SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night

Rating

3.5 (1)

Release Date

1/16/2025

Runtime

4 eps, 246 mins

Genres

Documentary

Overview

This docuseries explores the iconic Saturday Night Live, showcasing the audition process, writing, infamous sketches, and the pivotal 11th season that cemented the show's DNA under Lorne Michaels' leadership.

Status

Ended

Original Language

English

Budget

Revenue

Homepage

Visit

How It Feels

Read from this film's synopsis, keywords and credits, and used to work out what it sits beside.

A behind-the-scenes love letter to Saturday Night Live that celebrates comedy as a living, breathing craft. You'll find yourself laughing at famous sketches while discovering the often-chaotic process that brought them to life.

Mood

JoyfulExhilarating

Themes

Art and creation

Tone

Earnest

Pacing

Brisk

Look

Documentary-like

Structure

Anthology

Tracy Morgan

Self

Joe Piscopo

Self

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Self

Amy Poehler

Self

Bobby Moynihan

Self

Cheri Oteri

Self

Fred Armisen

Self

Heidi Gardner

Self

Jay Pharoah

Self

Michael Shoemaker

Self

Pete Davidson

Self

Ayala Cohen

Self

Reviews

stormaciousd

Jan 23, 2025

I loved the episodes about the auditions and the writers room. They were interesting, with a great balance of fun clips and relevant interviews.
Then the other two episodes were meh. I like the cowbell sketch, but a full episode about it when there are only four episodes is not necessary. They interviewed a guy from the cowbell manufacturer!!!!?? Really?! An episode about the most iconic sketches in general would have made a lot more sense when there are only four total.
The last episode about season 11 was fine, but again, it had no business being 25% of this runtime. This one would have been better served maybe as the history of Weekend Update.
Anyway, two winners and two okay-ers.