At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television – and culture – forever. Directed by Jason Reitman and written by Gil Kenan & Reitman, Saturday Night is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. Full of humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, we count down the minutes in real time until we hear those famous words…
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00:00Hey, free comedy show, plenty of seats, plenty of tickets left guys, free show, fuck's sake.
00:12So, big night.
00:15Look, my name is Lorne Michaels, I'm the producer of Saturday Night.
00:20The whole night?
00:21Yeah, the whole night.
00:22Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Dan Ayicka, how the fuck do you pronounce this?
00:29Ackroyd.
00:30You know, I was thinking, why don't we punt?
00:35We should run the dress rehearsal and claw back a win next Saturday.
00:38We can't, Dick.
00:39It's a live show.
00:40We're just not ready.
00:42Doesn't matter that we're ready, it matters that it's 11.30.
00:44That's when we go on.
00:45Lorne, all I'm trying to do is give you advice.
00:51It's in everyone's best interest, mainly yours.
00:53Sorry, was that a threat?
00:54Look around, Lorne.
00:55You haven't locked the script.
00:57The crew is in open rebellion.
01:00Fuck you, fuck you.
01:01I definitely fucked you.
01:03The writers on the 17th floor tied a belt around Big Bird's neck and hung him from my
01:08dressing room door.
01:09Tell me how you fit into this ensemble.
01:13Oh, is this an ensemble?
01:14It's a fucking game of Tower!
01:17NBC makes more money playing runes of The Tonight Show.
01:19NBC is lucky to have something as relevant as this show.
01:23Lorne, they don't even want us.
01:24That's logical, Dick.
01:25That's why they're paying us all to be here.
01:26I mean, Lorne, 90 minutes of live television by a group of 20-year-olds who have never
01:30made anything.
01:31Do you ever stop and wonder why they said yes?
01:33A counterculture show starring total unknowns with zero narrative and even less structure.
01:38Fuck!
01:39What the fuck?
01:45They want you to fail.
01:51We just have to make it to air.
01:56Am I still in the show?
02:00Jesus Christ.
02:02Sorry, tripped over my penis.