Watch the Trailer for Peacock Doc SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night

Live from New York it’s... 50 years of Saturday Night Live. Celebrations continue as the television institution marks half a century of laughs, cultural influence, and breeding comedy’s top talent. Peacock has officially released the trailer for the new exclusive four-part docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, which chronicles the history and impact of SNL.

“I’ve been obsessed with Saturday Night Live as long as I can remember. For SNL50, I’ve been lucky to collaborate with some of my favorite independent filmmakers to tell some deeper stories of SNL,” executive producer Morgan Neville said. “Taken together, these standalone episodes give a new perspective of SNL and what makes it work.” 

The docuseries features more than 60 interviews, including current and former cast members and writers such as Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, Pete Davidson, Tracy Morgan, Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, and more. 

When will SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night premiere? 

All four parts of the docuseries will drop Thursday, Jan 16 on Peacock.  

What is SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night about? 

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is a four-part docuseries honoring the legacy of SNL, with over 60 contributors, including alumni, and covering decades of SNL history. Spotlighting some of the show’s most iconic elements, each episode delves into the rich history of SNL and pulls back the curtain on the audition process, the writers’ room, the fan favorite "More Cowbell” sketch and the pivotal Season 11. 

What is each episode about? 

• Episode 1, “Five Minutes” - A showcase of the SNL audition process, with never-before-seen audition footage and firsthand accounts from some of the show’s most iconic names as they reflect on their preparation and journey to the SNL stage.  

• Episode 2, “Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room” - A behind-the-scenes look at the SNL writing process from script to screen, capturing the creativity and chaos of a week inside the writers’ room at SNL.  

• Episode 3, “More Cowbell” - A deep dive into the making of SNL's iconic "More Cowbell" sketch, exploring how a simple idea became a cultural phenomenon and offering a tribute to the lasting impact of sketch comedy.  

• Episode 4, “Season 11: The Weird Year” - An exploration into SNL’s 11th season, examining the pivotal year that reset the show’s direction and cemented its enduring DNA with Lorne Michaels at the helm. 

Photo: NBCUniversal

Who’s featured in SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night? 

• Episode 1, “Five Minutes” - Ayala Cohen, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Beck Bennett, Bill Hader, Bobby Moynihan, Bowen Yang, Cheri Oteri, David Spade, Ego Nwodim, Fred Armisen, Heidi Gardner, Jason Sudeikis, Jay Pharaoh, Jeff Blake, Joe Piscopo, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kenan Thompson, Kyle Mooney, Lindsay Shookus, Marci Klein, Mike Shoemaker, Molly Shannon, Nasim Pedrad, Pete Davidson, Stephen Colbert, and Tracy Morgan.   

• Episode 2, “Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room” - Alan Zweibel, Alex English, Al Franken, Andrew Dismukes, Asha Ward, Ben Marshall, Bob Odenkirk, Bryan Tucker, Ceara O’Sullivan, Celeste Yim, Emily Spivey, Harper Steele, Jim Downey, Jimmy Fowlie, John Higgins, John Mulaney, Larry David, Louie Zakarian, Marilyn Miller, Martin Herlihy, Paula Pell, Robert Smigel, Sarah Silverman, Seth Meyers, Simon Rich, Steve Higgins, Streeter Seidell, Tina Fey, and Will Stephen. 

• Episode 3, “More Cowbell” - Akira Yoshimura, Albert Bouchard, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Bruce Dickinson, Buck Dharma, Cara Hannah, Chris Kattan, Chris Parnell, Dana Carvey, Dave Grohl, Dave Itzkoff, Darrell Hammond, Eamon Cunningham, Eric Bloom, Fred Armisen, Jimmy Fallon, Jodi Mancuso, John Karpi, Josh Homme, Keith Raywood, Larry Demler, Louie Zakarian, Murray Krugman, Rachel Dratch, Tom Broecker, Will Ferrell, and David Lucas. 

• Episode 4, “Season 11: The Weird Year” - A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken, Andy Breckman, Anthony Michael Hall, Billy Crystal, Carol Leifer, Damon Wayans, George Meyer, George Wendt, Griffin Dunne, James Andrew Miller, Jim Downey, John Lithgow, Jon Lovitz, Kevin Nealon, Laila Nabulsi, Mark McKinney, Nora Dunn, Penn & Teller, Robert Smigel, Terry Sweeney, and Tom Hanks. Additional archival interviews include Bernie Brillstein, Lorne Michaels, Robert Downey Jr., and Tom Davis. 

Is there more SNL 50th anniversary programming? 

Yes, plenty of specials are on tap. The three-hour documentary, Ladies and Gentleman … 50 Years of SNL Music, co-directed by Oz Rodriguez and Tonight Show bandleader Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, premieres Monday, Jan 27 at 8p ET/PT on NBC and streams next day on Peacock. SNL celebrations will culminate in a live primetime special, SNL50: The Anniversary Special, on Sunday, Feb 16 at 8p ET on NBC and Peacock. 

Stream SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night only on Peacock starting Jan 16.