Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary Special

This special was like the Grammys. If you like awkward opening musical numbers, odd introductions, people who look like they showed up to get a check and skits that sometimes hit and sometimes don't then you will like this. I did not really understand how Paul McCartney or Miley Cyris ( maybe if Vanessa Bayer played her it would work). There were so many years and sat members skipped over and when it had clips, they were too fast and not focused enough. The time could have been spent very well, as part doc and part skits...with some new stuff added it. But hey, at least Opera Man was there and Colon Blow too. It has a little merit hence the 4 rating. It should have been more of that and more cast members and less athletes, Michael Douglas, etc. There was way too much filler.

Obviously the "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" didn't take place on the actual 40th anniversary, but close enough. I liked seeing the old clips - how can you not laugh yourself sick watching Chris Farley's motivational speaker skit? - but I would've liked to see every single cast member as opposed so many guests. Speaking of the guests, shouldn't they also have included Buck Henry (who apparently hosted almost a dozen times)? The best segment was the "Celebrity Jeopardy" spoof. It would've been fun to see the Wild and Crazy Guys or The Delicious Dish (of Schweddy Balls fame).

In the end, it was an OK reunion. It's a safe bet that former cast member Victoria Jackson, currently known for claiming that Obama's a "secret Muslim", won't get invited to any reunions.

Advertised as a reunion,one would assume that meant all the classic class of comedians coming back to do their old skits from the past 40 years... maybe a gathering of all the US presidents , Eddie Murphy doing his Mr Rogers,or at least the Land Shark.

Instead the viewers are subjected to a 3 hour long ad for the current series filled with "jokes" and "skits" by the recent cast members that are barely watchable. Three full hours with poor acting,unfunny jokes, bad timing and terrible guest stars. The true stars of Saturday Night Live were wasted as host roles,2 second flash backs,or merely sat in the audience cringing.

If you want to appreciate the 40 years of the show,watch reruns of the show from the 70's and 80's and pass on this drivel.

I haven't really seen many episodes of SNL since its kinda complicated when you live in Spain, but I do love actors like Aykroyd, Chase, Murray, Belushi, Ferrell, Carrey, Sandler... So I've always guessed that I'd like this show.

I've been watching seasons 37-40 (the ones who are airing in Spanish TV) and also a few of the classic episodes and well I really liked it, and although I like Vanessa Bayer, Bill Hader, Colin Jost, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis or Seth Meyers I've always wanted to see my comedy heroes doing SNL stuff, and this was just what I needed, a nice reunion where they pay homage to the legends.

As an avid SNL fan since my teenage years, it was a very pleasant experience to revisit those old skits and see familiar characters on SNL.

I laughed a lot, especially at the opening skit with Celebrity Jeopardy and at the very end with Wayne's World.

Dennis Miller and Victoria Jackson weren't present at the reunion and it is perhaps because of their radical political engagement in the far right. I believe that Lorne Michaels and the majority of the former and present cast members wouldn't appreciate working with individuals with bigoted views. So it is understandable.

However, I don't understand why former cast member Nasim Pedrad was not included? she was a talented and memorable comedian.

And that is exactly why I give it 5 stars out of 10.