I hate to date you, reader, but this is the year that Saturday Night Live turns 50. Could the days of Belushi and Akroyd, Radner and Curtin, Chase and Murray be so far behind us? Indeed they are, but Lorne Michaels is still kicking around—although he did tell Entertainment Weekly in 2021 that he may retire after the show’s golden jubilee. We’ve been promised that the 50th season will see the return of many former cast members and hosts: expect Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Maya Rudolph, among other mainstays. (If only Norm Macdonald, a personal favorite, was still with us.) S.N.L. episodes that harken back to the glory days are always a joy—their 40th-anniversary special was a riot—so be sure to follow along in the months ahead, even if you’ve fallen off the wagon in recent years. Jean Smart, Nate Bargatze, and Ariana Grande host the first three episodes, respectively. —Jack Sullivan

Saturday Night Live is also available weekly on NBC’s cable channel.