When Saturday Night Live (SNL) began in 1975, no one knew how long it would last. Now, the show is still running and celebrating its 50th anniversary.
As the number one show on NBC, according to US TVDB, SNL shows no signs of slowing down, especially after the success of its 50th Anniversary Special.
“It’s nice having a way to laugh at the end of each week, especially something topical that reflects the time,” said Madeline Howard, a junior at Carlmont.
SNL has made quite an impact on comedy over the years. Although the show has hit a few bumps along the way, it remains a symbol of the value of sketch comedy, focusing on topics ranging from politics to history to wedding shenanigans.
“I like their takes on what’s going on in the world. Sometimes I see something in the news and wonder what SNL is gonna do with it,” said Emily Maia, a senior at Carlmont.
SNL’s strategy of bringing famous actors, musicians, comedians, and other celebrities together creates moments of wonderful chemistry and action. It offers a platform for comedians to share their skills and for other celebrities to have fun and give whatever they have to offer.
“I like seeing the different celebrities, and I’m usually more interested if it’s a celebrity I know,” Maia said.
The live format of the show has created a culture of sharing and community around the show. Whether enjoyed during a family event or a chill night with friends, live television can create easy connections and conversation topics.
“I’ve been watching SNL with my mom since I was nine, pretty much every week. It’s family bonding time for me,” Howard said.
Live television’s popularity has changed significantly over the decades, with the popularity of streaming changing the game.
The way people interact with media has changed in parallel. Some still choose to watch live television, but many have moved over to streaming platforms. Social media has also changed the game, making it easy to share clips instead of full episodes.
“I think of it as pretty popular, but more people know it from the clips they see on TikTok rather than watching it,” Maia said.
The accessibility of the clips and short sketches posted on YouTube or other social media platforms makes it less likely that people will choose to watch the full episode instead. Only events like the 50th Anniversary Special were able to bring in extremely wide viewership, gaining nearly 15 million viewers according to AP News.
“I saw on the news that anyone who was anyone was there,” said Rachelle Charest, a Carlmont parent.
The 50th Anniversary Special also brought back some old sketches to reflect on SNL’s history, such as the “Bridesmaid Speech” sketch that sparked more interest across social media.
“The special was a good mix of modern and older bits. It did a good job of honoring the previous casts and their legacy,” Howard said.
SNL has also faced backlash from its fanbase, with people leaving due to overly political content or views that don’t align with theirs. Many adults also feel that the quality has gone down.
“I definitely see the humor hits around middle-aged to young adults, so as time goes on, it gets closer to being geared toward me more than my mom,” Howard said.
As SNL moves forward, the show will continue to work to appeal to the same age range of audience members in order to maintain popularity over time.
“It is definitely geared toward older people sometimes, but there are plenty of bits that are all-around funny,” Howard said.
Comedy holds a place in the world that no other form of entertainment can fill.
“I like comedy because it makes me laugh and is lighthearted,” said Sofia Salay, a Carlmont sophomore.
With jokes and celebrity cameos, SNL continues to hold its place as a sketch comedy show that brings joy and laughter to fans across the country.
