The 10 Most Influential 'SNL' Sketches Ever

Live from New York...we have some opinions!

Saturday Night Live started out as a network sketch comedy show whose 11:35 pm timeslot reflected its scrappy, counter-culture sensibilities. Fifty years later, it is a juggernaut that defines American pop culture. From movies to television to the internet and even music (have you seen Questlove’s amazing documentary on the show’s musical performers?), SNL has spread its tentacles all over entertainment, launching careers and changing comedy along the way.

With the show marking its 50th anniversary this year (and an anniversary special scheduled for Feb. 16), we’re posing the following question: Of the thousands of sketches produced at Studio 8H over the past five decades, which ones proved most influential in defining the show’s legacy?

If there was ever a post that needed an IMHO (“in my humble opinion”) added to the headline, it’s this one! We are bringing equal parts personal bias and pop culture expertise to our choices, presented in chronological order.

Subscribe to see our picks, including Lorne Michaels asking the Beatles to reunite, “Wayne’s World,” “Dick in a Box,” and more.