‘Saturday Night Live’ to have three-hour 40th anniversary special in 2015

“Saturday Night Live” is an institution on TV, and no matter what generation you come from in America, you remember it fondly. The “best” time for the show is probably the time that you started watching, and everyone has an opinion on each sketch.

If there is any show that deserves an opportunity to really celebrate its 40th anniversary on TV, it is this one. This is why we are pleased to report that on Sunday, February 15 (the date’s a little ironic), NBC is going to air a three-hour live special that will celebrate the entire history of the show. This means there will likely be returning cast members, surprise guests, plenty of nostalgic moments, and more. It’s hard to find three hours on a Sunday night to watch anything (this is a very competitive time of year), but we have a feeling that we could make it work for this.

In a statement announcing the big news, NBC programming head Robert Greenblatt had the following to say:

“Saturday Night Live is an institution unlike anything else in television history … The many brilliant ‘Not Ready for Primetime Players’ over the years is a who’s who of film and television comedy for the last two generations. The roster includes everyone from the iconic first cast in 1975 to household names ranging from Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, and Adam Sandler, to Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers — to name only a few. This brand, which is still one of the highest-rated comedies on television, was the brainchild of Lorne Michaels, who still presides over the whole enterprise today. This special is just one of the many ways we plan to celebrate SNL‘s historic 40th season next year.”

Are you excited about this special? Share your thoughts below, and click here to see some more highlights from this season. Also, be sure to sign up to get further TV updates via our CarterMatt Newsletter.

Photo: NBC