They did some real heavy hitters at the 40th like Wayne's World, Celebrity Jeopardy, and Murray's lounge singer character, so it makes sense why they didn't want to just do those again.
okay i just rewatched the 40th to remind myself A lot of similarities actually but the 40th had WAY WAY more montages and less actual sketches. I'd say i agree with @tdlyon thought that the 50th had a much more.....emotional? feel to it, in a way. But i actually liked that because that's how i was feeling leading up to it and lets face it. It was one of those moments that made you think and know that the next time they do something like this (60? 75?), a LOT of these faces won't be alive anymore.
I think it was a mostly perfect show. Each sketch, served a good purpose. Bronx Beat was never a favorite of mine but it allowed them to shoehorn Myers. Wedding/Domingo showcased the current cast (and got Beck/Mooney). Close Encounters got Meryl to finally do SNL!, Scared straight had Eddie do a legit full sketch, Mulaney's song was my favorite actual sketch and got a lot of people involved, I actually liked them doing CHAD + newman. You have to do some sort of lonely island obviously. Sisters allowed them to do Wiig AND Will. I liked them showcasing an old SCHILLERS REEL + Jack Handey. Adam Sandler song definitely gave me a tear. Everything served a purpose and I dig that. I would've liked ONE more throwback to the 70s sketch, like in the 40th they did Bass-o-Matic word for word with Aykrod...something like that, but otherwise good show
Besides 50 being a massive milestone, I think this was a bit more emotional and sincere because, let’s face it, it’s probably one of the last times some of the original cast will be in that room and Lorne, lord willing, will not be with the show if it makes it to 60. At 40, it felt like “Wow, we actually went this long.” Now, it feels like a show that can go as long as it wants so the celebration could focus on giving people their flowers while they’re still here. Also, I loved that Sandler song, but I think it also proves working for Lorne is hell.
The only truly off part of it for me was the weird ass "racist/sexist/homophobic bits we did in past" retrospective
I think the only sketch that really fell flat was Chad, which I was never a fan of, but I also thought it was nice to give the often-underrated Laraine Newman a starring role
I havent finished all the sketches, but from what I have seen, there were very few misses. I Also read that Hader has stagefright, to some point, and we were certainly wondering here Carvey was (as Spade was there). Nice to see Tim Meadows.
A lot more sketches this time than the 40th. Some hit some didn’t. It was SNL as it’s always been. Good anniversary special
a very fun special with a lot of laughs. noted earlier but would of enjoyed more former cast members over celebs being in sketches but maybe they weren't up for it. who knows! Sandman goated.
The good thing about having the audience be a bunch of celebrities is they didn't scream for five minutes at each cameo. Everything flowed as natural as it can for a live sketch show.
I did notice they seemed to invite people indiscriminately. Morons like Rob Schneider and Jim Breuer were there, as well as sex pest Horatio Sans. I think they did their best to avoid putting them onscreen.
If you hosted or were in the cast, you were invited it seems. Regardless of how much of a piece of shit you turned out to be
During Homecoming, it cut to James Franco a couple of times and both times my wife and I were like "wait wtf."
Al Franken was another no show now that I think of it. He was at the 40th and he has been going back into public life recently since he was forced to resign from the Senate. He guest hosted The Daily Show not too long ago
Does Joe Piscapo still do things? My deep dive into early snl continues and im really fascinated in the between Lorne era of the 80s and talk about a mainstay in Piscapo