14.8M viewers tuned in to watch 'SNL's 50th anniversary special
What's the story
The 50th-anniversary special of Saturday Night Live (SNL), which aired on NBC and Peacock, has broken viewership records with an average of 14.8 million viewers watching on Sunday night.
This is a mind-boggling 202% increase over the average viewership for each regular episode of SNL's 50th season, which is 4.9 million.
The special also scored a solid 2.5 rating among the key adults aged between 18-49 demographic group.
Historic achievement
'SNL50' marked NBC's most-watched primetime telecast in 5 years
The SNL50 special has emerged as NBC's most-watched primetime entertainment telecast (excluding sports and news) in five years, since the 2020 Golden Globe Awards.
It is also the fourth-most-watched entertainment telecast of all time on Peacock, behind three Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcasts.
The special is likely to grow further in viewership through delayed viewing on Peacock and other digital platforms.
Digital success
'SNL50' also dominated social media and YouTube
Apart from traditional broadcast viewership, the special episode has also made huge strides on digital platforms. The special's Black Jeopardy sketch alone has already racked up 2.8 million views on YouTube.
NBC reported that the special generated 8.7 million social interactions, making it the network's "most social" entertainment telecast in two years and the most social SNL episode ever.
Show highlights
'SNL50' featured star-studded cast and memorable performances
The SNL50 special was a grand celebration of the show's landmark anniversary, with star-studded celebrity guests and returning SNL cast members.
Notable sketches included Black Jeopardy with Kenan Thompson, Eddie Murphy, Tom Hanks, Leslie Jones, and Chris Rock.
The show also featured musical performances by Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon opening the show with Homeward Bound, Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard singing Nothing Compares 2 U, and Paul McCartney closing the special with a medley.