In anticipation of Saturday Night Live's (SNL) three-hour 50th anniversary show on NBC which will be broadcast on February 16th Saturday Night Live team is showcasing iconic sketches from past 50 seasons with Season 42 sketch featuring Tom Hanks' “Black Jeopardy”. The show intends to highlight SNL's rich history from past five decades in celebration of its important impact on pop culture.
Catch the regular Saturday Night Live program Saturdays on NBC streaming the following day on Peacock tv channel. "Black Jeopardy" debuted initially during a 2014 show hosted by Louis C.K but later recurred during episodes of Elizabeth Banks in 2015 and again by Drake in 2016 which makes the appearance of Tom Hanks as a special addition.
Tom Hanks' Surprising Performance as Doug in "Black Jeopardy" During 2016 SNL Show
Tom Hanks' returned October 22 2016 for his ninth SNL hosting event featuring Tom Hanks as Doug during the "Black Jeopardy" sketch which quickly drew attention of audiences all over the United States. This was also the debut of his character "David S Pumpkins". Tom Hanks wore a "Make America Great Again" hat playing Doug a character initially perceived out of place in context to the game setting of the show while exhibiting surprisingly common shared knowledge with other game show contestants. "Black Jeopardy" sees Kenan Thompson reprising his role as game show host Darnell Hayes with Sasheer Zamata acting as Keeley plus Leslie Jones acting as Shanice the competing contestants alongside Doug during his debut appearance.
"Black Jeopardy's" Evolution and the Show's Deeper Themes About Community Inclusion
Darnell asked Doug if he is prepared to play 'Black Jeopardy’ as Doug answered in Southern drawl saying he hopes to get money and “get her done.” In previous segments "Black Jeopardy" always demonstrated white contestants consistently failing to get correct answers however in this specific sketch Doug is constantly answering the questions correctly which created a dynamic that viewers enjoyed. Michael Che SNL co-head writer stated during Vulture interview back in 2018 he wanted to show that shared background makes up a sense of community which is beyond initial perceptions. He along with others selected only top notch jokes for this particular segment to have a high entertainment value which helped with the show becoming a highly celebrated one with different segments and characters.
Intent Behind the Sketch: Tom Hanks' Portrayal as a Bold Response to 2016 Divisive Political Landscape
Kenan Thompson told Vulture how writers did not want the sketch to fail especially considering political division was occurring when the episode initially aired. Thompson shared the pressure to ensure success stating that Tom Hanks excelled at playing a relatable human despite being in completely different social positions during political divide in the country. Bryan Tucker a SNL writer with Che indicated that even Oprah Winfrey enjoyed this particular episode with specific high praise and even had made the request to personally speak to the actor.
Legacy of “Black Jeopardy” Sketch and a 50th Anniversary Celebration On NBC and Peacock
Tom Hanks' "Black Jeopardy" segment reached a very high view count of over 83 million times on Youtube making it a continued fan favorite almost a full decade since release. Paste Magazine regarded this "Black Jeopardy" segment "sneakingly profound" calling the episode "sweetly optimistic". This success led up to the big show on Sunday February 16 on NBC for a three hour program and Peacock tv channel also plans to showcase 50 years of various sketches hosts cast members collaborators creating high excitement and interest for long time and even brand new fans.
Peacock's "Beyond Saturday Night" Docuseries Explores SNL History Featuring 60 Contributors and Various Elements
The upcoming three-hour Saturday Night Live special will be preceded by additional programming including a four-part documentary series called "Beyond Saturday Night" launching on Peacock tv channel January 16. This special series gives viewers unique insights into different parts of SNL’s long and highly celebrated legacy. "Ladies and Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music" will also be shown in special series highlighting SNL’s many influential musical guests co-directed by Oz Rodriguez and Questlove with show times on NBC scheduled to be on January 27 showcasing live musical acts from past fifty years.
Peacocks “SNL50 Beyond Saturday Night" a four-part docuseries shows never-before-seen audition footage. Viewers also get unique views into the writer’s room. "Beyond Saturday Night” with a team of directors highlights "More Cowbell" which is an influential show sketch along with other elements like the transformative Season 11 all which shows its many layers as an important part of popular culture and entertainment.
The director teams for the series has been organized where the first episode on auditioning process has been directed by Robert Alexander . Marshall Curry is guiding the writer's room behind the scenes view. Neil Berkeley focuses in on ‘More Cowbell’ segment and finally Jason Zeldes is exploring Season 11 of the show with the rest of the behind the scene elements for full production view. All episodes showcase never before seen content related to SNL creative processes for public view.
Early SNL 50th Anniversary Teasers Include Throwback Clips with Beloved Cast Members on Social Media
Saturday Night Live recently posted first teasers from social media on instagram showing throwback clips with many of their cast favorites for the show's 50th year. These teasers show how Amy Poehler introduces the show alongside Seth Meyers Tracy Morgan Kate McKinnon Andy Samberg Keenan Thompson Phil Hartman and Kristen Wiig in preparation for the February 16 show. Various other high profile former stars appear in the Instagram teaser adding to anticipation surrounding this new special edition . Showcased along with their many introductions there is a montage with iconic characters from beloved show’s past further emphasizing how large their impact has been on the entertainment world
"Ladies and Gentlemen ... 50 Years of SNL Music" Celebrates SNL's Musical History
"Ladies and Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music” a film directed by Questlove and Oz Rodriguez is preparing for NBC broadcast for January 27 featuring interviews and performances by highly influential figures. Artists including Bad Bunny Miley Cyrus Billie Eilish Mick Jagger Dua Lipa Darryl DMC McDaniels Tom Morello Kacey Musgraves Olivia Rodrigo Paul Simon Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake are in this new production. This film is in honor of fifty year influence highlighting performances and music's part in show success all documented over decades by many different media channels in United States and worldwide.