Six of the best moments from 'SNL50: The Anniversary Special' (and a bonus)

Over the decades, “Saturday Night Live” has spawned countless memorable characters and skits, but for 1 night, galore of them — from “Black Jeopardy” to “Bronx Beat” to “Debbie Downer” — made a instrumentality for the 50th day solemnisation of the sketch drama series.

“SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” a live, prime-time lawsuit connected NBC Sunday that ran for much than 3 hours, was fundamentally an extended mentation of the late-night show, kicking disconnected with a acold unfastened — Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon performing “Homeward Bound” — and a monologue from Steve Martin, with assistance from John Mulaney and Martin Short. Musical guests included Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard — who performed Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a motion to Sinead O’Connor — rapper Lil Wayne with The Roots and Beatles fable Paul McCartney. (Also notable was Aubrey Plaza making her archetypal nationalist quality since her husband’s Jan. 3 decease to present Cyrus and Howard.) Prior to the special, a reddish carpet, hosted by “SNL” alum Leslie Jones, previewed the stars who would beryllium successful the assemblage successful Studio 8H.

The lawsuit capped a weekend-long solemnisation of the show, which began Friday with “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” astatine Radio City Music Hall. It featured artists from a scope of genres who had performed connected the amusement implicit the decades, including Cher, Lady Gaga, Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill of the Fugees, Devo, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Nirvana with Post Malone connected vocals, the Backstreet Boys, Robyn, David Byrne, Arcade Fire with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Jack White, who closed retired the amusement with 2 songs: a screen of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ successful the Free World” and “Seven Nation Army.” Sketches were featured successful betwixt performances (more connected that below). The three-hour performance was livestreamed connected Peacock, where it tin inactive beryllium viewed — it’s a indispensable watch.

On Saturday, NBC aired the precise archetypal occurrence of the show, which premiered successful October 1975, during “SNL’s” accustomed clip slot. Several members of the archetypal formed were successful attendance astatine the peculiar connected Sunday, including Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman — featured successful a “Chad” sketch with Pete Davidson — and Garrett Morris, who introduced “Don’t Look Back successful Anger,” a abbreviated from Season 3 featuring John Belushi arsenic an aged antheral visiting the graves of his castmates (Belushi died successful 1982). During the good-nights, Curtin and Newman could beryllium seen hoisting a black-and-white photograph of Gilda Radner, different archetypal formed member, who died successful 1989. Looking connected was creator Lorne Michaels.

Here are immoderate of the highlights from the “SNL50” special, selected by The Times’ tv staff.

A Domingo reprise with philharmonic stars and ‘SNL’ greats

The soul-patch-sporting Domingo, played by Marcello Hernández, made a comeback, marking the character’s 3rd clip successful a sketch since his splashy debut successful October. The saucy quality had an matter with bride-to-be Kelsey (Chloe Fineman) and joined her bridesmaids successful opus astatine the wedding to archer her caller hubby (Andrew Dismukes) astir the affair. His consequent appearances person been progressively messy.

For the 3rd installment, Kelsey’s parents (played by a terrific Martin Short and Molly Shannon) toast to the mates astatine their vow renewal earlier her friends, led by Sabrina Carpenter, sing different off-key secret-spilling tribute (this time, they stumble their mode done “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked” and Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me”). Hernandez arsenic Domingo past reveals that helium has 2 brothers — played by Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny — who besides person engaged successful messy affairs with the family.

Shannon — whose quality was participating successful adust January’s counterpart, “wet February” — grinded up against Bad Bunny successful 1 of the evening’s astir unexpected but delightful pairings. The sketch was diagnostic of overmuch of the evening with its astonishing personage cameos, and was, perhaps, an entreaty to younger viewers who mightiness not beryllium arsenic s acquainted with celebrated sketches of the past. — Kaitlyn Huamani

Meryl Streep’s first-ever ‘SNL’ quality (yes, really)

Sure, Meryl Streep and Martin Short arsenic an undercover mates is cute. But Streep and Pedro Pascal flirting with each different arsenic characters who’ve been abducted by aliens? That’s retired of this world. In her archetypal ever quality connected “SNL” — insane, we cognize — Streep appeared arsenic Colleen Sr., the parent of alien abductee Colleen Rafferty, Kate McKinnon’s recurring character. In the “Close Encounter” sketch, the mother-daughter duo recounted their extraterrestrial experiences successful an interrogation with investigators (Aidy Bryant and Jon Hamm) astatine the Pentagon. They were joined by 2 men, Kermit (Pascal) and Dusty (Woody Harrelson), who raved astir their otherworldly encounters. But it’s Streep’s committedness to Colleen Sr.’s laid-back, unbothered demeanor that steals the sketch. If you privation to cognize what a vibe is, conscionable ticker Streep successful bluish jeans and a escaped button-down, gripping a cigaret and a integrative cupful portion manspreading and talking astir her idiosyncratic landscaping oregon her husband’s anatomy.

But it’s erstwhile Kermit praises her motherly instincts to prevention her girl from the aliens that Streep’s committedness to the portion genuinely stands out. Turning to him, she says, “Yeah, well, a bully parent tin besides beryllium a baaaad girl.” She past swings her near limb truthful it straddles the chair’s armrest for accent and asks, “What’s your name, mustache?” It makes america privation that Kermit and Colleen Sr. were connected “Love Is Blind” to bring immoderate amusive to the bland pod dates this season. But we’ll settee for “SNL” yet asking Streep to host. What’s the delay, guys? — Yvonne Villarreal

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s assemblage Q&A

If you inquire me, Tina and Amy are the John and Paul of “SNL,” truthful it’s ever a thrill to spot them reunited. The erstwhile “Weekend Update” anchors and fashionable Golden Globes hosts took questions astir the show’s past from the star-studded audience. There was Keith Richards, inquiring astir the whereabouts of a scarf he’d near astatine 30 Rock sometime successful the ’90s; Jon Lovitz, asking wherefore helium was seated crossed the thoroughfare astatine the American Girl store; and Jon Hamm, seeking confirmation that helium is, indeed, funny.

The Q&A league was, arsenic Seth Meyers pointed out, a large mode “to springiness immoderate aerial clip to celebrities who aren’t successful different parts of the show.” It was besides a large accidental to spot precisely which celebrities were among the fewer 100 to beryllium successful the assemblage astatine Studio 8H — Cher! Kevin Costner! — and who got the eventual luxury of a plus-one. But the existent standout infinitesimal successful the spot had thing to bash with the A-listers successful attendance. It was the little quality by Donna Richards, who dresses the big each week connected “SNL” and “has seen each personage present successful their underpants.” (Her favorite: Jason Momoa.) Oh, the stories she could tell. — Meredith Blake

New York, the musical

The special’s sketch paying tribute to New York done the years initially seemed similar an improbable premise for humor. It started with John Mulaney arsenic a blistery canine vendor educating 2 out-of-towners (David Spade and Pete Davidson) who privation to marque it successful the Big Apple. But the comic kicked up a notch erstwhile Adam Driver successful a blistery canine costume and Maya Rudolph arsenic a needle of heroin launched into a send-up of “Fame.” The Broadway philharmonic parodies continued, ranging from “Les Misérables” and “Little Shop of Horrors” (Scarlett Johansson showing immoderate awesome singing chops arsenic a battered Audrey) to Lin-Manuel Miranda and McKinnon arsenic disgraced New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani riffing connected “Hamilton.”

The item was a poke astatine the changing vibe of Times Square that featured a pimp (Jason Sudeikis) and Elmo (Will Forte) successful the workplace re-creating the conflict duet betwixt Jean Valjean and Javert from “Les Miserables” (MVP honors for Jenna Ortega and Costner arsenic 2 highly uncomfortable assemblage members seated together). The expansive finale with dozens of singers and celebrities featured idiosyncratic dressed arsenic Robert De Niro from “Taxi Driver.” A comic gem. — Greg Braxton

‘Weekend Update’ ranks the anchors

What’s “SNL” without “Weekend Update”? Colin Jost and Michael Che kicked disconnected the conception with jokes astir the show’s awards (95 Emmys, 1 Grammy, 3 Peabody awards and implicit 100 Tonys — connected the crew) and however they “did the astute happening and packed each beloved entertainer implicit 60 into 1 tiny space” amid outbreaks of the flu, COVID-19, RSV and norovirus. Che besides paid tribute to Norm MacDonald, the unforgettable fan-favorite anchor, and alluded to his unrelenting O.J. Simpson jokes.

Cecily Strong played “The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With astatine a Party,” who flubs words excessively large for her and tells Che, “There are radical successful Africa. You should cognize that, work a phone.” Bobby Moynihan popped successful arsenic the 70-something “Drunk Uncle” who impregnated her and begins to sob arsenic helium sings Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time.” They were followed by Michael’s closest friends, played by Fred Armisen and Vanessa Bayer, who seemed precise acrophobic of the show’s creator.

But the standout of “Update” was Bill Murray’s ranking of the champion anchors — champion Black anchor went to Che, the lone Black anchor. The ranking began with Colin Quinn, Kevin Nealon, Dennis Miller, Seth Meyers, Fey and Jimmy Fallon, and Fey and Poehler. And yes, Chase was the archetypal anchor, but Murray near him retired and rounded retired the apical 3 with Curtin and Dan Aykroyd, MacDonald and lastly, his member Brian Doyle-Murray. — Maira Garcia

Big Red’s legs volition scare you straight

Watching Will Ferrell successful situation booty shorts showing disconnected his pasty achromatic legs feels similar a brainsick mode to soothe the Sunday scaries. And yet, it worked. — Y.V.

Bonus: The Culps bash Kendrick Lamar connected ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’

Will Ferrell and Ana Gasteyer reprised their characters the Culps, performing a medley that included Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”

(Virginia Sherwood / Peacock)

The weekend-long solemnisation kicked disconnected connected Friday with a performance featuring performances by surviving legends including Cher, David Byrne, Snoop Dogg and, of course, Marty Culp and Bobbi Mohan-Culp. Will Ferrell and Ana Gasteyer reprised the euphony teacher duo, who performed a medley of (mostly) modern hits successful their signature, overly ceremonial style. There was Doechii’s “Denial Is a River” and Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” but astir important of each determination was the Culps’ strangely mesmerizing screen of “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning diss way and Super Bowl standout. As she nailed the song’s signature riff successful Bobbi’s operatic voice, Gasteyer reminded everyone astatine Radio City Music Hall what a prima she has ever been. — M.B.