Saturday Night Live
This past twelvemonth has proven to be one of the most challenging inSaturday Night Live ’s history , as not only didJason Reitman helm a biopicof the drollery study show ’s first - ever episode , but it also celebrated its 50th day of remembrance with an over - three - hour - longsighted special to commemorate the juncture . Featuring a mix of reprised study , new 1 , and look back at the show ’s past , it proved to be a mostly charming and amusing celebration of the show ’s legacy .
Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Specialunites multiple generations of the sketch comedy show ’s cast for fresh and continuations of iconic vignette , order from Rachel Dratch ’s Debbie Downer to the Laraine Newman and Pete Davidson - star " The Stagehand " . Studio 8H was also full of some of the large names in Hollywood , many of whom gravel in on the fun , include Ryan Reynolds , Peyton Manning , Zach Galifianakis , Jon Hamm and Julia Louis - Dreyfus . Also featured in the instalment were picture montage seem back on some of the show ’s more pop , and infamous , sketch .
SNL 50’s Fourth-Wall Breaking Commentary Felt Bizarrely Tasteless
From The Opening Monologue To A Certain Montage, The Show Felt Out Of The Loop
For a good majority of its foot race , Saturday Night Livehas certainly been fearless to become proscribed with its textile , particularly when tackle actual - macrocosm ideas , like its variousAlec Baldwin - led Donald Trump sketches . That allege , as tastes and respects alter , some pastjokes surely have n’t abide the test of fourth dimension , whether it be an possibility soliloquy or a full - on sketch . The writing seemed on the bulwark that , despite its in force efforts , the fiftieth Anniversary Special would still descend prey to this just from Steve Martin ’s opening soliloquy , a amazingly disappointing affair .
… it testify very unusual for it to give the spotlight to everything from Adrien Brody ’s infamously unhinged blah to the antiblack tropes the likes of Rob Schneider , Chevy Chase and even Hanks himself put on show .
Many of his attack at humor failed to elicit more than a chortle from me , whether it was remarks about being sarcastic when congratulate baby or flaky backhand jab at the writers of the show . The more noticeably off - putting of Martin ’s monologue , though , is his reunification with hisOnly Murders in the Buildingco - star Martin Short . thing pop off charming but speedily devolve when the former shouts for ICE upon being asked by Short why they ’re not co - hosting the show . In another earned run average , this would be a trick that works , but the current political landscape makes it an awkward act .
Even beyond the monologue , SNL 50made some attemptsto directly address some of its more controversial past jape with the In Memoriam section dedicated to " cancelled " sketches , with Tom Hanks lay out the TV montage of characters and jokes that cured poorly due to racist , sexist and homophobic stereotypes , among other thing . return the special is designed to observe the show ’s creative heights , it try very strange for it to give the spotlight to everything from Adrien Brody ’s infamously unhinged rant to the antiblack image the likes of Rob Schneider , Chevy Chase and even Hanks himself put on display .
The Show’s Sketches Were Thankfully More Hit Than Miss
Returning Faces & Dedicated Performances Kept The Show Afloat
Amid shifting originative squad , dramatis personae and output values , Saturday Night Livehas never been averseto accept a few sketch every episode that do n’t quite match up to the rest of the show , and sadly , the 50th Anniversary Special was no unlike . Considering the show had a mountain more fourth dimension to fill than a normal installment , it make mother wit some bits would n’t live up to the others , though confessedly , I incur myself surprised by some of the single that did n’t work on for me .
There was one clear succeeder among the caboodle , though , and that was the " Close Encounters " adumbrate not only boast Kate McKinnon ’s recurrence as the off - kilter Colleen Rafferty , but also marking Meryl Streep’sSaturday Night Livedebut as Colleen Sr .
The one that comes to judgment , in exceptional , was that of the " Wedding " sketch featuring the getting even of Marcello Hernandez ’s Domingo , as well as everyone from Martin Short and Molly Shannon as an overly amorous married couple to Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny as Domingo ’s similarly seductive brothers Renaldo and Santiago . On paper , all the chemical element were in place for a great study , and the fact that Sabrina Carpenter purposely sung poorly for her quality in the segment worked keen . regrettably , the bit not only ran too long but also get down to lose its own plot .
However , the special ’s sketches were far more hits than misses . The counter ofBlack Jeopardy!was a delight as Eddie Murphy and Tracy Morgan play off one another , specifically as the former play the latter , whiletheWeekend Updatesegmentproved to be one of my all - clock time favourite , especially for Bobby Moynihan ’s return as Drunk Uncle , going all in on his unhinged nature .
There was one clean winner among the bunch , though , and that was the " Close Encounters " vignette , which not only featured Kate McKinnon ’s return as the off - kelter Colleen Rafferty , but also mark Meryl Streep’sSaturday Night Livedebut as Colleen Sr . It also pair a plot Aidy Bryant , Hamm , Pascal and Woody Harrelson . McKinnon remained hilarious as ever as the unfiltered and uniquely eloquent alien abductee , while the three - fourth dimension Oscar achiever was marvellously disorderly as her female parent , giving me hope Streep will look at future appearances on the show .
Even Technical Errors Couldn’t Ruin My Joy
The Special Found A Good Mix Between Nostalgia & Originality
Given the show was largely a live yield , technical issues were oblige to happen , but it was quite surprising just how many technological error there were throughout theSNLspecial . Much likeKendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl , Lil Wayne ’s mike point felt like they were drastically dispirited , making it laborious to really come across with any of the lyric poem in the medley of some of his most iconic track . likewise , I line up myself taken out of the " Bronx Beat with Betty & Jodi " vignette due to the constant scratch of Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph ’s microphones .
On a positive note , one of the other self-aggrandizing surprisal to come fromSNL 50was just how aroused it made me throughout its streamlet . Between clips oflegends like Chris Farleyand John Belushi in action to Sandler ’s " 50 Years " Sung dynasty andWeekend Updatefeaturing heartfelt tributes to Norm Macdonald , I ca n’t refuse the waterworks were flow multiple time throughout the special as it not only celebrate its history but recognize how impactful so many of its performers have been on fans .
This was also one of the just things theSaturday Night Live50th Anniversary Specialhad going for it — it was a admixture of nostalgia and fresh material . view just how much archived footage there is of the sketch show , it almost would n’t have been a surprisal if NBC and Lorne Michaels elected to make the full special a clip show with brief bits interlard . And yet , it was a dead on target testament to everyone ’s dedication that they did n’t coast on their past success and , alternatively , surrender a beautiful send - up blending the two together .
TheSaturday Night Live50th Anniversary Special is now streaming on Peacock .
