SNL Best Moments, Sketches, 40th Season

Tonight is the premiere of the 40th (!) season of Saturday Night Live.

In these past four decades, the venerable late-night institution has been a reliable (if occasionally inconsistent) comedy touchstone for the entire country. The show's innovations are so ubiquitous that they're invisible. It's given us catchphrases. It's given us fake news. It's given us the grammar of American televised humor.

As one of the last surviving water-cooler shows, when in season, it's on any given weekend's must-watch list (or at least must-Google-before-Monday-morning list). And, this season's opener with host Chris Pratt and musical guest Ariana Grande is no exception.

With that in mind, here are four decades worth of moments that are famous, infamous, and just plain hilarious. From milestone hires to controversial comments to viral videos, ahead are 40 times Saturday Night Live was all anyone could talk about.

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SNL: 40 Years, 40 Memorable Moments

Saturday Night Live: 40 Years, 40 Memorable Moments

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