‘SNL 50’ Review: A Long But Meaningful Tribute

On Sunday, Feb. 16, the Saturday Night Live cast gathered at Studio 8H to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the television monolith in a three hour special that was as charming as it was long. In a series of fan-favorite sketches, compilations, star appearances, and a couple of new moments, the anniversary special paid a meaningful homage to the past 50 years but avoided the topic of the next 50.

From the beginning to the end, the night was steeped with nostalgia. Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon opened the night with a duet of “Homeward Bound,” and the pair’s touching harmonies symbolized how both the start of the show and its current state have so much to offer. The crossover in generations was one of the highlights of the show, creating combinations of celebrities that seem like a fever dream — like in the pre-recorded sketch where original cast member Laraine Newman went to the studio to reminisce on her time at the show and is accompanied by Chad, played by Pete Davidson, an incompetent night crew worker who responds to Newman’s heartfelt reflections with a simple “okay.”

The star-studded quality of the special, from Kim Kardashian to Miley Cyrus to Ayo Edibiri, is a testament to the power of the show. Although Meryl Streep had an incredibly hilarious SNL debut alongside Kate McKinnon in the recurring sketch “Close Encounter” about an alien abduction, the real stars of the show were the cast members from throughout the years who delivered novel renditions of their most famous characters.

Rachel Dratch’s “Debbie Downer” was back spreading facts about microplastics, bird flu, and feline AIDS. Molly Shannon’s “Sally O’Malley” returned kicking and stretching alongside Emma Stone, just as flexible as ever. Eddie Murphy impersonated Tracy Morgan in “Black Jeopardy” while the actual Tracy Morgan was there, a highlight of the night. Seeing these characters one more time on live television was so much more electric than watching a recorded sketch. However, the reprisals failed, for the most part, to put a contemporary twist on the old material.

Although these reprisals were well-executed and entertaining, the special left only a small amount of space for new, subversive material — exactly what SNL is known for and what they must continue to produce if they hope to continue their legacy. The new material included was great — Andy Samberg and Bowen Yang’s catchy music video on how “everyone who has worked at SNL has anxiety” was so hilarious it is a shame that it is likely a one time collaboration.

However, the decision to prioritize the live attendees was fair; the seats in the studio were filled with former cast members, writers, hosts, and musical guests.

“Everyone here has something in common. All of our lives were changed by this show,” Adam Sandler said while introducing his song, which was a touching recap of SNL’s first 50 years. The emotion in his voice as he mentioned the late cast members Chris Farley and Norm Macdonald showed exactly how much the show meant to him and to everyone else involved.

The live show was not without its hiccups, however. Pedro Pascal came in late to his verse of “Domingo: Vow Renewal,” and there were a handful of issues with the microphones throughout many of the sketches. Yet, the live aspect of the show is part of what makes it so special, and mistakes are par for the course. Paul McCartney’s medley of “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” and “The End” showed the age of his voice —hearing the raw quality of his voice at 82 years old rather than an auto-tuned alternative displayed the genuine nature of the show.

The special focused more on the last 25 years of the show rather than the entire 50, but is worth watching as a celebration of the comedy institution. Although the special didn’t provide a convincing answer as to what SNL will get up to for the next 50 years, the number of legends assembled in one room — including original cast members Garrett Morris, Chevy Chase, Laraine Newman, and Jane Curtin — is a testament to the impact of the show and its continued legacy.

—Staff writer Hannah M. Wilkoff can be reached at hannah.wilkoff@thecrimson.com.