Saturday Night Live season 50 was hyped up for all the right reasons. It was a big year for the show, with lots of special guests, familiar cast members returning, and chances to celebrate its long history. At first glance, the lineup looked exciting—Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, and more.

But in my opinion, most of these appearances felt more like filler than something meaningful. The show leaned heavily on big names without doing enough to deliver meaningful or memorable comedy. The excitement of seeing these celebrities wear wigs, break character, or return to their old roles was nice—for about ten seconds.

Then came the letdown. Over and over, the sketches relied on who was in them, not what was being said. It felt like the show was relying on nostalgia and surprise guest appearances to carry each episode, instead of focusing on writing strong, funny jokes.

In a season that could’ve celebrated what originally made Saturday Night Live great—smart writing, timely topics, and bold humour—it ended up showing just how far the show has drifted from that. In my opinion, if the show wants to stay fresh, it needs to stop using cameos as a shortcut.

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One of the most noticeable things about Saturday Night Live season 50 was how often it leaned on its guest stars to create buzz. Scarlett Johansson and Jon Hamm were among the most heavily promoted names, especially for the sketch “The White Potus.”

The concept blended political satire with HBO’s The White Lotus, setting up a Trump family vacation at a luxury resort. The characters were clearly planned out, but in my opinion, the sketch didn’t deliver anything beyond the visuals and the presence of well-known names.

The performances were polished—of course they were—but the writing felt weak. Sarah Sherman’s parody of Aimee Lou Wood’s character went viral for the wrong reasons. Wood herself called it “mean and unfunny,” especially criticising the exaggerated fake teeth.

That moment alone summed up the issue for me: the sketch relied on overdone impressions instead of clever commentary. It had big names, but no real punch. Another example was the season finale, where Scarlett Johansson returned as host and Bad Bunny joined as the musical guest.

James Austin Johnson opened as Donald Trump in a sketch about a fictional scandal involving a Qatari luxury jet. Despite the topical premise, the sketch lacked urgency or fresh angles. In my opinion, it relied too much on delivery and too little on substance.

Throughout the season, this pattern kept repeating. The show brought in well-known faces, but too often it felt like the writers assumed that would be enough. Without a strong foundation of humour or purpose, even the best cameos fall flat.

In my opinion, Saturday Night Live’s celebrity appearances this season weren’t just underwhelming—they highlighted how dependent the show has become on name recognition over writing.

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One of the hardest things for Saturday Night Live lately has been trying to honour its past while still making fresh and relevant comedy. Season 50 focused a lot on nostalgia, bringing back big names like Maya Rudolph, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, and Andy Samberg.

While long-time fans were excited to see them again, in my opinion, most of these moments didn’t leave a mark because the writing wasn’t strong enough. The anniversary special, in particular, felt more like a list of guest appearances than a real look at what Saturday Night Live is capable of today.

Many sketches ran long, and instead of sharp writing or new angles, they focused on reintroducing characters or revisiting old dynamics. It became more about who showed up than what was being said. In my opinion, that’s where the season lost its edge.

Instead of building on its legacy, season 50 often leaned too hard on it. And in doing so, it showed how nostalgia—when not paired with fresh writing—can end up holding the show back.

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Fans can watch the latest episodes of Saturday Night Live currently streaming on Peacock.

Edited by Sindhura Venkatesh