News

NBC has opted not to move forward with the single-cam comedy pilot set at a Native American community center, Variety has learned.

The news comes one day after NBC announced a series pickup for “Stumble,” a comedy set in the world of competitive cheerleading that had also received a pilot order earlier this year. Variety exclusively reported that the community center project had received a pilot order in March.

The untitled comedy hailed from writers Sierra Teller Ornelas, Jackie Keliiaa, and Bobby Wilson. All three were also executive producers, with Teller Ornelas serving as showrunner. Morgan Sackett also executive produced. Tazbah Chavez directed. Universal Television, where both Teller Ornelas and Sackett are under overall deals, was the studio.

The official logline stated the show was “An ensemble comedy set at a Native community center in Oakland, Calif. The employees hustle to keep the lights on while lifting up those in need.

Now that Disney owns The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, and Family Guy, Fox has been working hard to establish their own animated comedy series. Grimsburg was the network's lowest-rated scripted series in the demo last season, but Fox had already ordered a second season. Will the ratings improve this time around? Will Grimsburg be cancelled or renewed for season three? Stay tuned.

An animated comedy series, the Grimsburg TV show stars Jon Hamm, Erinn Hayes, Rachel Dratch, Alan Turdyk, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Greg Chun. The story revolves around brilliant, eccentric (and burned out) Detective Marvin Flute (Hamm). He may be the greatest sleuth ever to catch a cannibal clown or correctly identify a mid-century modern armoire, but there's one mystery he still can't crack -- himself. To do that, he must return to his hometown of Grimsburg after...

Joshua Jackson isn’t sure why “Doctor Odyssey” was canceled by ABC after one season, but he will miss the wacky medical drama.

In a new interview, the actor, who portrayed cruise line doctor Max Bankman, said that he’s “always bummed out when a show gets canceled” and that he “really, really enjoyed the experience” he had on the Ryan Murphy series.

“That was a really good group of people, and it was a really fun show,” he told People, adding that he definitely will miss the cast. “But this is a crazy and difficult business, and whatever the reasons were for them not wanting to move forward with it, they don’t actually tell us those things… It’s a bummer we don’t get to do it again, but I’m happy for the time that we got.”

He noted that he hopes the audience got the...

A comedy TV show in 2004 that starred — deep breath here — Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, Will Arnett, Michael Ian Black, Rachel Dratch, Ken Marino, Jack McBrayer and Maya Rudolph? And it never saw the light of day? What was VH1 thinking?

The pilot was called Soundtracks Live, based on a stage show created by the Upright Citizens Brigade. “It was a really cool thing where Amy Poehler and Amy Miles ran it,” Fey told Complex in 2013. “It was this thing where they take a movie like Sixteen Candles and act out the movie on a stage and a band would play the soundtrack live and people would sing the song.”

The VH1 pilot was a more or less faithful recreation of the John Hughes teen comedy. “I had a few different parts,” Rudd told Complex. “I sang a song in the end with The Vapors called, ‘Turning Japanese.

When you’re famous for being famous, it’s a pretty big blow for someone to tell you you’re not famous anymore.

14 Chadwick Boseman Followed His Moral Compass

Boseman sacrificed his big break, a role on All My Children, when he spoke up about egregious racial stereotypes in the writing of his character. After just a week of filming, he was booted and replaced.

13 Rachel Dratch, Tragically, Proved Producers Right

Dratch played Jenna Maroney in the pilot of 30 Rock, but the suits at NBC insisted on recasting the character. After helping bring her longtime friend and castmate’s vision to life, producers insisted on replacing her with Jane Krakowski which, it brings us no joy to report, wound up being the right call.

12 Shannen Doherty Got Tattled On

There was a lot of behind-the-scenes drama on Beverly Hills, 90210 that seemed to revolve around Doherty, but she didn’t...

“Doctor Odyssey” has been canceled after one season on ABC.

Since April, the Ryan Murphy-created medical drama has been the network’s only scripted series for which a renewal or cancellation had not been announced, and Variety has now confirmed that the cast’s contracts expire on Monday with no move from ABC to put the series back on its schedule for the upcoming year.

The news also comes after three of the show’s former crew members filed a lawsuit against Disney and 20th Television on May 30, alleging that the studio enabled an “unchecked campaign of sexual harassment for months” and accusing assistant prop master Tyler Patton of making “sexual jokes, innuendos, comments, sexual gestures and images” in addition to “unwanted touching” including “openly grabbing a visiting female employee’s buttocks.”

“Doctor Odyssey” starred Joshua Jackson as Max Bankman, a doctor on a luxury cruise line called the Odyssey,...

Hosted by The Voice of the Mets Colin Cosell, The 24 Hour Musicals were just held yesterday, June 16, at the Lynn F. Angelson Theatre. This intensive theatrical endeavor lets artists write, rehearse and perform four new musicals in just 24 hours. Check out photos from inside the big night! Participating artists included: Osh Ashruf, Becky Ann Baker, Abigail Breslin, Lilli Cooper, Rachel Dratch, Andrew Leeds, Warren Leight, Itamar Moses, christopher oscar peña, Gabrielle Ruiz, Meredith Scardino, Carolyn Cantor, John Carrafa, Morgan Siobhan Green, Jesse Eisenberg, Alexis Floyd, Michael R. Jackson, Bebe Neuwirth, Maulik Pancholy, and Peppermint. This year's event honored the organization's long-time collaborator Anna Strout. <br...

Tazbah Chavez is set to direct NBC’s single-cam comedy pilot set at a Native American community center, Variety has learned exclusively.

The cast for the pilot includes Jana Schmieding, Bobby Wilson, Wes Studi, Rachel Dratch, Frankie Quiñones, Eddie Spears, Brian Bahe, and Sienna Tso. It was picked up to pilot at NBC in March, along with the cheerleader comedy pilot “Stumble.”

The official logline for the project states that it is “An ensemble comedy set at a Native community center in Oakland, Calif. The employees hustle to keep the lights on while lifting up those in need.”

The pilot hails from writers Sierra Teller Ornelas, Jackie Keliiaa, and Wilson. All three are also executive producers, with Teller Ornelas set to serve as showrunner. Morgan Sackett will also executive produce. Universal Television, where both Teller Ornelas and Sackett are under overall deals, is the studio.

Chavez’s directing the pilot...

Lucifer alumni Lesley-Ann Brandt and Aimee Garcia are set to star with Taye Diggs (Private Practice) in the Lifetime movie Terry McMillan Presents: His, Hers & Ours, due out later this year.

Lesley-Ann Brandt and Aimee GarciaRich Polk/Getty Images for Waterkeeper Alliance

The premise: Single father Darius (played by Diggs) discovers his teenage daughter in bed with her boyfriend Chase, and wastes no time kicking him out. However, a knock at the door changes everything — it’s Chase’s mother, Kelly (Brandt), furious and ready for confrontation. Buuuuut… forced to spend time together due to their children’s relationship, Kelly...

“Saturday Night Live” concluded its 50th season last month as the highest-rated entertainment series on broadcast television among Adults 18-49 and was also the most watched comedy across broadcast and cable for the sixth consecutive season, according to ratings data released by Nielsen on Monday.

Factoring in Live+7 across all platforms, the late night sketch show averaged 8.1 million viewers during the 2024-2025 television season, up +12% vs. Season 49 and marked the show’s best numbers since Season 47 (2021-2022).

“To see the show honor its legacy while still pushing boundaries was incredible. The strong ratings this season are a testament to how deeply ‘SNL’ continues to resonate with audiences,” said Katie Hockmeyer, Executive Vice President, Late Night, NBCUniversal Entertainment. “After five decades, ‘SNL’ remains a powerful force in shaping culture and making us laugh week after week.”

“Saturday Night Live”

Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC

To celebrate the milestone 50th season, four specials were produced,...

NBC’s comedy pilot set at a Native American community center in Oakland has found its first four cast members.

Variety has learned exclusively that Jana Schmieding, Bobby Wilson, Wes Studi, and Rachel Dratch are all attached to star in the untitled single-cam comedy. As previously reported, Wilson is also a writer and executive producer on the show.

Variety exclusively reported on the pilot pickup in March. The official logline for the project states that it is “An ensemble comedy set at a Native community center in Oakland, Calif. The employees hustle to keep the lights on while lifting up those in need.”

The pilot hails from writers Sierra Teller Ornelas, Jackie Keliiaa, and Wilson. All three are also executive producers, with Teller Ornelas set to serve as showrunner. Morgan Sackett will also executive produce. Universal Television, where both Teller Ornelas and Sackett are under overall deals, is the studio.

Saturday Night Live alum Chris Parnell said he “never really knew” why he was fired from the late-night sketch show and later rehired.

“I never really knew, I’ve never known why it happened exactly,” he recently said on The Patrick LabyorSheaux podcast while promoting the upcoming Season 8 debut of Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty. “I don’t know. It was a big shocker. Every summer it would happen that — we were supposed to find out, I think like at the end of June whether our contract had been renewed for the following season, and it was never at the end of June, so we would usually hear from our agents, like, ‘Oh, Lorne hasn’t decided yet, so can you just wait for a few more weeks?'”

At the time, the comedian and actor recalled that he was in touch with fellow castmates like Rachel Dratch and...

Mark Ruffalo stars as an FBI agent tasked with solving a series of violent robberies in the new HBO drama series “Task.”

From “Mare of Easttown” creator Brad Ingelsby, “Task” dives into the working class suburbs of Philadelphia as Ruffalo’s character puts together a crucial Task Force. The cast is rounded out by Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, Thuso Mbedu, Fabien Frankel and Alison Oliver.

Ingelsby directed both Kate Winslet and Julianne Nicholson to Emmy wins in “Mare of Easttown.” “Task” is directed and executive produced by Jeremiah Zagar and Salli Richardson-Whitfield. Additional executive producers include Ruffalo, Mark Roybal, Paul Lee, David Crockett and Ron Schmidt, while Mark Roybal and Paul Lee executive produce for wiip. Nicole Jordan-Webber and Jeremy Yaches co-executive produce for Public Record.

“Task” will debut this September on HBO with the seven episodes debuting weekly. Watch the first official teaser below.

First...

Detective Flute is staying on the case. Fox has renewed the Grimsburg series for a third season. The second season resumes on Thursday, May 29th.

An animated comedy series, the Grimsburg TV show stars Jon Hamm, Erinn Hayes, Rachel Dratch, Alan Turdyk, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Greg Chun. The story revolves around brilliant, eccentric (and burned-out) Detective Marvin Flute (Hamm). He may be the greatest sleuth ever to catch a cannibal clown or correctly identify a mid-century modern armoire, but there's one mystery he still can't crack -- himself. To do that, he must return to his hometown of Grimsburg after a nervous breakdown. It’s a community where everyone has a secret (or three). He must work to redeem himself in the eyes of his boss, Chief Patsy (McClendon-Covey), his ferocious ex-wife, news anchor Harmony Flute (Hayes), and his lovably unstable...

Fox will be the place to go for animated comedies on broadcast television. After recently giving several animated shows big renewals, three more have been confirmed.

Per Deadline, Fox has just renewed the following animated shows: Krapopolis, Grimsburg, and Universal Basic Guys. The news follows the network recently giving four-season renewals of the long-running animated shows The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, and American Dad!. In the case of American Dad!, the series also is making its return to Fox after making the move from TBS, though it originally aired its first nine seasons on Fox.

Krapopolis is currently in its second season, which is concluding this month. The show, created by Dan Harmon, imagines a more zany version of ancient Greek lore where humans interact with gods and mythical creatures. It had previously been renewed through Season 4, and the new renewal by Fox will guarantee a fifth season of the show.

Fox has greenlit more seasons of three of its adult animated series: “Universal Basic Guys,” “Grimsburg,” and “Krapopolis.”

“Grimsburg” and “Universal Basic Guys” are both returning for Season 3, while “Krapopolis” has been renewed for Season 5.

“Krapopolis,” which has received a Season 5 order ahead of Season 3, “is set in mythical ancient Greece and tells the story of a dysfunctional family of humans, gods and monsters trying to run one of the world’s first cities, while also trying their best to not kill each other in the process. The series centers on Deliria (Hannah Waddingham), goddess of self-destruction and questionable choices. As petty as she is powerful, Deliria is only interested in defending civilization if it means she’ll get more worshipers out of it than her frenemies up on Mt. Olympus,” according to the official description.

Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, Pam Murphy and Duncan Trussell also star.

The show was created by Dan Harmon,...

Exclusive: Fox is continuing with its animation fix. The network has renewed three of its animated series — Grimsburg, Krapoplis and Universal Basic Guys.

This follows its bumper deal to renew long-running hits The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers, as well as returning series American Dad, for four more seasons.

Grimsburg, which stars Jon Hamm, is returning for Season 3, Krapopolis returns for Season 5 and Universal Basic Guys is back for Season 3.

Grimsburg, which premiered in January 2024, centers on Marvin Flute (Hamm), who may be the greatest detective ever to catch a cannibal clown and correctly identify a mid-century modern armoire. But there’s one mystery he still can’t crack — himself. To do that he must return to Grimsburg, a town where everyone has a secret or three, and redeem himself in the eyes of his fellow detectives, his ferocious ex-wife and his lovably unstable son.

Erinn Hayes, Rachel Dratch,...

There are so many reasons why a British version of Saturday Night Live is an awful idea, John Oliver told Seth Meyers this week. But the biggest reason SNL should stay on this side of the Atlantic, he says? SNL is like a cult.

“Saturday Night Live is such a unique group. It’s a cult,” Oliver claimed. “I’m trying not to say the word, but it’s a cult. And so I don’t know how you can impose that cult onto the U.K.”

Hang on a second — did Oliver forget who he was talking to? Meyers isn’t only a former cast member of SNL but its head writer for a spell as well. The Late Night host was curious about Oliver’s perspective as an outsider: What exactly was “cult-ish” about his old show?

For starters, Oliver pointed to the SNL ritual of staying up...

Tina Fey has the opposite problem of many “Saturday Night Live” castmembers – too many sketches that aired she wished did not.

While talking on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Fey and “Four Seasons” co-star Will Forte were asked about “SNL” sketches they wished made it into the show. Although Forte had an answer, Fey said she actually wishes some of the ones she wrote didn’t make the cut – with one in particular haunting her.

“I had a sketch with the great Jb Smoove, he was on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and is so funny, and he was a writer on the show for a while and he was always so hilarious at pitch,” Fey remembered. “He would often pitch a sketch like ‘I want to do a sketch about a woman who gets pregnant in the butt’ but he would never write it. One week I was like ‘Jb lets do it,...

Quinta Brunson teased some ill-advised “Saturday Night Live” sketches in a promo Wednesday ahead of this week’s hosting gig, centering her pitches around President Donald Trump’s tariffs and a character named “Toilet Paper Mama.”

The video sketch highlighting the intentionally bad sketch kicks off with Andrew Dismukes and Brunson brainstorming ideas for the comedy sketch show’s May 3 episode.

“Quinta, welcome back, how ya feelin’?” Dismukes asks.

“I am so excited! But I’m also a little nervous,” Brunson says, clarifying that she’s not nervous about hosting the show, but “nervous about these tariffs.”

“But what if we did sketches centered around the items affected by the tariffs — and then we can keep the items after the show?” she poses.

That’s when Heidi Gardner comes in wrap-dressed in rolls of toilet paper. Welcome to the stage: Toilet Paper Mama.

“Hey, so, um, question about this character,...

On Sunday April 6 2025, ABC broadcasts The $100,000 Pyramid!

Rob Riggle vs. Luenell and Fortune Feimster vs. Rachel Dratch Season 8 Episode 5 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The 0,000 Pyramid” promises to be a fun-filled hour of laughter and competition. Titled “Rob Riggle vs. Luenell and Fortune Feimster vs. Rachel Dratch,” this episode features a lineup of talented celebrity contestants ready to test their skills and knowledge.

Rob Riggle, known for his comedic talent and sharp wit, will be teaming up with Luenell, a celebrated comedian and actress. Together, they will bring their unique styles to the game, aiming to reach the top of the pyramid. Their chemistry is sure to create entertaining moments as they navigate through the challenging word clues.

On the other side of the stage, Fortune Feimster, a beloved comedian and actress, will join forces with Rachel Dratch, who is well-known for her work on “Saturday Night Live.” This...

The $100,000 Pyramid fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 8 Episode 5 episode titled Rob Riggle vs. Luenell and Fortune Feimster vs. Rachel Dratch!

Find out everything you need to know about the Rob Riggle vs. Luenell and Fortune Feimster vs. Rachel Dratch episode of The $100,000 Pyramid, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

The $100,000 Pyramid Rob Riggle vs. Luenell and Fortune Feimster vs. Rachel Dratch Season 8 Episode 5 Preview

The upcoming episode of “The 0,000 Pyramid” promises an exciting showdown featuring celebrity contestants Rob Riggle, Luenell, Fortune Feimster, and Rachel Dratch. This episode will air on ABC at 10:01 Pm on April 6, 2025, and it is sure to bring plenty of laughs and competitive spirit.

Rob Riggle, known for his comedic talent and appearances in films and television, will be one of the standout stars of the night. His quick wit...

The excitement is building for the upcoming episode of “The 0,000 Pyramid,” airing on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at 10:01 Pm on ABC. This episode, titled “Rob Riggle vs. Luenell and Fortune Feimster vs. Rachel Dratch,” promises to deliver plenty of laughs and intense competition. With a lineup of talented celebrity contestants, viewers can expect a night filled with fun and clever wordplay.

Rob Riggle and Luenell will face off against the dynamic duo of Fortune Feimster and Rachel Dratch. Each team will work together to climb the pyramid and win big prizes. Rob Riggle, known for his quick wit and humor, will surely bring his A-game. Luenell, with her unique comedic style, will add her own flair to the competition. On the other side, Fortune Feimster, who is beloved for her vibrant personality, pairs up with the hilarious Rachel Dratch, known for her memorable characters and sketches.

As the teams tackle various categories and clues,...

Exclusive: Rachel Dratch and Amy Spanger are the latest stars to join next week’s one-night-only Vape! The Grease Parody benefit for the Entertainment Community Fund.

Vape! The Grease Parody, set for Tuesday, March 11 at 7:30 pm/Et at The Town Hall in New York City has not completed its casting. Dratch, who will play Teen Angel, and Spanger, as Marty, join the previously announced Kerry Butler (Sandy), James Carpinello (Danny), Ann Harada (Jan) Jackie Hoffman (Rizzo), Aisha Jackson (Frenchie), Joel Perez (Kenickie) and Jelani Remy (Sonny).

Vape! is a send-up of the iconic musical Grease, poking fun, as the synopsis states, “at all the wonderful moments, sexual innuendos, outrageous characters, rivalries and secret romances from the original, while taking a satirical look at the state of youth culture today, which may have evolved,...

“The Drew Barrymore Show” has just hit series highs in viewership, averaging 1.52 million viewers during the week of February 10. According to CBS Media Ventures, that’s the best-ever performance by the daytime talker, which is currently in its fifth season.

The distributor said this also marked the first time the show won the week in adults 18-34. The show hit a week-long high as it featured guests including the cast of “Yellowjackets,” Selma Blair, Mikey Madison, Key Huy Quan, Theresa Caputo, Anya Taylor-Joy and Joanna Garcia Swisher. The week also featured a special Valentine’s Day episode with Oliver Hudson, Taye Diggs and Valerie Bertinelli.

Per CBS Media Ventures, “The Drew Barrymore Show” saw year-to-year gains the week of Feb. 10 in total viewers (up 17%), women 18-49 (up 29%), women 25-54 (up 17%) and adults 25-54 (up 10%).

Season to date, “The Drew Barrymore Show” is the No. 2 syndicated daytime talker in total viewers...

It’s hard to think of a cooler birthday gift than becoming a Guinness World Record holder. And that’s exactly what Drew Barrymore was given for her 50th birthday special.

During Friday’s episode of “The Drew Barrymore Show,” — one day ahead of her actual birthday — Rachel Dratch appeared dressed as George Washington. The two recently appeared together during a “Debbie Downer” sketch for the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live.” Dratch is always one for a silly costume, but there was a method to the “SNL” alum’s madness.

“I have a special decree, a presentation. In 1982, at the age of seven, the magnanimous Drew Barrymore became the youngest person to ever host ‘Saturday Night Live,'” Dratch as Washington told the studio audience. “She was fresh off the set of ‘E.T.’ surrounded by ‘SNL’ greats like Eddie Murphy and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.”

Barrymore then called the experience...

Steve Martin says the SNL50 “Covid curse” is real.

In an Instagram post shared Thursday, the Only Murders in the Building star announced that his co-star and friend Martin Short got Covid after attending the SNL50: The Anniversary Special that broadcast last weekend. He also revealed that Maya Rudolph, who also attended and performed in the special, had it as well.

“Maya had Covid. Marty has Covid. I wonder why? The SNL 50th Covid curse is real,” Martin said while sharing a photo of both Short and Rudolph embracing and sharing a friendly kiss. Martin had delivered the opening monologue of the 50th anniversary special, while Rudolph also appeared and performed sketches.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Martin (@stevemartinreally)

As a result of Short being sick, Martin says that he and Short would have to reschedule their shows this weekend in Durham, North Carolina and Knoxville,...

Apparently laughter wasn’t the only contagious thing at “SNL50.”

Steve Martin revealed in an Instagram post on Thursday night that Martin Short caught Covid-19 following “Saturday Night Live’s” 50th anniversary special — and potentially from Maya Rudolph. Martin posted a photo of Short and Rudolph sharing a kiss alongside the caption, “Maya had Covid. Marty has Covid. I wonder why? The SNL 50th Covid curse is real.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Martin (@stevemartinreally)

Due to Short’s sickness, Martin announced that the comedy duo would have to reschedule their shows this weekend in Durham, N.C. and Knoxville, Tenn. “So sorry for the inconvenience,” he added. “I think we’ll be funnier then, anyway.”

Airing on Sunday night, “SNL50” brought together a legion of comedy legends that got their start on the variety sketch show, including Adam Sandler, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Bill Murray,...

Adam Sandler performed a song that paid tribute to Saturday Night Live’s 50 years on the air during Sunday night’s anniversary special, but not before he was introduced by retired Hollywood veteran Jack Nicholson.

Nicholson introduced the Grown Ups actor before he began his referential track, where he highlighted infamous SNL moments, pondered when Lorne Michaels will retire and quipped about “finding out your favorite musician is antisemitic.”

Sandler kicked off his performance saying, “everyone in this room has something in common,” pointing out that “all of our lives were changed by the show” before poking fun at some lighthearted moments. He questioned who would “take over the show when Lorne retires” in his lyrics before he appeared to joke that Speedy Rosenthal, a longtime member of SNL’s music department, would be the one to take over Michaels’ spot.

The comedian and actor also seemingly threw a jab at Kanye West,...

NBC’s 50th anniversary special for “Saturday Night Live” hit a very strong 14.8 million viewers on average across NBC and Peacock on Sunday night.

That number is 202% above the average number of viewers who have tuned into each regular episode of “SNL” throughout its 50th season, which is 4.9 million — itself a 13% improvement on last season’s same-day viewership. And among the key adults 18-49 demographic, the special scored a 2.5 rating.

According to NBC, this is the network’s most-watched primetime entertainment telecast (meaning non-sports and non-news) in five years, since the 2020 Golden Globes Awards, as well as the fourth-most-watched entertainment telecast of all time on Peacock, only coming behind three Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade telecasts.

Additionally, it can be expected that viewership for “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” will grow significantly in delayed viewing on Peacock and other digital platforms: Accounting for seven days of delayed viewing, “SNL” Season 50’s viewership average is 8.4 million,...

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“SNL50” closed out its celebratory weekend with an impressive audience.

The three-hour “SNL” anniversary celebration brought in 14.8 million viewers across NBC and Peacock and scored a 2.53 rating in the 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day viewing figures and internal streaming data. Viewership is expected to keep growing as fans catch up over the coming days.

Among both total viewers and demo viewers, “SNL50” ranks as NBC’s most-watched primetime entertainment telecast five years, since NBC broadcasted the 2020 Golden Globes. The telecast also became Peacock’s most-watched entertainment simulcast, though was still outpaced by three telecasts of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

For comparison, viewership for “SNL50” nearly rivaled that of the 2025 Grammys, which brought in 15.4 million viewers in February, and outpaced viewership for the 2025 Golden Globes, which scored 10.1 million viewers in January.

“SNL50” celebrated half a century of NBC’s hit comedy sketch show on Sunday night, and in that time, there have been a lot of beloved characters. So, the “SNL” crew made to bring back some favorites for the commemorative night.

Sadly, that did not include Bill Hader’s Stefon, who used to appear on Weekend Update regularly with Seth Meyers, before the character eventually “married” the host. And his absence was definitely felt, as Hader was trending on social media throughout the night, with fans mourning his absence.

But it did include characters like Kristen Wiig’s Dooneese, Bobby Moynihan’s Drunk Uncle and more. So, in case you missed the show, we’ve rounded them all up for you.

Here are the beloved “Saturday Night Live” characters that returned for “SNL50.”

Kristen Wiig as Doonese during “SNL50” (NBC) Dooneese (Kristen Wiig)

A new “Lawrence Welk Show” sketch came early in the night,...

Saturday Night Live character Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch) returned to ruin the mood for those looking to enjoy themselves during the show’s 50th anniversary special.

Downer, who first appeared in 2004 and most recently showed up in 2020, first tended bar for Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore, and Ayo Edebiri.

As the trio were making a toast, Downer butted in. “Have you seen the latest study about alcohol? Even one drink can significantly slash life expectancy,” she said, looking into the camera to the sound of a flat trombone.

They tried again,...

“SNL50” dazzled on Sunday night with a three-hour-plus celebration of the late night institution’s 50th anniversary.

The show, which brought back so many former cast members that they couldn’t even fit in the closing shot, paid tribute to the legacy of “Saturday Night Live” by reviving iconic sketches that mixed in celebrities like Pedro Pascal, Jon Hamm, Sabrina Carpenter and even Meryl Streep — who gave a filthy performance as the mother of Kate McKinnon’s character from the “Alien Abduction” sketch.

Memorable returns included Rachel Dratch’s Debbie Downer, Mike Myers’ Linda Richman as well as the show’s latest viral character Domingo, played by Marcello Hernández with a twist: Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny as his brothers.

Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon opened the show, Paul McCartney closed it and in between viewers got Seth Meyers back in the Weekend Update chair, a new digital short, Tina Fey...

A little counterintuitive for a joyous celebration, the SNL50 anniversary special brought back Rachel Dratch’s Debbie Downer.

While Debbie could bring down the mood anywhere she goes with her grim remarks, she also is one of Saturday Night Live characters that have taken on a life of their own, with Debbie Downer now widely used as a nickname for a pessimistic person.

In the SNL50 sketch, Debbie is a bartender at a backstage bar where Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore and Ayo Edebiri — all in a celebratory moods — come to get a drink.

Before the trio could raise their champagne glasses for a toast, Debbie informs them how even a glass of alcohol can slash life expectancy, followed by her signature closeup to a “wa-wa” sound.

She continues to interject into the trio’s conversations with comments on impending end of humanity and bird flu.

When Robert De Niro comes along,...

It was a massively star-studded affair at the SNL50: The Anniversary Special on Sunday evening (February 16) held at Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Saturday Night Live celebrated it’s 50th anniversary with hundreds of stars who have appeared on the show over the years.

From music stars like Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter and Cher, to actors like Ayo Edebiri, Emma Stone and Anya Taylor-Joy.

Keep reading to find out more…

The late-night sketch show’s special featured many returning sketches, with past and present SNL cast members reprising their characters, and even several celebrities who have hosted reprising their characters!

We have gathered every celebrity, cast member and more’s looks from the red carpet and you can see over 200 below…

Abby Elliott

Adam & Jackie Sandler

Adria Arjona & Jason Momoa

Aidy Bryant

Alex & Hilaria Baldwin

Alex Moffat & Caroline Kingsley Moffat

Al Franken

Al Sharpton

Amelia Dimoldenberg...

Debbie Downer has returned. The character, played by Rachel Dratch, made an appearance during the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special. The sketch began with Jimmy Fallon greeting Drew Barrymore and Ayo Edebiri. When they go to order drinks, there's Debbie Downer as the bartender. Debbie's intro plays, song and all. She brings the conversation down—quick—with statistics on alcohol consumption, and it continues to get a little too real from there.

Robert De Niro and Rachel Dratch faced off on “SNL50,” with the Oscar winner confronting the former cast member in her Debbie Downer character, playing a bartender, during a sketch in the home stretch of the anniversary special.

“At this point, we’re all walking landfills,” Dratch said, in a reference to microplastics. “Odds are they’ve already taken up residence in your testes.”

“Deborah, I’m going to talk now, and you’re going to shut it,” De Niro, as a bar customer, responded. “I do not appreciate this conversation. I don’t want to talk about plastic in my balls. … I came here tonight to get a little frigging break from our world right now, which is like living in a full diaper.”

“Diapers are a leading culprit in the microplastic saga,” Dratch fired back, prompting De Niro to playfully strangle her.

De Niro was a walk-on for the sketch,...

Adam Sandler’s performance at Sunday night’s “SNL50: Anniversary Special” was one of the most memorable moments of the night — even before it began. The performance was introduced by Jack Nicholson, who received loud applause inside Studio 8H.

“Everyone in this room has something in common. All of our lives were changed by the show,” Sandler, who spent five years on “Saturday Night Live” from 1991 to 1995, began. His song highlighted many behind-the-scenes jokes, including calling out “Drunk Wally” for holding the cue cards upside down and thanking “Nurse Teresa” for the many doses of Pepto Bismol.

“50 years of writers seeing Spielberg at Lorne’s monitors, not laughing at one of their sketches that he obviously hated,” Sandler sang. “50 years of those same writers getting wasted at the after party and loudly telling everybody that ‘Jaws ‘was overrated.”

Sandler joked about how each cast feels they’re the best,...

Molly Shannon returned as her iconic character Sally O’Malley during Saturday Night Live‘s 50th anniversary special on Sunday night. And yes, she’s still “50 years old,” even after all these years.

The long-awaited cameo moment happened around the 30-minute mark of the three-hour extravaganza. Five-time host Emma Stone (who made waves on the red carpet with her popcorn ballgown) got interrupted by Sally as she was about to cut to a tribute of the show’s best physical comedy moments.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Sally O’Malley,” she told the crowd of A-listers while wearing her trademark red jumpsuit. “I’m proud to say, I’m 50 years old, just like Saturday Night Live. She’s not one of those gals who’s afraid to tell her real age, and she likes to kick, stretch, and kick. She’s 50. Fifty years old!”

Stone and Shannon then kicked,...

Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon kicked off Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special with a touching duet.

The Grammy winners introduced each other before they opened the NBC broadcast by performing Simon & Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound.” Simon pointed out that he performed the same track on SNL in 1976 with George Harrison, while Carpenter joked that neither she nor her parents were born at the time.

After they concluded their performance, Carpenter and Simon kicked off the special by reciting SNL‘s signature catchphrase, “Live From New York, it’s Saturday night,” despite the special airing on Sunday. From there, Steve Martin appeared to deliver the monologue.

Carpenter took the stage later Sunday night for a bridesmaid skit inspired by SNL‘s viral Domingo skit with Ariana Grande, which featured music from her track “Espresso.” There, Marcello Hernández reprised his role of Domingo once more, while Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny...

Live from New York, it’s … Sunday night?!

Saturday Night Live held its SNL50: The Anniversary Special on Sunday, Feb. 16. The three-hour show aired live from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center on NBC and Peacock (8 p.m. Et/5 p.m. Pt). News anchor Willie Geist and SNL alum Leslie Jones along with comedian correspondent Matt Rogers hosted SNL50: The Red Carpet prior to the big event. See photos above.

The guest list for SNL50: The Anniversary Special included: Adam Driver, Adam Sandler, Alec Baldwin, Al Sharpton, Amy Poehler, Ana Gasteyer, Andy Samberg, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Billy Crystal, Cher, Chevy Chase, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Eddie Murphy, Fred Armisen, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, John Mulaney, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Kim Kardashian, Kristen Wiig, Laraine Newman, Leslie Jones, Lil Wayne, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Martin Short, Maya Rudolph, Mike Myers, Miles Teller, Miley Cyrus, Molly Shannon,...

Live from New York, it’s … Sunday night?!

Saturday Night Live held its SNL50: The Anniversary Special on Sunday, Feb. 16. The three-hour show aired live from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center on NBC and Peacock (8 p.m. Et/5 p.m. Pt). News anchor Willie Geist and SNL alum Leslie Jones along with comedian correspondent Matt Rogers hosted SNL50: The Red Carpet prior to the big event. See photos below.

The guest list for SNL50: The Anniversary Special included: Adam Driver, Adam Sandler, Alec Baldwin, Al Sharpton, Amy Poehler, Ana Gasteyer, Andy Samberg, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Billy Crystal, Cher, Chevy Chase, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Eddie Murphy, Fred Armisen, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, John Mulaney, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Kim Kardashian, Kristen Wiig, Laraine Newman, Leslie Jones, Lil Wayne, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Martin Short, Maya Rudolph, Mike Myers, Miles Teller, Miley Cyrus, Molly Shannon,...

After a homecoming concert that blew the roof off of Radio City Music Hall, Lorne Michaels and his “Saturday Night Live” compatriots are ready to bring the action home to Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center for “SNL50: The Anniversary Special.”

You can watch the festivities this Sunday, February 16, at 8pm Et/5pm Pt, airing on NBC and streaming live on Peacock.

For those who’ve cut the cord, but don’t have Peacock, other TV streaming platforms such as DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling will also be carrying the special via the NBC channel.

Slated guests for the evening include Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Martin Short, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro, Sabrina Carpenter, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, and Woody Harrelson, as well as Alec Baldwin, Cher, Lin-Manuel Miranda,...

Live from New York, it’s … Sunday night?!

Saturday Night Live, NBC’s perennial late-night sketch comedy series, usually airs on Saturdays (hence its name), but the highly anticipated SNL50: The Anniversary Special is asking viewers to stick around an extra day. Read on for everything to know about the must-see event that’s five decades in the making.

When is the SNL50 anniversary special?

The three-hour show will air live on Sunday, Feb. 16 beginning at 8 p.m. Et/5 p.m. Pt. That airdate is approximately 49 and a half years since the Saturday Night Live pilot originally debuted on Oct. 11, 1975.

How to watch and stream the SNL50 anniversary special

The program will air live on NBC via linear television. For those without cable, it will also stream live on Peacock’s main page. Heads up: one year of Peacock Premium is currently going for a discounted rate of $29.99 for new customers only,...

“Saturday Night Live” has announced a slate of stars to the show’s 50th anniversary special, which is set to air Sunday night at 8 p.m. Et. The list includes Alec Baldwin, Billy Crystal, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and more.

Ana Gasteyer, Leslie Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mike Myers, Miles Teller, Rachel Dratch and Reverend Al Sharpton are among new names who will join previously announced guests including Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Martin Short, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro, Sabrina Carpenter, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Woody Harrelson.

The special will also feature appearances from Adam Sandler, Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell as well as Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Chris Rock, Fred Armisen, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Laraine Newman, Maya Rudolph,...

Another set of guest stars has been added to the lineup of the “Saturday Night Live” anniversary special.

Alec Baldwin, Ana Gasteyer, Billy Crystal, Cher, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Leslie Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mike Myers, Miles Teller, Rachel Dratch and Reverend Al Sharpton will all make appearances in the special, with more surprise guests to be revealed on-air.

Baldwin was an expected guest as the record-holder for most times hosting “Saturday Night Live” with several additional appearances on the show playing Donald Trump and other characters. Miranda, Teller and Sharpton have all also hosted the show before, with Cher having once served as musical guest. Gasteyer, Crystal, Louis-Dreyfus, Jones, Myers and Dratch all had notable runs as cast members on the show, with Jones exiting most recently in 2019.

They join the first set of previously announced guests, which includes Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Martin Short,...

Saturday Night Live has lined up the guests for its 50th anniversary special.

Several frequent hosts, including Five-Timers Club members Tom Hanks (who originated the bit back in 1990), Steve Martin, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Simon, Martin Short and Woody Harrelson, are among the first announced guests for the three-hour, primetime show, airing Feb. 16 on NBC. Also set to appear are Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro and Sabrina Carpenter.

On Feb. 10, NBC announced a second round of guests — namely, almost two dozen current and former castmembers. They range from members of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players — Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris and Laraine Newman — to current star Kenan Thompson, the longest-serving performer in the show’s history. Also appearing are Fred Armisen, Pete Davidson, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell,...

Saturday Night Live's biggest stars are everywhere these days: from the hallowed halls of Studio 8H, all the way to the beachy shores of Malibu, California. And in honor of the historic 50th anniversary of the longstanding comedy sketch series, everyone is getting in on the action of celebrating and honoring its many iconic moments. Including Volkswagen, which reunited Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Fred Armisen as "The Californians" in a commercial for their latest car.

The air-headed, valley girl-inflection-toting bottled blondes from the popular soap opera parody sketch star in the ad for the new Volkswagen ID Buzz, an electric take on their own California icon, the old Vw bus, which debuted on Thursday. And, frankly, it's giving nostalgia vibes in an extremely earth-conscious way, which is like, totally Californian of them. We can see why Karina (Wiig) and her lover Devin (Hader) are too impressed by her...

NBC celebrated Saturday Night Live on Friday night with over three hours of music history on SNL50: The Homecoming Concert. The special hosted by Emmy winner Jimmy Fallon streamed live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City and is now available to stream on Peacock.

Musical acts included Arcade Fire, Backstreet Boys, Bad Bunny, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Cher, Chris Martin, Dave Grohl, David Byrne, Devo, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Lauryn Hill, Miley Cyrus, Mumford & Sons, Post Malone, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Robyn, Snoop Dogg, St. Vincent, the B-52s, the Roots, and Wyclef Jean. Surprise comedy musical performances included Bill Murray, Paul Shaffer, Andy Samberg, Chris Parnell, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, and Tracy Morgan.

But that doesn’t end the festivities. Sunday night’s SNL50: The Anniversary Special will switch over from mostly music to almost...