One of the major knocks on Saturday Night Live in recent years has been its over-reliance on bringing in celebrity ringers to impersonate even more famous political figures. From former cast members like Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris to movie stars like Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer and Matt Damon as Brett Kavanaugh, SNL has been criticized for sidelining its actual cast for some of the most recognizable faces on the planet.
But no one could blame them for going all out for the show’s massive 50th anniversary special Sunday night.
Lorne Michaels knows better than anyone else the overwhelming power of the unexpected on live television. And he has never flexed his Rolodex like he did for SNL50.
The big primetime show opened with a musical performance from two singers from very different generations: Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter. After Simon explained that he previously sang his song “Homeward Bound” with George Harrison on the show in 1976, Carpenter replied, “I was not born then... and neither were my parents.”
Here are all of the other big stars who appeared on the three-hour special (not including the many famous faces in the audience who never even made it on stage).
Steve Martin delivered the opening monologue (with John Mulaney and Martin Short)
Steve Martin served as host for the evening, getting in the first Donald Trump burns of the night by introducing himself as “Saturday Night Live’s newest diversity hire” and joking that he had just been vacationing on an island in the “Gulf of Steve Martin.”
Kim Kardashian and Scarlett Johansson joined former cast members Kristen Wiig, Ana Gasteyer, Fred Armisen, and Will Ferrell (as Robert Goulet) on The Lawrence Welk Show.
Kim Kardashian teased on the red carpet that she would be appearing in a sketch with some of her comedy heroes—and she did not disappoint.
Eddie Murphy debuted his Tracy Morgan impression (next to the real Tracy Morgan and Leslie Jones)
Wearing a giant gold chain around his neck with the initials “TM” on it, SNL GOAT Eddie Murphy proved he’s the only comedian who could turn Tracy Morgan into the straight man. The “Black Jeopardy” sketch also included cameos from Chris Rock and Tom Hanks (wearing a MAGA hat).
Emma Stone and Molly Shannon introduced a montage of physical comedy
Five-time host Emma Stone kicked, stretched and kicked alongside Molly Shannon’s 50-year-old Sally O’Malley.
Pedro Pascal, Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter helped establish ‘Domingo’ as an all-time classic
The recurring “Domingo” bridesmaid speech sketch from recent years got the full anniversary special treatment. Martin Short and Molly Shannon played the parents of the bride, Sabrina Carpenter did some intentionally terrible singing, and a group of groomsmen including SNL alums Andy Samberg, Kyle Mooney, and Beck Bennett got their revenge—thanks to even bigger cameos from Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took questions from SO! MANY! CELEBS!
The traditional question and answer monologue bit (which, fun fact, featured the real Sarah Palin at SNL40) included rapid-fire (and very funny) appearances from Quinta Brunson, Tim Meadows, Ryan Reynolds, Nate Bargatze, Jon Lovitz, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Cher, Keith Richards, Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Bad Bunny, Jason Momoa, Fred Armisen, and a very impassioned Peyton Manning.
Aubrey Plaza introduced Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard’s tribute to Prince and Sinead O’Connor
It was Aubrey Plaza’s first public appearance since her husband’s tragic death earlier this year.
Bill Murray, Cecily Strong, Bobby Moynihan, Seth Meyers, and more crashed ‘Weekend Update’
The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party and Drunk Uncle revealed their unlikely bond, Seth Meyers interviewed Lorne Michaels' best friends from growing up (Vanessa Bayer and Fred Armisen), and Bill Murray attempted to rank the all-time best “Weekend Update” anchors.
Meryl Streep really committed to her role as the mother of Kate McKinnon’s alien abduction expert.
Woody Harrelson, Pedro Pascal, Jon Hamm, and Aidy Bryant also helped out with the sketch, but unfortunately Ryan Gosling was nowhere to be found.
Laraine Newman and Pete Davidson were the night’s unlikeliest duo.
Pete Davidson’s Chad was not impressed with the original Not Ready for Primetime player.
Jack Nicholson (!) introduced Adam Sandler
The 87-year-old Oscar winner made a very rare TV appearance to introduce a new sentimental song about the history of SNL from Adam Sandler that also served as an In Memoriam segment for his friends Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, and Norm Macdonald.
Adam Driver and Maya Rudolph played a hot dog and heroin, respectively, in a new John Mulaney musical sketch about NYC
Featuring Paul Shaffer on keytar and G.E. Smith on guitar, Nathan Lane as a cocaine-fueled ‘80s businessman, Jason Sudeikis, Will Forte, and Kristen Wiig as dueling Times Square performers, Kate McKinnon rapping Hamilton as Rudy Giuliani with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Scarlett Johansson and Paul Rudd doing Little Shop of Horrors, a nervous-seeming Nick Jonas, and many others.
Mike Myers’ Linda Richman from ‘Coffee Talk’ joined ‘Bronx Beat’
Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph’s local access talk show hosts interviewed “Top Gun 2” star Miles Teller before getting a big surprise from their obvious inspiration.
Dave Chappelle introduced Lil Wayne and The Roots
Despite some apparent friction the last time he hosted earlier this year, Dave Chappelle remained in Lorne Michaels' good graces enough to make a very brief appearance at the 50th.
Tom Hanks presented a separate In Memoriam segment for sketches that have aged terribly
The actor removed his MAGA hat to introduce a montage of blatantly offensive sketches that would (presumably) never fly today. “You all laughed at them, so if anyone should be canceled, shouldn’t it be you, the audience?” Hanks asked. “Something to think about.”
Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Ayo Edebiri, and Jimmy Fallon encountered Debbie Downer backstage
Rachel Dratch’s most iconic SNL character was the perfect bartender to cut the big celebration down the size in the traditionally weird final 10 minutes of the show.
Eddie Murphy returned for a Scared Straight sketch with Kenan Thompson and Jason Sudeikis
When Murphy appeared on SNL40 in 2015, he didn’t even crack a joke. This time, he delivered two tour-de-force performances—and seemed to genuinely intimidate the young members of the current cast in the process. And that was before the show’s other all-time greatest cast member Will Ferrell upped the ante as an inmate in short shorts.
Garrett Morris repped the original Not Ready for Primetime Players
“When I joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, I had no idea, y’all, that I would be required to do so many reunion shows!” 88-year-old Garrett Morris said before presenting a poignant short film that aired in 1978 and imagined John Belushi as the last surviving original cast member. In reality, he was the first to go at just 33 in 1982.
Paul McCartney closed things out with a rousing Beatles singalong
It should be no surprise that the show was bookended by Lorne Michaels’ two favorite Pauls. “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make,” McCartney crooned to the delight of the celebrity-packed crowd.
