Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary special probably served up the best 3 1/2 hours of live television we have seen in years. So many times in recent years the legendary show has fallen so flat that many longtime viewers have found themselves wondering why it is still on the air and why they even bother to tune in each weekend. Last night's special episode reminded us all just how magical SNL can be, and if you missed it, well, you have lost out on a bit of pop-culture history, especially since it quickly turned into its own pop-culture phenomenon.
Who better to kick things off than Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake taking us through the history of SNL via popular catchphrases and character imitations. Then came hours of legendary characters played by former SNL cast members, "Celebrity Jeopardy!" was revisited and a tribute to all the "Weekend Update" anchors, past and present plus their most notorious guests like Stefon and Drunk Uncle, were featured.
Everyone was there, with the exception of 'N SYNC, who teased on Twitter that they would be reuniting during the show. That little notion went viral, but the boy band was actually scattered in different locations across the country rather than waiting for a moment to shine in studio 8-H. Eddie Murphy actually did return to SNL's stage for the first time in 30 years, but it was not exactly the homecoming fans were hoping for.
After a 3 1/2 minute introduction by Chris Rock, Murphy took the stage to address the audience.
"Hey, isn't this an incredible night, this night? This show is such a big part of who I am and my life. And I'm so happy to be back here. It's a magical feeling. Actually, it feels like going back to my old high school, kind of. It's a good feeling. I'm really happy that so many people here value the stuff that I did 35 years ago. It makes me feel really happy. I will always love this show and ... let's have some more show. Let's have a big round of applause for everybody," said the legendary comic before leaving the stage.
Readers: Did you watch the anniversary special last night? What were some of your favorite moments? Tell us in the comments section below.
