Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary Special

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.

Great Show but, why was Robin Williams not mentioned as one of the people that had died? He was the Host 3 times as well as made 4 guest appearances. He hosted Saturday Night Live on February 11, 1984, November 22, 1986, and January 23, 1988. Williams also made cameo appearances on April 11, 1981 during the "Friends" miscellaneous sketch, on February 25, 1984 as the hockey player during the "Buddweiser Light" filmed commercial sketch, and on December 4, 2010 during the "What Up With That?" sketch. On Saturday Night Live, Williams has been impersonated by Martin Short on the October 13, 1984 episode during the "Password" sketch and on the April 6, 1985 episode during the "A.D. 13 Part V: A New Beginning" sketch, by Jimmy Fallon on the December 16, 2000 episode during the "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketch, and by Jon Hamm on the October 30, 2010 episode during the "Back To The Future 25th Anniversary DVD" filmed commercial sketch.

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.

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.