SNL 50th Anniversary Celebrations Kick Off with Specials and Documentaries

NEW YORK, N.Y. — As Saturday Night Live (SNL) marks its 50th anniversary in 2025, the iconic sketch comedy series has launched a series of celebratory events, including specials, documentaries, and curated content. The milestone celebration, dubbed SNL50, began with an online rollout of classic sketches selected by the show’s team, representing every era of the series. Fans can visit NBC Insider daily for behind-the-scenes insights into these selections.

On January 16, Peacock will debut a four-part docuseries, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, executive-produced by Academy and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville. The series offers rare behind-the-scenes footage, celebrity interviews, and reflections from over 60 contributors, including former cast members and writers. This will be followed by the January 27 premiere of a documentary film co-directed by Questlove and Oz Rodriguez, focusing on the show’s legendary musical guests over the past five decades.

The celebrations will culminate on Sunday, February 16, with the three-hour primetime special SNL50: The Anniversary Special, airing live on NBC and Peacock. The event promises to highlight groundbreaking sketches, memorable performances, and star-studded appearances from the show’s history.

Meanwhile, SNL remains on a post-holiday break, with no new episode airing on January 11. Instead, NBC will re-air the November 2, 2024, episode hosted by comedian John Mulaney, featuring musical guest Chappell Roan. Mulaney, a former SNL writer, delivered a standout monologue and introduced a new installment of his popular sketch series during the episode.

When SNL returns on January 18, comedian Dave Chappelle will host for the fourth time, with rapper GloRilla as the musical guest. The following week, on January 25, Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet will pull double duty as both host and musical guest. Chalamet, who recently starred in the Bob Dylan biopic Going Electric, has previously hosted SNL twice and made a cameo appearance in 2021.

All 50 seasons of SNL are available to stream on Peacock, ensuring fans can relive the show’s most iconic moments as part of the anniversary celebrations.