How to watch the SNL 50th Anniversary Special: Stream Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live turns 50 this year, and NBC is celebrating with a special live show. We'll show you how to watch the SNL 50th Anniversary Special.
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It may be hard to believe, but Saturday Night Live turns 50 years old this year, and NBC is celebrating in style. We've compiled absolutely everything you need to know about how to watch the SNL 50th Anniversary Special, including where to watch other streaming specials attached to the landmark anniversary.
Saturday Night Live has become synonymous with TV. The comedy Goliath initially launched in 1975 and has evolved into a cultural touchstone over the past 50 years, launching the careers of some of the most iconic comedians of all time. The 50th Anniversary Special will bring together some of the most beloved SNL alums, including Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Chris Rock, Amy Poehler, Adam Sandler, and more. The special will also reunite four of the surviving original cast members, with Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman expected to return.
SNL 50 is also slated to feature some musical performances and several of the top hosts from the show's storied history, including a few members of the Five-Timers Club. Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Scarlett Johannsen, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Pedro Pascal, Quinta Brunson, Dave Chappelle, and Robert De Niro are among the former hosts appearing at the 50th.
The special will take place on Sunday, not Saturday, airing earlier than its late-night regular season counterpart. Below, you can find everything you need to know about watching the special, whether you have cable or are seeking a live streaming counterpart.
How to watch the SNL 50th Anniversary in the US
SNL's 50th Anniversary Special will air on NBC in the US. The evening begins with red carpet coverage at 7 p.m. ET (simulcast on NBC and E!), and the special kicks off at 8 p.m. on NBC. The special is blocked out until 11:15 p.m. in the TV guide. If you don't have cable or an antenna, there are a few different ways to live stream the event.
The cheapest option is through Peacock, where subscriptions start at just $8/month for ad-supported content. This is a great streaming service for SNL aficionados since it's the on-demand home of the show's entire 50-season back catalog. Plus, all anniversary-related content (which we'll dig into some more below) is streaming here. You can also upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus for $14/month to watch on-demand content ad-free and live stream NBC whenever you want. Until February 18, new users can get an entire year of Peacock for $30 using the code WINTERSAVINGS. This is over 60% in savings and the best Peacock deal we've seen since Black Friday.
You can also watch the special through a live TV streaming package like Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, or Fubo. These services carry NBC and tons of other live channels, making them solid cable alternatives for cord-cutters. Sling is the cheapest of the bunch. NBC and local channels are available in select regions through the Sling Blue plan, which also comes with 40+ other popular live channels. Subscriptions start at $46/month, but you can get half off your first month right now.
DirecTV Stream and Fubo are two other popular live TV streaming services with broad NBC coverage and tons of other popular channels. They're a bit more expensive than Sling, but they carry anywhere from 90 to 200+ live channels and come with free trials for new customers. DirecTV Stream's Entertainment plan starts at $87/month and has a five-day free trial, while Fubo's Essential plan starts at $85/month and has a seven-day free trial. Fubo also knocks up to $25 off your first month of service.
How to watch the SNL 50th Anniversary from anywhere
If you're traveling outside the US, you can still keep up with the anniversary special with the help of a VPN. VPNs, short for virtual private networks, let you alter your virtual location so that you can access all of your usual websites and apps from anywhere. Plus, they're instant ways to boost your cybersecurity. Since the services we've recommended today require US forms of payment, this will work best for Americans who are just traveling abroad.
ExpressVPN is our go-to recommendation. It's a user-friendly option (even for beginners) and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can read more about the app in our official ExpressVPN review.
Other SNL 50 offerings
Saturday Night Live has been slowly rolling out a wealth of content tagged to its 50th Anniversary, and viewers can watch it all on-demand on Peacock. The "SNL50: Homecoming Concert," the "SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night" docuseries, and "Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music" can all be streamed on Peacock with a standard subscription.
Was there a new regular episode of SNL this Saturday?
There wasn't a new regular episode of SNL this weekend. During the show's usual Saturday 11:30 p.m. ET time slot on NBC, the network aired a repeat — the very first episode of SNL, hosted by George Carlin. The most recent new episode took place on January 25 and featured Timothée Chalamet as both host and musical performer.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
