“SNL Vintage” commemorates 40 years of “Saturday Night Live”

Saturday Night Live begins its 40th season on NBC this Saturday, Sept. 27, with host Chris Pratt and musical guest Ariana Grande (and former cast member Darrell Hammond taking over announcing duties from the late Don Pardo). The series premiered on Oct. 11, 1975, and since then has become a pop-culture staple, launching the careers of many now-famous comic actors.

christopher-walken-more-cowbell

Several episodes of SNL have become famous themselves, either because of a notable host, a hilarious sketch, a prominent musical guest or a combination of all of the above. NBC is going to be airing what it considers “iconic” episodes from each of the last 40 years of Saturday Night Live in a weekly look back called SNL Vintage. One classic show will air each Saturday at 10pm ET/PT beginning Sept. 27.

SNL Vintage begins by going all the way back to Season 1, with an episode hosted by Richard Pryor, with musical guest Gil Scott-Heron (it will be interesting to see if NBC fully airs the infamous “Word Association” sketch starring Pryor and Chevy Chase). The following week, Oct. 4, SNL Vintage will air an episode from Season 25, with host Christopher Walken and musical guest Christina Aguilera (featuring the “Behind the Music: Blue Oyster Cult” sketch that has Walken playing a producer who demands “more cowbell” from the band, as well as another installment of Walken’s hilarious portrayal of “The Continental”).

Upcoming episodes featured on SNL Vintage have yet to be announced.

SNL Vintage airs Saturdays at 10pm ET/PT on NBC beginning Sept. 27.

Season 40 of Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30pm ET on NBC beginning Sept. 27.