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Tim Benz: A lesson to be learned by the Steelers from all the ‘SNL 50’ hoopla

Tim Benz
| Monday, February 17, 2025 6:00 a.m.
NBCUniversal

Amid all of the hoopla for this weekend’s 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” I watched the four-part docuseries on Peacock called “SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night.”

I really enjoyed it. I thought it was better than any individual SNL episode I’ve seen in recent years. All four parts were intriguing, as was the stand-alone episode chronicling all the musical guests and influences over the years. That was excellent.

One thing stood out to me in the final episode of the “Beyond Saturday Night” series. The creators dedicated an entire chapter to Season 11 of the show.

The cast was rebuilt after Season 10. Producer Lorne Michaels returned in 1985 in an attempt to save a rudderless show. Ratings plummeted anyway. There was turmoil between the cast and writers. Damon Wayans was fired immediately after a show. The season ended with a fake fire sketch (set by Yankees manager Billy Martin) where the entire cast and writers were “trapped” in an inferno with a giant question mark on the screen and the words, “Who will survive?” There was even some speculation the show may be canceled entirely.


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