2025 marks the 50th anniversary of one of America’s most prolific institutions. To celebrate the occasion, Peacock is releasing a documentary showing behind the scenes of Saturday Night Live.
Entitled SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, the documentary focuses on the highs and lows of the sketch comedy show. Just some of the interviews are Tracy Morgan, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and late-night host, Jimmy Fallon. Former cast members get many interview opportunities, but the documentary also explores iconic sketches of the past five decades.
“This is beyond my wildest dreams that they’re making a documentary about the cowbell sketch,” Fallon says over the pointed shot of someone dramatically putting a cowbell down on a table. While only one part of the 50-season span of SNL, it is undeniable how much of a pop culture footprint the sketch left.
Airing in 2000 with Christopher Walken as host, the sketch envisions what the recording session for Blue Öyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” would have been like. In the song, there is a slight sound of a cowbell which Will Ferrell emphasizes to great comedic effect as Gene Frenkle, a fictional addition to the band. Walken plays record producer Bruce Dickinson who keeps insisting that the cowbell be played louder and louder through the recording of the song — much to the irritation of the band. The sketch ranked in the top 10 on Rolling Stone’s best SNL sketches list and features Walken’s iconic exclamation: “I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!” Ferrell stated that when writing the sketch, he always wondered what the person playing the cowbell in the real song was like.
The early aughts were a golden age of SNL and showcased the comedic talents of many players who still remain iconic. Viewers should tune in to get the full story of the sketch, but there is more than fun and games in store for this documentary. The trailer also hints at conflict that was long-standing behind the scenes.
SNL50 shows behind-the-scenes drama
Television such as this doesn’t last this long without ruffling some feathers. The least shown and most underappreciated component of running the ship is the writers. Each week they have to come up with content to fill an hour and a half and a fast ticking clock. In the SNL50 trailer, a producer asks the pressing question that hangs over every show.
“Do you think that the writers get the credit they deserve?”
In quick succession, many former writers chime in, including Al Franken, Sarah Silverman, and Bob Odenkirk all in the negative. Larry David perhaps put it best.
“Oh dear, you’ve really stepped on a land mine, here.”
Seth Meyers served as head writer in 2006 and expressed that it always seems to be a coin toss when dealing with live television. Even with dress rehearsals, there is no accounting for fan reaction when the show goes to air. The documentary will also cover the notorious year of 1985 when SNL seemed to be on the brink of cancelation. The season is remembered as one of the worst the series had ever had, only a decade after its first season. Things have worked all right for the comedic brand since then but the only way viewers can find out more is by streaming the four-part series, only on Peacock.
Published: Jan 7, 2025 06:12 pm