With just seven iconic words put together, you know when it is, where it is, and what you're in for: "Live from New York, it's Saturday night!" Since its beginnings in 1975, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has been a cultural institution, its mixture of sketch comedy and the unpredictable energy of live television. Tracing the history of SNL means learning the vibes of a specific time and place. As cultural attitudes and values slowly but suddenly change, the answer to the simple question, "Is it funny?" is always figured out in real time. Making it to SNL remains a dream come true for many comedians, with the lucky few going on to even bigger and better levels of stardom.
With half a century's worth of hilarious sketch comedy, only some deserve recognition as truly the greatest. In celebration of the show's continued legacy, here are 35 of the greatest SNL sketches of all time.
