Over the weekend, Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special episode full of nostalgic memories and appearances from past cast members.
As a show that commentates on the United States’ culture through comedy, many people tune in for a weekly laugh. Given that the show has now run for 50 seasons, a lot has changed since they first started. Many people in the school district follow the show and enjoy watching regularly. “It’s one of my favorite shows to watch with my family,” said senior Lily Patramanis.
Some of the notable cast members that returned includeMaya Rudolph, Will Ferrell and Pete Davidson. The inclusion of stars from previous generations seemed to resonate well with fans. “I thought I was really funny. Great throwbacks to sketches I grew up with, funny guest appearances from Eddie Murphy and Will Ferrell (to name a few) and Paul McCartney performing at the end was perfect,” said teacher Josh Hoffman.
Long-term fans also feel that the show has changed along with American society to reflect current issues and events, such as elections. “I think the content has changed, it has become a little more political based over time and I think they try to make a lot of jokes about it because of the current state it is in,” Patramanis added.
Despite having a more political focus in previous years, the anniversary special did not have any presidential skits. This came as a slight surprise, given this has become a regular occurrence for the show. While some criticize the show for taking a political stance, others see the lighthearted jokes as a great way to ease tensions during a high-stakes time.
Along with old cast members, many celebrity guests were invited as well. Notably, Blake lively and Ryan Reynolds made waves with their appearance. Despite their ongoing lawsuit with actor Justin Baldoni, the two both attended. Reynolds even participated in a skit, standing up from the crowd to ask a question.
SNL has confirmed that the show will continue on to its 51st season, leaving fans excited for more after what was a very nostalgic, memorable and special finale to Season 50.
