SNL 40th got huge ratings

[Tailgate]

Sunday nights show ratings from the overnights.. posted from TV Week

“Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special” (7.8/21 in 18-49, 23.1 million viewers overall from 8-11:30 p.m. ET [measured here from 8-11 p.m. ET in fast-national ratings from Nielsen Media Research]):

snl40

In 18-49, this is:

Currently NBC’s top-rated primetime entertainment telecast, excluding post-Super Bowl programs, in more than eight years, since May 18, 2006 (8.4 with the “Will & Grace” finale), pending updates.
NBC’s top-rated primetime entertainment SPECIAL in 10 years, since Thursday, Feb. 6,2004 (16.7 from 8-9 p.m. ET for a “Friends” clips show the night of the series finale).
The top-rated “SNL” primetime special in 14 years, since Thursday Feb. 8, 2001 (9.3 from 8:37-9 p.m. ET, following a super-sized “Friends”).
Excluding the night of the Super Bowl and major award shows, currently the top-rated primetime entertainment telecast on any Big 4 net in three years, since Jan. 22, 2012 (“American Idol,” 7.9), pending updates.


In total viewers, this is:

Currently NBC’s most-watched primetime entertainment telecast, excluding post-Super Bowl programs, in more than 10 years, since May 13, 2004 (23.9 million with “ER” the night of the “Frasier” finale), pending updates.
NBC’s most-watched primetime entertainment SPECIAL in 10 years, since Thursday, May 6,2004 (36.9 million from 8-9 p.m. ET for a “Friends” clips show the night of the series finale).
Pending updates, currently the most-watched “SNL” primetime special in 22 years, since Sunday Nov. 1, 1992 (28.8 million from 9-11 p.m. ET for “SNL Presidential Bash”).
Excluding the night of the Super Bowl and major award shows, currently the most-watched primetime entertainment telecast on any Big 4 net in more than three years, since Sept. 19, 2011 (Ashton Kutcher joins “Two and a Half Men,” 28.7 million) , pending updates.

[frayne]

Watched most of it and loved Bill Murray singing to the opening music of "Jaws". He nailed it, also gotta a kick out of the gal that does Beyonce, too funny.

[Payin-the-Toll]

Big fan since 1975 when I was 25. Loved it, loved it, loved it. Recorded it on my DVR, and am now going to see if I can record it to my DVD recorder and make copies (have never tried it before).

Before 1975, I had a timer hooked to my Hi-Fi stereo system and cassette recorder, and recorded quite a few "National Lampoon Radio Hours" off the radio on Saturday night when the wife & I were out partying. Still have them, and once in a great while will play one. Great memories.

[Bikerdude]

I enjoyed it for the most part but thought Paul Simon and Paul McCartney should consider not singing solo. It also confirmed what I had expected, (after seeing some of the cast members) is that I'm old.

[GalaxyBoy]

We recorded it, but caught the last few minutes live. I think Eddie Murphy's appearance will go down in popular culture as the ultimate disappointment after extreme over-hyping. As in, "they sure Eddie Murphy'ed that one!"

[outabout]

We missed it, will watch it on Hulu. I still remember Dana Carvey did a skit on Bush the senior, he was hilarious.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GalaxyBoy We recorded it, but caught the last few minutes live. I think Eddie Murphy's appearance will go down in popular culture as the ultimate disappointment after extreme over-hyping. As in, "they sure Eddie Murphy'ed that one!"

+1.

And, I could have done without the live musical acts (at times it felt like a Paul Simon tribute show)--just get folks to introduce old clips. That's what people tuned in to see.

A good show, and a lot of fun.

[Tailgate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GalaxyBoy We recorded it, but caught the last few minutes live. I think Eddie Murphy's appearance will go down in popular culture as the ultimate disappointment after extreme over-hyping. As in, "they sure Eddie Murphy'ed that one!"

+1.. Yahoo News noted that Chris Rock's intro was 3 minutes of praise, while Murphy's appearance lasted 73 seconds... they went on to add:

Murphy last appeared on the show Dec. 15, 1984 as host. He notably skipped the "SNL" 25th anniversary and show creator Lorne Michaels has publicly acknowledged some bad blood with Murphy after he approved a sketch in the 1990s that poked fun at one of the comedian's box office bombs.

In an April 2013 panel talk moderated by former "SNL" castmember Martin Short, Michaels called his decision to air the sketch starring David Spade, “a mistake,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

[Midpack]

We watched and enjoyed it more than we expected. However, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, McCartney, Paul Simon and others looked pretty old - we must be old ourselves...

OTOH Eddie Murphy looked pretty good, and he and Belushi were my favorite SNL cast members.

[ohyes]

DH and I watched most of it and got some good laughs. Though we did not know each other in late 70's, we both remember SNL stopping our clocks. time.to.watch.SNL.


We were disappointed to not see Father Guido Sarducci.


Or, perhaps, we missed him....

[daylatedollarshort]

I didn't see all of it yet, but we cracked up over the latest celebrity Jeopardy skit. Jim Carrey does a great Matthew McConaughey. His Lincoln ad on one of this season's shows was also a hoot.

[pb4uski]

Just now watching the rebroadcast. I thought Paul McCartney solo was sad.... my his voice has declined... or perhaps he just had a bad night.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski Just now watching the rebroadcast. I thought Paul McCartney solo was sad.... my his voice has declined... or perhaps he just had a bad night.

Sad, I agree. Paul Simon's voice is showing some age too IMO.

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski Just now watching the rebroadcast. I thought Paul McCartney solo was sad.... my his voice has declined... or perhaps he just had a bad night.

I think he sounds quite good for a 72 year old.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 I think he sounds quite good for a 72 year old.

I dunno... not a lot of comparables out there...

I just closed my eyes during his performance and cringed.

[Birdie Num Nums]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 I think he sounds quite good for a 72 year old.

Remember, McCartney played a 100-minute long pre-SNL 40 concert the night before, which virtually all who attended proclaimed it "great," so maybe his voice was bit tired. (Nonetheless he was still hitting those many high notes in "Maybe I'm Amazed." Listen again.) At least he, and Paul Simon, didn't have to use the auto-tune machine like Kanye West did. (Does West use it on everything he does? I don't usually pay attention to his music.)

[pb4uski]

Kanye who? Oh, that a..hole that they should bar from attending any future Grammys.

[ProspectiveBum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdie Num Nums At least he, and Paul Simon, didn't have to use the auto-tune machine like Kanye West did. (Does West use it on everything he does? I don't usually pay attention to his music.)

Kanye doesn't generally use it while rapping, but does when "singing".

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProspectiveBum Kanye doesn't generally use it while rapping, but does when "singing".

Should use it all the time, otherwise he might "rap" out of tune...

McCartney did start pretty rough, but recovered nicely. If my voice was kaput, I might have chosen a less-challenging song...

Show was a nice trip down memory lane, at least what I remember of it.


Sent from my iCouch using Early Retirement Forum

[steelyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR McCartney did start pretty rough, but recovered nicely. If my voice was kaput, I might have chosen a less-challenging song...

Yes, I thought he did a fine job. I thought it was a little odd that they chose to show photos from around the time he released McCartney, when he was probably in his late 20s or early 30s. It seemed to emphasize the passing of time and there are definitely more recent concert photos/videos to use (or just a tasteful background and let him do his thing).

The then/now things of the cast regulars were good, though - they are what the whole show was about. I thought Laraine Newman looked just as good, if not better, than she did as a cast member. Mellencamp would probably say she can still stop a clock.