With last week’s Season 51 premiere in the rearview mirror, Saturday Night Live returns this weekend with another milestone episode—one that fans are hoping will strike a balance between nostalgia and fresh energy from a cast still finding its rhythm.
The show’s already got a running start, with a beloved former cast member returning to host. Between the promise of surprise cameos and lingering questions about underused players, will this week’s episode meet (or beat) expectations—or will it disappoint?
Here are five storylines we’ll be watching this Saturday night:
Still Crazy After All These Years
The fact that the actual 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live’s very first episode (on October 11, 1975) happens to fall on a Saturday night is just the kind of magical timing we’ve come to expect from the show. After all, it was just earlier this year that SNL creator Lorne Michaels turned 80 at the stroke of midnight while producing an episode of the show.
The big question is whether SNL will address its birthday on air—and, if so, how. (Michaels’ own 80th went unmentioned.) With fan favorite Amy Poehler booked to host, the ingredients are there to look back at George Carlin walking down those steps, John Belushi wanting to feed his fingertips to the wolverines, and cast members begrudgingly dressed as bees.
Cameo Watch
Though SNL is coming off a momentous season of anniversary specials, this week feels primed for one last night of celebration—and cameos tend to be the currency of SNL milestones. Tina Fey and Maya Rudolph are the betting favorites to appear alongside Poehler Saturday—but is it possible one or more original cast members will make their way back to Studio 8H?
It’s not without precedent. SNL50: The Anniversary Special featured Garrett Morris and Laraine Newman on screen, Chevy Chase and Jane Curtin in the audience, and Bill Murray (who joined the original cast in Season 2) popping up on Weekend Update.
The Women of SNL
Sarah Sherman and Chloe Fineman dominated last week’s screen time among the women of the cast, while Ashley Padilla earned the most critical acclaim for her “Parent-Teacher” sketch. Meanwhile, Veronika Slowikowska had a couple of bit roles, and Jane Wickline was completely shut out of the premiere. Now that we’re past the season opener—which has historically leaned more heavily on veterans—will Ashley, Veronika, and Jane get more play?
Forgetting Ben Marshall
New featured player Ben Marshall was also largely M.I.A. last week. After being upgraded to cast member, expectations were high that Marshall—who knows the sketch process inside and out, and still collaborates with writer (and fellow Please Don’t Destroy member) Martin Herlihy—would be all over the premiere. Instead, he clocked only 12 seconds of screen time in two very minor roles. Can he rebound this week?
Who Is Role Model’s Sally?
With musical guest Role Model in the building, expectations are that he’ll perform his smash hit “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out.” Assuming he does, all eyes will be on who he picks to be his titular Sally—the performer has traditionally enlisted celebs to join him onstage for a mid-song dance break.
One SNL cast member has already filled the role—Bowen Yang joined Role Model for the song’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon performance in April. Our dream candidate for this momentous Saturday night: Molly Shannon’s famous half-centenarian Sally O’Malley. What better way to celebrate SNL’s 50th birthday?
Saturday Night Live airs Oct. 11 at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock. Join us at LateNighter.com immediately after for the Saturday Night Network’s live after-show, where SNL experts and superfans weigh in on the night’s best and worst moments.
