SNL50 Recap: This One’s For the Millennials

Witnessing any deeply rooted institution shower itself with undue praise can be quite grating. For instance, the Oscars fall under this category. However, when it comes to Saturday Night Live reaching its 50th anniversary, it’s a milestone that calls for some self-congratulations. Fortunately, the team behind SNL50 spared no effort to transform what could have been a self-indulgent event into something enjoyable by almost everyone – but particularly millennials.

50th anniversary of SNL was a significant milestone, honoring those involved while maintaining its comedic edge. The importance of the event was widely communicated, from Olympics promos last summer to numerous documentaries in recent weeks. However, it’s worth emphasizing that SNL is more than just a source of jokes or a platform for music; it’s an archive chronicling American history, reflecting conversations, fashion trends, popular media, and humor preferences at different times. It’s astonishing to consider that this archive now spans 50 years. The show started with a veteran SNL member, Paul Simon, who has been part of the family since the beginning, and a relatively new face, Sabrina Carpenter, whom many were unfamiliar with a year ago but who now seems ingrained in pop culture, symbolizing both the longevity of SNL and its relevance in the present.

Regarding the instruction to make it funny, Lorne Michaels was leaving nothing to chance. He assembled a team of legendary SNL writers, including Tina Fey, Jim Downey, Paula Pell, Seth Meyers, and John Mulaney, to create the show. With the pressure of adapting to whatever Donald Trump said each morning no longer an issue, the group devised witty, respectful methods to delve into the rich playground that is SNL’s history and present.

Lorne Michaels, it seems, recalled the 2015 40th-anniversary special as a flawless production and requested Tina Fey to analyze it. Given the outcome of SNL’s 50th celebration, this makes sense. The earlier monumental event, SNL’s 25th-anniversary show from 2000, leaned heavily on the early years, but distributed its skits and tributes as evenly as possible across the 25-year span. In contrast, the 40th-anniversary special focused less on the early years and instead delved into the amusing aspects of intergenerational collaboration. Instead of having Billy Crystal’s Fernando or Bill Murray’s Nick the Lounge Singer engage in crowd work like the 25th special did, the 40th incorporated original cast member Laraine Newman into a modern Californians sketch, culminating in the meta-joke of David Spade’s ’90s flight attendant saying “buh-bye” to the performers as they exited the sketch.

The concept was similar to fantasy football, but instead of predicting NFL team performances, it involved guessing who might return to Saturday Night Live during the David Spade era. The excitement generated by this idea seems to be what Lorne Michaels intended to replicate using the 40th special as a blueprint. If that was his intention, SNL50 largely achieved its goal.

One notable variation between the two latest anniversary specials is that while the 40th reduced the early character appearances, this one eliminated them altogether. This strategic decision was both shrewd and wise. The earliest seasons of SNL and their characters have been immortalized in numerous ways already, making another revival seem repetitive or redundant.

Regrettably, these old skits seem less amusing over time, losing their humor as the years pass and what was once funny becomes more a matter of nostalgia than laughter. For instance, Dan Aykroyd’s Bass-o-matic character, revived in 2015, lacks relevance in our current context where infomercials have been replaced by an endless stream of advertisements for products that seem unnecessary, like the Juicero juicer. Even though Aykroyd might still possess his comedic prowess, it’s difficult to find humor in a revival when everything feels like a sales pitch for something unneeded.

Without some of SNL’s most squeaky characters, this special primarily aimed at the show’s late ’90s and 2000s audience, occasionally touching on current times. The strategy seems to be that it is more appealing to confuse Boomers with references to the Kel Squad admiring Domingo, rather than having Gen Alpha viewers ask about the humor behind the Blues Brothers or King Tut. Evidently, millennials have become the primary demographic for an SNL anniversary special – a significant shift in generations – and this special is essentially a gift to millennials who grew up with Debbie Downer and Bronx Beat.

Here are the highlights:

Steve Martin monologue

https://youtube.com/watch?v=nUft6PAqBSM?si=pqHmxk0Uy1FXgUW3

One method for rephrasing this passage in a more natural and easy-to-understand manner is as follows:

In a similar vein to the 40th anniversary playbook, this time around they’ve decided to invite veteran ‘SNL’ performer Steve Martin to deliver the monologue. Last time he appeared, his opening joke addressed the lack of diversity on ‘SNL’, as it was still recovering from a serious PR crisis due to a notable absence of Black women. Fast forward a decade, and Martin can now humorously refer to himself as ‘SNL’s newest diversity hire’, given the current climate appears to be pushing all workplaces towards early 2010s-level representation on ‘SNL’. The rest of the monologue contained more topical references than the rest of the show, but thankfully avoided the chase for applause. Instead, Mulaney stepped in at one point to candidly tell the many high-profile hosts just how challenging they all were to work with. It was the perfect balance to strike.

Lawrence Welk

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DPeo-c0Fmfc?si=1IpOtpVsexj5wF7F

Just a few sketches successfully combined elements to create the captivating spectacle of SNL’s 40th anniversary special, such as the Bronx Beat ladies sharing coffee with Linda Richman. However, the one that truly delivered a delightful mix of peanut butter and chocolate was the fusion between the Lawrence Welk Show (a character Kristen Wiig is known for) and Will Ferrell’s Robert Goulet. The humorous scene of goofy, self-assured Robert Goulet (reminiscent of Ron Burgundy) shaking hands with Wiig’s heavily-browed Maharelle sister Dooneese not only enhanced both characters but also took them to new heights.

Black Jeopardy

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9qYM6bKl57A?si=ym4X2VO65csoxEn2

During the previous anniversary special, it was quite significant that Eddie Murphy appeared at last, earning some applause from Chris Rock, despite his long-standing resentment towards the show for over three decades. Additionally, it was notable that Tracy Morgan wasn’t present, as he was still recuperating from a severe car accident the summer before. Since then, Murphy made a comeback to host SNL for the first time since the 1980s, and Morgan recovered from his injuries too, enabling them to share the screen in this charming revival of a popular sketch from the 2010s. Tom Hanks didn’t need to reenact his character from the widely shared 2016 version—skipping the jokes was probably for the best—but we can overlook that instance.

Weekend Update

https://youtube.com/watch?v=fqu5AFEvz7U?si=wDUzvFPYNOU377VN

As a movie reviewer, I must say, this latest installment of Saturday Night Live is brimming with delightful surprises! The comeback of beloved characters like Cecily Strong’s party conversationalist, Bobby Moynihan’s Drunk Uncle, Vanessa Bryant and Fred Armisen’s childhood pals, truly adds a nostalgic charm.

However, it’s Bill Murray who steals the show. In one instance, he casually mentions how the late Norm McDonald’s work on SNL made him ponder the possibility that OJ “was involved,” followed by an extended, introspective pause that is simultaneously hilarious and strangely poignant.

New York 50th Musical

https://youtube.com/watch?v=l8GbTZ8v1-w?si=aauYMWseZYijJ8JQ

In 2015, Mulaney had moved from being an SNL writer to a renowned stand-up comedian and unsuccessful sitcom creator, but he hadn’t hosted the show yet. Since then, he’s become one of the most consistent hosts ever, and his unique Broadway-style musical tributes to New York’s quirks are now iconic. It wouldn’t have been unexpected if this special didn’t include one of these musical numbers. Despite the recent airing of another Mulaney musical number in early November, there was still a sense of freshness and relevance in this one. Instead of being a straightforward tour through different eras of New York City, the actual aim was to explore various SNL casts through this grand, brassy lens. Well done!

Adam Sandler’s Song: 50 Years

https://youtube.com/watch?v=fXAbLeJyB0o?si=qrVDRrh-XzHzfnq0

In his tribute song for the 50th anniversary of SNL, Sandler points out well-known aspects such as cast members using cue cards, but also shares insider knowledge like frequent visits by Steven Spielberg. Meanwhile, Andy Samberg and Bowen Yang do something similar in a digital short about working at SNL, but it doesn’t have the emotional depth and specificity that Sandler’s rendition offers. If you’re an avid SNL fan and this performance doesn’t almost make you tear up, you might want to consult your eye doctor about whether your tear ducts are functioning properly.

In Memoriam

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mN0-SPKkgqg?si=A1VI2snH6824fbit

In this year’s tribute section marking 40 years, there’s a clever twist: Jon Lovitz is listed among the deceased, only to reveal he’s very much alive. Instead of honoring those who have passed away traditionally, this time the writers decide to subvert the concept entirely. They choose to focus on sketches that have become outdated instead. Despite not expressing regret or embarrassment for past instances of sexism, offensive language, and ethnic stereotypes, they acknowledge SNL’s role in being on the wrong side of history. It serves as a subtle critique on the changing dynamics of humor and a slap in the face to those complaining that shows like ‘Blazing Saddles’ couldn’t be made today.

Scared Straight

https://youtube.com/watch?v=LNt1l2Kkfe4?si=KC0lvh425FycMsOZ

Placing Murphy with Kenan Thompson in a reboot of Scared Straight sounds like an ideal blend of Saturday Night Live (SNL) – style team-ups, akin to fantasy football drafts for these specials. With Ferrell joining the mix too, it’s an exciting combination! Given that its duration is mostly filled with humorous prison rape references, and considering the recent In Memoriam segment that seemed dated, it appears as though SNL is subtly acknowledging the principles of contemporary comedy – knowing when to adhere to them and when to break them.

Cut For Time:

It’s important to note that during the shooting, they made sure to highlight or include as many crew members from the show in front of the camera whenever feasible. This was done consistently, as it ought to be.

Choosing Molly Shannon as Sally O’Malley to kick off our collection highlighting physical comedy is fitting, given her penchant for tumbling, which often appears more perilous than the falls of Chris Farley or Chevy Chase in these clips.

It was always enjoyable to scan the crowd, spotting those who had secured a rare and sought-after invitation. Notably, Riki Lindholme was among them – well done to her!

As a film enthusiast, it’s hard to overlook the conspicuous absence of Bill Hader, who’s been shining brightly in Hollywood since his SNL days. Apparently, he turned down the invitation because of an age-old scheduling issue. Given his open discussions about the crippling anxiety he faced on SNL, as sung by Samberg and Yang, one might interpret this absence in various ways. However, the reason behind Dan Aykroyd’s non-appearance remains a bit puzzling.

As a film enthusiast, raising my hand in anticipation for a high-five from Fred Armisen’s eagerness to see Kevin Spacey host the show once more, was undeniably the standout moment in Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s star-studded Q&A tribute. However, there were numerous other noteworthy contenders.

In this studio, Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard performed “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a song with significant history as it was originally sung by Sinéad O’Connor, who famously protested child abuse within the Catholic Church by tearing up a photo of the Pope during its performance. This act serves as a heartfelt tribute to O’Connor, although the show might have taken additional steps to acknowledge and make amends for the backlash she faced following that moment.

In the “Close Encounters” skit, did Woody Harrelson’s alien abductee have a goofy grin because it was his character choice or due to the script? We can’t tell for sure. It’s intriguing to imagine Meryl Streep playing Kate McKinnon’s mother, though.

Instead of Chad, played by Pete Davidson in the 2021 incident with Elon Musk, likely staying on Mars, it would have been amusing to witness him apologize profusely as he fumbled with Laraine Newman’s lighting setup for an extra minute or two.

Choosing ‘Third Year Veneers’ as a fictitious product in Alec Baldwin’s introduction to the Commercial Parodies montage is an ingenious self-reference.

Dave Chappelle struggled to make it just two seconds into the introduction of Lil Wayne and The Roots before lighting up a cigarette. It’s already challenging for him to deliver a 17-minute monologue without smoking, but this carelessness is unacceptable. Pull yourself together, Dave.

In the recent episode, Jimmy Fallon found himself unable to complete even a single sketch, specifically when Rachel Dratch reprised her character Debbie Downer. His composure cracked throughout it.

As a die-hard film enthusiast, I always cherish the moment when Laraine Newman and Jane Curtin share a heartwarming tribute to their late friend, Gilda Radner, by displaying her photo during their farewells. It’s a poignant reminder of the bond they shared and the legacy that endures.

• How fitting that Paul McCartney ended his epic Beatles medley with “The End.”

2025-02-17 22:55