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Plus: 3 romantic movies to watch with your significant other.
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With “Saturday Night Live” celebrating its 50th anniversary in a three-hour special on Feb. 16, I took a deep dive into the show’s archives for an article on the 50-year history of Boston on “SNL.”
While doing this research, I also watched a bunch of sketches that weren’t Boston-related, which gave me the idea to try to pick out five essential episodes that best encapsulated the long-running variety show.
Distilling a 50-year show into five episodes is impossible. And arguing over which era of the show is the best is a pointless exercise. As Lorne Michaels himself put it, “When people talk about the best cast I think, ‘Well, that’s when they were in high school.’”
These five episodes (all streaming on Peacock) may not be your personal favorites. But taken together, they are an entertaining survey course of the show’s half-century of laughs.
Five essential “SNL” episodes
1978 – Steve Martin/The Blues Brothers
Steve Martin came closest to capturing Michaels’ original idea of “SNL” having a permanent host, so much so that he is often misremembered as part of the early cast. This episode has it all: The first appearance of the Blues Brothers, Two Wild and Crazy Guys, and Martin’s novelty song “King Tut,” which sold over a million copies and landed on the Billboard Hot 100. (Peacock)
1984 – Eddie Murphy/The Honeydrippers
The 1984-85 season is often cited as a low point for the show, ultimately leading to the return of Lorne Michaels after a five-year absence. But this Eddie Murphy-hosted episode (one year after he quit the show) had all of his popular characters (Buckwheat, Gumby, Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood), as well as the short film White Like Me. (Peacock)
1993 – Alec Baldwin/Paul McCartney
There’s a reason Alec Baldwin has hosted “SNL” a record 17 times. Baldwin slotted easily into both recurring sketches (Gap Girls) and new concepts (Naked Woman Theatre) in this episode, which also featured Chris Farley interviewing Paul McCartney. That was awesome. (Peacock)
2005 – Jack Black/Neil Young
Remember what Lorne said about your favorite cast being the one you saw in high school? The 2005-06 season — which marked the arrival of Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and Kristen Wiig — is mine. The Jack Black episode featured the debut of Two A-Holes, a hilarious 10-to-1 sketch (Spelling Bee), a TV Funhouse classic (Christmastime for the Jews) and Lazy Sunday, the digital short that popularized a then-fledgling streaming platform called YouTube. (Peacock)
2016 – Tom Hanks/Lady Gaga
Another host that has delivered consistent laughs on “SNL” since his 1985 debut, Tom Hanks produced two modern classics in this episode: Black Jeopardy and the debut of David S. Pumpkins. Any questions? (Peacock)
Three romantic movies to stream for Valentine’s Day
If your idea of a perfect Valentine’s Day omits fine dining and dancing in favor of Chinese takeout and a movie on the couch, here are three romantic classics streaming right now.
Note: The Queue arrives in inboxes on Friday at noon, but doesn’t publish on Boston.com until Monday. If these Valentine’s Day viewing suggestions are reaching you too late, sign up now to start your weekend with the freshest streaming recommendations.
“Love and Basketball”: This Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps basketball romance plays out in four quarters, with the duo pushing aside their feelings to prioritize pursuing pro basketball careers. (Max)
“Notting Hill”: This Julia Roberts role was the ultimate wish fulfillment for audiences in the ‘90s, with Roberts playing an A-List actress who is secretly down-to-earth and falls for a bookshop owner (Hugh Grant). (Netflix)
“When Harry Met Sally”: Forget the recent Super Bowl commercial cash grab: Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are perfectly paired in this Nora Ephron classic, featuring some of the most quotable romcom dialogue in history. (Paramount+)
Play or Skip
Press play on these new movies and shows:
- “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy”: Renée Zellweger’s latest Bridget Jones sees her gracefully moving into a new phase of life, and the self-assuredness of middle age suits her (and the movie) well. (Peacock)
- “The White Lotus” Season 3: We’re inching toward diminishing returns on the show’s concept, but the new cast of snobby guests and hotel employees (Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins) are still plenty entertaining. (Max)
- “Yellowjackets” Season 3: Because what’s more romantic than spending Valentine’s Day with our favorite group of circumstantial cannibals? (Paramount+)
But go ahead and skip these:
- “You’re Cordially Invited”: The ingredients for a solid romcom are here, but with regret, I’m RSVPing ‘No’ to this Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon vehicle. (Prime Video)
- “Kinda Pregnant”: I generally like Amy Schumer and very much like her romantic counterpart in this one (Will Forte), but couldn’t get on board for this fake pregnancy romcom. (Netflix)
End Credits
That’s a wrap on this edition of The Queue. If you’re a fan, please consider recommending this newsletter to your friends.
Until next time, good stream hunting, everyone!
— Kevin
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