New ‘SNL’ Documentary Coming to Peacock for Show’s 50th Anniversary

Saturday Night Live is getting a new documentary. The long-running variety sketch series is in the midst of its 50^th season, and to celebrate, Peacock will be airing a four-part documentary in the new year, according to AV Club. Premiering on Jan. 16, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night will include at least 60 contributors. The episodes will center on the audition process, the writers’ room, the infamous “More Cowbell” sketch, and Season 11, which saw Lorne Michaels return after a five-year hiatus with a brand new cast including Robert Downey Jr. and Joan Cusack.

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

Additionally, the show will l provide “unprecedented access to the show’s archives and talent,” meaning there will be a lot more to look forward to in the four episodes, likely interviews with alumni, creatives, and more. It’s unknown if more episodes will be on the way or if it will strictly just be four parts, but it will be exciting to get an inside look at the series that’s been around for almost 50 years.

At the very least, the documentary will not be the only anniversary celebration that SNL will be doing at the start of the year. NBC will be airing a three-hour primetime special on Sunday, Feb. 16, and will cap a “celebratory weekend” honoring the sketch series. As of now, details have yet to be released, but it will likely include plenty of celebrity guests, alumni, current cast members, and plenty of surprises to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

Saturday Night Live still has two more episodes left to air in 2024 before the 50^th anniversary celebration continues in 2025. Chris Rock will serve as host with musical guest Gracie Abrams on Dec. 14, while Martin Short will host for the final show of 2024 with musical guest Hozier on Dec. 21. SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night premieres on Jan. 16 only on Peacock, while the three-hour 50^th anniversary special premieres on Feb. 16 on NBC and Peacock. All 50 seasons are streaming now on Peacock.