Celebrating 50 Years of Saturday Night Live: A Special Episode Highlights
In February 2025, Saturday Night Live (SNL) commemorated its monumental 50th anniversary with an unforgettable episode, bringing back several iconic former cast members. Among the highlights was a memorable segment featuring the legendary Bill Murray, who originally graced the SNL stage from 1977 to 1980.
During a cleverly orchestrated comedy sketch, Murray shared his list of the top ten anchors from the show’s Weekend Update segment over the past fifty years—intentionally omitting current anchor Colin Jost, standing quietly beside him. As the segment began, Murray acknowledged the significance of Black History Month:
“In honor of Black History Month, I want to start by ranking the African American Weekend Update anchors,” he stated.
Murray humorously unveiled a sign listing the number one spot, indicating it was “by default—Michael Che.”This remark led to a playful exchange with Che, who retorted, “What the hell do you mean ‘regular?'” as Murray proceeded with his countdown.
The Countdown: Bill Murray’s Top Weekend Update Anchors
Murray’s ranking journey began with Colin Quinn, placed tenth as “one of the all-time greats.” This was followed by notable anchors Kevin Nealon at ninth, Dennis Miller at eighth, and Seth Meyers in seventh position. The list gained momentum as Murray announced Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon in the sixth position, preceding the talented duo of Fey and Amy Poehler at fifth, punctuated by a comedic quip:
“It was close, but I checked online, and ‘girl on girl’ is still, like, very, very popular,” he joked.
Chevy Chase, the original Weekend Update anchor, was honored with fourth place. Murray concluded,
“Let’s face it, Weekend Update simply would not exist without him.”
The third slot went to the dynamic pair of Jane Curtin and Dan Aykroyd, with Murray reminiscing about their pinpointed humor from the famous “Point/Counterpoint” sketches. Naming Norm Macdonald as the second-best anchor, he remarked, “He may have been the best ever.” Finally, for the coveted top spot, Murray lightheartedly described the winner as “funny,” having a “great smile,” and “currently sleeping every kind of way with the lovely actress Scarlett Johansson,” unveiling that the honor went to his brother, Brian Doyle-Murray.
Beloved Characters Return to the Weekend Update
The 50th-anniversary special also resurrected fan-favorite characters from past seasons. Viewers were delighted to see Bobby Moynihan reprise his role as “Drunk Uncle” and Cecily Strong return as the “Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party.”
Moreover, Vanessa Bayer, a cast member from 2010 to 2017, and Fred Armisen, who appeared from 2002 to 2013, showcased their talents in a segment titled “Lorne Michaels’ Best Friends from Growing Up.” The comedic exchanges contributed to the overall atmosphere of nostalgia and hilarity:
“This next one could be you,” before quipping, “No, it is not.”
The dynamic interactions between former and current anchors enhanced the humor, while Murray took a moment to reflect on the significance of each individual’s contribution to the Weekend Update segment throughout SNL’s storied history.
Fans can catch new episodes of Saturday Night Live streaming each Saturday on NBC and Peacock. Stay tuned for more laughs and memorable moments from this groundbreaking show!