“Saturday Night Live” alumni spanning across five decades of sketch comedy teamed up for “SNL50: The Anniversary Special.” The highly anticipated celebration of the series’ lasting achievement brought together a huge crew of comedy legends who got their start on the NBC staple, along with a crowd full of film, music, TV and sports stars alike.
“SNL” superstars Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy and Tina Fey, among others, all returned home to celebrate the show’s legacy for the three-hour anniversary special, which also featured cast members from the current season, original cast members from 1975, as well as fan-favorite “SNL” hosts and musical guests like Tom Hanks and Sabrina Carpenter.
In the lead-up to the 50th anniversary special, Peacock released a four-part docuseries, “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” to honor the legacy of the sketch series, with over 60 contributors, including “SNL” alumni. Amy Poehler and Bowen Yang were just two of the documentary’s subjects, who watched back their audition tapes, recounting their earliest memories with the show.
For more on how to watch “SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” keep reading.
When was the “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” taped?
The three-hour special premiered live at 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PT on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025.
Where can you watch the anniversary special if you missed it live?
“SNL50: The Anniversary Special” aired live on NBC and Peacock, but not to worry — if you missed the live stream, you can watch the full three-hour special on Peacock, where it will be streaming indefinitely.
If you don’t have Peacock, you won’t be able to watch the full special, but you can find just about every sketch and performance individually on the “Saturday Night Live” YouTube channel.
Which ‘SNL’ alumni appeared in the special?
Several “SNL” legends returned to celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary, including Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell to name a few.
The line-up also includes several original cast members, including Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman. Morris, Curtin and Newman all started with the show in 1975 and stayed until 1980.
Other notable alumni featured in the anniversary special include:
- Amy Poehler
- Andy Samberg
- Chris Rock
- Fred Armisen
- Jason Sudeikis
- Jimmy Fallon
- Kate McKinnon
- Kenan Thompson
- Kristen Wiig
- Maya Rudolph
- Molly Shannon
- Pete Davidson
- Seth Meyers
- Tina Fey
- Tracy Morgan
- Will Forte
A few of these alumni also appeared during the “SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert” Friday.
Which notable “SNL” hosts appeared in the special?
The guest list included Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Martin Short, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro, Sabrina Carpenter, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Woody Harrelson.
