Unless you’ve been living in a van down by the river, you’ve doubtless endured a “Saturday Night Live” PR blitz over the past year.

First came the October 2024 movie “Saturday Night,” dramatizing the minutes before the first broadcast. Then came a four-part Peacock docuseries, the three-hour primetime special (February 26) and innumerable breathless summertime announcements about cast departures.

But since the actual 50th anniversary of what was originally titled “NBC’s Saturday NIght” isn’t until October 11, I’ve held my peace.

My exposure to the venerable program over the past 20 years has been hit-and-miss-and-miss-and-miss, but I cherish many warm memories of the first three decades.

Like sitting at the high school cafeteria table during my sophomore year and listening to Tracy Holder regale us with highlights of this really cool latenight show he had discovered. We........

© Yuma Sun