Fresh off its 50th anniversary season, Saturday Night Live is ready to break off another half century. SNL has been cracking us up just before midnight for decades, and Season 51 will undoubtedly have us doubled over, too.
SNL has given us some of the most memorable comedic moments on network television. Let’s take a look back at some of the classic sketches that have been quoted, meme’d and rewatched countless times.
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When Does ‘Saturday Night Live’ Season 51 Premiere?
Saturday Night Live returned for its 51st season on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. You can watch it live every Saturday night at 11:30 ET on NBC (Channel 392) and on Peacock.
The Best ‘Saturday Night Live’ Sketches of All Time
To get you ready for the new season, we’ve rounded up the most iconic sketches in its storied history.
‘More Cowbell’ (2000): Perhaps the most legendary SNL sketch of all time, “More Cowbell” iconically features Will Ferrell in a belly shirt wailing on a cowbell during a Blue Öyster Cult recording session. Christopher Walken plays the producer who, after each take, demands “more cowbell!” while Jimmy Fallon constantly breaks character and Chris Parnell plays the befuddled lead singer.
“Matt Foley: Van Down by the River” (1993): Chris Farley’s explosive performance as unhinged motivational speaker, Matt Foley, is a feat of comedic endurance. Farley’s physical comedy and manic energy is punctuated by his warnings that the misbehaving teens will end up “in a VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER” if they don’t get their act together.
Watch ‘Matt Foley: Van Down By The River’
‘Celebrity Jeopardy!: French Stewart, Burt Reynolds, & Sean Connery’ (1999): Will Ferrell’s barely contained Alex Trebek deals with who’s who of antagonistic characters. Darrell Hammond’s vindictive Sean Connery and Norm MacDonald’s dim-witted “Turd Ferguson” version of Burt Reynolds drive “Trebek” up a wall and deliver an instant classic.
Watch ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!: French Stewart, Burt Reynolds, & Sean Connery’
‘D*** in a Box’ (2006): The Lonely Island’s Emmy-winning digital short stars Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake as 1990s R&B singers with a questionable gift idea for their significant others. The video parody cemented SNL’s viral video revolution and became one of the most successful digital shorts ever produced.
‘Haunted Elevator’/’David S. Pumpkins’ (2016): Tom Hanks’ inexplicably bizarre Halloween character became an instant sensation with his weird voice, ridiculous suit and awkward dancing. Flanked by dancing skeletons played by Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan, David Pumpkins is more than a quirky character. He’s an SNL moment fans will never forget.
Watch ‘Haunted Elevator (ft. David S. Pumpkins)’
‘The Olympia Restaurant’ (1978) “Cheeburger, cheeburger, Pepsi, two cheep” sings John Belushi’s restaurant owner. A parody of a fast-moving Chicago diner the sketch features a fluid give and take between Belushi, Dan Ackroyd and Bill Murray.
Watch ‘The Olympia Restaurant: Cheeseburger, Chips and Pepsi’
‘Debbie Downer: Disney World’ (2004): Rachel Dratch’s debut as the perpetually pessimistic character that ruins everyone’s fun at Disney World. Dratch’s ability to hang on while the entire cast, including Lindsay Lohan, breaks character from laughter is a feat in itself. The brilliant bump-set-spike of Debbie killing everyone’s vibe (even an excited waiter played by second-year cast member Kenan Thompson) made this one of the best sketches of the decade.
Watch ‘Debbie Downer: Disney World’
‘Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton Address the Nation’ (2008): In the summer of 2008, SNL was handed a gift. Sarah Palin was tapped as presidential candidate John McCain’s running mate, and she and Tina Fey looked remarkably alike. Paired with Amy Poehler’s Hillary Clinton, the duo delivered a classic cold open to the Season 34 premiere.
Watch ‘Sarah Palin and Hillary Address the Nation’
‘Sean Spicer Press Conference’ (2017): Melissa McCarthy’s aggressive portrayal of President Donald Trump’s first press secretary captured the combative tone of the early first Trump administration. Her performance is a time capsule for future historians studying this moment in politics.
Watch ‘Sean Spicer Press Conference’
‘White Like Me’ (1984): Eddie Murphy goes “undercover” as a white man in this mockumentary-style sketch to highlight white privilege, bigotry behind closed doors and racial inequities in society. Forty years later, the sketch hasn’t lost any of its edge. Legendary SNL writer Jim Downey co-starred in the sketch.
‘Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer’ (1991): Phil Hartman’s masterpiece character is a prehistoric man who was thawed out by scientists, went to law school and became a practicing lawyer. The sketch features Hartman’s fierce commitment to character and leaves you kind of wishing there was actually an Unfrozen Cave Man Lawyer show.
Watch ‘Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer’
‘Wayne’s World: Aerosmith’ (1990): Mike Myers and Dana Carvey’s rock-loving cable-access teens Wayne and Garth interview Aerosmith thanks to Garth’s cousin Barry, played by Tom Hanks. The sketch spawned two movies and defined 1990s youth culture with its “party on” attitude. We’re not worthy.
Watch ‘Wayne’s World: Aerosmith’
‘The Blues Brothers: Soul Man’ (1978) John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s iconic sunglasses-wearing Blues Brothers is arguably one of the most famous sketches in SNL history. Initially a recurring sketch on the show, their electric performances were so well received that they launched a franchise including albums, concerts and multiple feature-length movies.
Watch ‘Blues Brothers: Soul Man’
‘What’s Up With That?’ (2013): One of Kenan Thompson’s most memorable characters gave us a delightfully off-the-rails talk show complete with the catchiest theme song imaginable.
Stefon’s Appearances (Weekend Update, 2010s): Bill Hader’s eccentric New York club correspondent provided unexpected descriptions of nightlife venues around the city during Weekend Update segments. Hader frequently broke character thanks to co-writer John Mulaney re-writing jokes right before Hader took the stage and feeding them to him on the cue cards.
Watch ‘Stefon on the Summer’s Hottest Tips’
‘Church Lady’ (1987): Dana Carvey’s morally superior and wickedly judgmental Church Lady satirized self-righteous behavior with her signature catchphrase “Well, isn’t that special?” The character became one of SNL‘s most beloved recurring characters.
‘Lazy Sunday’ (2005): The Lonely Island’s digital short revolution began with this rap starring Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg about journey to a dream world of magic and eating some bomb cupcakes. Released just as YouTube was launching, Lazy Sunday became SNL‘s first viral video and changed the show forever.
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‘Twin Bed’ (2013): This R&B music video parody featuring the female cast and host Jimmy Fallon proved SNL could still create viral musical content even after The Lonely Island’s departure. The nostalgic early-2000s aesthetic combined with club beats and seventh-grade photos created a catchy hit about returning home for some holiday weirdness.
Watch ‘(Do It On My) Twin Bed’
‘Weekend Update: The Hanukkah Song’ (1994): Adam Sandler’s cultural anthem cemented his stardom and became one of the greatest comedy songs of all time. Both silly and sensitive, the song made Sandler a household name and helped launch his legendary stand up and acting career.
Watch ‘Weekend Update: Adam Sandler on Hanukkah’
‘Potato Chip’ (2009) A standard interview for an open astronaut job goes awry when a potato chip goes missing. Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis go toe to toe in this absurdist sketch in the wild card “10 to 1” slot of the show. Let it be a lesson to us all: You just don’t take people’s potato chips.
‘Weekend Update: Roseanne Roseannadanna on Smoking’ (1978): Gilda Radner’s bewigged health correspondent character delivers a five-minute rant about quitting smoking. It answers the ever-important question “What do health clubs, sweat and saunas have to do with cigarettes?”
Watch ‘Weekend Update: Roseanne Roseannadanna on Smoking’
‘Landshark’ (1975): From just the fourth episode of Saturday Night Live, Chevy Chase’s clever shark that lives on land tricks women into opening their doors so he can eat them. This delightfully dumb sketch showed that sometimes it’s the silliest ideas that steal the show.
‘Farewell Mr. Bunting’ (2016): Pete Davidson, Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennet and Fred Armisen star in the Dead Poet’s Society parody that captures the inspiring ending nearly beat for bloody beat.
‘First Citywide Change Bank’ (1988): The 1988 commercial parody perfectly captures the faux friendliness and self-importance of financial institutions.
Watch ‘First CityWide Change Bank’
‘Cookies’ (2008): You never know when the cookie cravings are going to kick in and you also never really know what is in an unmarked plate of cookies.
‘Papyrus’ (2017) Ryan Gosling plays a man obsessed with the font choice for Avatar eight years after its release. Writer Julio Torres knows better than anyone that the best comedy is surgically specific and highlights something that unites us all: crazy obsessions. Nobody tell this guy about the new Avatar.
‘Chippendales Audition’ (1990): You’d be hard-pressed to find a more quintessential piece of physical comedy than Chris Farley taking on Patrick Swayze in the final audition to be a dancer at Chippendales. Farley’s relentless commitment is awe inspiring. The sketch reminds you of the energy only a live performance can bring.
‘Bass-O-Matic’ (1976): The days of troublesome scaling, cutting and gutting are over because Dan Aykroyd’s manic infomercial salesman has a terrible product to sell you: the Super Bass-O-Matic.
‘Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks’ (2016): Doug (Tom Hanks) surprisingly holds his own on Black Jeopardy. Well, for a while. Written by Michael Che and Bryan Tucker, the sketch turned into its own recurring bit in the years to come.
Watch ‘Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks’
‘Mom Jeans’ (2003): Tina Fey’s commercial parody took direct aim at society’s objectification of women with Mom Jeans, jeans designed to “fit a mom’s body.” Joke’s on society, mom jeans are all the rage again.
‘Meet Your Second Wife’ (2015) Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host a ruthless game show that knows the future and presents men with their second wives…in front of their current wives. One of your classic home makeover shows.
‘Dysfunctional Family Dinner’ (1998) Oftentimes the best comedy is mined from the most relatable of situations, like bickering and teenage outbursts at the dinner table. R.I.P. Dodge Stratus.
Watch ‘Dysfunctional Family Dinner’
‘December to Remember Car Commercial’ (2020): A sketch that heightens the “that would never happen in real life” essence of commercials perfectly. Beck Bennett is right at home as an overly confident guy in over his head caught up in the holiday spirit of savings.
Watch ‘December to Remember Car Commercial’
‘What’s That Name’ (2019): Bill Hader’s devilish Vince Blight hosts a mischievous game show that quizzes contestants on the names of people in their life they definitely should know but don’t. It’s a game with the ultimate prize: chaos.
‘The Nerds: Nerd Prom’ (1978): Recurring characters Lisa Loopner (Gilda Radner) and Todd DiLaMuca (Bill Murray) attend the event of the year: prom. The sketch hilariously captures the charming dorkiness and endless awkwardness of the teen years.
‘Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood Nutrition’ (1981): Eddie Murphy’s inner-city riff on Mister Rogers provides valuable lessons for eating right at a budget you’re not going to get on PBS.
Watch ‘Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood: Nutrition’
‘NPR’s Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls’ (1998): Ana Gasteyer and Molly Shannon play NPR hosts tasting the culinary creations of Pete Schweddy (Alec Baldwin). To celebrate the holidays, Pete brings his family’s famous dessert: Scheddy balls. A pitch perfect parody of the softspoken radio personalities with deadpanned, subtle raunchiness made this sketch an instant classic.
Watch ‘NPR’s Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls’
‘Colonel Angus Comes Home’ (2003): Written by Tina Fey, this is a period piece you really need to hear, not read about, to truly appreciate.
Watch ‘Colonel Angus Comes Home’
‘Jingleheimer Junction’ (1998): A nostalgic Schoolhouse Rock parody that pits one of the shows best duos against one another, Tim Meadows vs. Will Ferrell. To the front of the line, Fred!
“Close Encounter” (2015): One of three random people abducted by aliens, Kate McKinnon’s experience was just a liiiiiittle bit different than her fellow abductees. McKinnon’s character commitment broke everyone else on stage as she delivered one descriptive soliloquy after another.
‘Totinos with Kristen Stewart’ (2017): A woman boxed into the unappreciated role of housewife has her heart awoken right in time for the big game by Ted’s sister Sabine and the new Totino’s Totino Pizza Roll Two Pack.
Watch ‘Totino’s with Kristen Stewart’
‘The Actress’ (2019): An exploration of the actor’s journey. This sketch exemplifies the power of method acting in… any performance.
‘Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base’ (2016): Kylo Ren goes on “Undercover Boss” for some “real talk with some real folks” at the Empire’s Starkiller Base. Adam Driver’s Sith lord finds himself a fish out of water desperate for approval from his coworkers’ approval.
Watch ‘Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base’
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Frequently Asked Questions
When did Saturday Night Live start?
Saturday Night Live premiered on October 11, 1975.
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