comedy and late night television is today. It utilized live performances by singers and comedians alike, and went through trials and tribulations to get 90 minutes on cable television. Later the show managed to become a staple of sketch comedy and satirical commentary. It is also known for being the birthplace of some of the biggest names in comedy like Chevy Chase, Julia Louis Dreyfus, and Eddie Murphy. All stars who returned to the show for the year 50 special. 

Specifically, the special episode had multiple musical guests including Paul Simon and Paul Mccartney, an opening monologue by Steve Martin, the weekly Weekend Update which welcomed former cast member Bill Murray, and much more. Popular skits from every decade the show has been running were revived, and even more celebrities such as Robert De Niro and Rachel Dratch returned for the “Debbie Downer” skit, a sketch that became an instant classic when it aired in 2004. 

SNL 50 was a commemoration of the 939 episodes and hundreds of cast members and writers, celebrity hosts, and musical guests who have dedicated time towards creating the show.