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Season 1 – SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night

Play trailer 2:00 Poster for Season 1 – SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night Jan 2025 Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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69% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
In celebration of "Saturday Night Live's" 50th anniversary, this four-part series offers an unprecedented look at the show's inner workings. From the dynamics of the writers' room and the intricacies of the audition process, to a deep dive into the legendary "More Cowbell" sketch and the unique challenges of Season 11, each episode explores the very fabric of SNL. This series provides fresh insights and perspectives previously unexplored, aiming to connect fans more deeply with the legendary show and its rich history.
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SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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Ed Power Daily Telegraph (UK) Feb 19
2/5
But for all the birthday sparkle, in one respect, Saturday Night Live was assuredly its usual self. As is the convention, it wasn’t funny in the least. Go to Full Review
Vinson Cunningham The New Yorker Feb 12
These are, appropriately, works of highly informed nostalgia... But the most interesting episode is the final one, about the “Weird Year” -- the 1985-86 season, which marked Michaels’s return. Go to Full Review
David Fear Rolling Stone Jan 16
t's the third and fourth episodes, however, that ultimately turn this docuseries into comedy-nerd gold. Go to Full Review
Hannah Brown Jerusalem Post Feb 13
Those who love the early iterations of the show would be better off watching the new movie about the first episode, Saturday Night, or just watching clips of the first seasons, which are still funny no matter how many times you’ve seen them. Go to Full Review
Bruce R. Miller Sioux City Journal Feb 6
3/4
While the end doesn’t look like it’s in sight for “SNL,” it’s clear one aspect never goes away: fear of failure. It’s what fueled 50 years of the iconic series and continues to propel it now. Go to Full Review
Joel Keller Decider Jan 18
It’s a bit of a creative move to not try to incorporate the entire history of SNL into a four-part docuseries, but the way SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night approaches that task made for a much more satisfying viewing experience. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Hambone H Mar 31 SNL isn’t even funny it needs to end at least mad TV pushed boundaries See more Birithivy Y Mar 16 SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night - 8.5/10. SNL continues to put out so much material for people to watch in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Beyond Saturday Night is a fun and actually hilarious look at how some of the greatest cast members got casted, how things work behind the scenes, and how the magic of the show is created. Its really cool to see what got the show going behind the scenes, and how the show evolved and was conceptualized with each person that joined. Whether you love SNL or not, you have to understand and take in that this show is an establishment and entity of comedic gold. Its a place which has created many of the comedy stars of past, present, and near future. So, if you’re a fan or if you just love comedy, this is a fun and cool watch to get even more of a sense of how SNL has become a touchstone of comedy! See more Phillip D @phildub Feb 24 Fantastic. Makes me proud to be a fan. Very well done & most importantly… funny. See more Joseph C Feb 14 For the love of Pete! Is there no one else who instantly thought of the lead singer for Iron Maiden? Upon first watching the skit back in the day, I heard the name Bruce Dickinson, and immediately thought is the lead singer for Iron Maiden going to walk outta that control room for a cameo? They have a whole episode devoted to the skit. They even have an extended discussion about how they arrived at the name of Bruce Dickinson. It seems frankly improbable that with the breadth and depth of all the people that have worked on SNL, with their immersion in all things pop culture, that no one had a least a causal knowledge of heavy metal? I know it is far from a lauded genre, but no one else? (Fine . . . Snap off the “Okay Boomer.” I got it coming. ) See more Curtis L @Clindsey Feb 12 If you're a fan of SNL you'll really enjoy this. The Cowbell episode was probably the funniest but the whole thing is worth a watch. See more Harrison B @emailaddress Jan 31 This is SO niche and nerdy but for sketch comedy writers it should be required viewing. One of the biggest disappointments of my life is I never became a sketch writer on SNL. See more Read all reviews
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night — Season 1

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 16, 2025 Five Minutes The documentary delves into the journey of superstar comedians striving to join SNL, showcasing the preparation, determination and diverse stories of those who achieved their dream and those who found success in other paths. Details Episode 2 Aired Jan 16, 2025 More Cowbell A deep dive into the making of the iconic "More Cowbell" sketch, exploring how a simple idea became a cultural phenomenon and offering a tribute to the lasting impact of sketch comedy. Details Episode 3 Aired Jan 16, 2025 Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room A present-day behind the scenes look, with retrospective interviews, this documentary captures the creativity and chaos of a week inside the writers room at SNL. Details Episode 4 Aired Jan 16, 2025 Season 11: The Weird Year An archival exploration into SNL's strange, yet pivotal 11th season; Lorne Michaels' return after a five-year hiatus resets the show's direction and cements the DNA that has endured for decades. Details
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Season Info

Director
Robert Alexander, Marshall Curry, Neil Berkeley, Jason Zeldes
Executive Producer
Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Juaquin Cambron
Network
Peacock
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jan 16, 2025
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