The viewership numbers are in for the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary special, and it is good news for the comedy series. This special episode of Saturday Night Live celebrated the 50th year of the show, which originally debuted in October 1975. It featured the return of some of the most beloved SNL cast members, including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Adam Sandler, and Kate McKinnon. In addition to these cast members, the special included celebrity guest appearances such as that of Meryl Streep and Pedro Pascal, who joined McKinnon for the popular “Close Encounter” sequel sketch.
Per Variety, the viewership data for SNL50 has been revealed. Between NBC and Peacock, SNL50 amassed 14.8 million views on Sunday night. This represents a 202% increase over the number of viewers who have tuned into the regular episodes of Saturday Night Live season 50. 4.9 million people have been tuning into the average episode of SNL this season. In addition to this growth against its normal episodes, NBC has cited SNL50 as its most-watched telecast in five years, and Peacock’s fourth most-watched entertainment telecast of all time.
What This Means For SNL50
This Is Good News For The Rest Of Season 50
The viewership numbers alone do not even begin to reflect the full extent of SNL50‘s success. People are talking about the episode online far more than they do for a typical episode in the series. Both the Domingo sketch and the “Close Encounter” sketch have sparked copious reactions on social media. The more enthusiastic audiences have even been saying performances like that of Streep and McKinnon deserve Emmys. The dual success of both the viewership numbers and the online reactions cemented SNL50 as a big win.
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SNL50‘s viewership numbers could also bode well for the rest of Saturday Night Live season 50. Already, season 50 is seeing better average numbers than season 49, with a 13% increase in same-day viewing. The widespread appreciation for SNL50 may only further this momentum. People have been reminded of what makes SNL great, and if it can maintain its quality in future episodes, season 50 could be a huge success.
Our Take On SNL 50’s Success
It Was Hard To Pull Off, But They Did It Well
Making SNL50 was no easy task. They had to appeal to five decades of fans, who have seen the show through multiple eras and cast turnovers, and pay homage to the litany of popular sketches. At the end of the day, the Emmy-nominated series managed to pull it off again and create a special that was both highly entertaining and popular, further cementing the comedy series as one of the greatest of all time.
Source: Variety
Saturday Night Live
8/10
- Release Date
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October 11, 1975
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Adam McKay
Self / Various
