“Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
For the past 50 years, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has dominated the entertainment industry as one of the few staple pieces of television. As the longest-running sketch comedy show in the United States, one has to wonder how SNL has maintained its relevance for over half a century and counting. From ‘Matt Foley: Van Down by the River’ to ‘Close Encounter,’ the show has managed to repeatedly produce classics that continue to amuse viewers to this day.
But what can be attributed to the show’s dominance?
Adaptability
SNL has an incredible ability to adapt to the world’s ever-changing trends, especially the rise of social media. The show has written countless sketches about TikTok, such as ‘TikTok,’ which pokes fun at the typical content one sees when doomscrolling on the app. The cast members dressed up as popular influencers, like the Costco Guys and Harry Daniels.
SNL has also tried to connect with its younger audience by incorporating Gen Z terminology in its jokes. One of the most popular and genuinely funny examples of this is the recent ‘Weekend Update’ appearance from Marcello Hernandez, where he tried to teach anchor Colin Jost Gen Z slang. The bit was a successful balance between the utilization of culturally relevant components and universally appreciated humor that doesn’t come off as “cringe,” which is the type of harmony SNL works to achieve.
SNL also uses TikTok to reach more viewers by posting their sketches in full. However, TikTok is most importantly used as a means to go viral, which the show frequently accomplishes. For example, a few winters ago, SZA’s snippet in the SNL song ‘Big Boys’ circulated all around the app and was primarily used in celebrity edits. In a humorous turn, the show then sketched these edits.
But the SNL moment that has undoubtedly blown up the most was the ‘Rap Roundtable’ sketch with Pete Davidson and Timothee Chalamet. With millions of views, even those who have never seen the show can recognize the iconic “yeet yeet skirt skirt” part, with some people even dressing up as Davidson and Chalamet for Halloween as a duo costume. By using social media and its young users as a tool, SNL has become more accessible to a wider audience.
Ability to Stay (VERY) Current
With a talented team of writers, the show is always broadcasting sketches about what has most recently taken the internet by storm. This is mostly seen through their Cold Opens, which 99% of the time are about the newest political reports, and their Weekend Update guests.
One example in particular that clearly shows SNL’s dedication to staying current is when Marcello Hernandez acted as the very random 4.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the Northeast in April 2024. The turnaround was quick: the event happened Friday morning, and the show aired Saturday night. The entire SNL crew had less than 48 hours to book a Weekend Update guest, write a brand-new sketch, cast the earthquake, find a costume, and perform it live in front of millions. While this definitely was a stressful time, the dedication that SNL has to deliver the freshest content is what keeps viewers tuning in week after week.
Host/Musical Guest Selection
It isn’t just the sketches themselves that have expanded the audience over the years, but also the individuals who make them come to life. With a new host and musical guest every single week, there is always a slightly different change in atmosphere. Sketches can pertain to any projects the host has been involved in, like the ‘Stranger Things Promo’ that aired in Finn Wolfhard’s episode, as well as the ‘Hawkeye Disappoints the Avengers’ sketch that was in Jeremy Renner’s episode.
With this setup, there’s always someone different who brings in a new fanbase every week. The guests are what have truly helped SNL grow over the past 50 years. Fans tune in to see their favorite celebrities host and/or perform two songs, and then end up becoming repeat viewers due to the actual comedy aspect.
Rotating Cast
I couldn’t write an article discussing the success of SNL without dedicating a portion to all of its cast members. Being on TV for over half a century, the show has seen cast members come and go, and it’s this rotating cast format that keeps things fresh. Of course, some stay for incredibly long times and end up becoming staples, like Kenan Thompson and Mikey Day. Still, the show is always adding new cast members. Ashley Padilla and Jeremy Culhane are new additions to the show who are already making a name for themselves, gaining fan support, and are surely going to be the faces of the show for the foreseeable future. While SNL is similar to a sports team in that it’s currently rebuilding, it’s nearing the end of this stage and is coming back with a newer, younger cast.
Through casting, the show is finding new ways to engage another generation, specifically through the hiring of comedians who are particularly famous on social media, like Grace Reiter. She initially rose to fame on TikTok, and then became even more popular with her ‘Hunger Games (but better)’ parody. Another new cast member, Veronika Slowikoska, also got her start on social media (Instagram).
Castings like these are especially good for the show since one of its main critiques is being “unfunny” or “weird” at times. With these new additions, SNL gets fresh perspectives and senses of humor in the writing room.
Here’s to another 50 years of SNL!
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