Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary brought together some of the biggest names in the show's half-century history as well as Hollywood's brightest stars. And in typical SNL fashion, the night had its fair share of surprises.
The three-hour primetime special went off largely without a hitch, save for some minor technical difficulties and performers flubbing the odd line. But considering the scale of the production, it was an impressive feat and reminder of just how unique Saturday Night LIve still is after all these years.
NBC did a nice job of teasing the guest list ahead of the February 16 air date. Fans had a pretty good idea of which Hollywood stars and former SNL cast members would be in attendance.
And while the guests also gave some sense of what to expect, Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary managed to fit in a few surprises.
Saturday Night Live and Donald Trump mostly ignored each other
Political impressions are nothing new on Saturday Night Live. For 50 years, cast members have been parodying the president and other politicians. But the things seemed to reach new heights during the Donald Trump era.
That's why it was a little surprising that SNL's 50th anniversary chose to largely ignore President Trump. There were passing references to Trump's policies in Steve Martin's monologue, but the current president wasn't named nor was he impersonated. There wasn't even any montage clips to give Trump some SNL airtime.
And on President Trump's side, it was a little surprising to see him ignore the anniversary special. The former SNL host hasn't been shy about criticizing the show in recent years. A major New York City event like the 50th anniversary is the kind of event that usually catches Trump's attention. But the president kept himself busy at the Daytona 500 earlier in the day.
Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Jack Nicholson were among the stars in attendance
By all accounts, every living Saturday Night Live cast member was invited back to the show. The same invitation went out to those stars who have hosted SNL or have a long history with the sketch series.
Still, it was a little shocking to see Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at the SNL 50th anniversary. Even more so, Reynolds participated in the Q&A bit with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The actor (who hasn't hosted SNL since 2009) referenced the legal drama surrounding him and Lively, getting some laughs from the audience. Considering all the drama and negative press around the couple, one might expect they'd want to keep a low profile.
On the other hand, Jack Nicholson's appearance was surprising for a much different reason. The legendary actor rarely makes public appearances these days. Nicholson has never hosted SNL, but he had the honor of introducing his Anger Management co-star Adam Sandler during the 50th anniversary.
Lorne Michaels stayed quiet during the SNL 50th anniversary special
Dozens of Saturday Night Live stars got the opportunity to go on stage and talk about the show or join in a sketch. However, SNL creator Lorne Michaels was surprisingly quiet during the 50th anniversary special.
Michaels got shout outs during the episode, including a subtle impression by Adam Sandler. But there was no montage dedicated to Michaels nor did any cast members give him a glowing tribute. Perhaps that was by design and Michaels preferred to let the comedy and collection of stars speak for itself.
The legendary producer was (almost) front-and-century during the goodnights. Martin Short made a point to spotlight Michaels, but the SNL boss did not take the opportunity to speak to camera or share any remarks. If nothing else, it should put to rest any rumors about Michaels walking away after season 50.