"Saturday Night Live" will celebrate its 50th anniversary Sunday (8 pm ET, NBC) with a three-hour special featuring former cast members, hosts, and major musical guests. In its normal 11:30 pm ET slot Saturday, viewers can watch a rerun of the debut episode.
First aired Oct. 11, 1975, "SNL" was conceived as a countercultural, live sketch comedy show meant to fill a scheduling gap where reruns of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" used to play. The show launched the careers of its original cast, including Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd, and became a staple in cultural discourse with its irreverent takes and satirical "Weekend Update." Dozens of alumni would go on to become A-list comedic actors like John Belushi, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, and many more. See a list of the show’s 10 most-watched sketches here.
Television critics suggest "SNL's" success stemmed in part from its decision to rotate celebrity hosts and regularly turn over the cast to spotlight new comedians, as well as the guidance of longtime NBC producer Lorne Michaels.
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