Our favorite reason to stay at home on a Saturday night is back for its 40th (!) season on September 27, with host Chris Pratt and musical guest Ariana Grande. Before we tune in this weekend, let's take a look back at a few of our favorite moments over the decades. The first episode of the 40th year of Saturday Night Live premieres Saturday, September 27, at 11:30pm (EST).
The 1970s - Debuting October 11, 1975, the first decade of Saturday Night Live kicked off the careers of comedians Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Dan Ackroyd, John Belushi, Bill Murray and Jane Curtin, as well as frequent guest Steve Martin. This crew set the stage for the gold standard of comedy throughout the '70s and '80s, if not till the end of time. There are so many great characters and skits to pick from, but "Coneheads Family Feud," with Dan Ackroyd and Jane Curtin, really nails the absurdity of the first few seasons. Honorable mentions include Radner's goofball character Roseanne Roseannadanna, Martin and Ackroyd's "Wild and Crazy Guys!", Belushi's bumblebee and Blues Brothers characters and Chase's pratfalls as President Gerald Ford.
The 1980s - The '80s on SNL really split in half for us: on one side we have Eddie Murphy, and on the other, Mike Myers. Helping to revitalize the series in the early part of the decade, the electric Murphy—who was a castmember from seasons six through nine—brought life back to the show and established his gigantic career in the process. Our pick for the best Murphy sketch? "James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party," for sure! Then there's "Wayne’s World," with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as two metalheads hosting a public-access cable show about hard rock and hot babes.
The 1990s - Saturday Night Live in the '90s really found its footing when Will Ferrell joined the cast. Written by the driest man alive, SNL castmember Norm Macdonald, the show’s take on "Celebrity Jeopary!", starring Will Ferrell as Alex Trebeck and Darrell Hammond as a foul-mouthed Sean Connery, cemented Ferrell as a smart comedian playing the dumbest guys. It’s hard to imagine the show in that decade without his characters like Dodge Stratus Dad, hot tub enthusiast Professor Roger Klarvin and Spartan cheerleader Craig Buchanan.
The 2000s - The new century brought a host of new performers and new segments, including the ongoing Digital Shorts, which are shot by comedy troupe The Lonely Island. Set to music and often starring Andy Samberg (now making us laugh on Brooklyn 99), the 2005 short “Lazy Sunday” (also starring Chris Parnell) perfectly captured the New York City downtown and Brooklyn vibe of the time, with a Beastie Boys–influenced rap about eating Magnolia Bakery cupcakes and catching an afternoon screening of The Chronicles of Narnia. Wut!?
The 2010s - Alec Baldwin (along with musical guest Radiohead) kicked off season 37 of SNL, marking Baldwin's 16th turn as host, a record (surpassing even Steve Martin). There were so many great skits that night, but our favorite is Baldwin’s turn as Tony Bennett singing “Flicks That Are Great” on Weekend Update—it's laugh-out-loud funny. The fact that Baldwin actually sings almost as well as Bennett is the icing on the comedy cake.
Photo of NBC marquee via Flickr/Pete Jelliffe
