For almost 50 years, since 1975, Saturday Night Live has been the other King of Late Night. Johnny Carson ruled the after-hours talk shows for 30 years from 1962-92, and during that time no competitor managed to topple him from his throne. No one has really equaled him in stature and relevancy. And the same goes for SNL. Not Fridays, Mad TV, Howard Stern or even the excellent Canadian import SCTV could compete with SNL, either for actual viewers in time-slot competitions or in long-lasting influence as the leader in sketch-TV comedy.
One of the reasons SNL still reigns is the amazing characters they have created. The faces change regularly, but the great characters and the sketches that the cast creates are what make SNL so beloved. Dana Carvey as the Church Lady, Eddie Murphy as Mr. Robinson, John Belushi as the Samurai, Gilda Radner as Roseanne Roseannadanna, Bill Hader as Stefon. And the pairings! Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd as two Wild and Crazy Guys; Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri as the Spartan Cheerleaders; Jane Curtin and Chevy Chase on the “Weekend Update” desk; Carvey with Kevin Nealon as Hans and Franz; and Mike Myers with Carvey (again!) as Wayne and Garth. SNL’s 40th anniversary special in 2015 was a hilarious and nostalgic treat (and a ratings winner!).
We’re celebrating the approaching 50-year milestone slightly early, so have fun and enjoy.
